Unitized Transmission Valve Body Without Separator Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transmission valve bodies with two-dimensional worm trail routing lead to complex, costly, and large castings due to the need for convoluted flow paths and the use of separator plates for fluid communication, which increases size and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A unitized valve body manufactured through additive manufacturing, eliminating the need for mechanical fasteners and allowing fluid communication in multiple dimensions by integrating a plurality of hydraulic passages and orifices, enabling direct connections between valve bores without the use of separator plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separator plates are used to connect multiple valve bodies for fluid communication, then fluid communication between valve bodies is achieved, but device complexity and assembly time increase due to gasket seals, precise machining, and additional fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate valve bodies into a single unitized valve body where multiple hydraulic passages are integrated within one monolithic structure. This eliminates the need for separator plates, gaskets, and multiple fasteners, directly resolving the technical contradiction by achieving fluid communication without increasing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional worm trail routing in separate valve bodies to three-dimensional hydraulic passages within a unitized structure. This dimensional change allows fluid communication paths to cross over and under each other within the same valve body, eliminating the need for separator plates while reducing complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If two-dimensional worm trail routing is used in traditional valve bodies, then manufacturing is simpler, but flow paths become lengthy and convoluted increasing size and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements three-dimensional hydraulic passages that can cross over and under each other within the unitized valve body. This allows direct and efficient fluid communication paths between different hydraulic circuits, eliminating lengthy and convoluted two-dimensional worm trail routing while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through additive manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the routing dimensionality parameter from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, allowing hydraulic passages to intersect and cross over each other in space. This parameter change enables more direct fluid paths, reducing the overall size and complexity of the valve body while maintaining ease of manufacture through appropriate manufacturing processes.
3Reliability
If multiple valve bodies are connected with separator plates, then fluid communication is achieved, but assembly time and cost increase due to additional fasteners and precise machining requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple valve bodies into a single unitized structure where all hydraulic passages are integrated within one monolithic component. This merging eliminates the need for assembly of separator plates and fasteners, directly reducing assembly time while maintaining reliable fluid communication through the integrated passages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the fluid communication routing during the manufacturing process itself, creating all hydraulic passages and connections in advance as a single integrated structure. This preliminary action during manufacturing eliminates the need for time-consuming assembly operations involving separator plates and fasteners.
4Ease of manufacture
If two-dimensional worm trails are routed around fasteners in separate valve bodies, then assembly is possible, but size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all valve body functions into a single unitized structure, eliminating the need for separate fasteners to hold multiple valve bodies together. This removes the constraint of routing worm trails around fasteners, significantly reducing routing complexity while maintaining assembly feasibility through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses three-dimensional hydraulic passages that can cross over and under each other within the unitized valve body, eliminating the need to route trails around fasteners in two dimensions. This dimensional change simplifies the routing complexity while maintaining assembly feasibility through the monolithic structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A unitized valve body for use in an automatic transmission includes a plurality of first hydraulic passages, a second hydraulic passage and a plurality of orifices. The second hydraulic passage extending through the unitized valve body and configured to be in fluid communication with a plurality of valve bores. Each orifice disposed within the unitized valve body and fluidly connecting the second hydraulic passage to a respective first hydraulic passage of the plurality of first hydraulic passages.