The methods and systems of the present invention are directed to the modification and improvement of transmissions for automotive vehicles, more commonly referred to as “factory installed” transmissions, installed in automotive vehicles by an original motor vehicle manufacturer. The invention is more particularly directed to improvements to “factory installed” transmissions for the four speed 98-04 Honda Odyssey, the five speed 98-04 Honda Odyssey, and the Acura 3.2 TL.
The present inventor owns the following United States patents, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference into the present patent application: U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,426, issued May 26, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,140, issued Dec. 8, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,938, issued Dec. 13, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,549; issued Oct. 19, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,628, issued Jul. 30, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,342; issued Apr. 29, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,685, issued Mar. 24, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,823, issued Apr. 28, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,953, issued Jun. 23, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,507, issued Oct. 7, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,928, issued Oct. 19, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,429, issued Aug. 8, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,047, issued Sep. 12, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,231, issued Sep. 11, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,944, issued May 21, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,472, issued May 20, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,157, issued Mar. 2, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,989, issued May 4, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,680, issued Nov. 9, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,397, issued Mar. 29, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,554, issued Jul. 5, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,628, issued Nov. 15, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,679, issued Oct. 31, 2006; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,893, issued Feb. 19, 2008.
It is the primary object of the present invention to modify the “factory installed” transmissions for the 4 and 5 speed 98-04 Honda Odyssey and the Acura 3.2 TL transmissions to improve the overall operation and efficiency of these “factory installed” automotive transmissions. The modifications to the “factory installed” transmissions, as more fully described herein, include modification of the torque converter charge circuit to adjust the valve stroke to prevent damage to the check valve spring as a result of high fluid pressure which can result in a torque converter overheat condition.
Other objects and advantages of the modification to the “factory installed” automotive transmissions in accordance with the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the drawings.
The primary object of the present invention is to protect the torque converter of a “factory installed” automotive transmission from damage resulting from over-pressurization. A hydraulic circuit of the automotive transmission is coupled to a converter charge circuit. When pressure exceeds a predetermined value established by a torque converter limit valve in the hydraulic circuit, a valve strokes towards a check valve spring to compress the spring and open the valve, resulting in venting of excessive converter pressure into a separate circuit coupled to pump suction. Over time, normal converter check valve activity weakens the check valve spring, causing it to malfunction or prematurely rupture, resulting in loss of converter charge pressure, resulting in severe and damaging overheating of the torque converter.
In accordance with the present invention, a spacer element is arranged to act on the valve element to limit the valve stroke, thereby limiting the compressive forces applied to the spring as the valve moves into an open position. The spacer element, by limiting the compressive forces applied to the check valve spring, reduce the wear on the spring, thereby preventing premature breakage of the spring and preventing loss of converter charge pressure which would otherwise result in severe overheating of the torque converter.
It is also within the scope of the present invention to limit movement of the valve element as the valve element moves into a closed position to limit the expansive forces applied to the spring.
As the result of the continuous expansion and contraction of the check valve spring 6 during normal operation of the automotive transmission, the spring becomes weakened and subject to premature breakage. Failure of the check valve spring results in loss of the converter charge pressure from line 8, causing severe overheating of the torque converter.
The spacer element can be formed from any suitable material, such as a lightweight durable metal or metal alloy.
In addition to employing the stroke limit spacer 12 to reduce the stress and wear of the check valve spring, the present invention also employs a more durable check valve spring then currently employed in the “factory installed” automotive transmissions. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the check valve spring is a chrome silicon wire spring. Accordingly, the use of a more durable check valve spring in combination with the use of a stroke limiting spacer in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, extends the operating life of the check valve spring, reducing the possibility of loss of converter charge pressure and the resulting overheating of the torque converter which would otherwise be caused by premature failure of the check valve spring.
As disclosed and illustrated herein, in the preferred embodiment of the invention the spacer element is arranged so as to limit movement of the valve element on its downstroke as the torque converter check valve moves between a fully closed position and a fully opened position, to limit the degree of compression of the check valve spring. It is also within the scope of the present invention to reverse this arrangement so that the spacer element is arranged to act on the outside of the top surface of the valve element and limit movement of the valve element on its upstroke as the torque converter check valve moves from the open position (
Other improvements and advantages within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art. Accordingly, the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention made herein are intended to be illustrative only, and not restrictive of the scope of the invention, that scope being defined by the following claims and all equivalents thereto.
The present patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/574,651, filed on Aug. 8, 2011, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119 (e).
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130037134 A1 | Feb 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61574651 | Aug 2011 | US |