Spring Wire Fluid Damming Ring for Transmission Shaft Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid retaining rings in motor vehicle transmissions are complex to produce, require precise fits, and can be costly, with plastic rings experiencing issues at high temperatures, and sheet metal or solid steel rings facing manufacturing challenges.
Innovation Solution
A fluid retaining ring formed by a spring ring wound from spring wire, which can be economically produced in small quantities without additional tooling costs, and maintains position at high temperatures due to its spring steel composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If fluid containment rings are made from solid steel or aluminium, then manufacturing precision and fit are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to additional machining steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from solid metal to spring wire, and changes the structural parameter from rigid ring to elastic spring ring. This allows the fluid containment ring to bridge tolerances through elastic deformation, achieving both good fit and simple manufacturing using standard wire bending machines
Solution Approach 2:
The spring ring acts as a flexible element that can elastically deform to accommodate tolerance variations in the bore. The elastic flexibility of the spring wire allows the ring to adapt to slight dimensional variations without requiring precise machining, thus resolving the contradiction between fit precision and manufacturing complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If plastic fluid retention rings are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but reliability deteriorates at high temperatures due to positional instability and migration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spring steel wire as the material, which combines the ease of forming associated with ductile materials with the high-temperature stability of metal. The spring wire maintains its elastic properties and positional stability at transmission operating temperatures, unlike plastic materials, while still allowing economical manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to spring steel wire, fundamentally altering the temperature-dependent behavior. The spring wire maintains its mechanical properties and elastic recovery capability at high temperatures, ensuring the fluid containment ring remains positionally stable in the bore throughout the transmission's operating temperature range
3Reliability
If radially elastic rings with complex containment bodies are used, then fluid containment capability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex containment body from the design, using only the essential spring ring structure. The spring ring alone provides sufficient fluid containment capability by elastically engaging the bore and preventing backflow, eliminating the need for additional containment walls or complex geometries
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding complex containment structures to improve fluid containment, the patent uses a simple spring ring that contains fluid through its elastic radial engagement with the bore. The solution inverts the approach by using minimal structure with elastic compliance rather than maximal structure with rigid containment
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
The spring wire retaining ring effectively prevents fluid backflow, is cost-effective to manufacture, and maintains its position reliably across a range of temperatures, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
The fluid dam ring is formed by a spring ring which is wound from a spring wire
Data Source
Figure 1~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a shaft assembly (10) for a motor-vehicle transmission, comprising a hollow shaft (12) and a component (18; 18') mounted with respect to the hollow shaft (12), wherein the hollow shaft (12) has a central bore (24), which is designed to receive a fluid in order to supply said fluid to the component (18), and wherein a fluid-damming ring (32) is arranged in the central bore (24), which fluid-damming ring limits fluid flow along the central bore (24). The fluid-damming ring (32) is formed by a spring ring (32'; 32''; 32'''; 32IV), which is wound from a spring wire (38; 38''').