JPH085409Y2 - Differential device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a differential device used in a vehicle or the like.

(Prior Art) Japanese Patent Publication No. 39-29512 discloses a "differential gear device". This device includes a case, a pair of pressure rings in which small projections are slidably engaged with an axial groove provided inside the case, and a spider whose end is held between the pressure rings. A pinion rotatably supported by the spider, a pair of side gears respectively meshing with the pinion, a friction clutch connecting the side gear and the case, and a spider and a pressure ring. And a cam for receiving a torque to apply a thrust force to the pressure ring to engage the friction clutch. When torque is applied to the cam, the thrust force causes the pressure ring to move along the axial groove and the friction clutch is engaged to limit the differential. When torque is not applied to the cam, the differential limit is released. It

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, since the movement of the pressure ring is performed under the condition that the torque is applied in this way, the frictional resistance between the groove and the small protrusion is large, and the thrust force is not effectively transmitted to the clutch. There is a possibility that the desired torque transmission characteristics and differential limiting characteristics may not be obtained.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a differential device in which cam thrust force effectively acts on a friction clutch and desired performance is obtained.

[Means for Solving the Problems] (Means for Solving the Problems) A differential device according to the present invention includes a differential case that receives a torque and rotates about the axial direction of the output shaft as a center line, and a differential case in a direction parallel to the axial direction. A pair of pressure rings that are movably connected in the axial direction via rolling elements that roll, a pinion shaft that is held between the pressure rings, and a torque that is formed between the pressure ring and the pinion shaft. A cam that applies thrust force to the pressure ring, a pinion gear that is rotatably supported on the pinion shaft, a pair of side gears that mesh with the pinion gear, and a side gear and a differential case are arranged so that they can be connected and fastened by the thrust force of the pressure ring. And a friction clutch.

(Operation) The torque input to the differential case acts on the cam via the rolling element and the pressure ring, and the thrust force causes the pressure ring to move in the axial direction to engage the friction clutch. The torque from the differential case is directly transmitted from the friction clutch to the side gear according to the engaging force, and the differential of the device is limited according to the engaging force. Further, when the device is arranged on the axle of the vehicle and one of the side gears rotates in advance and the pinion gear rotates in the input torque direction when the vehicle turns, the torque is not applied to the cam and the thrust force is lost. Thus
The friction clutch is released and the differential of the device is allowed to allow smooth turning.

By interposing the rolling element between the differential case and the differential case, the movement of the pressure ring becomes smooth, and the load and release of the cam thrust force to the friction clutch are effectively performed, so that the desired performance can be obtained.

(Embodiment) An embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 2 shows a power system of a vehicle using this embodiment. Hereinafter, the left and right directions are the directions in these drawings.

First, the structure of the power system of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2 will be described. This power system includes an engine 1, a transmission 3, a propeller shaft 7, a rear differential 9 (a differential device of this embodiment used on the rear wheel side), rear axles 11, 13, left and right rear wheels 15 ,.
17 and left and right front wheels 23, 25, etc.

The differential case 27 of the rear differential 9 is rotatable in the differential carrier 29 with the axial direction of the rear axles 11 and 13 as output shafts as the centerline of rotation (the centerline of the differential case 27 itself facing left and right in FIG. 1A). It is arranged. A ring gear 31 is fixed to the differential case 27, and this gear 31 meshes with a drive pinion gear 35 formed integrally with a drive pinion shaft 33 connected to the propeller shaft 7 side.
In this way, the differential case 27 is rotationally driven by the driving force from the engine 1.

Inside the differential case 27, a pair of pressure rings 3
7,39 are arranged in the axial direction. As shown in FIG.
The differential case 27 and the pressure rings 37, 39 are provided with grooves 41, 43, 45 facing each other in the groove direction at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and balls 47 (rolling elements) can roll in these grooves. Is engaged with. In this way, each pressure ring
37 and 39 are connected to the differential case 27 via balls 47 and can move in the axial direction with extremely small movement resistance.

An end portion of a pinion shaft 49 is held in a floating state at an opposing portion of each pressure ring 37, 39. As shown in FIG. 1 (b), this shaft 49 and each ring 37, 39
Between the two are formed bidirectional cams 51, 53 that generate thrust force when torque is applied from any direction and move the rings 37, 39 left and right.

A pinion gear 55 is rotatably supported on the pinion shaft 49, and the left and right side gears 5 are respectively attached to the gear 55.
7,59 are in mesh. Left side gear 57 has left rear axle
11 is spline-connected, and the right rear gear 13 is spline-connected to the right side gear 59. In this way, the differential gear set 61 is configured.

The rotation of the pinion shaft 49 is transmitted from the side gears 57, 59 to the left and right rear wheels 15, 17 via the pinion gear 55, and when a difference in driving resistance between the left and right occurs, the pinion gear 55 revolves between the side gears 57, 59. The rotation of the pinion shaft 49 is rotated, and the rotation of the pinion shaft 49 is differentially distributed to the left and right rear wheels 15 and 17.

A plurality of friction plates 63, 65, 67, 69 are alternately arranged in the axial direction between the differential case 27 and the pressure rings 37, 39, respectively, and are individually arranged on the inner circumference of the differential case 27 and the outer circumferences of the boss portions of the side gears 57, 59. The multi-plate clutches 71 and 73 (friction clutches) are engaged with each other. In this way, the rear differential 9 is constructed. The meshing thrust force of the side gears 57 and 59 does not act on the multi-plate clutches 71 and 73 due to the washers 75 and 77 arranged between the side gears 57 and 59, respectively.

The driving force input from the engine 1 to the differential case 27 acts on the cams 51 and 53 via the balls 47 and the pressure rings 37 and 39, and the generated thrust force causes the pressure rings 37 and 3 to rotate.
9 moves to engage the multi-plate clutches 71, 73. At this time, since the balls 47 are interposed, the movement resistance is extremely small, the pressure rings 37 and 39 move smoothly, and the thrust force effectively acts on the multi-plate clutches 71 and 73. On the other hand, the driving force is transmitted from the pinion shaft 49 to the differential gear set 61 via the cams 51 and 53.

Thus, the transmission of the driving force from the engine 1 is performed via the multi-plate clutches 71, 73 and the differential gear set 61, and the left and right rear wheels 1
Drive 5,17. At this time, the driving force transmitted through the multi-plate clutches 71, 73 changes according to the fastening force, and when the fastening force is large, most of the driving force is directly passed through the multi-plate clutches 71, 73. , 59. Further, the differential function of the differential gear set 61 is limited according to the engaging force of the multi-plate clutches 71, 73. When the multi-plate clutches 71, 73 are released or the engaging force is small, the differential limiting force becomes small and the differential gear set 61
Makes it possible to differentially distribute the driving force as described above.

Since the cams 51 and 53 are provided in both directions, the above is the same in any rotation direction (forward or backward and when each engine brake is used).

Next, the function of the rear differential 9 will be described according to the function of the vehicle shown in FIG.

The driving force of the engine 1 is changed by the transmission 3 and is transmitted through the propeller shaft 7 and the rear differential 9 to the left and right rear wheels.
Drive 15,17.

Since the differential between the rear wheels 15 and 17 is limited by the multi-plate clutches 71 and 73 during straight running, the straight running stability is excellent when a disturbance such as a side wind is received. In addition, the rear wheel on a rough road
Even if one of the slips 15 and 17 slips, the drive force is sent to the other due to this differential limitation, and it is possible to escape from a bad road.
Further, even when the engine brake is used on a road surface where one side is likely to slip, the grip force of the rear wheel on the other side can be effectively used by the differential limiting force.

When turning, the cam is driven by the preceding rotation of the rear wheels outside the corners.
In 51 and 53, the pinion shaft 49 rotates in the direction of reducing the thrust force and the multi-plate clutches 71 and 73 are released, or the fastening force is reduced and the differential gear set 61 can be differentially moved, so that the vehicle is smooth. You can turn. These things are done in the same way when moving backward. Here, the frictional resistance reducing action at the time of axial movement when the pressure rings 37 and 39 exert the thrust force on the friction clutches 71 and 73 will be described.

In FIG. 1 (d), which is an enlarged view of the lower part of FIG. 1 (c), for example, assume that the pressure ring 37 moves from the front to the back at a right angle to the paper surface, and at this time, rotation from the differential case 27 in the direction X of the arrow. If the ball 47 receives a force, the ball 47 contacts the left end 41A of the groove 41 and the right end B of the groove 43, so that the ball 47 rotates about the normal line (arrow Y) and in the axial direction (the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing).
Will roll to. For this reason, the pressure ring 37
Can smoothly move even if it receives a rotational force (torque) from the differential case 27 without receiving a large frictional resistance in the axial direction, so that the thrust force can be effectively applied to the friction clutch.

[Advantage of Invention] As described above, the differential device of this invention is
Since the thrust force of the cam effectively acts on the friction clutch, the desired differential limiting characteristic and differential allowable characteristic can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of one embodiment, and FIG. 1B is A of FIG.
-A sectional view, (c) is a BB sectional view of (a), (d) is an enlarged view of a lower portion of (c), and FIG. 2 is a skeleton showing a power system of a vehicle using this embodiment. FIG. 27 …… Differential case 37,39 …… Pressure ring 47 …… Ball (rolling element), 49 …… Pinion shaft 55 …… Pinion gear 57,59 …… Side gear 71,73 …… Multi-plate clutch (friction clutch)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Claims: 1. A differential case that receives torque and rotates about the axial direction of the output shaft as a center line, and a rotatably movable member connected to the differential case through a rolling element that rolls in a direction parallel to the axial direction. A pair of pressure rings, a pinion shaft held between the pressure rings, a cam formed between the pressure ring and the pinion shaft to apply a thrust force to the pressure ring, and rotatable on the pinion shaft. And a pair of side gears that mesh with the pinion gear,
A differential device, comprising: a friction clutch arranged so that a side gear and a differential case can be connected to each other and fastened by a thrust force of the pressure ring.