Segmented Outer Ring for Automatic Gearbox Free-Wheeling Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of free-wheeling devices for automatic gearboxes is time- and cost-intensive due to the traditional methods used for forming the outer ring, which are heavily loaded with tangential forces, limiting the efficiency and economy of manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
The outer ring is composed of a supporting ring and a securing ring, connected rotationally fixedly, where the supporting ring absorbs tangential forces and the securing ring provides stationary fixing, allowing for simpler and more rapid production, with the securing ring being compact and lightweight, and the ramp ring offering a wear-resistant running surface without the need for cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the outer ring is produced as a solid construction with geometry formed by broaching, splicing or hobbing, then the strength and tangential force resistance is improved, but the production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The outer ring is divided into two separate components: a supporting ring that absorbs tangential forces and a securing ring that provides stationary fixing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and produced independently using simpler, faster methods, resolving the contradiction between strength requirements and production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the outer ring system are given different properties: the supporting ring is designed with solid construction to handle tangential forces, while the securing ring is made lighter with fixation geometry. This local differentiation allows each component to be produced efficiently while maintaining overall system performance.
2Strength
If the outer ring is made as a solid construction to handle tangential forces, then the strength is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer ring is segmented into a supporting ring for strength and a securing ring for fixation. This allows the supporting ring to be optimized for strength while the securing ring can be made lighter, reducing the total weight while maintaining tangential force absorption capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting ring is given solid construction properties for strength, while the securing ring is given lighter properties since it only needs to provide stationary fixing. This local quality differentiation reduces overall weight while maintaining necessary strength.
3Reliability
If the outer ring geometry is formed by traditional methods like broaching or splicing, then the fixation reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer ring is segmented so that the securing ring carries the fixation geometry. This allows the geometry to be produced using simpler methods on a separate component, reducing manufacturing process complexity while maintaining fixation reliability through the dedicated securing ring design.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a free-wheeling device for an automatic gearbox, for example, of a motor vehicle. The device may include a rotatable inner ring and a stationary fixed outer ring, and a cage which is arranged radially between the inner ring and the outer ring for receiving clamping bodies. The outer ring may include at least a supporting ring and a securing ring which is arranged radially on an outer circumferential face of the supporting ring and connected rotationally fixedly to the supporting ring. The supporting ring may be provided to absorb tangential forces, and the securing ring may have a plurality of radial formations on an outer circumferential face for stationary fixing of the outer ring.