Pump assembly in a transmission and pump assembly operating method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12291102-B2
Application number	US-202418411548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2024
Priority date	Jan 17, 2023
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a mechanical system for a transmission. In one example, the mechanical system in a transmission of a vehicle, comprising: a first one-way clutch included in a first gear combination that is rotationally coupled to an output shaft and to a pump shaft; and a second one-way clutch included in a second gear combination that is arranged parallel to the first gear combination, the second gear combination also rotationally coupled to the output shaft and to the pump shaft; wherein the first and the second gear combinations have an unequal number of gears.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mechanical system in a transmission of a vehicle, comprising:
a first gear combination including a first one-way clutch rotationally coupled to an output shaft and to a pump shaft; and
a second gear combination including a second one-way clutch that is arranged parallel to the first gear combination, the second gear combination also rotationally coupled to the output shaft and to the pump shaft;
wherein the first and second gear combinations have an unequal number of gears.

2. The mechanical system of claim 1 , wherein the first one-way clutch is configured to drive rotation of the pump shaft when the output shaft rotates in a first direction corresponding to forward towing of the vehicle, and wherein the second one-way clutch freewheels when the output shaft rotates in the first direction.

3. The mechanical system of claim 2 , wherein the second one-way clutch drives rotation of the pump shaft when the output shaft rotates in a second direction corresponding to reverse towing of the vehicle, and wherein the first one-way clutch freewheels when the output shaft rotates in the second direction.

4. The mechanical system of claim 3 , wherein the pump shaft rotates in a fixed direction whether the output shaft rotates in the first direction or the second direction.

5. The mechanical system of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the pump shaft operates a pump drawing a lubricant from a sump of the transmission into lubricant channels of the transmission.

6. The mechanical system of claim 1 , wherein friction clutches of the transmission are lubricated when the pump shaft is rotated.

7. The mechanical system of claim 1 , further comprising a power take-off assembly coupled to the output shaft or a prime mover shaft of the vehicle, the power take-off assembly including two mechanical branches each with at least a one-way clutch of a plurality of one-way clutches configured to engage with the output shaft or the prime mover shaft in opposite rotational directions.

8. The mechanical system of claim 1 , wherein the pump shaft drives operation of a uni-directional pump.

9. The mechanical system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical system compels rotation of the pump shaft when rotation of the output shaft is not driven by a prime mover of the vehicle.

10. A method for a transmission, comprising;
transferring rotation of an output shaft of the transmission to a pump assembly, wherein the rotation of the output shaft is not driven by a prime mover, the pump assembly including a first one-way clutch included in a first gear combination and a second one-way clutch included in a second gear combination, and wherein the first gear combination and the second gear combination include different numbers of gears.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein transferring the rotation of the output shaft to the pump assembly includes rotating a pump shaft of the pump assembly in a fixed rotational direction, and wherein the rotation of the output shaft includes rotating the output shaft in a first rotational direction and a second, opposite rotational direction.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises engaging the first one-way clutch with the output shaft when the output shaft is rotated in a first rotational direction with the second one-way clutch disengaged from the output shaft, and wherein the second one-way clutch engages with the output shaft when the output shaft is rotated in a second rotational direction, opposite of the first rotational direction, with the first one-way clutch disengaged from the output shaft.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the output shaft is extended relative to another output shaft of the transmission not coupled to the pump assembly.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the output shaft is rotated as a vehicle having the transmission is towed.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a pump shaft of the pump assembly is rotated in a same direction whether the vehicle is towed in a forward drive direction or a reverse drive direction.

16. A driveline system for a vehicle, comprising:
a power take-off assembly coupled to a prime mover shaft or an output shaft via a parallel set of mechanical branches configured to engage with the prime mover shaft or the output shaft in opposite directions; and
a pump assembly coupling the output shaft to a pump shaft, the pump assembly including a first gear combination with a first one-way clutch and a second gear combination with a second one-way clutch, the first and the second one-way clutches configured to lock in opposite rotational directions.

17. The driveline system of claim 16 , wherein the parallel set of mechanical branches includes a third one-way clutch and a fourth one-way clutch, each coupled to the prime mover shaft or the output shaft.

18. The driveline system of claim 16 , wherein each of the parallel set of mechanical branches has a different number of gears.

19. The driveline system of claim 16 , wherein the power take-off assembly transfers mechanical power from the prime mover shaft or the output shaft to a power take-off device.

20. The driveline system of claim 16 , further comprising a disconnect system arranged between gears of the first and second gear combinations and the pump shaft to disconnect the first and second gear combinations from the pump shaft when the vehicle is propelled by a prime mover.

Assignees

• Dana Belgium Nv

Inventors

• Van Raepenbusch Filip
• Cattoor Kurt

Classifications

• B60K6/40

  characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components · CPC title

• B60K6/383

  One-way clutches or freewheel devices · CPC title

• F16H3/003

  the gear ratio being changed by inversion of torque direction · CPC title

• F16H3/727

  with at least two dynamo electric machines for creating an electric power path inside the gearing, e.g. using generator and motor for a variable power torque path · CPC title

• B60Y2306/03

  Lubrication · CPC title