Pump drive shaft with internal flow tube and method of installation
US7114331B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 2, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 3, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 13, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16H41/24
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A pump drive shaft for an automatic transaxle wherein the cross-sectional profile of the internal flow tube has been modified to a non-cylindrical configuration to increase the flow of transmission fluid through the pump drive shaft from the torque converter. A selected surface of the non-cylindrical tube is positioned at a predetermined angular orientation within the pump drive shaft to provide increased radial clearance between the flow tube and the fluid inlets/outlets to increase the flow of transmission fluid from the torque converter. In various embodiments the flow tube is elliptical, rectangular, bi-lobular in cross-section or a variation thereof, which produces an axially extending fluid passage between the flow tube and the fluid inlets/outlets having an increased cross-sectional and flow capacity from the torque converter. The present disclosure also sets forth a method of installing the present internal flow tube within the pump drive shaft.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.