Compact Vehicle Transmission Arrangement with Nested Axial Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle transmission systems face challenges in achieving a compact, robust, and lightweight design while integrating multiple sub-components, leading to increased costs and material selection restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A transmission arrangement featuring a rotatable gear wheel with radially outer teeth and axially protruding engagement members, combined with annular transmission members and a locking mechanism within an annular space defined by grooves, provides a strong, compact, and lightweight torque connection, eliminating the need for complex splined connections and reducing space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If multiple sub-components are integrated into larger components to achieve compact design, then the transmission arrangement becomes more compact, but the manufacturing complexity increases and material selection is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission arrangement is divided into separate modular components including a first annular transmission member, a second annular transmission member, and a locking member. These segments can be manufactured independently using optimal materials and processes for each component, then assembled together to form the complete transmission arrangement, thereby maintaining compactness while reducing manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member is positioned within an annular space defined by radially overlapping annular grooves of the first and second transmission members. This nested configuration allows multiple components to occupy overlapping radial spaces, achieving compact axial arrangement without requiring increased radial dimensions, thus maintaining compactness while enabling independent manufacturing of each nested component
2Strength
If complex splined connections are used to connect transmission members, then the connection strength is improved, but the space requirements and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex splined connection structure is extracted and replaced with a simplified locking mechanism. The locking member engages with axially protruding engagement members on the gear wheel and corresponding engagement members on the first annular transmission member, providing robust torque transmission without requiring the elaborate splined geometry, thereby reducing space requirements while maintaining connection strength
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using external splined connections that extend outward between components, the engagement members are designed to protrude axially from the gear wheel and engage with corresponding features on the transmission members. This inverted approach to connection geometry provides strong torque coupling with reduced radial and axial space requirements compared to traditional splined designs
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission arrangement for a vehicle includes an axial direction and a radial direction, a rotatable gear wheel having radially outer teeth for meshing engagement with a further gear member, and axially protruding engagement members, a first annular transmission member arranged next to the gear wheel and having corresponding axially protruding engagement members in torque transmission engagement with the engagement members of the gear wheel, and an annular groove provided in a radially facing surface, a second annular transmission member in torque transmission engagement with the first annular transmission member and having an annular groove provided in a radially facing surface and arranged radially overlapping with the annular groove of the first annular transmission member such that said annular grooves jointly define an annular space, and a locking member located within said annular space for axial locking of the first and second annular transmission members relative to each other.