Variable-Lubrication Clutch to Prevent Entrapped Oil Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clutch systems face operational issues due to entrapped lubricant, leading to vibration and potential damage, as the lubricant supply is not effectively managed, causing imbalance and wear within the clutch components.
Innovation Solution
A clutch system with a lubrication supply system that includes configurable valves for varying lubricant delivery and strategically placed drains to minimize entrapped volumes, regulated by sensors and a controller to maintain optimal lubrication levels based on operating parameters like vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a supply of lubricant is provided to the clutch components, then wear protection is improved, but vibration and operational issues occur due to entrapped lubricant in interior cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful effect by providing drainage paths that remove entrapped lubricant from interior cavities. The drainage system extracts excess lubricant that would otherwise cause vibration, while the supply system provides necessary lubrication for wear protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of lubricant quantity from static to dynamic by providing variable supply and drainage. This allows the system to adjust lubricant levels according to operating conditions, providing adequate lubrication while preventing excess lubricant entrapment that causes vibration.
2Device complexity
If conventional lubricant supply systems are used, then simplicity is maintained, but lubricant management is ineffective leading to imbalance and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lubrication system into separate supply and drainage functions. The supply system delivers lubricant to necessary components while the drainage system removes excess lubricant from interior cavities. This segmentation allows effective lubrication management without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces drainage paths as intermediary elements between the lubricant supply and the interior cavities. These drainage paths act as mediators that control lubricant distribution, allowing the system to maintain simplicity while improving lubrication effectiveness through controlled lubricant flow.
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 system effectively reduces detrimental vibration and maintains necessary lubrication levels, enhancing clutch performance and reducing wear, while being cost-effective by efficiently managing lubricant supply and drainage.
Implementation Method 1
a supply of lubricant is provided to the various components within the SSS clutch
Data Source
AI summary
A clutch system configured to transmit torque between an input shaft and an output shaft. The clutch system may include a clutch and a lubrication supply system. The clutch may include: an input portion disposed at an end of the input shaft; an output portion disposed at an end of the output shaft; and a sliding component that slides axially between the input and output portions to engage the clutch. The lubrication supply system may include: one or more lubricant feeds for delivering a lubricant to the clutch; and one or more lubricant drains for draining the lubricant from the clutch. The one or more lubricant feeds may include one or more respective valves. The one or more valves each may be configurable between settings that vary an amount of the lubricant delivered to the clutch via the respective one of the one or more lubricant feeds.