Sealed cover with nozzle
AssigneeAllison Transmission, Inc.
InventorAustin Morris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powertrain system includes a housing that defines a reservoir. A shaft is rotatably disposed in the housing, and the shaft defines a bore. A cap is positioned to seal the reservoir. The cap defines an opening configured to supply lubricant to the shaft. The opening in the cap is positioned proximal the shaft to spray the lubricant into the bore. In one form, the cap has a nozzle, and the nozzle defines the opening configured to supply the lubricant to the shaft. The shaft is configured to rotate about a rotational axis, and the bore extends along the rotational axis of the shaft. The nozzle is aligned with the rotational axis of the shaft to spray the lubricant into the bore in order to lubricate bearings and other parts of the system.
Claims21
A system, comprising:
- a housing defining a reservoir;
- a shaft rotatably disposed in the housing;
- wherein the shaft defines a bore;
- a cap positioned to seal the reservoir;
- wherein the cap defines an opening configured to supply lubricant to the shaft;
- wherein the opening in the cap is positioned proximal the shaft to spray the lubricant into the bore;
- wherein the cap includes a crown and a collar extending transverse to the crown;
- a cap seal sandwiched between the cap and the housing;
- wherein the cap seal wraps around the collar of the cap;
- wherein the cap has a lip extending from the collar;
- and
- wherein the lip of the cap retains the cap seal.
A system, comprising:
- a shaft, wherein the shaft is configured to rotate about a rotational axis;
- wherein the shaft defines a bore;
- wherein the bore extends along the rotational axis of the shaft;
- wherein the bore in the shaft is configured to transport lubricant;
- a housing defining a reservoir;
- a cap positioned proximal to an end of the shaft;
- wherein the cap is positioned to seal the reservoir;
- wherein the cap has a nozzle;
- wherein the nozzle is aligned with the rotational axis of the shaft to spray the lubricant into the bore;
- wherein the cap includes a crown and a collar extending transverse to the crown;
- wherein the cap has a lip extending from the collar;
- a cap seal sandwiched between the cap and the housing;
- wherein the cap seal wraps around the collar of the cap;
- and
- wherein the lip of the cap retains the cap seal.
A system, comprising:
- a housing defining a reservoir;
- a shaft rotatably disposed in the housing;
- wherein the shaft defines a bore;
- a cap positioned to seal the reservoir;
- wherein the cap defines an opening configured to supply lubricant to the shaft;
- wherein the opening in the cap is positioned proximal the shaft to spray the lubricant into the bore;
- wherein the cap has a nozzle;
- wherein the nozzle defines the opening configured to supply the lubricant to the shaft;
- wherein the shaft has an end surface that faces the cap;
- wherein the shaft has a shaft inlet at the bore;
- wherein the shaft inlet defines a first opening into the bore;
- wherein the first opening is located at the end surface of the shaft;
- wherein the shaft inlet defines a shaft inlet opening;
- wherein the shaft inlet opening is located inside of the shaft distally away from the end surface of the shaft;
- wherein the shaft inlet is beveled from the first opening to the shaft inlet opening to form a countersink type opening;
- wherein the nozzle has a nozzle outlet;
- wherein the nozzle outlet has a nozzle outlet end with the opening;
- wherein the nozzle outlet end is disposed axially between the first opening and the shaft inlet opening to define a nozzle insertion depth;
- wherein the nozzle outlet and the shaft inlet define a nozzle gap;
- and
- wherein the nozzle gap facilitates lubricant leakage from the shaft inlet while the lubricant flows through the bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.