Transmission Lubrication Pipe Layout for Priority Part Supply

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lubricating fluid supply structures for power transmission devices face challenges in ensuring stable supply of lubricating fluid to high-priority components, especially when the fluid amount is low, leading to inadequate lubrication of critical parts.

Innovation Solution

The lubricating fluid supply structure incorporates a supply pipe with a first main pipe line connected to high-priority components, an intermediate pipe line, and a second main pipe line connected to non-priority components, with a flow path design that prevents fluid from flowing from the first main pipe line to the intermediate pipe line when the supply is low, ensuring priority components receive adequate lubrication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional lubricating fluid supply structure with a single main pipe line and branch pipe lines is used, then the structure is simple, but when the amount of lubricating fluid supplied is small, it is difficult to supply the lubricating fluid to built-in parts with high priority

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelubricating fluid supply reliability to priority partsVSAvoidsupply pipe structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The supply pipe is segmented into a main pipe line for priority parts and a sub pipe line for non-priority parts. The main pipe line includes a main pipe and branch pipes connected to priority built-in parts, while the sub pipe line includes a sub pipe and branch pipes connected to non-priority built-in parts. This segmentation ensures that when lubricating fluid supply is limited, priority parts receive adequate lubrication first.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the supply pipe system are designed with different functions: the main pipe line is optimized for supplying lubricating fluid to priority parts with higher reliability requirements, while the sub pipe line supplies non-priority parts. This local differentiation in quality and function allows the system to meet varying lubrication needs of different components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If the amount of lubricating fluid supplied to the main pipe line is small, then the supply to non-priority parts can be reduced, but it becomes difficult to ensure adequate supply to high-priority components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelubricating fluid quantity distributionVSAvoidlubrication stability of priority parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The supply pipe is segmented into a main pipe line for priority parts and a sub pipe line for non-priority parts. The main pipe line includes a main pipe and branch pipes connected to priority built-in parts, while the sub pipe line includes a sub pipe and branch pipes connected to non-priority built-in parts. This segmentation ensures that when lubricating fluid supply is limited, priority parts receive adequate lubrication first.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system is designed so that the main pipe line is established first to ensure priority parts receive lubricating fluid. The sub pipe line is configured as a secondary supply path that only receives lubricating fluid when there is excess supply after satisfying the priority parts' needs, as indicated by the sub pipe's connection point downstream of the main pipe's branch connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 configuration stabilizes the lubrication of high-priority components by preventing fluid diversion to non-priority areas, ensuring consistent lubrication even at low fluid supply rates, and allows for some lubrication of non-priority components when fluid is abundant.

Implementation Method 1

A flow path bottom surface of a connection part between the first main pipe line and the intermediate pipe line is lower than a flow path bottom surface located at the highest position in the flow path bottom surface of the intermediate pipe line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

A flow path bottom surface of a connection part between the first main pipe line and the intermediate pipe line is lower than a flow path bottom surface located at the highest position in the flow path bottom surface of the intermediate pipe line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS10920871B2Lubricating fluid supply structure of power transmission device

Publication Date: 2021.02.16 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a lubricating fluid supply structure of a power transmission device capable of stably supplying a lubricating fluid to a built-in part to which the lubricating fluid is supplied with a high priority. A supply pipe (64a) includes a first main pipe line (L1) connected to a priority part, a second main pipe line (L2) connected to a non-priority part, and an intermediate pipe line (LM) connecting the first main pipe line (L1) and the second main pipe line (L2) to each other. A first height (H1) of a connection part of the first main pipe line (L1) connected to the intermediate pipe line (LM) is lower than a second height (H2) located at the highest position in a flow path bottom surface of the intermediate pipe line (LM).