Device for conditioning the lubricating oil of a torque transmission device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017211684-A1
Application number	US-201515328953-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 25, 2014
Publication date	Jul 27, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for conditioning the lubricating oil of a torque transmission device for motor vehicles, in particular for gear transmissions, in which the lubricating oil is heated at least temporarily in the cold state in order to reduce friction and/or churning losses. For an improved reduction in the losses in the cold running range, it is proposed that at least one heating element be disposed directly in the oil-lubrication flow of the transmission elements

First claim

1 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A device for conditioning the lubricating oil of a torque transmission device for motor vehicles, in particular for gear transmissions, comprising:
at least one heating element is arranged directly in the oil-lubrication flow of one or more transmission elements, wherein the lubricating oil is heated at least temporarily in the cold state by the at least one heating element in order to reduce friction and churning losses at the one or more transmission elements of the torque transmission device at least temporarily.

16 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein, for gear transmissions with at least one transmission element immersed in an oil sump, the heating element is positioned in the oil-lubrication flow forming in the oil sump.

17 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one heating element is disposed in the immersion region of the transmission element in the oil sump.

18 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein, for a device for conditioning the lubricating oil of a torque transmission device for motor vehicles with a gear wheel immersed in an oil sump is positioned within an interval 1.3×R and especially an interval of approximately 1.15×R.

19 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one heating element is heated electrically until a defined operating temperature of the transmission oil is reached.

20 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one heating element is provided for a differential transmission for motor vehicles with a gear wheel immersed in an oil sump.

21 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein a plurality of heating elements are used at different gear stages of a change-speed gearbox for motor vehicles.

22 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one heating element is formed by heating rods, which protrude into the oil sump and act essentially intermittently.

23 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one heating element is constructed as flat heating body, which lies in the oil flow and is streamlined

24 . The device according to claim 23 , wherein the at least one heating element is formed by guide vanes, which are curved parallel to the direction of flow of the oil and extend over a peripheral region of the immersed transmission element.

25 . The device according to claim 24 , wherein the heating body has an airfoil as seen in cross-section.

26 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein, for a gear transmission with dry sump lubrication and at least one oil-lubrication device above the transmission elements, which supplies transmission oil to the transmission elements in the engagement area, the at least one heating element is disposed directly at the supplying device.

27 . The device according to claim 26 , wherein the supplying device is an oil pipeline, which branches off from an oil collecting space above the transmission elements, and which is constructed as an electrical heating element.

28 . The device according to claim 27 , wherein the oil pipeline is constructed as a heating lance along which the supplied lubricating oil flows and drips off above the engagement region of the transmission elements.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Kopp Andreas
• Parenti Riccardo

Classifications

• H05B3/82

  Fixedly-mounted immersion heaters · CPC title

• F16H57/0409

  characterised by increasing efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses · CPC title

• F16H57/0457

  Splash lubrication · CPC title

• F16H57/0493

  Gearings with spur or bevel gears  (axle or inter-axle differentials with spur or bevel gears F16H57/0483) · CPC title

• F16H57/0413 Primary

  Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor · CPC title