DRIVELINE COMPONENT WITH MECHANISM TO CONTROL LUBRICANT LEVEL

摘要

A driveline component with a housing, which defines a sump, a power-transmitting device received in the housing, a reservoir coupled to the housing, and a reservoir level control device (RLCD). The reservoir has an inlet and outlet and defines a cavity. The RLCD has a skimmer and an outlet port flow control (OPFC). The skimmer is coupled to the housing for movement between a first position, in which the skimmer is positioned relative to a driven component of the power-transmitting device to skim the lubricant from the driven component, and a second position. The OPFC can be operated in a first condition, in which fluid flow from the outlet port is substantially blocked to thereby inhibit a flow of the lubricant in the cavity to the sump, and a second condition, in which fluid flow through the outlet port from the cavity to the sump is permitted.

主权项

1. A driveline component comprising:
a power-transmitting device having an input member, a pair of output members, and a differential-and-clutch assembly having at least one clutch, the differential-and-clutch assembly being configured to operate in a first mode, in which rotary power is transmitted from the input member to the output members in a manner that permits speed differentiation between the output members, and in a second mode in which rotary power is not transmitted through the at least one clutch to thereby decouple the input member from at least one of the output members; a housing in which the power-transmitting device is housed, the housing having a sump that is configured to hold a lubricant that is configured to lubricate at least a portion of the differential and clutch assembly; a reservoir coupled to the housing, the reservoir defining a reservoir cavity and having a reservoir inlet and a reservoir outlet that are in fluid communication with the reservoir cavity; and a reservoir level control device having a lubricant skimmer and an outlet port flow control, the lubricant skimmer being movably coupled to the housing for movement between a first skimmer position, in which the skimmer is positioned relative to a driven component of the differential-and-clutch assembly to skim the lubricant from the driven component when the driven component is rotated in a predetermined rotational direction and rotary power is transmitted through the at least one clutch, and a second skimmer position, the outlet port flow control being operable in a first condition, in which fluid flow from the outlet port is substantially blocked to thereby inhibit a flow of the lubricant in the reservoir cavity to the sump, and a second condition, in which fluid flow through the outlet port from the reservoir cavity to the sump is permitted; wherein movement of the skimmer between the first and second skimmer positions is coordinated with operation of the outlet port flow control such that a) the outlet port flow control in the first condition when the skimmer is disposed in the first skimmer position; and b) the outlet port flow control is in the second condition when the skimmer is disposed in the second skimmer position.