Manufacturing technique for variator cooling technologies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822870-B2
Application number	US-201514678348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A variator and methods for making the variator are disclosed. A method of making the variator includes forming a plurality of holes in a surface of a case that includes a flange, arranging a plurality of spheres in the case that are configured to be positioned between an input disc and an output disc circumferentially about a central axis so that the plurality of spheres are positioned radially inward of the flange, and positioning a plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making a variator, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of holes in a surface of a case that includes a flange,
arranging a plurality of spheres in the case that are configured to be positioned between an input disc and an output disc circumferentially about a central axis so that the plurality of spheres are positioned radially inward of the flange,
positioning a plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes,
engaging each of the plurality of fluid conduits and the case with a retaining pin positioned radially inward of the case to secure each of the plurality of fluid conduits to the case in a predetermined orientation, and
forming a groove in the case that extends substantially around the central axis and is positioned radially inward of each of the retaining pins.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes comprises advancing the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes so that (i) an inlet of each of the plurality of fluid conduits configured to receive fluid is positioned radially outward of the plurality of spheres and (ii) an outlet of each of the plurality of fluid conduits configured to deliver fluid received by the inlet to at least one of the plurality of spheres is positioned radially inward of the inlet.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein positioning the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes comprises advancing the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes so that the inlet of each of the plurality of fluid conduits is fluidly coupled to the groove.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein positioning the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes comprises advancing the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes so that at least one output port of the outlet of each of the plurality of fluid conduits is configured to deliver fluid radially inward to at least one of the plurality of spheres.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein engaging each of the plurality of fluid conduits and the case with the retaining pin comprises engaging a first section of each of the plurality of fluid conduits having a first diameter greater than a second diameter of a second section of each of the plurality of fluid conduits with the retaining pin.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein (i) forming the plurality of holes in the case comprises forming a plurality of counterbored holes in the case that each extends radially inward from one of a plurality of shoulders of the case, and (ii) positioning the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes comprises engaging the first section of each of the plurality of fluid conduits with one of the plurality of shoulders of the case.

7. A method of making a variator, the method comprising:
forming (i) a plurality of holes in a case and (ii) a groove that extends substantially around a central axis and is configured to receive fluid in the case,
arranging a plurality of spheres in the case that are configured to be positioned between an input disc and an output disc circumferentially about the central axis such that each of the plurality of spheres is positioned radially inward of the groove,
forming each of a plurality of fluid conduits, and
positioning the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes so that (i) each of the plurality of fluid conduits extends radially inward from the case and (ii) each of the fluid conduits is fluidly coupled to the groove to receive fluid therefrom.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein forming each of the plurality of fluid conduits comprises (i) forming a passageway in a tube, (ii) forming an inlet in the tube that extends through the tube to open into the passageway, and (iii) forming an outlet including a plurality of output ports in the tube that each extend through the tube to open into the passageway.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the inlet in the tube of each of the plurality of fluid conduits comprises forming an opening having a diameter within the range of 3.0 millimeters to 3.5 millimeters in the tube of each of the plurality of fluid conduits.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the outlet including the plurality of output ports in the tube of each of the plurality of fluid conduits comprises forming six output ports each having a diameter within the range of 1.0 millimeter to 1.5 millimeters in the tube of each of the plurality of fluid conduits.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein positioning the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes comprises advancing the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes so that (i) the inlet of each of the plurality of fluid conduits is positioned radially outward of the plurality of spheres and fluidly coupled to the groove to receive fluid therefrom and (ii) the outlet of each of the plurality of fluid conduits is positioned between two of the plurality of spheres to deliver fluid received by the inlet to the two of the plurality of spheres.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising engaging each of the plurality of fluid conduits and the case with a retaining pin positioned radially inward of the case to secure each of the plurality of fluid conduits to the case in a predetermined orientation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein engaging each of the plurality of fluid conduits and the case with the retaining pin comprises engaging a first section of each of the plurality of fluid conduits having a first diameter greater than a second diameter of a second section of each of the plurality of fluid conduits with the retaining pin.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein (i) forming the plurality of holes in the case comprises forming a plurality of counterbored holes in the case that each extends radially inward from one of a plurality of shoulders of the case, and (ii) positioning the plurality of fluid conduits in the plurality of holes comprises engaging the first section of each of the plurality of fluid conduits with one of the plurality of shoulders of the case.

15. A method of providing fluid to a variator for an automatic transmission, the method comprising:
supplying fluid from a fluid source at a first pressure to first torque transmitting mechanisms of the transmission via a first hydraulic circuit of the transmission, and
supplying fluid from the fluid source at a variator pressure different from the first pressure to a plurality of spheres of the variator arranged circumferentially about a central axis between an input disc and an output disc of the variator via a variator hydraulic circuit of the variator so that fluid is communicated from inlets of a plurality of fluid conduits of the variator hydraulic circuit that are positioned radially outward of the plurality of spheres to outlets of the plurality of fluid conduits that are positioned radially inward of the inlets.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein supplying fluid from the fluid source at the variator pressure to the plurality of spheres of the variator comprises delivering fluid to the inlets of the plurality of fluid conduits through a case of the variator configured to engage a housing of the transmission.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein delivering fluid to the inlets of the plurality of fluid conduits through the case of the variator comprises circulating fluid to the inlets of the plurality of fluid conduits substantially around the central axis via a groove formed in the case.

Assignees

• Allison Transm Inc

Inventors

• Foster Michael
• Raszkowski James
• Schoolcraft Brian

Classifications

• F16H57/0487 Primary

  Friction gearings · CPC title

• F16H57/0412

  Cooling or heating; Control of temperature · CPC title

• B23P13/00

  Making metal objects by operations essentially involving machining but not covered by a single other subclass (making specific objects B23P15/00) · CPC title

• F16H57/0424

  Lubricant guiding means in the wall of or integrated with the casing, e.g. grooves, channels, holes · CPC title