Intermediate shaft assembly
View Patent ↗An intermediate shaft assembly for an automotive transmission wherein hydraulic fluid intake ports in the rotating shaft assembly are designed to provide increased hydraulic fluid flow and improved lubrication to mating components served by the shaft lubrication circuit is disclosed. The hydraulic fluid intake ports are laterally offset from the center plane of the shaft assembly to increase the angle of entry to fluid entering the intake ports and configured to produce a scooping effect within the fluid surrounding the intake ports upon shaft rotation, which substantially increases hydraulic flow into the shaft and counteracts the inhibitory effect of centrifugal force on fluid flow within the ATF intake ports. In addition, the dimensions of fluid plug orifices and of lubrication outlets on the present shaft assembly have been calibrated to regulate the increased ATF flow and to deliver effective lubrication to the aforementioned mating components.
1. A rotating shaft assembly for an automatic transmission comprising:
a cylindrical body member including a central bore having a longitudinal axis, said body member further including at least one annular groove wherein a fluid intaking means is formed in fluid communication with said bore, said fluid intaking means having at least one radially disposed intake port positioned at a predetermined lateral offset position relative to said longitudinal axis, said body member further including a plurality of hydraulic fluid outlet ports formed in fluid communication with said bore for discharging hydraulic fluid to lubricate components assembled thereon; and
fluid metering means installed at each end of said bore for restricting the flow of hydraulic fluid from the ends of said bore thereby increasing the flow of hydraulic fluid from said outlet ports.
2. A rotating shaft assembly of claim 1 wherein said intake port includes an undercut surface contiguous with the leading edge of said intake port at its juncture with said annular groove, said undercut surface producing a scooping effect within the hydraulic fluid upon rotation of said shaft assembly thereby increasing the flow of hydraulic fluid into said intake port.
3. A rotating shaft of claim 1 wherein said intake port is located at said lateral offset position being positioned 0.156 inch from said longitudinal axis.
4. A rotating shaft assembly of claim 1 wherein said fluid metering means comprises a calibrated plug orifice installed within each end of said bore to restrict the flow of hydraulic fluid from each end of said bore thereby generating backpressure to said outlet ports.
5. A rotating shaft assembly of claim 4 wherein said calibrated plug orifices vary in the range of Ø 0.050–0.090 inches.
6. An intermediate shaft assembly for an automatic transmission comprising:
a cylindrical body member including a central bore having a longitudinal axis, said body member further including at least one annular groove wherein a fluid intaking means is formed in fluid communication with said bore, said fluid intaking means including a plurality of radially disposed intake ports being positioned at predetermined lateral offset positions relative to a vertical plane extending through said body member and including said longitudinal axis, said body member further including a plurality of hydraulic fluid outlet ports formed in fluid communication with said bore for discharging hydraulic fluid lubrication to components assembled thereon; and
a calibrated plug orifice installed at each end of said bore for restricting the flow of hydraulic fluid from the ends of said bore thereby increasing the flow of hydraulic fluid from said outlet ports.
7. An intermediate shaft assembly of claim 6 wherein said intake ports include an undercut surface contiguous with the leading edge of each intake port at its juncture with said annular groove, said undercut surface producing a scooping effect within the hydraulic fluid in said annular groove upon rotation of said shaft thereby increasing the flow of hydraulic fluid into said intake ports.
8. An intermediate shaft of claim 6 wherein said intake ports are located at said lateral offset positions being positioned 0.156 inches from either side of said longitudinal axis.
9. An improved intermediate shaft assembly for an automotive transmission, said shaft assembly including a central bore having a longitudinal axis, said bore including a plurality of hydraulic fluid outlet ports formed in fluid communication with said bore for delivering hydraulic fluid lubrication to components assembled thereon, said shaft assembly further including a fluid inlet site formed within an annular groove on said shaft assembly, wherein the improvement comprises:
fluid intaking means including a plurality of radial intake ports formed within said fluid inlet site in fluid communication with said bore, said intake ports being disposed at predetermined lateral offset positions relative to and on either side of a said longitudinal axis; and
fluid metering means installed at either end of said bore for regulating the flow of hydraulic fluid from said outlet ports.
10. An improved intermediate shaft assembly of claim 9 wherein said fluid intaking means further includes an undercut surface contiguous with the leading edge of each intake port at its juncture with said annular groove, said undercut surface producing a scooping effect within the hydraulic fluid in said annular groove upon rotation of said shaft thereby increasing the flow of hydraulic fluid into said intake ports.
11. An improved intermediate shaft assembly of claim 9 wherein said fluid metering means comprises a calibrated plug orifice installed within each end of said bore to restrict the flow of hydraulic fluid from each end of the bore thereby increasing hydraulic fluid flow to said outlet ports.
12. An improved intermediate shaft assembly of claim 11 wherein the size of said calibrated plug orifice is in the range of Ø 0.050–0.090 inches.
13. An intermediate shaft assembly for an automatic transmission comprising:
a cylindrical body member including a central bore having a longitudinal axis, said body member further including at least one annular groove wherein a fluid inlet site is formed in fluid communication with said bore, said fluid inlet site including a plurality of intake ports being positioned at predetermined lateral offset positions relative to a said longitudinal axis, said body member further including a plurality of hydraulic fluid outlet ports formed in fluid communication with said bore for discharging hydraulic fluid lubrication to components assembled thereon; and
backpressure generating means installed at each end of said bore for generating increased hydraulic pressure within said bore thereby increasing the flow of hydraulic fluid from said outlet ports.
14. An intermediate shaft assembly of claim 13 wherein said intake ports include an undercut surface contiguous with the leading edge of each intake port at its juncture with said annular groove, said undercut surface producing a scooping effect within the hydraulic fluid in said annular groove upon rotation of said shaft thereby increasing the flow of hydraulic fluid into said intake ports.
15. An intermediate shaft of claim 13 wherein said intake ports are located at said lateral offset positions being located 0.156 inches from either side of said longitudinal axis.
16. An intermediate shaft assembly of claim 13 wherein said backpressure generating means comprises a calibrated plug orifice installed within each end of said bore to restrict the flow of hydraulic fluid from said bore thereby generating backpressure to said outlet ports.
17. An intermediate shaft assembly of claim 16 wherein said calibrated plug orifices vary in the range of Ø 0.050–0.090 inches.
18. A method of increasing hydraulic fluid flow within a rotating shaft including a central bore having a longitudinal axis, wherein said shaft further includes at least one fluid inlet site and a plurality of lubrication outlets in fluid communication with said bore, said method comprising the steps of:
drilling a plurality of radially oriented intake ports within said inlet site in fluid communication with said bore at predetermined lateral offset positions relative to said longitudinal axis;
forming undercut surfaces contiguous with the leading edge of each of said intake ports at the outside diameter of said shaft;
rotating said shaft such that hydraulic fluid surrounding said inlet site is directed into said intake ports by the scooping action of said undercut surfaces; and
restricting the flow of hydraulic fluid from the terminal ends of said bore to generate increased flow to said fluid outlets.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of restricting is carried out by calibrated plug orifices installed at each end of said bore.