阅读说明：本技术 用于车辆传动系的密封的通气组件 (Sealed breather assembly for a vehicle driveline ) 是由 尼克·杜贝尔 罗伯特·J·韦纳 里基·帕特尔 于 2019-06-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种用于等速万向节的密封的通气组件,该密封的通气组件包括用于设置在等速万向节的隔室中的一通气板。该通气板限定一安装孔。一通气阀容置于该安装孔内以用于密封等速万向节的隔室。该通气阀具有本体部分和边缘部分,该本体部分沿着一轴线延伸并容置在该安装孔中,该边缘部分从该本体部分延伸至接合该通气板并偏压该通气板。该通气阀限定位于该边缘部分、本体部分和通气板之间的一腔室。通气通道流体连通通气阀的腔室和等速万向节的隔室。该通气板限定至少一个通气通道。(The present invention provides a sealed vent assembly for a constant velocity joint that includes a vent plate for placement in a compartment of the constant velocity joint. The aeration panel defines a mounting aperture. A vent valve is received in the mounting hole for sealing the compartment of the constant velocity joint. The vent valve has a body portion extending along an axis and received in the mounting aperture and an edge portion extending from the body portion to engage and bias the vent panel. The vent valve defines a chamber between the edge portion, the body portion and the vent panel. The vent passage fluidly communicates the chamber of the vent valve and the compartment of the constant velocity joint. The aeration panel defines at least one aeration channel.)

1. A sealed breather assembly for a vehicle driveline, the sealed breather assembly comprising:

an aeration panel for positioning in a compartment of a drive train to seal the compartment from contamination, the aeration panel defining a mounting aperture;

a vent valve having a body portion extending along an axis and received in the mounting aperture and an edge portion extending from the body portion to engage and bias the vent panel;

the vent valve defining a chamber between the edge portion, the body portion and the vent panel;

a vent passage fluidly communicating the chamber of the vent valve and the compartment of the drive train to allow air to enter the chamber from the compartment through the at least one vent passage and to enter atmosphere between the rim portion and the vent plate during a pressure increase in the compartment while preventing atmosphere from passing through the air between the rim portion of the vent valve and the vent plate; and

the aeration panel defines the at least one aeration channel.

2. The sealed vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one vent passage is spaced apart from the mounting hole.

3. The sealed vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one vent passage comprises a plurality of vent passages.

4. The sealed vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one vent passage is a mounting hole area.

5. The sealed vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the edge portion of the vent valve is comprised of a flexible material.

6. The sealed vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the rim portion of the vent valve extends annularly about the body portion.

7. The sealed vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the body of the vent valve extends along the axis between a proximal end and a distal end.

8. The sealed vent assembly of claim 7, wherein the rim portion extends from the proximal end of the vent body to the vent panel.

9. The sealed vent assembly of claim 7, wherein the vent valve has a flange portion extending radially outward from the body portion on a side of the vent plate opposite the edge portion, the flange portion engaging the vent plate to inhibit axial movement of the vent valve toward the vent plate.

10. The sealed vent assembly of claim 9, wherein the flange portion extends from the distal end of the body portion of the vent valve.

11. A constant velocity joint, comprising:

an outer race extending about an axis, the outer race defining a compartment;

an inner race disposed in the compartment, the inner race being pivotable relative to the outer race;

an aeration panel sealing the compartment from contamination, the aeration panel defining a mounting aperture;

a vent valve received in the mounting aperture, the vent valve having a body portion extending along the axis and received in the mounting aperture and an edge portion extending from the body portion to engage and bias a vent panel;

the vent valve defining a chamber between the edge portion, the body portion and the vent panel;

a vent passage fluidly communicating the chamber and the compartment of the outer race to allow air to enter the chamber from the compartment through the at least one vent passage and to enter atmosphere between the rim portion and the vent plate during an increase in pressure in the compartment while preventing passage of atmosphere through air between the rim portion of the vent valve and the vent plate; and

the aeration panel defines the at least one aeration channel.

12. The constant velocity joint according to claim 11, wherein the at least one vent passage is spaced from the mounting hole.

13. The constant velocity joint according to claim 11, wherein the at least one vent passage comprises a plurality of vent passages.

14. The constant velocity joint according to claim 11, wherein the at least one vent passage is a mounting hole area.

15. The constant velocity joint according to claim 11, wherein the edge portion of the vent valve is comprised of a flexible material.

16. The constant velocity joint according to claim 11, wherein the rim portion of the vent valve extends annularly around the body portion.

17. The constant velocity joint of claim 11, wherein the body of the vent valve extends along the axis between a proximal end and a distal end.

18. The constant velocity joint of claim 17, wherein the edge portion extends from the proximal end of the vent body to the vent plate.

19. The constant velocity joint of claim 17, wherein the vent valve has a flange portion extending radially outward from the body portion on a side of the vent plate opposite the edge portion, the flange portion engaging the vent plate to inhibit movement of the vent valve relative to the vent plate.

20. The constant velocity joint according to claim 19, wherein the flange portion extends from the distal end of the body portion of the vent valve.

Technical Field

The present application relates generally to vehicle driveline components, such as constant velocity joints. More particularly, the present application relates to a sealed vent assembly for preventing contaminants from entering a compartment of a component of a drive train (e.g., a continuous speed joint) while allowing high pressure air to escape the compartment.

Background

This section provides background information related to ventilation for constant velocity joints that is not necessarily prior art to the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein.

Advances in technology have driven improvements in vehicle performance, including the prevention of deformation (i.e., expansion) of seal boots, such as those used in constant velocity joints. Typically, at least one constant velocity ("CV") joint is used in the drive train of the vehicle. During operation, the drive train (including the CV joints) may be exposed to water and/or other debris. For example, it is not uncommon for the drive train to be exposed to water as the vehicle travels through standing water or even deeper puddles (e.g., running water). The CV joint may include a plurality of internal components with air trapped between the components by seals used to prevent external contaminants from contacting the internal components. The air inside the CV joint may become heated during operation (i.e., rotation) of the CV joint as part of the vehicle driveline. Thus, the pressure of air trapped within the CV joint may increase relative to the external (i.e., ambient) air. A vent assembly is used as part of the CV joint to release this pressure in a controlled manner while still protecting the CV joint from water and/or debris.

US7204760 discloses one example of a sealing vent assembly for a CV joint of Wang et al. The sealed vent assembly includes a vent plate that seals a compartment of the CV joint from contamination. The aeration panel defines a mounting aperture. The vent valve has a body portion received in the mounting hole. The body portion extends along an axis and is received in the mounting hole. The vent valve also has an edge portion that extends from the body portion into engagement with and biases the vent panel. The vent valve defines a chamber between the rim portion, the body portion and the vent panel. A plurality of vent passages are defined by a sidewall of the body portion of the vent valve and fluidly communicate the chamber of the vent valve and the compartment of the drive train to allow air to enter the chamber from the compartment through the vent passages and to enter atmosphere between the rim portion and the vent plate during an increase in pressure in the compartment while preventing passage of air between the rim portion of the atmospheric vent valve and the vent plate. One problem with such vent seal assemblies is that it is difficult to precisely form or mold the vent passage in the flexible body of the vent valve. Another problem with such vent assemblies is that the vent passages are susceptible to deformation when the body portion of the vent valve is inserted into the mounting hole of the valve plate. In addition, since the body of the vent valve is relatively small in size, the number of vent passages formed in the vent valve is limited, and the size of such vent passages is also limited. Because the vent passages are smaller and fewer, the risk of the vent passages becoming clogged by grease inside the CV joint or by contaminants outside the CV joint may be higher. In view of the above, there remains a need for a seal assembly that improves the venting of a CV joint.

Disclosure of Invention

This section provides a summary of the inventive concepts related to the present application and should not be construed as a complete or comprehensive list of all aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present application.

According to one aspect of the present application, a sealed breather assembly for a vehicle driveline is provided. The sealed vent assembly includes a vent panel for placement in a compartment of a drive train to seal the compartment from contamination. The aeration panel defines a mounting aperture. A vent valve has a body portion extending along an axis and received in the mounting aperture, and a rim portion extending from the body portion to engage and bias the vent plate. The vent valve defines a chamber between the edge portion, the body portion and the vent panel. A vent passage fluidly communicating the chamber of the vent valve and the compartment of the drive train to allow air to enter the chamber from the compartment through the at least one vent passage and to enter atmosphere between the rim portion and the vent plate during a pressure increase in the compartment while preventing atmosphere from passing through the air between the rim portion of the vent valve and the vent plate. The aeration panel defines at least one aeration channel.

Unlike the channels on the body of vent valves of prior designs, the at least one vent channel of the present application is located on the vent plate, whereby the vent channel can be cut or stamped with greater precision because the channel does not need to be molded into the elastomeric member and the channel is not as easily deformed as prior designs. Another advantage of the present application of positioning the vent channel on the vent plate relative to forming the channel on the body of the vent valve is that the retention force is greater, thereby preventing the vent valve from shifting in use or during handling prior to use.

Drawings

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a CV joint including a sealed vent assembly illustrating the valve plate and vent valve of the first exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the sealed vent assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a valve plate of the sealed vent assembly of the first exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a front view of a valve plate and a vent valve of the sealed vent assembly of the second exemplary embodiment.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments are now described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. In particular, the present application fully and completely describes the true and intended scope of the present application to those skilled in the art by way of some non-limiting examples of vehicle drive train components having an improved sealed breather assembly 10 for drive train components (e.g., CV joints). It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, known processes, known device structures, and known technologies are not described in detail. It should be understood that the present invention may be used in conjunction with other types of vehicle components not fully described herein.

The sealed breather assembly 10 is preferably used with vehicle driveline components (e.g., CV joints) or other rotating components. For example, the vehicle component may be a propeller shaft, a drive shaft, a half shaft, an axle, a transfer case, a power take-off ("PTO") unit, and/or other components for transmitting rotational force (i.e., rotational energy), between and/or through one or more other vehicle driveline components.

Fig. 1 shows the overall structure of an exemplary CV joint 12. The CV joint 12 includes an outer race 16, the outer race 16 extending about an axis a and configured to connect with a first shaft (not shown). The outer race 16 defines a compartment 18. The second shaft 14 extends along an axis a to a terminal end 15 in a compartment 18 of the outer race 16. Within the compartment 18, the inner race 22 is connected to the terminal end 15 of the second shaft 14 and is pivotable relative to the outer race 16, and as such, the second shaft 14 is also pivotable relative to the outer race 16 and the first shaft. The inner periphery of the outer race 16 defines a plurality of first channels 17 and the outer periphery of the inner race 22 defines a plurality of second channels 23, the second channels 23 being circumferentially aligned with the first channels 17. A plurality of balls 26 are positioned radially between the outer race 16 and the inner race 22, each ball being located in one of the first and second channels 17, 23, respectively, for guiding the pivoting motion of the inner race 22 relative to the outer race 16 while transmitting rotational motion from the outer race 16 to the inner race 22 (and vice versa). A cage 28 is located in the compartment 18 between the outer race 16 and the inner race 22. The cage 28 defines a plurality of openings 30, each opening 30 receiving one of the balls 26 for aligning the ball 26 in a predetermined position. The first cover 25 is fixed to the outer race 16 around the second shaft 14. A sealing sleeve 27 extends radially between the second shaft 14 and the first shroud 25 to effect a seal. More specifically, the first cover 25 has a hemmed end 29, the hemmed end 29 being crimped around a first end of the sealing sleeve 27 to seal the first end of the sealing sleeve 27 to the first cover 25. In addition, a clamp 31 is annularly wrapped around the second end of the gland 27 and the second shaft 14 to seal the second end of the gland 27 to the second shaft 14. On the opposite axial side of the outer race 16 from the first cover 25, a second cover 33 is connected to the outer race 16. The first and second covers 25, 33 and the sealing sleeve 27 together seal the compartment 18 to prevent contaminants from entering therein.

The sealed vent assembly 10 includes vent panels 32, 32', the vent panels 32, 32' sealing the compartment 18. As shown in fig. 1-2, the aeration panels 32, 32' may be part of the second hood 33, but may also be located elsewhere, for example in the passage of one of the shafts 24. As best shown in fig. 2-4, the aeration panels 32, 32' have a flat top surface 34 and a flat bottom surface 36 opposite the top surface 34. The aeration panels 32, 32 'define mounting apertures 38, 38' between the compartment 18 and the outside atmosphere.

As best shown in fig. 1 and 2, the sealed vent assembly 10 further includes a vent valve 40, the vent valve 40 being received in the mounting holes 38, 38 'of the vent plates 32, 32' for sealing the compartment 18 of the CV joint 12. The vent valve 40 is made of a flexible material such as, but not limited to, various elastomers. As best shown in fig. 2, the vent valve 40 has a body portion 42 that is received in the mounting hole 38. The body portion 42 extends along an axis a between a proximal end 44 outside the compartment 18 and a distal end 46 in the compartment 18. The body portion 42 may have a core of a harder material to provide increased structural rigidity. Further, it should be understood that the body portion 42 may have various shapes and sizes. The vent valve 40 also has a rim portion 48, the rim portion 48 extending from the proximal end 44 of the body portion 42 and extending annularly around the body portion 42. The edge portion 48 tapers radially outward to a terminal end 50 that biases the top surface 34 of the aeration panel 32 and seals against the top surface 34 of the aeration panel 32 due to the axial position of the body portion 42 relative to the aeration panel 32 and the flexible material of the edge portion 48. A cavity 52 is defined between the edge portion 48, the body portion 42, and the top surface 34 of the aeration panel 40. The vent valve 40 also has a flange portion 54, the flange portion 54 extending radially outward from the distal end 46 of the body portion 42 and extending annularly around the body portion 42. The flange portion 54 engages the bottom surface 36 of the aeration panel 32 and the edge portion 48 biases the top surface 34 of the aeration panel 32 such that axial movement of the aeration valve 32 relative to the aeration panel 32 in the mounting hole 38 is prevented. The flexible material of the body and flange portions 42, 54 allows the body and flange portions 42, 54 of the vent valve 40 to deform so that the body portion 42 may be inserted and secured in the mounting hole 38 during installation of the sealed vent assembly 10.

The vent panels 32, 32' define at least one vent passage 56, 56' extending into the chamber 52 of the vent valve 40, the air pressure in the compartment 18 being allowed to pass through the vent passage 56, 56' and through the vent valve 40 when the pressure differential between the air in the compartment 18 and the air outside the compartment 18 is above a predetermined value. More specifically, as previously mentioned, air pressure fluctuations in the compartment 18 of the CV joint 12 may be due to expansion and contraction of the air within the compartment 18 during operation of the CV joint 12. To prevent expansion of the sealing sleeve 27 during this pressure increase, high pressure air can enter the chamber 52 through the at least one vent passage 56, 56' and escape to the atmosphere through between the edge portion 48 of the vent valve 40 and the vent plate 32. At the same time, the provision of the rim portion 48 biased against the top surface 34 of the aeration panel 32 prevents air, water or other contaminants from the atmosphere from entering the compartment 18 through between the rim portion 48 and the aeration panel 32, 32'. Once the pressure differential between the air in the compartment 18 and outside of the compartment 18 has decreased to some extent, the edge portion 48 again seals against the top surface 34 of the aeration panel 32. Thus, the vent valve 40 is formed as a one-way valve that allows air to escape from the compartment 18 when the air reaches a predetermined pressure, while preventing contaminants from entering the compartment 18. This capability allows the constant velocity joint 12 to meet certain vehicle requirements, such as wading capability requirements. The type of material and thickness of the edge portion 48 can be selected to provide a predetermined biasing force against the vent panels 32, 32' to accommodate certain pressure increases in the compartments 18 of the CV joint 12. In addition, a reinforcing element (e.g., a wire or magnetic element) may be used to further facilitate selective sealing of the edge portion 48 against the top surface 34 of the aeration panel 32, 32'.

According to the first exemplary embodiment presented in fig. 1-3, the at least one vent passage 56 includes two vent passages 56, each vent passage 56 being spaced apart from the mounting hole 38 and located on opposite sides of the mounting hole 38. Any number of vent passages 56 may be used, and they may be located in various locations or have various shapes as desired. By defining the vent passages 56 in spaced relation to the mounting holes 38 (as shown in fig. 2), the number, shape, or size of the vent passages 56 may be flexibly varied to achieve effective venting without blocking or clogging the vent passages 56.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the aeration panel 32', mounting holes 38' and aeration channels 56 '. According to this embodiment, the vent passage 56 'is the portion of the mounting hole 38' that is not filled by the vent valve 40. In the exemplary embodiment, the mounting hole 38 'has a square shape and the body portion 42 of the vent valve 40 has a circular shape, thereby providing a gap 56' between the vent plate 32 'and the vent valve 40 that serves as a vent passage 56'. The mounting hole 32 'and the body portion 42 of the vent valve 40 may have other shapes to provide the gap 56' in a similar manner.

In view of the foregoing, the vent passages 56, 56 'of the present application are located on the vent plate 32, as opposed to being located on the vent valve 40 of prior designs, whereby the vent passages 56, 56' may be cut or stamped with greater precision than prior designs because the passages do not need to be molded into the elastomeric member. Moreover, because the vent passages 56, 56' are formed in the vent plate 32, they are not as easily deformed as in the prior art because the vent passages are formed in elastomeric vent valves. Additionally, the vent passageways 56, 56' due to their size and/or shape are resistant to clogging by contaminants such as grease.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings, and it is intended that the invention be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described.