Method for disassembling a transmission valve body assembly
View Patent ↗An improved system and method for disassembling the valve body assembly of a motor vehicle transmission. Air automatically ejects the internal components of a valve body assembly sub-assembly, thereby eliminating the need for an operator to manually “beat” the sub-assembly to remove said internal components. The process of separating the upper and lower sub-assembly, and of pre-washing the sub-assembly, remain the same as in the prior art. As before, the operator manually removes the valve retainers and plugs in each sub-assembly. The operator then loads either sub-assembly onto tooling specifically designed for that sub-assembly (either upper or lower). Once started, the tooling begins an automated, pre-programmed sequence of (1) clamping the sub-assembly, (2) injecting air into specific valve ports to eject internal components causing them to be automatically ejected into parts bins specified for each valve port, and (3) releasing the sub-assembly that no longer contains any internal parts.
1. A method for disassembling a transmission valve body assembly comprising the step of:
ejecting internal components of a valve body assembly sub-assembly using pressurized air injected into ports of said sub-assembly, wherein airflow through at least one valve port of said sub-assembly is obstructed by a shutter operated by an air cylinder.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein: (a) airflow through only one valve port of said sub-assembly is unobstructed causing essentially all internal components of said valve port to be ejected only from said valve port; and (b) step (a) is repeated with a different valve port selected to be the only unobstructed valve port of said sub-assembly until all valve ports of said sub-assembly have been selected to be unobstructed.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein obstructed valve ports of said sub-assembly are obstructed by shutters operated by air cylinders.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein a programmable logic controller selects which valve port of said sub-assembly is to be unobstructed.
5. The method according to claim 4 wherein a safety light curtain is used while internal components are being ejected.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a programmable logic controller controls the process of ejecting said internal components.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said ejected internal components are sorted according to the valve ports from which they were ejected.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein a safety light curtain is used while said internal components are being ejected.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein valve ports of said sub-assembly are cleared of said internal components sequentially.
10. A method for disassembling a transmission valve body assembly comprising the step of:
ejecting internal components of a valve body assembly sub-assembly using pressurized air injected into ports of said sub-assembly, wherein: (a) airflow through only one valve port of said sub-assembly is unobstructed causing essentially all internal components of said valve port to be ejected only from said valve port; and (b) step (a) is repeated with a different valve port selected to be the only unobstructed valve port of said sub-assembly until all valve ports of said sub-assembly have been selected to be unobstructed.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein a programmable logic controller controls the process of ejecting said internal components.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said ejected internal components are sorted according to the valve ports from which they were ejected.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein a safety light curtain is used while said internal components are being ejected.
14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein obstructed valve ports of said sub-assembly are obstructed by shutters operated by air cylinders.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a programmable logic controller selects which valve port of said sub-assembly is to be unobstructed.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein a safety light curtain is used while internal components are being ejected.
17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein valve ports of said sub-assembly are cleared of said internal components sequentially.