Transmission with oil guide channel parts

Abstract

The proposal according to the invention relates to a transmission (100) comprising a transmission gear (107) arranged in a transmission housing (140), the transmission gear (107) being arranged in an oil sump (150), the transmission (100) comprising an oil guide channel part (1) comprising a guide channel (2) and at least one oil collecting area (13a) for storing oil conveyed through the guide channel (2), the oil collecting area (13a) comprising an outlet (15a), the oil guide channel part (1) being arranged in the transmission housing (100), such that during operation, oil lifted from the oil sump (150) by the transmission gear (107) enters the receiving opening (11) of the guide channel (2) and reaches the discharge opening (12) of the guide channel (2) along the oil guide direction (F) of the guide channel (2). According to the present invention, the at least one oil collecting area (13a) comprises a first reservoir (13), the first reservoir (13) having a first reservoir wall (25) and a first reservoir bottom (24), and in a predetermined assembly state of the oil guide channel part (1), the receiving opening (11) is positioned at an end face of the at least one transmission gear (107), the first reservoir bottom (24) is positioned above the transmission gear (107), and the oil guide direction (F) extends from the receiving opening (11) to the discharge opening (12) against gravity (G).

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] In the prior art, automotive transmissions are also used, particularly in combination with electric drives. Here, the transmission elements of the transmission must be lubricated with oil, just like in conventional transmissions. To increase transmission efficiency and reduce costs, the oil pump commonly used in conventional transmissions for transmission lubrication can be eliminated. Lubrication and cooling of the transmission elements are preferably achieved by passive oil distribution. Lubrication of the rotating transmission elements is important for transmission reliability. Insufficient lubrication can result in insufficient oil supply to the bearings and sealing rings of the transmission elements. This can lead to increased wear and even failure of the transmission elements.

[0002] German Patent No. 10102017108748 discloses a transmission for a motor vehicle, comprising a transmission housing and at least one transmission gear disposed within the transmission housing, the transmission gear being at least partially disposed within the transmission's oil sump. The rotating transmission gear rolls partially through the oil sump, picking up oil as it does so. This process is often referred to as "splash" in technical terms. To ensure proper distribution of the oil picked up by the transmission gear within the transmission, an oil guide channel part is provided, which is inserted into the transmission as an insert part. The oil guide channel part is shaped like glasses and includes several covers and a guide channel with a receiving opening and a discharge opening. The guide channel has an oil guide direction from the receiving opening to the discharge opening and a channel wall that is closed in the circumferential direction perpendicular to the oil guide direction. In German Patent No. 10102017108748, the channel wall is formed by a semicircular hollow body curved around the gear axis of the transmission gear of the transmission. In a given assembly state of the oil guide channel components, the semicircular hollow body is primarily located above the oil level in the transmission's oil sump. The curved guide channel has a receiving opening configured as a catch mouth for receiving oil. The oil is lifted by another transmission gear meshing with the transmission gear surrounded by the semicircular hollow body and further transported to the catch mouth by the second transmission gear. In German Patent No. 10102017108748, the end section of the semicircular hollow body, closed except for the throttle hole, opposite the catch mouth forms an oil collection area for storing oil transported through the guide channel. The throttle hole forms the only discharge opening of the guide channel and therefore simultaneously serves as an outlet for oil from at least one oil collection area.The throttle hole is located vertically above the meshing area of ​​the two transmission gears, so that the outflowing oil flows down into the meshing area and wets the contact surfaces of the gears. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Invention No. 10102017108748 Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The present invention relates to a transmission, in particular an automotive transmission, comprising a transmission housing and at least one transmission gear arranged in the transmission housing, the transmission gear being at least partially arranged in an oil sump of the transmission, the transmission comprising an oil guide channel part, the oil guide channel part comprising a guide channel having a receiving opening and a discharge opening, the guide channel having an oil guiding direction from the receiving opening to the discharge opening and a channel wall closed in the circumferential direction perpendicular to the oil guiding direction, the oil guide channel part further comprising at least one oil collecting area for storing oil guided through the guide channel, the oil guide channel part comprising at least one outlet for oil from the at least one oil collecting area, the oil guide channel part being arranged in the transmission housing, wherein oil lifted from the oil sump by the transmission gear during operation enters the receiving opening and reaches the discharge opening along the oil guiding direction of the guide channel. According to the present invention, it is contemplated that the at least one oil collecting area includes a first reservoir, the first reservoir having a first reservoir wall and a first reservoir bottom, the oil guide channel part is arranged in the transmission housing in a predetermined assembly state defining an orientation of the oil guide channel part in the transmission housing relative to gravity, the receiving opening is positioned on an end face of a transmission gear at least partially arranged in the oil sump, the first reservoir bottom is positioned above the transmission gear, and the oil guiding direction extends from the receiving opening to the discharge opening against gravity.

[0005] In the context of this application, "oil" means a liquid lubricant suitable for transmissions, whether or not commercially available as an oil, and in particular may be a lubricant known as ATF (automatic transmission fluid) or a similar substance.

[0006] A predetermined assembly state defining the orientation of the oil guide channel components within the transmission housing relative to gravity refers to an assembly state that represents a specific orientation of the oil guide channel components relative to the transmission housing when the orientation of the associated transmission relative to the Earth's gravitational field is known. The orientation of the transmission relative to the Earth's gravitational field is generally known relative to the transmission's normal position, which is the position in which the transmission is oriented relative to gravity in its intended use. If the transmission is an automobile transmission, the transmission will assume a specific orientation relative to the Earth's gravitational field when the automobile is oriented horizontally relative to the Earth's gravitational field in its normal position. This applies regardless of whether the automobile is actually moved horizontally relative to the Earth's gravitational field or traveling up an inclined slope. Therefore, from a known assembly position of the transmission in the automobile, it is possible in principle to derive how the oil guide channel components can be installed within the transmission so that the oil guide channel components will assume a specific orientation relative to gravity in their normal position. Since in most possible driving conditions of a motor vehicle the inclination angle on downhill or uphill slopes deviates very slightly from the horizontal by only about ±20°, the geometric design of the oil guide channel components allows the assembly state to be adapted to a horizontal vehicle position.

[0007] The oil guide channel part refers to a part that includes at least one guide channel for oil transport. Furthermore, the oil guide channel part can be configured so that oil supplied to the oil guide channel part is distributed within the oil guide channel part under the influence of gravity. The oil guide channel part can be configured, in particular, as an insert part that is inserted into the transmission during assembly. However, it is also possible for the oil guide channel part to be formed by a structure that protrudes into the inside of a housing part of the transmission housing. Preferably, however, the oil guide channel part is a separately manufactured insert part. It can be made of plastic, metal, or a plastic-metal composite. The oil guide channel part can be configured in one piece or in multiple pieces. In particular, the oil guide channel part can be assembled from two or more shell parts that are mechanically connected to each other by snap or clip connections.

[0008] In the context of the present application, the terms "bottom" or "below" refer to a position at a lower point in the direction of gravity, and the terms "top" or "above" refer to a position at a higher point in the direction of gravity, relative to an assumed reference point, in which the orientation of the oil guide channel parts corresponding to a given assembly state is assumed.

[0009] A transmission oil sump refers to an area within the transmission housing where oil accumulates under the influence of gravity. A transmission gear at least partially located within the transmission oil sump refers to a transmission gear whose lower portion, in the direction of gravity, is immersed in the oil sump, while its upper portion extends beyond the oil sump. As the transmission gear rotates, it extracts oil from the oil sump and transports it against gravity to a discharge point. This process is called "splash." The oil circulation and transport performance through the transmission gears is directly dependent on speed and, in terms of viscosity, temperature. The amount of oil transported from the oil sump by at least one transmission gear reduces the oil level during operation. Therefore, at least one transmission gear can be considered an oil-transporting transmission gear. Here, oil dispersed by at least one transmission gear and possibly additional transmission gears during faster rotation within the transmission housing may reach a location where it cannot immediately return to the oil sump. This amount of oil is called splash loss. However, the oil sump must contain an adequate amount of oil to ensure that at least one transmission gear is transporting enough oil to keep the transmission from running dry. On the other hand, having too much oil in the sump is undesirable because it increases the transmission's unfavorable drag losses. Therefore, a compromise is desirable to ensure that the amount of oil transported by the transmission gears is delivered as precisely as possible to the transmission's lubrication points to avoid splash loss, while also allowing the oil level in the sump to be lowered to a level that minimizes the transmission's drag losses.

[0010] A non-rotatable coupling or connection of two parts means that the first part cannot rotate relative to the second part, but does not exclude the possibility that the first part can slide axially relative to the second part.

[0011] The at least one transmission gear may be any gear in a gear set. In particular, the transmission gear may mesh with a further transmission gear and serve to transmit torque from the drive shaft to the output shaft within the transmission. This does not exclude the possibility of there being multiple oil-carrying transmission gears within the transmission. Advantages of the invention The transmission according to the present invention, which includes an oil guide channel part, allows for precise oil supply to the bearings of the rotating transmission elements inside the transmission housing. This is achieved by forming a first reservoir in the oil guide channel part, which has a first reservoir wall and a first reservoir bottom, in combination with a specially configured guide channel. The oil guide channel part is placed in the transmission housing in a predetermined assembly state that defines the orientation of the oil guide channel part in the transmission housing relative to gravity, with the receiving opening positioned at the end face of the transmission gear, the first reservoir bottom positioned above the transmission gear, and the oil guide direction extending from the receiving opening to the discharge opening against gravity.

[0012] In contrast to solutions known from the prior art, in which the oil collection area forms the end region of a hollow body with a semicircular arc shape curved around the gear axis, in the present invention, the oil collection area includes a first reservoir arranged above the oil-carrying transmission gear. The oil storage contained in the first reservoir lowers the oil sump at the bottom of the transmission housing during operation. The guide channel is preferably formed as a simple, circumferentially closed channel that can extend in a straight line from the receiving opening to the discharge opening. The opening cross-section of the receiving opening can correspond to the opening cross-section of the discharge opening. Gear oil supplied to the receiving opening of the guide channel by the scooping movement of the rotating transmission gear moves upward in the guide channel against gravity without encountering any obstacles, exits the discharge opening, and collects in the first reservoir. The guide channel with a circumferential channel wall is an integrated guide channel with an oil guide channel component. Advantageously, oil is transported in the guide channel even at low speeds.

[0013] In contrast to the prior art, oil is not collected within the guide channel, but rather in a first reservoir outside the guide channel. Therefore, the reserve contained in the first reservoir can be used even during speed fluctuations, ensuring sufficient lubrication of the transmission bearings. At least one outlet, but preferably several outlets, can be present in the first reservoir to provide oil supply to various bearings located deeper within the transmission. Advantageously, compared to the prior art, the amount of oil conveyed through the guide channel during operation can be designed independently of the amount of oil flowing out of the oil collection area through the outlets. The guide channel is used solely to fill the first reservoir, and the oil flow out of the first reservoir can be regulated by the geometric design of the reservoir and the at least one outlet. Thus, the oil supply to the bearing points of the transmission elements can be advantageously optimized both spatially and over time. This results in improved lubrication of the bearing points, particularly in transmissions in which the rotating transmission elements are arranged in multiple planes relative to gravity.

[0014] Advantageously, the first reservoir is used as an intermediate reservoir so that, even in the case of short shutdown periods of the electric machine driving the transmission, faster lubrication is provided when the electric machine is started up again. However, in the case of longer shutdown periods, the first reservoir can also be completely emptied into the oil sump through a small outlet opening in the bottom of the first reservoir.

[0015] Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention are made possible by the features set out in the dependent claims. Advantageously, an end of the channel wall of the guide channel opposite the receiving opening can protrude beyond the first reservoir bottom to form a peripheral wall defining the discharge opening, so that oil leaving the discharge opening of the guide channel flows out in the direction of gravity and collects in the first reservoir, and thus the oil flowing out beyond the peripheral wall can advantageously flow directly into the first reservoir and fill it.

[0016] Advantageously, the guide channel is formed straight and can extend tangentially to the end face of the transmission gear at least in the region of the transmission gear, with the receiving opening being positioned in the immediate vicinity of the end face of the transmission gear, meaning in this context that the receiving opening is arranged close to the transmission gear so that gear oil can be fed directly from the end face to the receiving opening.

[0017] The receiving opening can be formed as a catch mouth, with its periphery chamfered and extended to correspond to the tangent angle of the guide channel, thereby allowing the receiving opening to be as close as possible to the end face of the transmission gear. Here, the contour of the periphery can be adapted to the radius of curvature of the end face of the transmission gear. Oil transported by the transmission gear (partially removed under the influence of centrifugal force) reaches the guide channel at the receiving opening. Here, the oil movement pulse away from the transmission gear roughly corresponds to the oil guide direction of the guide channel, so the oil preferably reaches the discharge opening of the guide channel without obstruction. The oil leaving the discharge opening of the guide channel flows out in the direction of gravity and collects in the first reservoir, thereby filling the first reservoir. The oil flowing out of the reservoir reaches a given lubrication point in the transmission "passively" (i.e., under the influence of gravity).

[0018] The oil guide channel part can be particularly advantageously used in combination with a transmission, the transmission having a drive shaft and an output shaft, the output shaft being driven by a transmission gear, and the coupling element being coupled to the transmission gear so that the transmission gear can be driven by the coupling element; the transmission is provided with a clutch mechanism having a clutch element, the clutch element being non-rotatably coupled to the drive shaft, and the clutch element being non-rotatably coupled to and decoupled from the coupling element by the clutch mechanism; the oil guide channel part having a first outlet, the first outlet extending from the first tank wall above the first tank bottom, and having an outlet opening, through which the outflowing oil is guided to a bearing of a pinion, the pinion being rotatably attached to the drive shaft and non-rotatably coupled to the coupling element. In such a transmission, the drive shaft, which is driven directly or indirectly by, for example, an electric machine, can be decoupled from the output shaft of the transmission. The output shaft can be coupled, for example, to the wheels of a vehicle. When the electric machine is deactivated, the clutch mechanism can decouple the output shaft from the drive shaft. While the vehicle is in a driving state, the wheels of the vehicle still drive at least one transmission gear and its associated pinion, rather than the drive shaft. Advantageously, the oil guide channel element allows oil to be supplied to the rotating pinion bearing on the drive shaft, even during the disengagement phase of the clutch mechanism, without requiring rotation of the drive shaft.

[0019] In one exemplary embodiment, the drive shaft is configured as a hollow shaft having an axial bore. When the pinion meshes with the transmission gear, oil exiting the outlet opening of the first outlet is supplied to the axial bore of the drive shaft and can then pass through at least one radial bore to reach the pinion bearing. The pinion bearing can be configured as a needle bearing, for example, to ensure oil lubrication.

[0020] In this context, it is advantageous if oil flowing out of the outlet opening of the first outlet under the influence of gravity reaches a chamber formed in the first housing part of the transmission housing, and a baffle plate is arranged in the chamber, and the baffle plate has a central channel section that engages with the axial bore of the drive shaft, allowing the oil contained in the chamber to flow through the baffle plate into the channel section and thus reach the axial bore of the drive shaft. The oil supplied to the chamber wets the baffle plate and flows along the baffle plate into the channel section. Because the channel section engages with the axial bore of the drive shaft, the baffle plate advantageously ensures a constant supply of oil to the axial bore even when the drive shaft is stationary or rotating slowly, allowing for problem-free lubrication of the needle bearing of the pinion rotating on the drive shaft.

[0021] In one exemplary embodiment, a rotor shaft of an electric machine is provided, journaled by at least one bearing within the transmission housing, and the rotor shaft can drive a drive shaft. For example, in this case, the oil collection area of ​​the oil guide channel part advantageously includes a second reservoir, the second reservoir having a second reservoir wall and a second reservoir bottom, the second reservoir being connected to the first reservoir via a connecting channel, and the second outlet extending from the second reservoir wall above the second reservoir bottom in a predetermined assembly direction and having an outlet opening through which oil is guided toward the rotor shaft bearing. Due to the geometric design and position of the second reservoir and the second outlet, the oil supply for the rotor shaft bearing can be designed independently of the oil supply for the pinion bearing.

[0022] Naturally, the oil guide channel part may be provided with further reservoirs and / or the first or second reservoir may be provided with further outlets, by means of which further bearings of the rotating transmission elements are lubricated with oil.

[0023] Advantageously, the edge of the peripheral wall can be at a distance from the bottom of the first reservoir on the side facing the first reservoir, which distance is configured to be smaller than the distance of the edge of the peripheral wall from the bottom of the second reservoir on the side facing the second reservoir. When the transmission gear rotates, when oil is transported through the guide channel, the oil first reaches the first reservoir and at least partially fills the first reservoir, and then the oil reaches the second reservoir through the connecting channel. This prevents oil from flowing out prematurely in the direction of the second outlet and ensures that oil is always supplied to the first outlet. Thus, in a sense, in this exemplary embodiment, the outflow of oil through the first outlet and the second outlet is carried out in a cascading manner, with the first reservoir being filled first, oil flowing out of the oil guide channel part through the first outlet, and the supplied oil simultaneously, immediately before or immediately afterwards, starting to fill the second reservoir through the connecting channel, so that in this example the oil only flows through the second outlet after it has already flowed through the first outlet.

[0024] The transmission housing may further advantageously comprise a first housing part having a first housing wall region and a second housing part having a second housing wall region overlapping the first housing part, with a third housing wall region defined in the overlapping region of the first and second housing parts, the first, second, and third housing wall regions surrounding the end of the transmission gear in the oil sump opposite the oil guide channel part on three sides. This advantageously forms an area constantly filled with oil from the oil sump, without the need for additional cover elements or additional means, within which at least one transmission gear rotates. The distance between the housing wall region and the transmission gear is dimensioned by a gap that ensures reliable wetting and oil transport by the transmission gear. Here, the first housing wall region, the second housing wall region, the third housing wall region, the transmission gear, and the guide channel form a pump system by which oil is transported against gravity from the oil sump through the guide channel to the discharge opening of the guide channel when the transmission gear rotates.

[0025] The transmission gear may be non-rotatably coupled to the transmission differential, and the first and second output shafts may be coupled to the differential and driven to rotate by the differential. The transmission gear may be fixed to the differential cage of the differential, for example, as a spur gear. Since the differential may be installed in a transmission housing together with other transmission elements, a housing part enclosing the differential may be advantageously easily positioned on the side of the end of the transmission gear opposite the oil guide channel part, thereby achieving the above-mentioned effects of the pump system.

[0026] Possible embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-section through a transmission of a motor vehicle driven by an electric machine; [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an oil guide channel component for use in the transmission shown in FIG. 1; FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the oil guide channel part of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a further perspective view of the oil guide channel part of FIGS. 2 and 3; [Figure 5] 6 for a transmission according to the invention with the oil guide channel part of FIGS. 1 to 4; FIG. [Figure 6] 5 is a cross-sectional view through a transmission according to the invention with the oil guide channel part of FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the transmission of FIG. 6 with an oil guide channel part. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transmission equipped with an oil guide channel part. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the transmission housing of FIG. 8 with a baffle plate that can be used in combination with the oil guide channel component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Figure 1 shows a drive system for a motor vehicle, including a transmission 100. On the input side, the transmission 100 is connected to an electric machine 110 having a rotor shaft 103. The rotor shaft 103 meshes with a gear 104 that is non-rotatably connected to a drive shaft 101 of the transmission. The drive shaft 101 is rotatably supported around its outer periphery at two axially spaced bearing points 171 and 172 in a transmission housing (not shown in Figure 1).

[0029] The transmission 100 further includes a clutch mechanism 120, which can be controlled, for example, by a preferably electrically actuable rotary actuator 123. The electric actuator 123 can act on a clutch element 121, for example, via a spindle drive and a shift fork 129. The clutch element 121 is supported on the guide hub 105 so as to be axially slidable. The clutch element 121 can be formed, for example, in the shape of a ring and can rotate relative to the shift fork 129. The clutch element 121 can have internal teeth that engage with external teeth of the guide hub 105, so that the clutch element 121 can slide relative to the guide hub 105 parallel to the axis of the drive shaft 101. The guide hub 105 and the clutch element 121 engaged therewith are supported on the drive shaft 101 so as to be non-rotatable relative to each other. A coupling element 122 is also provided, which is non-rotatably connected to the pinion 106. The pinion 106 is rotatably supported on the drive shaft 101 by a bearing 176, for example formed as a needle bearing. The coupling element 122 can have external teeth. When the rotary actuator 123 is activated, the spindle drive slides the clutch element 121 axially via the shift fork until the internal teeth of the clutch element 121 engage with the external teeth of the coupling element 122, thereby coupling the clutch element 121 to the coupling element 122 so that it cannot rotate relative to the clutch element 121. Upon coupling, the gear 104, drive shaft 101, guide hub 105, clutch element 121, coupling element 122, and pinion 106 rotate as a block around the axis of the drive shaft 101. During disengagement, the rotary actuator 123 pulls the clutch element 121 away from the coupling element 122 to the left in FIG. 1 , thereby releasing the coupling between the pinion 106 and the drive shaft 101. Here, the pinion 106 can rotate around the drive shaft 101 .

[0030] The pinion 106 meshes with a transmission gear 107, which in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is non-rotatably connected to a differential 130. The differential 130 comprises an output shaft 102 in the form of a first output shaft 102a and a second output shaft 102b that can be driven in rotation together with the differential 130. The transmission gear 107 is fixedly connected to a differential cage 108 of the differential 130. As shown in FIG. 7, the differential 130 can be integrated into a transmission housing 140 of the transmission 100.

[0031] As already mentioned, in the disengaged state, the coupling between the pinion 106 and the drive shaft 101 is released by the clutch mechanism 120. If the electric machine is then switched off, for example while the vehicle is in operation, the rotor shaft 103 and the drive shaft 101 are no longer driven. The vehicle wheels, which are still rolling, now drive the transmission gear 107 via the output shaft 102, which is in mesh with the pinion 106, which therefore rotates around the drive shaft 101. Even in this state, it must be ensured that a sufficient oil supply is provided to the bearing 176 of the pinion 106, which is arranged, for example, above the oil sump of the transmission 100.

[0032] 2, 3, and 4 show an exemplary embodiment of an oil guide channel part 1 that can be installed, for example, in the transmission 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. The oil guide channel part 1 can be configured as an insert part, as shown here, that is inserted into the transmission 100 during assembly of the transmission 100. The oil guide channel part 1 can be made from plastic, metal, or a plastic-metal composite and can be configured in one piece or in multiple pieces. In particular, it is possible to assemble the oil guide channel part from two or more shell parts that are mechanically connected to each other by snap or clip connections.

[0033] The oil guide channel part 1 comprises a guide channel 2 having a receiving opening 11 and a discharge opening 12. The guide channel 2 has an oil guide direction F (shown in FIG. 5 ) from the receiving opening 11 to the discharge opening 12, and a channel wall 21 closed in a circumferential direction perpendicular to the oil guide direction F. The oil guide channel part 1 further comprises an oil collection area 13a for storing oil conveyed through the guide channel 2 and an outlet 15a for oil from the oil collection area 13a. The oil collection area 13a includes a first reservoir 13. The first reservoir 13 comprises a first reservoir wall 25 and a first reservoir bottom 24. As can be clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, and particularly in FIG. 5, the end of the channel wall 21 opposite the receiving opening 11 of the guide channel 2 protrudes above the first reservoir bottom 24 of the first reservoir 13 and forms a peripheral wall 21a that defines the discharge opening 12. The oil guide channel part 1 further comprises a first outlet 15, which projects from the first tank wall 25 above the first tank bottom 24 and comprises an outflow opening 17. The first outlet 15 is formed as an angled groove. Furthermore, a further outlet 19 serving as an overflow can be formed at the upper edge of the first tank wall 25. The first reservoir 13 has a small outflow opening 20 formed as a hole in the first tank bottom 24, through which the first reservoir 13 can be emptied during extended periods of inactivity. The diameter of the outflow opening 20 is formed so small that the amount of oil flowing out through the outflow opening 20 during operation is significantly less than the amount of oil supplied to the guide channel 2.

[0034] As further shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the oil collection area 13a of the oil guide channel part 1 includes a second reservoir 14, which includes a second reservoir wall 27 and a second reservoir bottom 26. As can be seen in Figure 3, the second reservoir 14 is connected to the first reservoir 13 via a connecting channel 29 (Figure 3). The second outlet 16 extends from the second reservoir wall 27 above the second reservoir bottom 26 of the second reservoir 14 and has an outlet opening 18. The second outlet 16 can also be configured in the form of a groove. Furthermore, the second outlet 16 can include a further outlet opening 18a, for example, angled from the outlet 16.

[0035] The edge of the peripheral wall 21a preferably has a distance from the first tank bottom 24 on the side facing the first reservoir 13 that is smaller than the distance of the edge of the peripheral wall 21a from the second tank bottom 26 on the side facing the second reservoir 14.

[0036] The oil guide channel part 1 shown in FIGS. 2-4 is designed to be placed in the transmission housing 140 of the transmission 100 in a predetermined assembly state that defines the orientation of the oil guide channel part with respect to gravity G. Although not limited thereto, the oil guide channel part 1 is preferably intended to be inserted into the transmission 100 shown in FIG. 1. For this purpose, the oil guide channel part 1 includes a retaining cam 23 protruding from a side surface of the oil guide channel part 1, which allows the oil guide channel part 1 to be installed and fixed in a predetermined orientation relative to the normal position of the transmission 100 within the transmission housing 140 of the transmission 100. As can be further seen in FIG. 2, the oil guide channel part 1 may be provided with a reinforcing rib 22 for improved stability.

[0037] Figure 6 and the enlarged detail view of Figure 5 show a transmission 100 having a basic structure corresponding to that shown in Figure 1, and the oil guide channel part 1 of Figures 2 to 4 installed therein. It can be seen that the receiving opening 11 of the guide channel 2 is positioned at and in close proximity to the end face of the transmission gear 107, and that the first tank bottom 24 of the first reservoir 13 is positioned above the transmission gear 107. The oil guide direction F therefore runs from the receiving opening 11 to the discharge opening 12 against gravity G, the direction of gravity being shown in Figure 6 for the normal position of the transmission 100.

[0038] 5 and 6, the guide channel 2 is preferably linear and, at least in the region of the transmission gear 107, preferably extends tangentially to the end face of the transmission gear 107. The receiving opening 11 can be configured as a catch mouth, and the periphery of the receiving opening 11 can be chamfered in accordance with the angle between the direction of gravity and the conveying direction F, so that the receiving opening 11 can be as close as possible to the end face of the transmission gear 107. Here, the contour of the periphery can be adapted to the radius of curvature of the end face of the transmission gear 107, as shown.

[0039] The transmission gear 107 is partially disposed in the oil sump 150, as will be explained later with reference to Figure 7. The transmission gear 107 takes oil from the oil sump 150 and transports it to the receiving opening 11 of the guiding channel 2. The oil movement pulses push the oil in the guiding channel 2 in the oil guiding direction F up to the discharge opening 12.

[0040] As can be best seen in Figure 5, oil leaving the discharge opening 12 of the guide channel 2 flows over the peripheral wall 21a in the direction of gravity G, and thus in the direction of the first reservoir 13, where it accumulates. Since the edge of the peripheral wall 21a is spaced from the first reservoir bottom 24 on the side facing the first reservoir 13 by a distance that is smaller than the distance of the edge of the peripheral wall 21a from the second reservoir bottom 26 on the side facing the second reservoir 14, the oil first flows over the edge of the peripheral wall 21a on the side facing the first reservoir 12, and thus the first reservoir 12 is filled first. As soon as the oil reaches the connecting channel 29, the second reservoir 14 is also filled with oil through the connecting channel 29. The oil level that rises in the first reservoir 13 and the second reservoir 14 reaches the first outlet 15 and the second outlet 16 after a short time, and under the influence of gravity G, flows out of the oil guide channel part 1 through the first outlet opening 17, the second outlet opening 18 and the third outlet opening 18a.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a side view of the transmission 100 and the oil guide channel part 1 installed therein. In the plane of FIG. 7, the direction of gravity G is vertically oriented from top to bottom. It can be seen that the transmission housing 140 has a first housing part 141 and a second housing part 142. However, additional housing parts can also be provided. The first housing part 141 and the second housing part 142 can, for example, form housing half shells that can be stacked and connected to each other. In the lower region of the transmission housing 140, the first housing part 141 is provided with a first housing wall region 143, and the second housing part 142 is provided with a second housing wall region 144. The first housing wall region 143 and the second housing wall region 144 can be easily manufactured by corresponding molding of cast parts.

[0042] A third housing wall region 145 is provided in the overlapping region between the first housing part 141 and the second housing part 142. The third housing wall region 145 is formed in the lower region of the transmission housing 140 by the inner surfaces of the collars formed on the first housing part 141 and the second housing part 142, respectively. The first housing wall region 143, the second housing wall region 144, and the third housing wall region 145 surround the end of the transmission gear 107 in the oil sump 150 on three sides, opposite the oil guide channel part 1. A narrow gap remains between the outer surface of the transmission gear 107 and the housing wall region. This gap is constantly filled with gear oil from the oil sump 150, and the gear oil level is just above the housing wall region. The first housing wall region 143, the second housing wall region 144, the third housing wall region 145, the transmission gear 107 and the guide channel 2 form a pump system, which transports oil from the oil sump 150 to the guide channel 2 when the transmission gear 107 rotates.

[0043] FIG. 8 shows how oil flowing out of the oil guide channel part 1 through the first outlet 15 and the second outlet 18 can be supplied to the bearings in the transmission 100. In FIG. 8, a baffle plate 180 supported on the drive shaft 101 can be seen. A laterally inverted enlarged view of the baffle plate 180 can be seen in FIG. 9. As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the oil flowing out of the outlet opening 17 of the first outlet 15 reaches a chamber 146 formed in the first housing part 141 of the transmission housing 140, in which the baffle plate 180 is located. The baffle plate 180 is formed of an annular base body, for example made of metal, and the base body is supported at its outer edge between the first housing part 141 and the bearing 172 of the drive shaft 101. As can be seen in Figure 9, the baffle plate 180 has a cylindrical channel section 181 formed in its center, which engages with the axial hole 173 of the drive shaft 101, which is formed as a hollow shaft. Oil supplied through the outlet opening 17 of the chamber 146 flows through the baffle plate 180 into the channel section 181 and reaches the axial hole 173 of the drive shaft 101. From there, the oil passes through at least one radial hole 174 in the drive shaft and directly reaches the bearing 176 of the pinion 106.

[0044] As can also be seen in Figure 8, the outlet 16 is intended to direct oil towards a bearing 175 of the rotor shaft 103. The bearing 175 can be configured as a ball bearing, for example. The outlet opening 18 of the second outlet 16 in the region of the bearing 175 can also be seen better in Figure 6.

[0045] Thus, the oil guide channel part 1 supplies lubricating oil to the different bearings inside the transmission 100. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of a transmission with a clutch mechanism (a so-called disconnect transmission), this is advantageously done independently of the clutch state of the clutch mechanism, so that the bearings are always sufficiently lubricated in the various clutch states.

[0046] However, transmissions comprising the oil guide channel part 1 may fundamentally have different configurations. It will be appreciated that by means of at least one first reservoir and outlets and / or connecting channels branching therefrom to further reservoirs, an optimal supply of lubricating oil to the bearings of the rotating transmission elements can be optimally adapted to differently configured transmissions.

Claims

1. A transmission (100) comprising a transmission housing (140) and at least one transmission gear (107) disposed within the transmission housing (140), the transmission gear (107) being at least partially disposed within an oil sump (150) of the transmission (100), the transmission (100) comprising an oil guide channel part (1), the oil guide channel part (1) comprising a guide channel having a receiving opening (11) and a discharge opening (12). The oil guide channel part (1) further comprises at least one oil collecting area (13a) for storing oil guided through the guide channel (2), and the oil guide channel part (1) comprises at least one outlet (15a) for oil from the at least one oil collecting area (13a), and the guide channel part (2) comprises an oil guide direction (F) from the receiving opening (11) to the discharge opening (12), and a channel wall (21) closed in a circumferential direction perpendicular to the oil guide direction (F), the oil guide channel part (1) further comprises at least one oil collecting area (13a) for storing oil guided through the guide channel (2), and the oil guide channel part (1) comprises at least one outlet (15a) for oil from the at least one oil collecting area (13a), In the transmission (100), an oil guide channel part (1) is arranged in the transmission housing (100), and oil lifted from the oil sump (150) by the transmission gear (107) during operation enters the receiving opening (11) and reaches the discharge opening (12) along the oil guide direction (F) of the guide channel (2). In the transmission (100), the at least one oil collecting area (13a) includes a first reservoir (13), and the first reservoir (13) has a first reservoir wall (25) and a first reservoir bottom (26). 4), wherein the oil guide channel part (1) is arranged in the transmission housing (140) in a predetermined assembly state that defines an orientation of the oil guide channel part (1) in the transmission housing (140) with respect to gravity (G), the receiving opening (11) is positioned on an end face of the transmission gear (107) that is at least partially arranged in the oil sump (150), the first tank bottom (24) is positioned above the transmission gear (107), and the oil guide direction (F) isA transmission (100) characterized in that it extends from the receiving opening (11) to the discharge opening (12) against the force of gravity (G), an end of the channel wall (21) of the guide channel (2) opposite to the receiving opening (11) protrudes beyond the first tank bottom (24) of the first reservoir (13) to form a peripheral wall (21a) that defines the discharge opening (12), so that oil coming out of the discharge opening (12) of the guide channel (2) flows out in the direction of gravity (G) and collects in the first reservoir (13). A transmission (100) characterized in that:

2. A transmission (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that it is a transmission for an automobile.

3. 2. A transmission (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide channel (2) is formed straight and extends tangentially to the end face of the transmission gear (107) at least in the region of the transmission gear (107), and the receiving opening (11) is positioned in the immediate vicinity of the end face of the transmission gear (107).

4. The transmission includes a drive shaft (101) and an output shaft (102), the output shaft (102) can be driven by the transmission gear (107), and the coupling element (122) is coupled to the transmission gear (107) so that the transmission gear (107) can be driven by the coupling element (122). The transmission is provided with a clutch mechanism (120) including a clutch element (121), the clutch element (121) is coupled to the drive shaft (101) so as not to rotate relative to the drive shaft (101), and the clutch mechanism (120) couples the clutch element (121) to the drive shaft (101).

2. The transmission (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the oil guide channel part (1) is non-rotatably connected to the connecting element (122) and can be separated from the connecting element (122), the oil guide channel part (1) has a first outlet (15) that protrudes from the first tank wall (25) above the first tank bottom (24) and has an outlet opening (17) through which the outflowing oil is guided to a bearing (176) of a pinion (106), the pinion (106) being rotatably mounted on the drive shaft (101) and connected to the connecting element (122) so as to be non-rotatable relative to the drive shaft (101).

5. 5. A transmission (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the drive shaft (101) is formed as a hollow shaft having an axial bore (173), the pinion (106) meshes with the transmission gear (107), and the oil flowing out of the outlet opening (17) of the first outlet (15) reaches the axial bore (173) of the drive shaft (101) and from there through at least one radial bore (174) to the bearing (176).

6. The transmission (100) of claim 5, wherein the bearing (176) is configured as a needle bearing.

7. 6. The transmission (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the oil flowing out from the outlet opening (17) of the first outlet (15) reaches a chamber (146) formed in a first housing part (141) of the transmission housing (140), and a baffle plate (180) is arranged in the chamber (146), the baffle plate (180) has a channel section (181) formed in its center, the channel section (181) engaging the axial hole (173) of the drive shaft (101), and the oil contained in the chamber (146) flows through the baffle plate (180) into the channel section (181), and thus reaches the axial hole (173) of the drive shaft (101).

8. The transmission housing includes a rotor shaft (103) of an electric machine (110) journaled by at least one bearing (175), and the rotor shaft (103) is capable of driving the drive shaft (101). The oil collecting area (13a) of the oil guide channel part (1) includes a second reservoir (14), the second reservoir (14) having a second reservoir wall (27) and a second reservoir bottom (26), and the second reservoir 5. A transmission (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the tank (14) is connected to the first reservoir (13) via a connecting channel (29), and the second outlet (16) protrudes above the second reservoir bottom (26) from the second reservoir wall (27) of the second reservoir (14) in a predetermined assembly direction and has an outlet opening (18), through which oil is guided in the direction of the bearing (175) of the rotor shaft (103).

9. 9. The transmission (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the edge of the peripheral wall (21 a) has a distance from the first tank bottom (24) on the side facing the first reservoir (13), which distance is configured to be smaller than the distance of the edge of the peripheral wall (21 a) from the second tank bottom (26) on the side facing the second reservoir (14), and when the transmission gear (107) rotates, oil first reaches the first reservoir (13), and then reaches the second reservoir (14) through the connecting channel (29).

10. 2. The transmission (100) according to claim 1, wherein the transmission housing (140) comprises a first housing part (141) having a first housing wall area (143) and a second housing part (142) having a second housing wall area (144) superimposed on the first housing part (141), wherein a third housing wall area (145) is formed in the overlapping area of ​​the first housing part (141) and the second housing part (142), and the first housing wall area (143), the second housing wall area (144), and the third housing wall area (145) surround on three sides an end of the transmission gear (107) in the oil sump (150) opposite the oil guide channel part (1).

11. 11. The transmission according to claim 10, wherein the first housing wall area (143), the second housing wall area (144), the third housing wall area (145), the transmission gear (107), and the guide channel (2) form a pump system, by which oil is transported from the oil sump (150) through the guide channel (2) against the force of gravity (G) to the discharge opening (12) of the guide channel (2) when the transmission gear (107) rotates.

12. 2. The transmission (100) of claim 1, wherein the transmission gear (107) is connected to a differential (130) of the transmission (100) so as not to rotate relative to the differential, and the first output shaft (102a) and the second output shaft (102b) are connected to the differential (130), and the first output shaft (102a) and the second output shaft (102b) are rotationally driven by the differential (130).

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