Segmented Ring Gear for Engine Starting Torque Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing internal combustion engine-starting torque-transmission mechanisms require significant changes in processing apparatuses and procedures to achieve high precision for ring gears of different sizes and shapes, leading to increased manufacturing costs and potential precision degradation.

Innovation Solution

A ring gear is designed with regionally formed bodies corresponding to specific regions, such as the race side and gear side regions, allowing for independent processing and standardization, minimizing changes in processing apparatuses and procedures, and maintaining precision through inter-region joint portions and seal ring surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the ring gear is processed as a single integrated component, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates when adapting to different engine types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing precisionVSAvoidadaptability to different engine types
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The ring gear is divided into multiple separately formed bodies corresponding to different functional regions (race side region, gear side region, intermediate region). Each body can be manufactured independently with standardized processes, then joined together to form the complete ring gear. This segmentation enables consistent processing precision across different engine types while accommodating variations in overall ring gear dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If processing apparatuses and procedures are changed significantly to accommodate different ring gear sizes and shapes, then the adaptability to different engine types is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different engine typesVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the ring gear into standardized separately formed bodies, the same processing apparatuses and procedures can be used across different engine types, reducing the need for significant changes in manufacturing equipment and processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The separately formed bodies are designed with universal interfaces and standardized features that allow them to be used across different engine types. The same basic components can be adapted to various ring gear configurations through different joining arrangements, reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for completely different processing systems for each engine type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of manufacture

If the ring gear is divided into regionally formed bodies, then the ease of manufacture is improved through standardization, but the device complexity increases due to multiple components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ring gear is divided into several separately formed bodies corresponding to different functional regions, each of which can be manufactured using standardized processes. This segmentation improves ease of manufacture by allowing independent production and quality control of each region while maintaining overall structural integrity through the joining portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2032836B1Ring gear, internal combustion engine-starting torque-transmission mechanism, and method of manufacturing ring gear
Publication Date: 2019.01.16 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP2032836B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2032836B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2032836B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A ring gear is formed by joining a race side-region formed body (26), a gear side-region formed body (28) and an intermediate region formed body (30). Accordingly, it is possible to perform processing of an inner race portion (2b) of the race side-region formed body (26) with none of the gear side-region formed body (28) and the intermediate region formed body (30) present. By causing the gear side-region formed body (28) and the intermediate region formed body (30) to absorb changes in design depending on the type of internal combustion engine, it is possible to standardize the size and the shape of the race side-region formed body (26) for various engine types. Because the inner race portion (2b), as well as a disposition surface (2d) and a contact surface (2e) for the seal rings are formed on the same race side-region formed body (26), it is possible to finish the surfaces with precise positional relationship.