Systems and methods for gearbox fluid reservoir
AssigneeDana Italia S.R.L.
InventorsMatteo STEFANI, Matteo DALLAPICCOLA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for a lubricating apparatus for a gearbox. In one example, an apparatus may include a curved shroud enclosing a portion of a gear, a first side oil collector and a second side oil collector, an oil reservoir having a first end fluidly coupled to the first side oil collector and a second end fluidly coupled to the second side oil collector, and a metering orifice fluidly coupling the oil reservoir to the curved shroud. The oil reservoir further includes at least two U-turns between the first end and the second end, and walls of the oil reservoir having multiple cavities.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a curved shroud enclosing a portion of a gear;
- a first side oil collector;
- a second side oil collector;
- an oil reservoir having a first end fluidly coupled to the first side oil collector and a second end fluidly coupled to the second side oil collector, the oil reservoir turning back on itself at least twice between the first end and the second end, and walls of the oil reservoir having multiple cavities;
- and
- a metering orifice fluidly coupling the oil reservoir to the curved shroud.
A method for a gearbox, comprising:
- rotating a gear in a first direction;
- driving lubricating fluid out of a curved shroud in which the gear is positioned using teeth of the gear;
- capturing driven lubricating fluid using a first side oil collector and/or a second side oil collector;
- directing captured lubricating fluid from the first side oil collector and the second side oil collector, in a direction of gravity, into an oil reservoir fluidly coupled to the first side oil collector and the second side oil collector;
- and
- directing captured lubricating fluid from the oil reservoir into the curved shroud via a metering orifice in a direction opposite the direction of gravity.
An oil circuit, comprising:
- an oil pump;
- a gearbox housing;
- a delivery line fluidly coupling the oil pump to the gearbox housing;
- and
- an apparatus coupled to the gearbox housing, the apparatus formed of a curved shroud enclosing a portion of a gear, a first side oil collector, a second side oil collector, an oil reservoir having a first end fluidly coupled to the first side oil collector and a second end fluidly coupled to the second side oil collector, the oil reservoir further including at least two U-turns between the first end and the second end, and walls of the oil reservoir having multiple cavities, and a metering orifice fluidly coupling the oil reservoir to the curved shroud.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.