Automatic Transmission Oil Strainer Air Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oil strainers for automatic transmissions experience prolonged hydraulic pressure rise times due to air entrainment in the working oil, especially at low temperatures, as air accumulates below the filter and interferes with oil supply when the engine starts.
Innovation Solution
The oil strainer design includes a body with a filter dividing it into upper and lower space sections, where the vertical distance between the filter and the lower wall is reduced in specific areas to minimize air accumulation, maintaining performance and preventing air from entering the oil pump.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the vertical distance between the filter and the lower wall is reduced in the inlet port periphery area, then air accumulation is minimized and hydraulic pressure rise time is shortened, but the oil strainer structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lower wall is designed with different vertical distances in different areas: a first area with smaller vertical distance around the inlet port periphery to reduce air accumulation, and a second area with larger vertical distance to maintain filtration performance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying the space-reduction measure only where it is most needed (around the inlet port) rather than uniformly throughout the entire structure.
2Reliability
If the space below the filter is reduced to minimize air accumulation, then air entry into the oil pump is prevented, but the oil strainer volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The oil strainer volume is reduced locally in the first area around the inlet port periphery where air accumulation is most problematic, while the second area maintains sufficient volume for proper filtration operation. This selective volume reduction prevents air entry into the oil pump without compromising the overall filtration capability of the strainer.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the vertical distance between filter and lower wall is reduced, then air accumulation is suppressed, but oil flow resistance may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reduced vertical distance is applied specifically in the first area around the inlet port periphery where air accumulation occurs, while the second area maintains larger vertical distance to ensure adequate oil flow paths. This localized approach suppresses air accumulation in critical areas without creating excessive flow resistance that would occur with uniform reduction throughout the entire structure.
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 design effectively reduces air accumulation, preventing its entry into the oil pump and thus shortening hydraulic pressure rise times, especially under low temperature conditions, while maintaining smooth oil flow without increasing flow resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a filter substantially horizontally disposed within the body so as to divide the inside space of the body into a lower space section and an upper space section
Data Source
AI summary
An oil strainer includes a body which has lower and upper walls and an inside space between the lower and upper walls, a filter substantially horizontally disposed within the body so as to divide the inside space into lower and upper space sections, an outlet port provided on the upper wall of the body and communicated with the upper space section, and an inlet port provided on the lower wall of the body and communicated with the lower space section. The lower wall includes a first area in which an inlet port periphery of the inlet port is disposed, and a second area separate from the first area. A vertical distance between the filter and the lower wall in the first area is smaller than a vertical distance between the filter and the lower wall in the second area.