JPS58178014A - Thrust washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a thrust washer interposed between opposed spherical surfaces of objects rotated relatively to each other which can reduce wear by curving the thrust washer spherically, the radius of curvature being larger than those of the above opposed spherical surfaces, so as to promote lubrication between the opposed spherical surfaces. CONSTITUTION:A differential gear case 1 and a pinion gear 2 rotate on a pinion shaft 3 relatively to each other. In order that during such relative rotation, the spherical surface 2a of the pinion gear 2 may not be brought into contact with the spherical surface 1a of the differential gear case 1 to wear the spherical surface 1a, a thrust washer 5 is interposed between these spherical surfaces 1a, 2a. In this case, the thrust washer 5 is cruved spherically, the radius of curvature being larger than those of the opposed spherical surfaces 1a, 2a, whereby gaps 6, 7 are formed between the thrust washer 5 and spherical surfaces 1a, 2a so as to prevent the thrust washer 5 from rotating, and lubricating oil is retained in the gaps 6, 7 to keep the spherical surface 1a from wear.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a thrust washer (G) which is used by interposing ()'G between opposing spherical surfaces of objects that rotate relative to each other.

An example of this type of thrust washer used in a differential gear is conventionally constructed as shown in Figure 1.In this figure, 1 is a differential 1'' case, 2 is a pinion gear, 8 is a pinion gear 2, and a differential case 1. The pinion shaft and the No. 4 thrust washer are respectively shown, which are rotatably supported within the shaft.During the operation of the differential gear, the differential case 1 and the pinion gear 2 rotate relative to each other by 2''' degrees around the pinion shaft 8, and this relative rotation In order to prevent the spherical surface 2a of the middle pinion gear 2 from coming into contact with the spherical surface 1a of the differential case 1 and causing this spherical surface a'f to wear, a thrust washer 4f is interposed between these opposing spherical surfaces 1a and 2a.

Therefore, in the conventional thrust washer 4, the outer and inner spherical surfaces facing the spherical surface 1a2a correspond to the spherical surfaces 1a and 2, respectively.
Since it was curved into a spherical shape with the same radius of curvature as a, both sides of the thrust washer 4 are in full contact with the corresponding differential case spherical surface 1a and pinion gear spherical surface 2a, and the contact surface structure of both is the same. Since they are almost the same, the pinion gear 2 rotates together with the four thrust washers. Therefore, the conventional thrust washer 4 generates relative rotation with the differential case, which causes wear on the spherical surface 1a.
The reality is that it cannot fully fulfill its original role of eliminating the wear teeth of the differential case 1.

The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and attempts to provide a sit thrust washer in which the thrust washer is curved into a spherical shape, but its radius of curvature is larger than the radius of curvature of the opposing spherical surface on which the thrust washer should be interposed. It is something to do.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 2 shows a thrust washer of the present invention used in a differential gear as in FIG. 1, and this thrust washer flE2 is designated by 6 in the figure. In the present invention, although the thrust washer 6 is curved into a 5-minute spherical shape, its radius of curvature is larger than the radius of curvature of the opposing spherical surface 1a+2a. between the respective spherical surfaces 1a and 2
For practical use, it is interposed between a.

The thrust washer 5 of the present invention has a radius of curvature set as described above, so that during practical use, the white spherical inner circumference W5a is in contact with the spherical surface 2a of the pinion gear 2, and the Monju spherical outer circumference W5b is in contact with the spherical surface 1a of the differential case l. Therefore, in other parts, the spherical surfaces 1a and 2a do not come into contact with the deviations b, and a gap of 6.degree. 7 is created between these spherical surfaces.

° Incidentally, since the relative rotation center of the differential case 1 and pinion gear 2, that is, the distance from the axis of the pinion shaft 8 to the contact parts 5a and 5b, is longer in the latter, the movement of the thrust washer 5 is mainly caused by the movement of the differential case 1 and the pinion gear 2. be restrained. Therefore, the pinion gear 2 is connected to the pinion shaft 8.
While rotating relative to the differential case], the thrust washer 6 is not rotated along with the pinion gear 2, and is restrained by the differential case 1 so as not to rotate.

(Thus, the thrust washer 5 of the present invention is constructed as described above.)
Even though it is curved into a spherical shape, the radius of curvature is made larger than the radius of curvature of the opposing spherical surface 1a+2a on which the thrust washer 5 should be interposed, so that the thrust washer 5 is prevented from rotating as explained above, and this prevents the corresponding object ( In the illustrated example, it is possible to prevent the differential case 1) from being worn out, and the original role of the thrust washer is achieved.

Further, due to the above-mentioned structural features, the thrust washer 5 of the present invention has gaps 6 and 7 between it and the opposing spherical surfaces 1a and 2a, respectively, so that lubricating oil can be held in these gaps. This ensures good lubrication and reduces wear in this respect as well.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the main part of a differential gear showing a conventional thrust washer, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the main part of the thrust washer of the present invention, similar to FIG. m1. 1...Differential case, 2...Pinion gear, 1a+2
a... Opposing ff, 8... Pinion shaft, 5...
...Thrust washer of the present invention, 5a15t)...Contact portion, 6.7...Gap. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a thrust washer used between opposing spherical surfaces of objects that rotate relative to each other, the thrust washer is curved into a spherical shape, and its radius of curvature is larger than the radius of curvature of the opposing spherical surfaces. Characteristic thrust watsunya.