Torque Transmission Assembly with Deflecting Tooth End Faces

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Solution Overview

Problem

In vehicle drivetrain assembly, the alignment and engagement of torque transmission assemblies are difficult to visualize and achieve reliably, leading to challenges in producing rotary coupling engagement between structural component parts with orthogonal end faces that block axial movement.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates teeth with axially extended, circumferentially deflecting end faces in one toothing, ensuring initial collision and subsequent relative rotation for compulsory orientation and engagement, allowing for reliable rotary coupling by deflecting axial load into a circumferential force that facilitates rotation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If teeth with orthogonal end faces are used in torque transmission assemblies, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but axial movement is blocked when teeth collide during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidease of assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The end face of at least one tooth is designed with a circumferential slope instead of being orthogonal to the axis of rotation. This curved/sloped surface allows the tooth to deflect axially moving force into circumferential rotation, enabling the toothing to rotate relative to each other during assembly and eliminating blocking of axial movement while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having the end face orthogonal to the axis of rotation (conventional design), the invention inverts the approach by making the end face slope in the circumferential direction. This inversion transforms the blocking effect into a beneficial deflecting effect that facilitates assembly rotation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If the hydrodynamic torque converter is rotated to resolve axial movement blocking, then further axial movement is possible, but the pump driveshaft rotates along with it making alignment difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The circumferential slope is provided only at the end face of specific teeth that are involved in the blocking situation, rather than modifying the entire torque converter or all components. This localized modification allows the specific toothing to rotate relative to each other during assembly without causing the entire pump driveshaft to rotate, simplifying the assembly process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If teeth with circumferentially sloped end faces are used, then axial load is deflected into circumferential force facilitating rotation, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The end face geometry is modified by changing the orientation parameter from orthogonal to the axis of rotation to sloped in the circumferential direction. This parameter change transforms the functional behavior of the tooth, enabling it to deflect axial loads into circumferential forces that facilitate rotation during assembly, while the modification remains a simple geometric change rather than a complex structural addition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This solution ensures a simple and reliable rotary coupling engagement by deflecting axial load into a circumferential force, enabling proper alignment and engagement of toothings, overcoming the blocking issue of orthogonal end faces and ensuring smooth assembly.

Implementation Method 1

the end face of the at least one tooth of the one toothing with the end face which is extended forward axially forms a circumferentially deflecting end face for deflecting the other toothing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce deflection: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS8844395B2Torque transmission assembly, particularly for the drivetrain of a vehicle

Publication Date: 2014.09.30 ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG

AI summary

A torque transmission assembly includes two structural component parts for coupled engagement to one another so as to rotate together around an axis of rotation, a first of these structural component parts has an inner circumferential toothing and a second of these structural component parts has an outer circumferential toothing for a rotary coupling engagement with the inner circumferential toothing. The teeth in one toothing of an inner circumferential toothing and outer circumferential toothing are bounded by end faces in a first axial end area of the one toothing. The one toothing has at least one tooth with an end face which is extended forward axially relative to the end faces of the other teeth of the one toothing, and the end face of at least one tooth of the one toothing with the end face which is extended forward axially forms a circumferentially deflecting end face for the other toothing.