Direct drum bushing

Abstract

An improved bushing restricts exhaust at a lube transfer port and exhaust ports equalizing bushing lube PSI with lube supply PSI. A hole or pair of holes in the bushing with an area equal to that of the lube supply holes in a center support regulates an intermediate pressure to the bushings of 50% of the supply pressure on its own, regardless of the balance piston. When the balance piston is filled, the added resistance at the transfer orifices will begin to equalize bushing lube PSI with lube supply PSI. When the balance piston exhaust ports are also restricted, as with an increased height of the bushing and installation site, equalization is insured and bushing lube PSI becomes that of the supply PSI.

Claims

1. A bushing for use in a direct clutch drum of an automotive transmission, comprising: a cylindrical sleeve having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the cylindrical sleeve is operably positionable between an outer surface of a lube supply of a center support and an inner surface of a direct clutch drum cylinder; a central channel extending circumferentially along the inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve; a lube transfer port located along the central channel and bisecting the cylindrical sleeve; and four vertical lube channels extending along the inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve, each of the four vertical lube channels passing perpendicularly through the central channel and positioned 90 degrees apart from two adjacent vertical lube channels along the inner surface, wherein an end of each of the four vertical lube channels does not extend to an edge of the inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve such that the end of each of the four vertical lube channels is closed; and wherein an opposite end of each of the four vertical lube channels does extend to an opposite edge of the inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve such that the opposite end of each of the four vertical lube channels is open.

2. The bushing of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the lube transfer port is between 1.575-4.750 mm.

3. The bushing of claim 1, further comprising a second lube transfer port located along the central channel and positioned 180 degrees from the lube transfer port.

4. The bushing of claim 3, wherein a diameter of the second lube transfer port is between 1.575-4.750 mm.

5. The bushing of claim 1, wherein a height of the cylindrical sleeve is greater than 33.02 mm.

6. The bushing of claim 1, wherein the bushing is positionable such that exhaust is restricted through balance piston exhaust ports in the direct clutch drum cylinder.

7. The bushing of claim 6, wherein the lube transfer port allows lubricant to pass between the lube supply of the center support and the direct clutch drum cylinder.

8. A bushing, comprising: a cylindrical sleeve having an outer surface and an inner surface; a central channel extending circumferentially along the inner surface; a lube transfer port located along the central channel and bisecting the cylindrical sleeve; and at least one vertical lube channel extending along the inner surface, the at least one vertical lube channel passing perpendicularly through the central channel, wherein an end of the at least one vertical lube channel is closed; and wherein an opposite end of the at least one vertical lube channel is open.

9. The bushing of claim 8, wherein a diameter of the lube transfer port is between 1.575-4.750 mm.

10. The bushing of claim 8, further comprising a second lube transfer port located along the central channel and positioned 180 degrees from the lube transfer port.

11. The bushing of claim 10, wherein a diameter of the second lube transfer port is between 1.575-4.750 mm.

12. The bushing of claim 8, wherein a height of the cylindrical sleeve is greater than 33.02 mm.

13. The bushing of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical sleeve is positionable between a lube supply of a center support and a direct clutch drum cylinder.

14. The bushing of claim 13, wherein the bushing is positionable such that the cylindrical sleeve restricts exhaust through balance piston exhaust ports in the direct clutch drum cylinder.

15. The bushing of claim 14, wherein the lube transfer port allows lubricant to pass between the lube supply of the center support and the direct clutch drum cylinder.

16. The bushing claim 13, wherein, when positioned between the lube supply of the center support and the direct clutch drum cylinder, the bushing restricts exhaust at the lube transfer port to equalize fluid pressure between fluid entering and leaving the bushing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) The present invention is shown and described in the following drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of an OEM center support, an OEM direct clutch drum, and an OEM forward clutch drum assembled together;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a top perspective view of the OEM direct clutch drum with an OEM bushing installed;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a side perspective view of the OEM bushing of the OEM direct clutch drum, as shown in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a side perspective view of the OEM center support and positioning of the OEM bushing when the OEM direct clutch drum is assembled with the OEM center support;

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a top perspective view of the OEM direct clutch drum with an after-market prior art bushing installed to replace the OEM bushing;

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a side perspective view of the after-market prior art bushing installed in the OEM direct clutch drum, as shown in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates a top perspective view of the OEM direct clutch drum with a preferred embodiment of the presently disclosed improved bushing installed therein;

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates a side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a direct drum bushing, as shown in FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the preferred embodiment of the direct drum bushing;

(11) FIG. 10 illustrates a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the direct drum bushing;

(12) FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of the preferred embodiment of the direct drum bushing;

(13) FIG. 12 illustrates a bottom view of a section of the preferred embodiment of the direct drum bushing wherein two channels intersect perpendicularly;

(14) FIG. 13 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the direct drum bushing; and

(15) FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of an alternative embodiment of the preferred invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(16) With reference to FIG. 7, a preferred embodiment of an improved bushing 300 is shown installed within an OEM direct clutch drum 102. The bushing 300 is installed within the center cylindrical opening 105 along an inner surface of the center cylinder 107 to a depth of 0.125 in or 3.175 mm (+/0.005 in or 0.127 mm) below flush to a washer surface of the direct clutch drum 102. The bushing 300 can also be installed alongside a spacer ring with a height of 0.125 in or 3.175 mm to achieve the same positioning within a center cylinder 107 of the direct clutch drum 102. This position restricts exhaust through the balance piston exhaust ports 106 to assist with equalizing bushing lube and supply PSI or kPa.

(17) With reference to FIG. 8, a side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved bushing 300 is shown. The bushing 300 includes a cylindrical sleeve 301 having an inner surface 302, an outer surface 304, a thickness T, and a height H. The thickness T of the sleeve 301 tapers slightly along the top edge 316 and bottom edge 318. Additional embodiments of the bushing do not have a tapered top edge and/or a tapered bottom edge. The outer surface 304 of the bushing 300 rests along the inner surface of the center cylinder 107 of the direct clutch drum 102 when installed for use. The inner surface of the bushing 300 rests along the lube supply 114 of the center support 100 when installed for use. Along the inner surface 302, a central channel 306 is formed into the thickness T of the sleeve 301 along a circumference of the sleeve. At least one vertical channel 308 is formed along the inner surface 302 into the thickness T of the sleeve 301, wherein the length of each vertical channel extends along the height H of the sleeve 301. Each vertical channel 308 intersects the central channel 306 perpendicularly. In the preferred embodiment, four vertical channels 308 are evenly spaced along the inner surface 302 of the sleeve 301, and each vertical channel has a closed end 314 and an open end 310. Each closed end 314 of each vertical channel 308 is located near a top edge 316 of the sleeve 301 and each open end 310 is located along a bottom edge 318 of the sleeve. At least one lube transfer port 312 is located within the central channel 306 and bisecting the thickness (T) of the sleeve 301. The lube transfer port 312 allows lubricant to pass between the lube supply 114 of the center support 100 and center cylinder 107 of the direct clutch drum 102.

(18) FIGS. 9-13 provide further views of the preferred embodiment of the bushing 300. The side view of FIG. 9 shows the lube transfer port 312 positioned within the central channel 306 and between two vertical channels 308. In the preferred embodiment, only one lube transfer port is present. However, two lube transfer ports are contemplated in a further embodiment, with each of the two lube transfer ports positioned 180 degrees from each other within the central channel 306. In such an embodiment, the side view illustrated in FIG. 9 would be mirrored from the opposite side of the bushing. The lube transfer hole 312 in the preferred embodiment is 0.093 in or 2.362 mm in diameter, but may range in diameter in other embodiments between 0.062-0.187 in or 1.575-4.750 mm, inclusive. All diameters within said range are smaller than the OEM lube transfer port diameter of 0.200 in or 5.080 mm. Reducing the diameter of the lube transfer port restricts lubricant flow to the balance piston, thereby increasing PSI or kPa in the bushing lube region above near zero to increase lubricant flow.

(19) In the preferred embodiment, the height H of the sleeve 301 is 1.46 in or 37.084 mm. All known prior art, single piece bushings have a height slightly larger than the OEM bushing, but no larger than 1.26 in or 32.004 mm. All contemplated embodiments of the present invention have heights H greater than 1.30 in or 33.020 mm, as such heights minimize drum rocking, which occurs with an axial misalignment off the centerline.

(20) FIGS. 10 and 11 provide a bottom and top view, respectively, of the preferred embodiment of the bushing 300. From the bottom view of FIG. 10, each of the four vertical channels 308 are seen evenly spaced 90 degrees apart along the inner surface 302 of the sleeve 301. Each vertical channel 308 has an open end 310 along the bottom edge 318 and closed end 314 near the top edge 316, such that the vertical channels are obscured in the top view of FIG. 11. In the preferred embodiment, each vertical channel 308 is 0.060 in or 1.524 mm wide and terminates at the closed end 314 between 0.090-0.100 in or 2.286-2.540 mm from the top edge 316 of the sleeve 301. The width of each vertical channel 308 is variable, with the width of each vertical channel being smaller than the width of the central channel 306. Further, the width of each vertical channel 308 may taper slightly into the thickness T of the sleeve, or moving from the inner surface 302 to the outer surface 304. FIG. 12 provides an enlarged top-down sectional view of one vertical channel 308 from FIG. 10. The sleeve 301 has a thickness T between 0.0622-0.0628 in or 1.580-1.591 mm, providing a range of vertical channel 308 depths between 0.0142-0.0198 in or 0.361-0.503 mm, inclusive.

(21) While the preferred embodiment of the invention provides four evenly spaced vertical channels 308, other embodiments of the invention may include two, three, or more than four evenly spaced channels with dimensions similar to the preferred embodiment. However, four evenly spaced channels are preferred to best distribute lubricant.

(22) FIG. 13 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the sleeve 301, which provides a view of the dimensions of the central channel 306. In the preferred embodiment 300, the central channel 306 is 0.187 in or 4.750 mm wide. Width of the central channel 306 may vary, with the width of the central channel being greater than the individual width of each vertical channel 308. Further the width of the vertical channel 308 may taper slightly, moving from the inner surface towards the outer surface. The depth of the central channel 306 ranges similarly to the depth of each vertical channel 308, with a depth between 0.0142-0.020 in or 0.361-0.503 mm, inclusive. The depth of each vertical channel 308 and the central channel 306 are the same wherever they fall within the stated range in a given embodiment to prevent pooling of lubricant within either the central channel or vertical channels due to differences in depth.

(23) With reference to FIG. 14, an alternate embodiment of the bushing 300 is shown with vertical channels 308 having a pair of closed ends 314 oppositely oriented along each vertical channel, replacing the view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 9. Beyond having two closed ends 314, all elements, dimensions, and variables regarding the preferred embodiment also apply to the embodiment of FIG. 14. The view of FIG. 11 would depict both the top and the bottom view, replacing FIG. 10.

(24) In operation, all embodiments of the present invention restrict exhaust at the lube transfer ports 108 and exhaust/vent ports 106 to equalize bushing lube PSI or kPa with lube supply PSI or kPa. A hole or pair of holes 312 in the bushing with an area equal to that of the lube supply holes 109 in the center support 100 regulates an intermediate pressure to the bushings of 50% of the supply pressure on its own, regardless of the balance piston. When the balance piston is filled, the added resistance at the transfer orifices will begin to equalize bushing lube PSI or kPa with lube supply PSI or kPa. When the balance piston exhaust/vent ports 106 are also restricted, as with an increased height (H) of the bushing and installation site, equalization is insured and bushing lube PSI or kPa becomes that of the supply PSI or kPa. The central channel 306 and vertical channels 308 on the inner surface 302 direct pressurized lubricant evenly across the entire inner surface of the bushing 300, while the central channel further allows lubricant to flow from a center support supply hole 109 to the drum transfer port.

(25) The sleeves 300 and 300, and further embodiments, may be made from industry standard materials typically used for drum bushings, such as metal and metal alloys.