Resin Transmission Side Cover with Fragile Section for Crack Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Synthetic resin side covers for transmission cases are prone to oil leakage when damaged in vehicle collisions due to unpredictable crack directions and insufficient strength, especially when the crack extends below the oil surface.
Innovation Solution
A resin side cover design featuring a protrusion above the oil surface and a fragile section extending laterally between the protrusion and the oil surface, which absorbs impact and distributes stress to prevent further crack progression below the oil surface, incorporating reinforced ribs for increased strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a synthetic resin side cover is used to reduce weight and improve shape freedom, then weight reduction and design flexibility are achieved, but the side cover has inferior strength compared to metal and is prone to damage in collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The side cover uses synthetic resin as the base material and incorporates reinforced ribs with different material properties or structural characteristics to create a composite structure that maintains both weight reduction and improved strength
Solution Approach 2:
The side cover is divided into multiple functional sections: a protrusion section that contacts obstacles first, a fragile section that is designed to break preferentially, and a reinforced section that maintains overall structural integrity. This segmentation allows different parts to serve different protective functions
2Reliability
If the side cover is disposed at the front end portion to constitute the foremost section, then it provides initial protection, but it may be damaged first in collisions causing oil leakage when cracks extend below the oil surface
Solution Approach 1:
The side cover is designed with a predetermined failure pattern where the fragile section is intentionally positioned and structured to break first in a controlled manner, directing cracks away from the oil storage section before actual damage occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harmful effect of crack propagation is converted into a beneficial protective mechanism by designing the fragile section to break preferentially, thereby sacrificing a non-critical area to protect the critical oil storage section from damage
3Strength
If reinforced ribs are formed to maintain predetermined strength, then structural integrity is improved, but the side cover remains vulnerable to collision damage at the foremost section
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the side cover are assigned different structural qualities: the protrusion section has high strength for initial contact, the fragile section has reduced strength for preferential breaking, and the reinforced section maintains overall structural integrity through strategically placed reinforced ribs
Data Source
AI summary
In a transmission case mounted on a FF type vehicle, the transmission case includes a resin side cover formed at a front side of the vehicle. The resin side cover constitutes a vehicle front side surface section of an oil storage section configured to store oil in the transmission case, and includes a protrusion disposed above an oil surface of the oil stored in the oil storage section and protruding toward the front side of the vehicle to constitute the foremost section of the transmission case and a fragile section disposed between the protrusion and the oil surface of the oil and extending transversely in a lateral direction.