Alignment Sleeve and Seal for Transmission Bore Concentricity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transmission interface designs are prone to bore misalignment, leading to excessive side loading, premature bearing failure, and increased noise and vibration due to non-concentric shafts, which results in short bearing life and customer dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A transmission and power take-off unit assembly with an alignment sleeve and seal assembly that includes an annular sleeve portion and a seal portion, where the outer diameter surface of the sleeve is in contact with the bores of both housings, forming a seal channel and improving concentricity by using a single cutting tool for machining bearing and locating surfaces, thereby reducing spin losses and side loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If separate machining operations are used for bearing surfaces and locating surfaces, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but bore misalignment occurs leading to excessive side loading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the machining of bearing surfaces and locating surfaces into a single integrated machining operation. The machining tool simultaneously machines both the bearing surface and the locating surface of the bore, ensuring that these surfaces are concentric and properly aligned. This eliminates the misalignment problems that occur when separate machining operations are used, while simplifying the manufacturing process by reducing the number of setup operations required.
2Reliability
If alignment sleeve and seal assembly is added, then concentricity and bearing life are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an alignment sleeve as an intermediary component that fits within the bore to provide a precise locating surface for the shaft. The alignment sleeve ensures proper concentricity between the bearing surface and the locating surface, thereby improving bearing life and reducing misalignment. The seal portion acts as another intermediary element that prevents contamination while maintaining the alignment. These intermediary components resolve the complexity-reliability tradeoff by providing simple, passive mechanical solutions rather than complex active control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission and power take-off unit assembly is provided including a transmission, a power take-off unit, and an alignment sleeve and seal assembly. The transmission and power take-off housing both include a bearing surface and locating surface that are machined by a tool having two coaxial cutting wheels. The alignment sleeve enables tighter tolerances for improved concentricity between the bearing surface and locating surface.