Rotating Manifold Journal Interface for Transmission Disconnect
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional work vehicle transmission systems face complexities in manufacturing and assembly due to the need to route hydraulic pressure, cooling, and lubrication fluids to disconnect devices, which complicates the process and limits adaptability across different vehicle platforms.
Innovation Solution
A disconnect device control assembly with a manifold that is mounted to a rotating shaft via a journal interface, allowing for a floating connection that enables axial and radial movement, reducing the need for robust mounting hardware and allowing the system to be used across various vehicle platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rigid mounting structures are used to secure the manifold to the transmission housing, then structural stability and reliability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing/assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold is designed with a floating mounting structure that allows dynamic adjustment and self-positioning rather than rigid fixation. The manifold can float axially and radially within tolerance ranges, automatically adapting to shaft position variations without requiring complex rigid mounting hardware, thus maintaining reliability while reducing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating manifold structure serves itself by using its own weight and hydraulic pressure to maintain proper positioning relative to the shaft. The manifold automatically adjusts its position within the floating mounting structure, eliminating the need for external adjustment mechanisms or complex mounting hardware, thereby simplifying the overall device while ensuring reliable fluid delivery.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex mounting structures are designed to accommodate shaft rotation and floating movement, then adaptability across vehicle platforms is improved, but manufacturing and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The floating mounting structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it allows axial floating to accommodate shaft position variations, permits radial floating to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, and provides a simple mounting interface that can be adapted across different vehicle platforms. This multi-functionality achieves broad adaptability without requiring complex platform-specific mounting designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure is designed with specific tolerance ranges for axial and radial floating that can be adjusted as parameters to fit different vehicle platforms. By changing these dimensional parameters rather than the fundamental mounting architecture, the same simple floating structure can be adapted across multiple platforms, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving versatility.
3Strength
If robust fixed mounting hardware is used for the manifold, then connection strength is improved, but ease of assembly and manufacturing simplicity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex rigid mounting hardware from the design and replaces it with a simplified floating mounting structure. The manifold floats within a simplified mounting structure that relies on hydraulic pressure and gravity for positioning, eliminating the need for complex bolts, brackets, or adjustment mechanisms while maintaining sufficient connection strength through the floating constraint design.
4Manufacturing precision
If the manifold is rigidly fixed to the transmission housing, then positioning precision is improved, but adaptability to different shaft positions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold is designed with dynamic floating capabilities in both axial and radial directions, allowing it to automatically adjust its position to maintain precise alignment with the rotating shaft across different shaft positions and tolerances. This dynamic positioning replaces rigid fixed positioning, achieving both precision and adaptability simultaneously.
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
Simplifies the manufacturing and assembly process by eliminating the need for complex mounting structures, enabling the control assembly to be readily utilized in different transmission systems and vehicle platforms while efficiently routing hydraulic pressures and lubrication fluids to disconnect devices.
Implementation Method 1
The manifold has an inner periphery that engages the shaft at a journal interface, which defines a flow passage for flow to pass from at least one of the flow passages of the manifold to the disconnect device
Data Source
AI summary
A work vehicle transmission has a disconnect device control assembly. The assembly includes a shaft having a rotation axis extending through a housing of the transmission. A disconnect device is mounted for co-rotation with the shaft about the rotation axis and has disengaged and engaged conditions. A gear is carried by the shaft to rotate about the rotation axis. The gear interacts with the disconnect device to rotate relative to the shaft in the disengaged condition and to co-rotate with the shaft in the engaged condition. A manifold is carried by the shaft and rotationally fixed relative to the rotation axis. The manifold defines a plurality of flow passages configured to route flow to the disconnect device. The manifold has an inner periphery that engages the shaft at a journal interface, which defines a flow passage for flow to pass from at least one of the flow passages of the manifold to the disconnect device.