DESC:OIL CAP ASSEMBLY
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority from Indian Provisional Patent Application No. 202321039860 filed on 11/06/2023, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
Generally, the present disclosure relates to fluid sealing and breathing arrangements for mechanically enclosed environment. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a breather integrated oil cap assembly for a mechanically enclosed environment.
BACKGROUND
Recently, there has been a rapid development in the automotive technologies. The two-wheeler automobiles are particularly popular due to their affordability and lower cost of running. The automobiles generally comprise a traction unit that convert some form of stored energy into mechanical energy to drive the wheels of the vehicle. The traction unit is mechanically linked to the wheels of the vehicle via a transmission unit. The transmission unit majorly comprises a gearbox having different set of gears to optimally deliver power from the traction unit to the wheels of the vehicle.
The gearbox alters the speed and torque of the traction unit’s output power. It's essentially a system of interlocking gears housed in a case. By changing the arrangement of these gears, the gearbox can multiply the traction unit’s torque (turning force) or increase the rotational speed. The gearbox transmission fluid that constantly lubricates the gears to prevent wear and tear of the gears during the operation of the vehicle.
The gearboxes are often subjected to extreme temperature variations however, it is desirable for the transmission fluid to function somewhat consistently over the vehicle operating range. In addition to variations in ambient operating temperatures, a transmission fluid is also subjected to heat generated by friction produced by the moving components inside the gearbox. This temperature fluctuation results in generation of oil fumes and subsequent increase in pressure inside the gearbox. Conventionally, the gearboxes operate at higher pressure and return to normal pressure when the vehicle is stopped and allowed to cool down. However, such methodology may reduce the operational life of the gearbox. Moreover, during sustained high-pressure operation, the oil seals in the gearbox might break or leak leading to damage to the gearbox.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved solution that overcomes one or more problems as set forth above.
SUMMARY
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an oil cap assembly for a mechanically enclosed environment.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an oil cap assembly for a mechanically enclosed environment. The oil cap assembly comprises a body, a cavity, and at least one valve element. The body comprises a top end and a bottom end. The cavity is elongated between the top end and the bottom end. The at least one valve element is present inside the cavity, wherein the at least one valve element allows unidirectional flow of fluids from the bottom end to the top end.
The present disclosure provides oil cap assembly for a mechanically enclosed environment. Beneficially, the oil cap assembly of the present disclosure provides an integrated breather mechanism within the oil cap assembly. The oil cap assembly of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of preventing breakage of oil seals. The oil cap assembly of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of preventing leakage of oil seals. The oil cap assembly of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of timely releasing fumes from the gearbox, thus, regulating pressure therein. The oil cap assembly of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of providing better ingress protection to the gearbox.
Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments constructed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.
It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates a front sectional view of an oil cap assembly, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 illustrates a perspective sectional view of the oil cap assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.
The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of an oil cap assembly for a mechanically enclosed environment and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilized. The description sets forth the various structures and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, or system that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which are shown by way of illustration-specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary detail.
As used herein, the terms “transmission unit”, “transmission”, and “gearbox” are used interchangeably and refer to a mechanical device that manages the power delivered from a source to another part (like wheels). The transmission unit comprises transmission gears with different gear ratios to determine how the rotation speed and the torque are altered between input and output of the transmission unit.
As used herein, the term “oil cap assembly” refers to closure system for the transmission fluid filler opening on the transmission unit. The oil cap assembly comprises aa breather mechanism to allow unidirectional flow of fluids during operation of the vehicle. The oil cap assembly keeps dirt, dust, and debris from entering the transmission fluid, maintain oil pressure and provide oil level access.
As used herein, the term “body” refers to main physical part of the oil cap assembly that is being interacted with.
As used herein, the term “top end” refers to end of the oil cap body present towards the external environment.
As used herein, the term “bottom end” refers to end of the oil cap assembly present inside the mechanically enclosed environment.
As used herein, the term “cavity” refers to designated space within the body of the oil cap that houses other components of the oil cap assembly.
As used herein, the term “at least one valve element” refers to a device present inside the cavity to control the flow of fluids through the cavity of the oil cap assembly.
As used herein, the term “at least one hollow channel” refers to narrow passage present in the body of the oil cap assembly that connects the cavity with the external environment outside the oil cap assembly.
As used herein, the term “external environment” refers to an ambient environment outside the oil cap assembly and the transmission unit.
As used herein, the term “narrow end” refers to an attenuated section of the cavity towards the bottom end. The at least one valve element rest on the narrow end in the closed position.
As used herein, the term “end cap” refers to a mechanical element to close the cavity from the top end after the assembly of the oil cap assembly.
As used herein, the term “compression element” refers to mechanical element that can be compressed and then return to its original shape. The compression element may be a compression spring or any other element known to the person skilled in the art.
As used herein, the term “internal force” refers to a force exerted on the oil cap assembly from within the transmission unit due to the fumes generated from the transmission fluid.
Figure 1, in accordance with an aspect describes exploded view of an oil cap assembly 100 for a mechanically enclosed environment. The oil cap assembly 100 comprises a body 102, a cavity 108, and at least one valve element 110. The body 102 comprises a top end 104 and a bottom end 106. The cavity 108 is elongated between the top end 104 and the bottom end 106. The at least one valve element 110 is present inside the cavity 108, wherein the at least one valve element 110 allows unidirectional flow of fluids from the bottom end 106 to the top end 104.
The present disclosure provides oil cap assembly 100 for a mechanically enclosed environment. Beneficially, the oil cap assembly 100 of the present disclosure provides an integrated breather mechanism within the oil cap assembly 100. The oil cap assembly 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of preventing breakage of oil seals. The oil cap assembly 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of preventing leakage of oil seals. The oil cap assembly 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of timely releasing fumes from the gearbox, thus, regulating pressure therein. The oil cap assembly 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of providing better ingress protection to the gearbox.
In an embodiment, the body 102 comprises at least one hollow channel 112 to connect the cavity 108 with an external environment. Beneficially, the at least one hollow channel 112 and the cavity 108 creates a fluid flow path for release of fumes from inside of gearbox to the external environment.
In an embodiment, the cavity 108 comprises a narrow end 108a at the bottom end 106 of the body 102. Beneficially, the narrow end 108a at the bottom end 106 of the body 102 provides a resting surface for the at least one valve element 110 in a closed position.
In an embodiment, the oil cap assembly 100 comprises an end cap 114 to close the cavity 108 at the top end 104 of the body 102. Beneficially, the end cap 114 closes the cavity 108 at the top end 104 after the assembly of the at least one valve element 110 and other components of the oil cap assembly 100.
In an embodiment, the oil cap assembly 100 comprises at least one compression element 116 configured to exert force on the at least one valve element 110. Beneficially, the at least one compression element 116 exerts a defined force on the at least one valve element 110 to keep the at least one valve element 110 in closed position.
In an embodiment, the exerted force on the at least one valve element 110 keeps the at least one valve element 110 in a closed position to prevent flow of fluids from the top end 104 to the bottom end 106. Beneficially, the at least one valve element 110 in the closed position provides ingress protection to the gearbox.
In an embodiment, when an internal force exerted on the at least one valve element 110 becomes greater than the force exerted by the at least one compression element 116, the at least one compression element 116 decompresses to open the at least one valve element 110. Beneficially, the at least one compression element 116 decompresses to open the at least one valve element 110 to release fumes generated from the transmission oil, when the internal pressure increases beyond the force exerted by the at least one compression element 116.
In an embodiment, the at least one valve element 110, when in open position, allows flow of fluids from the bottom end 106 to the top end 104 of the cavity 108. Beneficially, the at least one valve element 110 opens momentarily to reduce pressure inside the gearbox while providing ingress protection.
In an embodiment, the cavity 108 and the at least one hollow channel 112 allow the unidirectional flow of fluids to the external environment. Beneficially, when the at least one valve element 110 is in open position, the at least one fluid (fumes) travel via the cavity 108 and the at least one hollow channel 112 to the external environment.
In an embodiment, the at least one valve element 110 returns to the closed position once the internal force exerted on the at least one valve element 110 becomes lesser than the force exerted by the at least one compression element 116. Beneficially, the opening and closing of the at least one valve element 110 regulates pressure inside the gearbox to prevent oil leakage from oil seals.
Figure 2, in accordance with an embodiment describes sectional perspective view of the oil cap assembly 100. The oil cap assembly 100 comprises the body 102, the cavity 108, and the at least one valve element 110. The body 102 comprises the top end 104 and the bottom end 106. The cavity 108 is elongated between the top end 104 and the bottom end 106. The at least one valve element 110 is present inside the cavity 108, wherein the at least one valve element 110 allows unidirectional flow of fluids from the bottom end 106 to the top end 104. Furthermore, the body 102 comprises the at least one hollow channel 112 to connect the cavity 108 with the external environment. Furthermore, the cavity 108 comprises the narrow end 108a at the bottom end 106 of the body 102. Furthermore, the oil cap assembly 100 comprises the end cap 114 to close the cavity 108 at the top end 104 of the body 102. Furthermore, the oil cap assembly 100 comprises the at least one compression element 116 configured to exert force on the at least one valve element 110. Furthermore, the exerted force on the at least one valve element 110 keeps the at least one valve element 110 in the closed position to prevent flow of fluids from the top end 104 to the bottom end 106. Furthermore, when the internal force exerted on the at least one valve element 110 becomes greater than the force exerted by the at least one compression element 116, the at least one compression element 116 decompresses to open the at least one valve element 110. Furthermore, the at least one valve element 110, when in open position, allows flow of fluids from the bottom end 106 to the top end 104 of the cavity 108. Furthermore, the cavity 108 and the at least one hollow channel 112 allow the unidirectional flow of fluids to the external environment. Furthermore, the at least one valve element 110 returns to the closed position once the internal force exerted on the at least one valve element 110 becomes lesser than the force exerted by the at least one compression element 116.
In the description of the present invention, it is also to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms “disposed,” “mounted,” and “connected” are to be construed broadly, and may for example be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, either mechanically or electrically. They may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.
Modifications to embodiments and combination of different embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non- exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural where appropriate.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the present disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. An oil cap assembly (100) for a mechanically enclosed environment, wherein the oil cap assembly (100) comprises:
- a body (102) comprising a top end (104) and a bottom end (106);
- a cavity (108) elongated between the top end (104) and the bottom end (106); and
- at least one valve element (110) present inside the cavity (108), wherein the at least one valve element (110) allows unidirectional flow of fluids from the bottom end (106) to the top end (104).
2. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body (102) comprises at least one hollow channel (112) to connect the cavity (108) with an external environment.
3. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity (108) comprises a narrow end (108a) at the bottom end (106) of the body (102).
4. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil cap assembly (100) comprises an end cap (114) to close the cavity (108) at the top end (104) of the body (102).
5. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil cap assembly (100) comprises at least one compression element (116) configured to exert force on the at least one valve element (110).
6. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the exerted force on the at least one valve element (110) keeps the at least one valve element (110) in a closed position to prevent flow of fluids from the top end (104) to the bottom end (106).
7. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein when an internal force exerted on the at least one valve element (110) becomes greater than the force exerted by the at least one compression element (116), the at least one compression element (116) decompresses to open the at least one valve element (110).
8. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one valve element (110), when in open position, allows flow of fluids from the bottom end (106) to the top end (104) of the cavity (108).
9. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity (108) and the at least one hollow channel (112) allow the unidirectional flow of fluids to the external environment.
10. The oil cap assembly (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one valve element (110) returns to the closed position once the internal force exerted on the at least one valve element (110) becomes lesser than the force exerted by the at least one compression element (116).