Torque Transmission Arrangement With Single Snap-Ring Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current torque transmission arrangements are not compact, cost-efficient, and lightweight, often requiring multiple snap-rings and thicker material for sufficient strength, which complicates assembly and increases weight.
Innovation Solution
A torque transmission arrangement featuring a cylindrical friction element carrier with through-holes and a snap-ring with radial projections that extends through these holes, allowing a single snap-ring to secure both inner and outer friction-based torque-transmission mechanisms, reducing material thickness and assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple snap-rings are used to secure inner and outer friction-based torque-transmission mechanisms, then the structural strength and reliability are improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the function of multiple snap-rings into a single snap-ring that simultaneously secures both the inner and outer friction-based torque-transmission mechanisms to the common carrier. This single snap-ring has radially extending protrusions that engage with both mechanisms, eliminating the need for separate snap-rings and reducing assembly complexity while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The single snap-ring serves multiple functions: it secures the inner friction mechanism, secures the outer friction mechanism, and provides axial positioning for both mechanisms. This multi-functional design reduces the total number of components needed while ensuring reliable attachment of both torque-transmission mechanisms to the common carrier
2Strength
If thicker material is used for the friction element carrier to ensure sufficient strength, then the structural strength is improved, but the weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the load-bearing function by introducing a single robust snap-ring that handles the axial retention forces for both friction mechanisms. This allows the friction element carrier to be thinner since it no longer needs to provide all the axial retention strength, transferring part of the structural load to the snap-ring component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structural approach where the thinner friction element carrier works in conjunction with the snap-ring to provide the necessary strength. The snap-ring acts as a reinforcement element that compensates for the reduced thickness of the carrier, allowing weight reduction while maintaining overall structural integrity
3Device complexity
If a single snap-ring is used to secure both inner and outer friction mechanisms, then the device complexity and weight are reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The snap-ring is designed with radially extending protrusions that engage with both the inner and outer friction mechanisms in the radial dimension, while the snap-ring itself provides axial positioning. This dimensional distribution of retention functions allows a single component to secure both mechanisms without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances for alignment
Data Source
AI summary
A torque transmission arrangement includes a cylindrical friction element carrier and a snap-ring, the friction element carrier carries a pressing plate and a reaction plate of an outer friction-based torque-transmission mechanism rotationally secured to an outer surface and a pressing plate and a reaction plate of an inner friction-based torque-transmission mechanism rotationally secured to an inner surface. The friction element carrier includes through-holes distributed around the circumference of the friction element carrier. The snap-ring includes radial projections distributed around the inner or outer circumference of the snap-ring and configured to extend through said through-holes when the snap-ring is mounted on the friction element carrier, such that the snap-ring protrudes in a radial direction beyond both the inner and outer surfaces of the friction element carrier for retaining the inner and outer reaction plates of the inner and outer friction-based torque-transmission mechanisms on the friction element carrier.