Transmission sealing and drainage device
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsHenryk Sowul, Kristopher Villegas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sealing and drainage device for a motor vehicle transmission is located in a wall approximately near the bottom of the transmission housing and includes a ball and a plate that encloses the ball in a bore through the housing wall. The plate has an opening on which the ball sits under normal operating conditions. During unexpected flooding conditions, water flows through the opening into the bore. The ball floats on the water such that as the water rises in the bore, the ball rises as well to the top of the bore to seal the bore from the interior of the housing, preventing water from flowing into the housing.
Claims16
A motor vehicle transmission comprising:
- a housing enclosing a clutch assembly;
- a sealing and drainage device located in a wall approximately near the bottom of the housing, the sealing and drainage device including a ball and a plate that encloses the ball in a bore through the housing wall, the plate having an opening on which the ball sits during normal operating conditions, the sealing and drainage device including an anti-contamination feature, the anti-contamination feature including a spring and a plunger assembly with an outer plug and an inner plug, the spring being located between the inner plug and the plate to urge the outer plug against the exterior of the plate so that the outer plug forms a seal with the exterior of the outer plate,
- wherein during unexpected flooding conditions, water flows through the opening into the bore, and
- wherein the ball floats on the water such that as the water rises in the bore, the ball rises as well to the top of the bore to seal the bore from the interior of the housing, preventing water from flowing into the housing.
A sealing and drainage device for motor vehicle transmission comprising:
- a ball;
- a plate that encloses the ball in a bore through a transmission housing wall, the plate having an opening on which the ball sits during normal operating conditions;
- an anti-contamination feature that includes a spring and a plunger assembly with an outer plug and an inner plug, the spring being located between the inner plug and the plate to urge the outer plug against the exterior of the plate so that the outer plug forms a seal with the exterior of the outer plate,
- wherein during unexpected flooding conditions, water flows through the opening into the bore, and
- wherein the ball floats on the water such that as the water rises in the bore, the ball rises as well to the top of the bore to seal the bore from the interior of the housing, preventing water from flowing into the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.