Hydraulic Control Unit for a Transmission

Abstract

A hydraulic control unit (10) for a transmission (36) of a motor vehicle drive train may include a housing top section (12), a first valve housing (14) having a first valve (60), and a second valve housing (16) having a second valve (62). The first valve (60) is aligned along a first direction (30) and the second valve (62) is aligned along a second direction (32), wherein the first direction (30) differs from the second direction (32).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A hydraulic control unit (10) for a transmission (36) of a motor vehicle drive train, comprising: a housing top section (12); a first valve housing (14) comprising a first valve (60); and a second valve housing (16) comprising a second valve (62), wherein the first valve (60) is aligned along a first direction (30), wherein the second valve (62) is aligned along a second direction (32), and wherein the first direction (30) differs from the second direction (32).

17. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, wherein the first direction (30) has a first angle (58) with respect to the second direction (32), the first angle (58) being within a range of 5 to 355.

18. The hydraulic control unit of claim 17, wherein the first angle (58) is within a range of 80 to 100.

19. The hydraulic control unit of claim 18, wherein the first angle (58) is within a range of 88 to 92.

20. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, further comprising a first intermediate plate (18) between the housing top section (12) and the first valve housing (14), wherein a thickness of the first intermediate plate (18) is less than 5 mm.

21. The hydraulic control unit of claim 20, wherein the thickness of the first intermediate plate (18) is less than 2 mm.

22. The hydraulic control unit of claim 21, wherein the thickness of the first intermediate plate (18) is less than 1.4 mm.

23. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, further comprising a second intermediate plate (20) between the first valve housing (14) and the second valve housing (16), wherein a thickness of the second intermediate plate (20) is less than 5 mm.

24. The hydraulic control unit of claim 23, wherein the thickness of the second intermediate plate (20) is less than 2 mm.

25. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, wherein the housing top section (12) comprises a first planar surface (22), wherein the first valve housing (14) comprises a second planar surface (24), wherein the second valve housing (16) comprises a third planar surface (26), wherein the first planar surface (22), the second planar surface (24), and the third planar surface (26) are parallel to one another.

26. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, wherein the housing top section (12) is a duct plate (28) or a valve plate.

27. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, wherein the first valve housing (14) forms at least a portion of a first control circuit, and wherein the second valve housing (16) forms at least a portion of a second control circuit.

28. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, wherein the first valve housing (14) is between the housing top section (12) and the second valve housing (16).

29. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, wherein the first valve housing (14) comprises at least one device connectable to the second valve housing (16), wherein the at least one device comprises a duct for a hydraulic connection (44), structures for insert parts, a spherical piece, a change-over ball, a receptacle for a change-over ball (42), a locating pin, a receptacle for a locating pin (40), an electrical connection, or a recess on a planar surface (26).

30. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, further comprising a bolt (34), wherein the bolt (34) fixes at least two elements relative to one another, wherein the at least two elements comprises two or more of the housing top section (12), the first valve housing (14), the second valve housing (16), a duct plate (28), a valve plate, a first intermediate plate (18), a second intermediate plate (20), a first valve (60), a second valve (62), a pressure regulator (50), an individual plug (48), a transmission housing (46), and a cable harness.

31. The hydraulic control unit of claim 16, further comprising: a first individual plug (54) for an electrical connection to a harness; and a second individual plug (56) for the electrical connection to the harness, wherein the first individual plug (54) is at a second angle (52) with respect to the second individual plug (56).

32. A transmission comprising the hydraulic control unit (10) of claim 16.

33. The transmission of claim 32, further comprising an oil pan (38) for forming an oil sump, wherein the second valve housing (16) is between the first valve housing (14) and the oil pan (38).

34. The transmission of claim 32, further comprising a harness, wherein the second valve housing (16) comprises an actuator, wherein the actuator is connectable to the harness by at least one plug (48).

35. A method for manufacturing the hydraulic control unit (10) of claim 16, the method comprising: providing a first hydraulic control unit module comprising the housing top section (12) and the first valve housing (14) comprising the first valve (60); providing the second valve housing (16) comprising the second valve (62); and mounting the second valve housing (16) on the first hydraulic control unit module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are represented in the drawing and are explained in greater detail in the following description. Wherein:

[0066] FIG. 1A shows a diagrammatic side view of a first exemplary embodiment of the novel control unit,

[0067] FIG. 1B shows a diagrammatic bottom view of the first exemplary embodiment of the novel hydraulic control unit,

[0068] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic side view of a second exemplary embodiment of the novel hydraulic control unit,

[0069] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic side view of a third exemplary embodiment of the novel hydraulic control unit,

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic side view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of the novel hydraulic control unit,

[0071] FIG. 5 shows a schematic of a third planar surface of an exemplary embodiment of the novel hydraulic control unit,

[0072] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of a part of a transmission housing including a diagrammatic view of an exemplary embodiment of the novel hydraulic control unit,

[0073] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of the novel transmission, and

[0074] FIG. 8 shows a representation of an exemplary embodiment of the novel method for manufacturing the novel hydraulic control unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0076] FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2-6 show exemplary embodiments of a novel hydraulic control unit 10.

[0077] The hydraulic control unit 10 for a transmission 36 has a housing top section 12, a first valve housing 14, and a second valve housing 16. A first valve 60 is arranged in the first valve housing 14. A second valve 62 is arranged in the second valve housing 16. The first valve 60 is aligned along a first direction 30. The second valve 62 is aligned along a second direction 32. The first direction 30 is not identical to or is different from the second direction 32.

[0078] In the hydraulic control units 10 represented in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2-6, multiple first valves 60, for example, five first valves 60, are arranged in the first valve housing 14. The first valves 60 are arranged in parallel to one another in the first direction 30. Two second valves 62 are arranged in the second valve housing 16. The first direction 30 has a first angle 58 with respect to the second direction 32, the first angle 58 is equal to 90.

[0079] The hydraulic control unit 10 represented in FIGS. 1A and 1B has a third valve 70 in the second valve housing 16. The third valve 70 is aligned along a third direction 72. The third direction 72 likewise makes an angle of 90 with respect to the first direction 30. The third direction 72 makes an angle of 180 with respect to the second direction 32. As such, the third valve 70 is arranged antiparallel, or parallel and extending in an opposite direction, to the two second valves 62.

[0080] The exemplary embodiment of the hydraulic control unit 10 represented in FIGS. 1A and 1B has a first intermediate plate 18 between the housing top section 12 and the first valve housing 14. The first intermediate plate 18 is thinner than 5 mm, in particular thinner than 2 mm, in particular thinner than 1.4 mm.

[0081] The exemplary embodiment of the hydraulic control unit 10 represented in FIGS. 1A and 1B also has a second intermediate plate 20 between the first valve housing 14 and the second valve housing 16. The second intermediate plate 20 is thinner than 5 mm, in particular thinner than 2 mm, in particular thinner than 1.4 mm.

[0082] The exemplary embodiment of the hydraulic control unit 10 represented in FIG. 2 has only one intermediate plate, the second intermediate plate 20 between the first valve housing 14 and the second valve housing 16, and no first intermediate plate between the housing top section 12 and the first valve housing 14.

[0083] In contrast thereto, the exemplary embodiment of the hydraulic control unit 10 according to FIG. 3 has only one intermediate plate, the first intermediate plate 18 between the housing top section 12 and the first valve housing 14, and no second intermediate plate. The exemplary embodiment of a hydraulic control unit 10 represented in FIG. 4 has neither a first intermediate plate nor a second intermediate plate between the first valve housing 14 and the second valve housing 16.

[0084] In the figures, the thicknesses of the first intermediate plate 18 and of the second intermediate plate 20 are represented thinner as compared to the first valve housing 14 and to the second valve housing 16, for illustration purposes.

[0085] In the represented exemplary embodiments of the novel hydraulic control unit 10, the housing top section 12 has two first planar surfaces 22. The first valve housing 14 has two second planar surfaces 24. The second valve housing 16 has a third planar surface 26. The first planar surface 22 and the second planar surface 24 and the third planar surface 26 are arranged in parallel to one another.

[0086] In the exemplary embodiments of the novel hydraulic control unit 10 represented in the figures, the housing top section 12 is a duct plate 28. The first valve housing 14 is configured for providing a basic function. The second valve housing 16 is configured for providing a supplement to the basic function.

[0087] In the exemplary embodiments represented, the first valve housing 14 is arranged between the housing top section 12 and the second valve housing 16.

[0088] The first valve housing 14 has, for example, a second planar surface 24, as represented in FIG. 4. The first valve housing 14 has one or multiple device(s) for connection to the second valve housing 16. The devices are selected from the group including a duct for the hydraulic connection 44, structures for insert parts, a spherical piece, a change-over ball, a receptacle for a change-over ball 42, a locating pin, a receptacle for a locating pin 40, an electrical connection, and a recess on a planar surface 26.

[0089] The first valve housing 14 represented in FIG. 5 has two change-over ball receptacles 42 and two locating pins 40, as well as multiple hydraulic connections 44.

[0090] Each of the hydraulic control units 10 represented in the figures has at least one bolt 34. The hydraulic control unit 10 has, in particular, multiple bolts 34. The bolts 34 are arranged perpendicularly to the first planar surface 22 and/or to the second planar surface 24 and/or to the third planar surface 26. The bolts 34 fix two or more elements relative to one another. The elements are selected from a group of elements including the housing top section 12, the first valve housing 14, the second valve housing 16, a duct plate 28, a valve plate, a first intermediate plate 18, a second intermediate plate 20, a first valve 60, a second valve 62, a pressure regulator 50, an individual plug 48, a transmission housing 46, and a wire harness. The bolts 34 are through bolts for attaching the hydraulic control unit 10 to a transmission housing 46. The through bolts also have, at least partially, a sealing function.

[0091] Each of the hydraulic control units 10 represented in the figures has a first individual plug 54 for the electrical connection to a wire harness and a second individual plug 56 for the electrical connection to the wire harness. An alignment of the first individual plug 54 has a second angle 52 with respect to an alignment of the second individual plug 56, as represented, in particular, in FIG. 6. The second angle 52 is, for example, between 20 and 60, for example, between 35 and 45, in particular 40, as represented in FIG. 6.

[0092] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of a transmission 36 having a hydraulic control unit 10 as described above. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the transmission 36 has an oil pan 38 for forming an oil sump. As particularly shown in FIG. 6, the second valve housing 16 is arranged between the first valve housing 14 and the oil pan 38 in the oil sump. The transmission 36 has a wire harness. The second valve housing 16 has an actuator, wherein the actuator is connected to the wire harness by one or multiple individual plug(s) 48, in particular by the first individual plug 54 and the second individual plug 56. The transmission includes a transmission housing 46.

[0093] FIG. 8 shows an exemplary embodiment of the method for manufacturing a hydraulic control unit 10 as described above. In a first step 64, a first hydraulic control unit module having the housing top section 12 and the first valve housing 14 including the first valve 60 is made available. In a second step 66, the second valve housing 16 including the second valve 62 is made available. In a third step 68, the second valve housing 16 is mounted on the first hydraulic control unit module. For example, the method includes further steps, which are not represented in the figures.

[0094] Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0095] 10 hydraulic control unit

[0096] 12 housing top section

[0097] 14 first valve housing

[0098] 16 second valve housing

[0099] 18 first intermediate plate

[0100] 20 second intermediate plate

[0101] 22 first planar surface

[0102] 24 second planar surface

[0103] 26 third planar surface

[0104] 28 duct plate

[0105] 30 first direction

[0106] 32 second direction

[0107] 34 bolt

[0108] 36 transmission

[0109] 38 oil pan

[0110] 40 receptacle for a locating pin

[0111] 42 receptacle for a change-over ball

[0112] 44 duct for the hydraulic connection

[0113] 46 transmission housing

[0114] 48 individual plug

[0115] 50 pressure regulator

[0116] 52 second angle

[0117] 54 first individual plug

[0118] 56 second individual plug

[0119] 58 first angle

[0120] 60 first valve

[0121] 62 second valve

[0122] 64 first step

[0123] 66 second step

[0124] 68 third step

[0125] 70 third valve