Unitized valve body having connection orifices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12044307-B2
Application number	US-202117552025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2021
Priority date	Dec 15, 2021
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A unitized valve body for use in an automatic transmission, the unitized valve body comprising:
a plurality of first hydraulic passages extending through the unitized valve body;
a second hydraulic passage extending through the unitized valve body and configured to be in fluid communication with a plurality of valve bores; and
a plurality of first orifices disposed within the valve body, each first orifice fluidly connecting the second hydraulic passage to a respective first hydraulic passage of the plurality of first hydraulic passages,
wherein each first orifice extends through a wall of the unitized valve body that separates the first hydraulic passages and the second hydraulic passage.

2. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein the second hydraulic passage has a first diameter and the first orifices have a second diameter, and wherein the second diameter is less than 33% of the first diameter.

3. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein fluid flowing in the respective first hydraulic passage has a first pressure and fluid flowing in the second hydraulic passage has a second pressure, the second pressure being different than the first pressure.

4. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein each first hydraulic passage is configured to be fluidly connected to one of a respective clutch, a torque converter, a lubrication circuit, and a cooling circuit.

5. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein the second hydraulic passage is substantially linear.

6. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein the valve body does not include mechanical fasteners.

7. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein the valve body is formed by additive manufacturing.

8. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein the first orifices extend normal to the first and second hydraulic passages.

9. The unitized valve body of claim 1 , wherein the first orifices have a circular cross-section.

10. The unitized valve body of claim 1 further comprising:
a third hydraulic passage extending through the unitized valve body and extending parallel to the second hydraulic passage; and
a plurality of second orifices disposed within the unitized valve body, each second orifice fluidly connecting the third hydraulic passage to a respective valve bore of the plurality of valve bores.

11. A unitized valve body for use in an automatic transmission, the unitized valve body comprising:
a plurality of first hydraulic passages extending through the unitized valve body;
a second hydraulic passage extending through the unitized valve body and configured to be in fluid communication with a plurality of valve bores; and
a plurality of orifices disposed within the unitized valve body, each orifice fluidly connecting the second hydraulic passage to a respective first hydraulic passage of the plurality of first hydraulic passages,
wherein the orifices extend normal to the first and second hydraulic passages.

12. The unitized valve body of claim 11 , wherein the second hydraulic passage has a first diameter and the orifices have a second diameter, and wherein the second diameter is less than 33% of the first diameter.

13. The unitized valve body of claim 11 , wherein fluid flowing in the respective first hydraulic passage has a first pressure and fluid flowing in the second hydraulic passage has a second pressure, the second pressure being different than the first pressure.

14. The unitized valve body of claim 11 , wherein each first hydraulic passage is configured to be fluidly connected to one of a respective clutch, a torque converter, a lubrication circuit, and a cooling circuit.

15. The unitized valve body of claim 11 , wherein the second hydraulic passage is substantially linear.

16. The unitized valve body of claim 11 , wherein the orifices have a circular cross-section.

17. The unitized valve body of claim 11 , wherein the valve body does not include mechanical fasteners.

18. A unitized valve body manufactured by an additive manufacturing process, the unitized valve body comprising:
a plurality of first hydraulic passages extending through the unitized valve body,
a second hydraulic passage extending through the unitized valve body and configured to be in fluid communication with a plurality of valve bores; and
a plurality of orifices disposed within the unitized valve body, each orifice fluidly connecting the second hydraulic passage to a respective first hydraulic passage of the plurality of first hydraulic passages,
wherein each orifice extends through a wall of the unitized valve body that separates the first hydraulic passages and the second hydraulic passage.

19. The unitized valve body of claim 18 , wherein the orifices extend normal to the first and second hydraulic passages.

20. The unitized valve body of claim 18 , wherein the second hydraulic passage has a first diameter and the orifices have a second diameter, and wherein the second diameter is less than 33% of the first diameter.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Frait Steven Anatole
• Hanson Frank

Classifications

• F15B13/085

  Electrical controllers · CPC title

• F16L41/03

  comprising junction pieces for four or more pipe members · CPC title

• F16H61/0251

  Elements specially adapted for electric control units, e.g. valves for converting electrical signals to fluid signals · CPC title

• F16H61/0206

  Layout of electro-hydraulic control circuits, e.g. arrangement of valves · CPC title

• F16L41/16

  the branch pipe comprising fluid cut-off means · CPC title