Transmission Lubricant Drip Pan with Cup-Shaped Separator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lubricant drip pans for vehicle transmission housings do not effectively separate the receiving chamber from the lubricant reservoir, leading to inefficient lubricant distribution and potential splash losses due to the rotating gear element.
Innovation Solution
A lubricant drip pan with a cup-shaped separating section that encloses a receiving chamber for a rotating gear element, separating it from the lubricant collecting area at the bottom, which also functions as a suction line for lubricant, allowing for a compact lubricant supply system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the receiving chamber is not separated from the lubricant reservoir, then the lubricant supply system can be simpler, but lubricant splashing losses occur and lubrication levels cannot be properly controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission housing is segmented into distinct functional zones using a lubricant drip pan with a cup-shaped section. This creates a receiving chamber for rotating gear elements separated from the lubricant reservoir, allowing independent control of lubricant levels in each zone and preventing splashing losses while maintaining system functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The lubricant drip pan with cup-shaped section is nested within the transmission housing, creating a compact layered structure. The receiving chamber is positioned above the lubricant reservoir, with the cup-shaped section extending downward to shield the receiving area, achieving space-efficient arrangement that reduces overall system complexity
2Reliability
If the lubricant reservoir is positioned to fill the receiving chamber, then adequate lubrication is ensured, but the rotating gear element sinks too deep into the receiving chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The cup-shaped section of the lubricant drip pan acts as an intermediary structure between the lubricant reservoir and the receiving chamber. It shields the receiving area below, creating a physical barrier that allows the lubricant reservoir to be positioned for adequate lubrication while preventing the gear element from sinking too deep, thus mediating between conflicting requirements
3Volume of moving object
If a compact lubricant supply system is designed, then space is reduced, but separation of receiving chamber and lubricant reservoir becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricant drip pan combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it serves as both the separator between the receiving chamber and lubricant reservoir, and as the lubricant reservoir itself. The cup-shaped section integrates the shielding function with the separation function, achieving compact design without requiring additional separate components
Data Source
AI summary
A lubricant drip pan for a vehicle transmission housing includes a cup-shaped separating section, which at least partially encloses a receiving area in which a receiving chamber for a rotating gear element in the vehicle transmission is defined when the drip pan is installed in the housing, and separates it from a lubrication collecting area at the bottom of the drip pan, and in which a lubricant reservoir for the vehicle transmission is formed when the drip pan is installed in the housing. There is also a suction section radially outside the separating section, partially lying in the lubricant collecting area. The suction section has a suction port and at least partially delimits a suction chamber, which supplies lubricant from the reservoir when the drip pan is installed, into which the suction port opens.