Two-Way Oil Sump Structure for EV Reducer Churning Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oil sumps in electric vehicle reducers have insufficient oil collecting efficiency due to the limited directionality of oil collection, leading to significant oil churning losses and reduced working efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A two-way oil-collecting reducer design featuring an oil sump with a radial sump opening and a circumferential sump opening, allowing lubricating oil to be collected from both radial and circumferential directions, thereby enhancing oil collection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional oil sump with a single-direction opening is used, then the structure is simple, but the oil collecting efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The oil sump opening is segmented into two distinct directions: a radial sump opening facing upward to collect oil from the output gear, and a circumferential sump opening facing the output gear to collect oil from the intermediate gear set. This segmentation allows the oil sump to collect lubricating oil from multiple directions simultaneously, significantly improving oil collecting efficiency while maintaining reasonable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-direction (one-dimensional) oil collection approach to a multi-directional (two-dimensional) oil collection system. By adding both radial and circumferential opening directions, the oil sump can collect oil from different spatial dimensions, effectively increasing the oil collection area and efficiency without proportionally increasing structural complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If the oil sump only collects oil from one direction, then the manufacturing is simple, but the oil churning loss is large
Solution Approach 1:
The oil sump opening is divided into radial and circumferential segments, each oriented to collect oil from specific gear components. The radial opening collects oil thrown by the output gear from above, while the circumferential opening collects oil from the intermediate gear set, ensuring comprehensive oil collection and reducing oil churning loss
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the oil sump opening are oriented in different directions to match the local oil throwing patterns of specific gear components. The radial opening is positioned to receive oil from the output gear area, while the circumferential opening receives oil from the intermediate gear set area, optimizing oil collection at each location
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
The two-way oil-collecting design significantly reduces oil churning losses and improves the efficiency of the reducer by ensuring more effective lubrication and cooling of the gear train components.
Implementation Method 1
When a gear wheel works and rotates, lubricating oil in the reducer is churned and thrown into the oil sump from above the oil sump
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a two-way oil-collecting reducer and an electric vehicle. The reducer includes an input gear, an intermediate gear set, an output gear, and an oil sump, the input gear is configured to drive, via the intermediate gear set, the output gear to rotate forward or reversely, a rotation direction of the intermediate gear set is opposite to a rotation direction of the output gear, and the oil sump includes a radial sump opening and a circumferential sump opening. An orientation of the radial sump opening is away from the intermediate gear set along a radial direction of the intermediate gear set. An orientation of the circumferential sump opening faces the output gear along a circumferential direction of the intermediate gear set. The radial sump opening is connected to the circumferential sump opening. The radial sump opening and the circumferential sump opening are formed at the oil sump, so that the oil sump can collect lubricating oil churned by a gear train when the input gear drives, via the intermediate gear set, the output gear to rotate forward or reversely, to increase an amount of lubricating oil collected by the oil sump, reduce an oil churning loss of the gear train, and improve efficiency of the reducer.