Dual-Outlet Transmission Oil Filter Sealing for Pump Pressure Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In automatic transmissions, using a shared filter for both engine-driven and electric pumps can lead to low pressure issues when both pumps operate simultaneously, causing inefficient fluid flow and potential filter misalignment due to production tolerances, which may result in reduced filter effectiveness and increased parasitic pressure loss.
Innovation Solution
A filter assembly with a main body, rear extension, and front outlet tube is designed to fit into a transmission sump, featuring a radial seal for the engine-driven pump and a compression seal for the electric pump, allowing for adjustable positioning to minimize pressure interaction and accommodate piece-to-piece variation, ensuring effective sealing and full filter media utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a shared filter is used for both engine-driven and electric pumps, then device complexity is reduced, but pressure interaction between pumps occurs causing low pressure issues and reduced filter effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is segmented into separate outlet regions: a front outlet tube for the engine-driven pump and a rear outlet for the electric pump. This spatial segmentation prevents pressure interaction between the two pumps while maintaining a single integrated filter assembly, thus preserving filter effectiveness without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a rear extension that protrudes from the main filter body, creating a three-dimensional arrangement where the electric pump outlet is positioned at a different spatial location (rear) compared to the engine-driven pump outlet (front). This dimensional arrangement separates the pressure zones of both pumps while keeping them within a single filter assembly structure.
2Device complexity
If a shared filter is used for both pumps, then device complexity is reduced, but parasitic pressure loss increases due to pressure interaction
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the outlet paths into distinct front and rear regions with separate sealing arrangements (radial seal for engine-driven pump, compression seal for electric pump), the patent prevents pressure interaction that would otherwise cause parasitic pressure loss. Each pump operates in its own pressure zone, eliminating energy waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sealing elements (radial seal and compression seal) as intermediaries between the filter outlets and pump inlets. These seals act as mediators that prevent pressure leakage and interaction between the two pump systems, thereby reducing parasitic pressure loss while maintaining the shared filter structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If production tolerances vary, then manufacturing ease is improved, but filter misalignment occurs reducing filter effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible sealing solutions including a radial seal for the engine-driven pump connection and a compression seal for the electric pump connection. These dynamic sealing elements can accommodate variations in positioning caused by production tolerances, maintaining effective sealing and filter performance despite manufacturing variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism is designed to change its compression parameter when bolts are tightened, allowing the compression seal to adapt to positional variations. This parameter adjustment enables the seal to maintain contact and sealing effectiveness even when alignment varies within tolerance ranges.
4Productivity
If outlets are positioned close to pump inlets, then fluid flow efficiency is improved, but pressure interaction occurs causing low pressure regions
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly segments the outlet positions into distinct front and rear locations, with the front outlet tube serving the engine-driven pump and the rear extension serving the electric pump. This segmentation allows both outlets to be positioned close to their respective pump inlets for efficient fluid flow, while the spatial separation prevents pressure interaction between the two pump systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration ensures minimal pressure interaction between pumps, maintaining filter effectiveness when either pump operates alone and preventing low-pressure regions, thus reducing parasitic pressure loss and ensuring efficient fluid flow.
Implementation Method 1
The engine driven pump has an inlet sealed to the front outlet tube by a radial seal
Implementation Method 2
The electric pump is sealed to the top surface around the rear outlet hole by a compression seal
Implementation Method 3
Transmission oil filters typically contain a filtration media
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission filter includes two outlets. One outlet, adapted to feed an engine-driven pump, protrudes diagonally from the front of the filter. The first outlet is sealed to the inlet of the engine-driven pump by a radial seal. The second outlet is arranged in a rear extension and is sealed to the inlet of an electric pump by a compression seal. The differing types of seals and relative orientations of the outlets make the assembly less sensitive to dimension variation due to production and assembly tolerances. The relative locations of the outlets also mitigate any flow interactions between the pumps when both operate simultaneously.