Vehicle Transmission Assembly With Nested Stator Support Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transmission assemblies for electric or hybrid vehicles face challenges in compactness and sealing efficiency, with the front bearing absorbing forces from the rotor and reduction gear, and requiring complex cooling chamber insulation, which complicates manufacturing and customization.
Innovation Solution
A transmission assembly design where the stator support is formed in a separate part with an attachment zone radially inside the stator, allowing for easier assembly and reduced bulk, and featuring annular grooves with seals for effective cooling chamber sealing, along with a modular design that simplifies customization and adapts to various powertrain architectures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the attachment zone is positioned radially outside the stator, then the sealing and assembly are simplified, but the overall bulk and volume of the transmission assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment zone is positioned radially inside the stator, nesting the attachment function within the existing stator structure. This eliminates the need for external attachment protrusions, thereby reducing the overall radial bulk of the transmission assembly while maintaining sealing and assembly capabilities through the integrated design.
2Ease of manufacture
If the stator support is formed as a single integrated piece with the transmission casing, then manufacturing is simplified, but customization and adaptation to different powertrain architectures become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The stator support is designed as a separate component from the transmission casing, allowing independent manufacturing, assembly, and customization. This segmentation enables different stator support configurations to be adapted to various powertrain architectures without redesigning the entire transmission casing, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enhancing versatility.
3Reliability
If the cooling chamber is insulated by seals in grooves formed in the front bearing, then sealing is achieved, but the front bearing absorbs additional forces and the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function for the cooling chamber is extracted from the front bearing and transferred to the stator support structure. By forming seals in grooves on the stator support rather than the front bearing, the front bearing is relieved of additional sealing responsibilities and associated forces, reducing structural complexity and improving reliability.
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
The design achieves a compact, modular, and customizable transmission assembly with improved sealing efficiency and reduced force absorption by the stator support, enhancing the overall powertrain design and manufacturing simplicity.
Implementation Method 1
each annular groove accommodating an annular seal arranged so as to ensure sealing of the cooling chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission assembly for a vehicle includes an electric machine having a rotor rotatable about a first axis and a stator arranged radially outside the rotor, and a transmission device including a transmission shaft driven by the rotor and extending along the first axis. An output shaft and transmission mechanism are arranged to transmit torque between the transmission shaft and the output shaft. A transmission casing defines an internal space inside which is arranged at least part of the transmission mechanism. A stator support has an internal housing extending along the first axis of rotation, the stator being attached to the stator support inside this internal housing, the stator support being formed in a part separate from the transmission casing and includes an attachment zone attached to the transmission casing. The attachment zone being situated closer to the first axis of rotation than the stator.