Transfer Case Pump Bracket Wear Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The relative movement of a fluid pump within a transfer case housing causes wear, leading to the formation of holes and leakage of lubrication fluid, which can result in damage to internal components.
Innovation Solution
A bracket is positioned between the fluid pump and the transfer case housing, featuring a base member and support members that are receivable within indent portions of the pump cavity, inhibiting the fluid pump from contacting the housing and thus preventing wear and leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fluid pump is positioned within the cast housing and driven by a rotating shaft, then the pump can be constrained within the housing, but rotation of the shaft causes slight movement of the fluid pump relative to the cast housing which leads to wear and formation of holes
Solution Approach 1:
A bracket is introduced as an intermediary component between the fluid pump and the cast housing. The bracket includes a base member positioned between the pump and housing, and support members that extend into indent portions of the pump cavity. This intermediary structure absorbs the relative movement caused by shaft rotation, preventing direct contact between the pump and housing, thereby eliminating wear and hole formation while maintaining pump constraint.
2Ease of manufacture
If the cast housing has relatively thin and softer walls to accommodate the pump, then the housing can be manufactured with simpler processes, but the thin walls are more susceptible to wear and hole formation from pump movement
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket serves as a protective intermediary that distributes and absorbs mechanical stresses and wear forces. By positioning the bracket between the pump and the thin housing walls, the housing material is protected from direct abrasive contact, allowing the use of thinner, easier-to-manufacture walls without compromising their resistance to wear and hole formation.
3Strength
If holes are formed in the cast housing due to wear, then the housing structure is compromised, but preventing this would require additional components like the bracket
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is designed as a relatively simple intermediary component that can be easily manufactured and installed. Its primary function is to prevent the formation of holes in the housing by absorbing wear forces. The bracket includes a base member and support members that can be formed as a single piece or assembled from simple components, making it an economical solution that protects housing structural integrity without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket for use with a fluid pump in a transfer case of a vehicle comprises a base member and a plurality of support members extending outwardly from the outer periphery of the base member, with each support member comprising at least one wall member. The base member is positioned within a fluid pump cavity of a transfer case housing when installed into the transfer case, where the fluid pump cavity includes a plurality of indent portions for receiving lugs extending from the fluid pump. Each support member is disposed within a separate indent portion with a wall member being positioned between the transfer case housing and a portion of a fluid pump lug received within the respective indent portion such that the wall members at least partially inhibit the respective lug portions from contacting the transfer case housing proximate the indent portions of the fluid pump cavity.