Hybrid Module Shipping Assembly Torque Converter Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid module shipping assemblies face damage risks due to unsupported transmission side rotor during handling, as existing solutions like plastic shipping caps do not adequately secure the torque converter during shipment.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid module shipping assembly that includes a hybrid drive unit, a housing, a torque converter, and a cap assembly with a shipping dome, where the cap assembly is inserted into the impeller hub and the shipping dome is fixed to the housing, encasing the hybrid drive unit, torque converter, and cap assembly, providing secure encasement and protection during shipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic shipping caps are used to protect the pump hub, then the torque converter is protected, but the transmission side rotor support remains unsupported and vulnerable to damage during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the protective cap assembly with the shipping dome into an integrated unit. The cap assembly includes a cap portion that fits into the impeller hub and a support portion that extends outward to provide structural support for the transmission side rotor support. This merging of protection and support functions into a single integrated assembly resolves the contradiction by simultaneously protecting the torque converter and supporting the rotor without requiring separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap assembly is nested within the shipping dome structure. The cap assembly fits into the shipping dome, creating a nested configuration where the inner cap assembly provides specific localized protection and support, while the outer shipping dome provides overall enclosure and additional protection. This nested arrangement allows the system to provide multiple functions (protection and support) at different levels of the same structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the transmission side rotor support is left unsupported during shipping, then the assembly is simpler to manufacture, but the rotor support is vulnerable to damage during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The support portion of the cap assembly is pre-formed as an integral part of the cap assembly during manufacturing. This preliminary action of creating the support structure as part of the cap assembly (rather than as a separate component requiring additional assembly steps) maintains manufacturing simplicity while providing the necessary structural support to protect the transmission side rotor support during shipping and handling.
3Reliability
If a comprehensive support structure is added to protect the rotor support, then damage risk is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support function with the existing cap assembly structure. The support portion is formed as an integral extension of the cap assembly, utilizing the same material and manufacturing process. This merging approach provides comprehensive support protection without significantly increasing device complexity, as the support structure is created as part of the existing component rather than as a separate addition.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: protecting the pump hub (original function) and providing structural support for the transmission side rotor support (additional function). The support portion of the cap assembly acts as a multi-functional element that simultaneously provides protection and structural support, reducing the need for separate components and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid module shipping assembly includes a hybrid module configured for arrangement in a torque path upstream from a transmission and downstream from an internal combustion engine. The hybrid module includes a hybrid drive unit, a housing fixed to a front side of the hybrid drive unit and a torque converter fixed to a rear side of the hybrid drive unit. The torque converter includes an impeller hub. The hybrid module shipping assembly also includes a cap assembly inserted in the impeller hub and a shipping dome fixed to the housing such that the housing and shipping dome encase the hybrid drive unit, the torque converter and the cap assembly.