Automotive oil level control valve apparatus
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsJoseph M. Gondusky, Eric J. Giasson, Alfred J. White
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid level control valve has a base with a precisely controlled aperture formed therein which mounts on a transmission oil reservoir. A cover is pivotably disposed over the aperture and is biased by a thermostatic element in a direction tending to close the aperture. The thermostatic element is an elongated flat strip having each end captured by a bracket formed in each end of the base. A calibration post is precisely positioned on the cover to work with the brackets to place the thermostatic element in the desired position to provide a preselected force on the cover. The base has legs extending from the periphery of the controlled aperture for precisely attaching the valve to the housing of the transmission oil reservoir.
Claims12
An oil level control valve for controlling oil flow in a transmission housing having a drain passage aperture comprising a generally elongated base member, an aperture in said base member in alignment with the drain passage aperture, attachment means associated with said base member for attachment of said control valve to said transmission housing by engagement with said drain passage aperture, bracket means extending from each of the two ends of the base member away from said transmission housing, a cover member received over the aperture in the base member and being adapted to move toward and away from said base member aperture, a post member extending from said cover member away from said transmission housing positioned between said bracket members, and a generally flat thermostatic strip in the unassembled state having precisely controlled preselected dimensions in which each end of said strip is received in said bracket means with a portion of said strip intermediate both ends in contact with said post member thereby providing a preselected biasing force on the cover member which varies with the temperature of the thermostatic strip.
An oil level control valve for controlling oil flow in a transmission housing having a drain passage aperture for carrying oil comprising a generally elongated base member, an aperture in said base member in alignment with said drain passage aperture, a plurality of resilient leg members positioned around the periphery of the aperture in said base member for easily snapping said control valve in the drain passage aperture of the transmission housing for accurate positioning of the valve, a bracket member extending from each of the two ends of the base member in a direction away from said transmission housing, a cover member received over the aperture in the base member and being adapted to move toward and away from said base member aperture, a post member of preselected length extending from said cover member away from said transmission housing positioned between said bracket members and a flat thermostatic strip member in the unassembled state having precisely controlled preselected dimensions in which each end of said strip is received in one of the bracket members with a portion of said strip intermediate both ends in contact with the distal end of said post member thereby providing a preselected biasing force on the cover member which varies with the temperature of the thermostatic strip for controlling flow of oil through the valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.