Apparatuses and methods for improving automotive transmission converter rear side pressure
AssigneeSuperior Transmission Parts, Inc.
InventorDean Mason
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Three operational defects in the 8L series transmission, individually or in combination, produce a shudder complaint and potentially damage the torque converter. An incorrectly ported torque converter control valve is corrected by increasing length of an undersized third land to prevent mixing of three adjacent flow channels and a loss of lockup apply pressure. Start time of a torque converter enable valve regulation cycle is rescheduled to avoid causing excessive rear side pressure drop and significantly shortening time required to pressure up apply side of a converter clutch. A lockup solenoid is replaced with an anti-ballooning assembly to better control pressure and avoid complete transmission failure.
Claims15
A process for conserving and improving automotive transmission converter rear side pressure during a switching event, comprising:
- a. sealing a leak along a torque converter control valve close to a cooler port simultaneously or slightly before opening a torque converter enable supply port at the torque converter control valve by replacing an OEM torque converter control valve with the torque converter control valve, whereby the leak is sealed via an increased length of a third land of the torque converter control valve, compared to the OEM torque converter control valve;
- b. replacing an OEM torque converter enable valve with the torque converter enable valve, which increases a volume of continual non-oscillating pressure output without use of a counter-balance spring, and inherently dampens as a countermeasure to an effect of applied oscillating signal;
- and
- rescheduling a torque converter enable valve regulation start time to begin before a switching time of the torque converter control valve, wherein an enable valve exhaust port is closed to prevent rear side venting of volume, or a start time of a torque converter fault valve and the torque converter control valve can be rescheduled to start after the torque converter enable valve start time;
- and
- c. shortening a lockup apply cycle through with a torque converter enable valve having at least one non-squared land, which provides for greater flow volume delivery at a same pressure as an OEM enable valve, to fill and pressurize a torque converter rear side for faster lockup apply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.