Device for controlling level of gear lubricant as a function of speed

A device for controlling a level of gear lubricant in a gear housing of a vehicle comprising:

• a housing having a sealed interior portion containing lubricant and a gear rotatably mounted in the housing that rotates through the lubricant;
• said housing having a first wall secured to a bottom portion of the sealed interior portion defining a first and second space, wherein the gear rotates in the first space and displaces the lubricant over the first wall into the second space as the gear rotates at high speeds, the first wall having an opening of a predetermined size for allowing the lubricant to flow back into the first space at a rate greater than the displacement rate at low speeds and less than the displacement rate at high speeds;
• a first gate valve secured to said first wall and a controller for controlling said first gate valve to open and close at the opening to control the flow of lubricant from said second space back into said first space;
• and
• a temperature sensor disposed in the bottom portion of the sealed interior portion for sensing a temperature of the lubricant and controlling the first gate valve.

A device for controlling a level of gear lubricant in a gear housing of a vehicle comprising:

• a housing having a sealed interior portion containing lubricant and a gear rotatably mounted in the housing that rotates through the lubricant;
• said housing having a first wall secured to a bottom portion of the sealed interior portion defining a first and second space, wherein the gear rotates in the first space and displaces the lubricant over the first wall into the second space as the gear rotates at high speeds, the first wall having a second opening of a predetermined size for allowing the lubricant to flow back into the first space at a rate greater than the displacement rate at low speeds and less than the displacement rate at high speeds;
• and
• a second wall secured to the bottom portion of the sealed interior portion defining a third space, wherein the gear rotates in the first space between the first and second walls and displaces the lubricant over the first wall and second walls into the second and third spaces as the gear rotates at high speeds, the second wall having an opening of a predetermined size for allowing the lubricant to flow back into the third space at a rate greater than the displacement rate at low speeds and less than the displacement rate at high speeds.