Passive wet clutch lube valve with a bailing system and transmission including the same

A vehicle transmission system operably coupled to a vehicle engine, said transmission comprising

• a vehicle transmission coupled to the vehicle engine and comprising a bellhousing;
• and
• a clutch system disposed within said bellhousing, said clutch system comprising
• a clutch plate configured to rotate when the engine is activated;
• a reservoir coupled with said clutch plate, wherein said reservoir is configured to receive excess fluid bailed from said clutch upon rotation of said clutch plate;
• a hydraulic control valve fluidly coupled with said clutch plate and said reservoir and defining a first fluid flow path between said reservoir and said clutch plate, said hydraulic control valve comprising
• a projection defining an orifice fluidly coupled with said reservoir;
• a lube valve configured to move between a closed position wherein said first fluid flow path is blocked and an open position wherein said first fluid flow path is fully open;
• wherein a cavity is defined in said hydraulic control valve when said lube valve is in said closed position or between said closed position and said open position;
• wherein the movement of said lube valve between said open position and said closed position is controlled using the fluid from said reservoir which is configured to flow through said orifice and into said cavity.

A method of controlling a hydraulic control valve in a clutch system operably coupled to a vehicle engine, the clutch system comprising a clutch plate configured to rotate when the engine is activated;

• a reservoir coupled with the clutch plate, and the hydraulic control valve fluidly coupled with the clutch plate and the reservoir and defining a first fluid flow path between the reservoir and the clutch plate, the hydraulic control valve comprising a projection defining an orifice fluidly coupled with the reservoir;
• and a lube valve configured to move between a closed position wherein the first fluid flow path is blocked and an open position wherein the first fluid flow path is fully open;
• wherein a cavity is defined in the hydraulic control valve when the lube valve is in the closed position or between the closed position and the open position, said method comprising:
• bailing excess fluid from the clutch plate into the reservoir upon rotation of the clutch plate;
• moving the lube valve between the closed position and the open position such that fluid from the reservoir lubricates the clutch plate;
• and
• using fluid from the reservoir into the cavity through the orifice to control the movement of the lube valve back to the closed position.

A clutch system operably coupled to a vehicle engine and at least partially disposed with a bellhousing, said clutch system comprising:

• a clutch plate configured to rotate when the engine is activated;
• a reservoir coupled with said clutch plate, wherein said reservoir is configured to receive excess fluid bailed from said clutch plate upon rotation of said clutch plate;
• and
• a hydraulic control valve fluidly coupled with said clutch plate and said reservoir and defining a first fluid flow path between said clutch plate and said reservoir, said hydraulic control valve comprising:
• a projection defining an orifice fluidly coupled with said bellhousing, and
• a lube valve configured to move between a closed position wherein said first fluid flow path is blocked and an open position wherein said first fluid flow path is fully open;
• wherein a cavity is defined in said hydraulic control valve when said lube valve is in said closed position or between said closed position and said open position;
• wherein the movement of said lube valve between said closed position and said open position is controlled using the fluid from the bellhousing which is configured to flow through said orifice and into said cavity.

A vehicle transmission system operably coupled to a vehicle engine, said transmission comprising

• a vehicle transmission coupled to the vehicle engine and comprising a bellhousing;
• and
• a clutch system disposed within said bellhousing, said clutch system comprising
• a clutch plate configured to rotate when the engine is activated;
• a reservoir coupled with said clutch plate, wherein said reservoir is configured to receive excess fluid bailed from said clutch upon rotation of said clutch plate;
• a hydraulic control valve fluidly coupled with said clutch plate and said reservoir and defining a first fluid flow path between said reservoir and said clutch plate, said hydraulic control valve comprising
• a projection defining an orifice fluidly coupled with said bellhousing;
• a lube valve configured to move between a closed position wherein said first fluid flow path is blocked and an open position wherein said first fluid flow path is fully open;
• wherein a cavity is defined in said hydraulic control valve when said lube valve is in said closed position or between said closed position and said open position;
• wherein the movement of said lube valve between said open position and said closed position is controlled using the fluid from said bellhousing which is configured to flow through said orifice and into said cavity.

A method of controlling a hydraulic control valve in a clutch system operably coupled to a vehicle engine and disposed within a bellhousing, the clutch system comprising a clutch plate configured to rotate when the engine is activated;

• a reservoir coupled with the clutch plate, and the hydraulic control valve fluidly coupled with the clutch plate and the reservoir and defining a first fluid flow path between the reservoir and the clutch plate, the hydraulic control valve comprising a projection defining an orifice fluidly coupled with the bellhousing;
• and a lube valve configured to move between a closed position wherein the first fluid flow path is blocked and an open position wherein the first fluid flow path is fully open;
• wherein a cavity is defined in the hydraulic control valve when the lube valve is in the closed position or between the closed position and the open position, said method comprising:
• bailing excess fluid from the clutch plate into the reservoir upon rotation of the clutch plate;
• moving the lube valve between the closed position and the open position such that fluid from the reservoir lubricates the clutch plate;
• and
• using fluid from the bellhousing into the cavity through the orifice to control the movement of the lube valve back to the closed position.