Housing and method of manufacturing said housing

#I. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to housings for a vehicle component and the method of making the same and, in particular, to housings for a vehicle component and the method of making the same wherein oil escape apertures are longitudinally formed therein.

#II. Description of the Prior Art

#The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a partial cut away view of the transmission clutch housing of the present invention and formed using the method of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a plan view of the housing of FIG. 1.

#Referring to the drawings, there is shown a housing 10 adapted to be used in transmissions and transfer cases for vehicles. However, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention could be utilized for any housing requiring the formation of apertures longitudinally therein. Nevertheless, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is herein described as directed to a clutch housing 10 having a plurality of oil escape apertures and the method of manufacturing such a clutch housing 10.

#As best shown in FIG. 1, the clutch housing 10 has a generally cup-shaped configuration with an inner hub wall 14 and an outer peripheral wall 16. The outer wall 16 includes an inner surface 18 defining an inner diameter and an outer surface 20 defining an outer diameter. In accordance with the operating characteristics of the clutch housing 10, a series of longitudinal splines 22 and troughs 23 are formed in the surface of the outer wall 16. As described above, the splines 22 and troughs 23 may be formed on either the inner surface 18 or outer surface 20 of the outer wall 16. The splines 22 and troughs 23 may be formed at varying intervals, lengths and depths for operation in a predetermined manner. In accordance with the present invention, at least one and preferably a plurality of the troughs 23 are formed at a depth greater than the standard trough depth. The interval and number of troughs 23 with increased depth are dependent upon the desired number of apertures desired through the outer wall 16 of the finished clutch housing 10. Although the selected troughs 23 are formed at an increased depth, sufficient wall structure remains.

#In order to form the oil escape apertures, the surface opposite the surface on which the splines 22 and troughs 23 are formed is cut to form a spiral groove 24 substantially transverse to the longitudinal splines 22. The spiral groove 24 is machined to a depth sufficient to engage the increased depth of the troughs 23 thereby forming an aperture 26 through the outer wall 16. The width W of the aperture 26 is determined by the width of the trough 23 while the length L of the aperture 26 is determined by the width of the spiral groove 24. Thus, the outer or inner diameter of the outer wall can be machined accordingly when oil escape apertures need to be formed in the clutch housing 10.