Patent Application

App. No. 12/252,707

Abstract

Claims (29)

1 . An input shaft for a hybrid transmission receiving power from a driven member, comprising:

a cylindrical hollow shaft portion having an internal surface and an external journal surface, wherein said internal surface defines an internal cavity coaxial with said hollow shaft portion; and

a splined portion on said internal surface, such that power may be transferred from the driven member to said hollow shaft portion.

2 . The input shaft of claim 1 , wherein said splined portion is configured to be dry-mated to the driven member, such that said internal cavity is not in fluid communication with transmission fluid within the hybrid transmission.

3 . The input shaft of claim 2 , wherein said internal cavity is continuous throughout the input shaft, and further comprising a plug seal in said internal cavity, configured to fluidly seal said internal cavity.

4 . The input shaft of claim 3 , wherein said plug seal is a freeze plug press-fit into said internal cavity.

5 . The input shaft of claim 4 , wherein said splined portion is formed by broaching.

6 . The input shaft of claim 5 , wherein said splined portion is formed by multiple keyway broaching.

7 . The input shaft of claim 5 , further comprising an input seal configured to fluidly seal said external journal surface.

8 . A method of manufacturing a hybrid powertrain, comprising:

forming a hollow transmission input shaft;

press-fitting a plug into said hollow transmission input shaft, such that said hollow transmission input shaft is internally fluidly sealed;

installing an input seal in a transmission;

mating said hollow transmission input shaft to said transmission, such that said input seal externally fluidly seals said hollow transmission input shaft; and

filling said transmission with transmission fluid.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

attaching said transmission to a test rig by dry-mating said hollow transmission input shaft to a simulated engine output shaft; and

testing said transmission by simulating engine output conditions.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising dry-mating said hollow transmission input shaft to an engine output member, such that said hollow transmission input shaft and said engine output member are capable of common rotation.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

assembling an engine having said engine output member at a first facility;

transporting said assembled engine to a second facility; and

wherein said dry-mating said hollow transmission input shaft to said engine output member occurs at said second facility.

12 . An input shaft for a hybrid transmission receiving power from a driven member, comprising:

a cylindrical hollow shaft portion having an internal surface and an external journal surface, wherein said internal surface defines an internal cavity coaxial with said hollow shaft portion, and continuous throughout the input shaft;

a freeze plug press-fit into said internal cavity and configured to fluidly seal said internal cavity; and

a splined portion on said internal surface, such that power may be transferred from the driven member to said hollow shaft portion.

13 . The input shaft of claim 12 , further comprising an input seal configured to fluidly seal said external journal surface.

14 . The input shaft of claim 13 , wherein said splined portion is formed by broaching.

Assignments (16)