JP2000280769A - Vehicular driving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular driving device capable of reducing the repairing size of a vehicle in a rear-end collision of the vehicle by deforming a torque tube in the optical direction and alleviating the transmission of input load to a driving force generating device in a rear-end collision of the vehicle. SOLUTION: The sectional shape of a torque tube 1 is formed into an asymmetric shape in a direction perpendicular to the axis of a propeller shaft 7, and the torque tube 1 is deformed in the optional direction even if collision load from behind is input to the torque tube 1 in a rear-end collision of the vehicle. Accordingly, the transmission of input load in a rear-end collision of the vehicle to the driving force generating device 1 is alleviated without disturbing the forward movement of a driving force distributing device, and the repairing size of the vehicle in a rear-end collision of the vehicle can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a vehicle drive device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle in which an engine is mounted on a front portion and a driving force is transmitted to a rear wheel via a propeller shaft, a driving force is applied to a driving force distribution device on a rear wheel axle via a propeller shaft. Since a bending moment is generated by a driving reaction force between the propeller shaft and the driving force distribution device, a torque tube is provided across the driving force distribution device and the engine to oppose the bending moment. Things are known.

[0003] However, when the output of the engine increases and the driving reaction force generated between the propeller shaft and the driving force distribution device increases, the bending moment acting on the torque tube also increases, which is opposed to this. If the thickness of the torque tube is increased in order to increase the rigidity of the torque tube, there is a problem that the weight of the vehicle increases and fuel efficiency deteriorates.

For this reason, conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-85210, the torque tube and the exhaust pipe of the engine are integrally formed so that the torque of the vehicle is maintained without changing the weight of the entire vehicle. Some tubes had increased rigidity.

[0005]

However, when the rear portion of the vehicle is deformed by an impact from the rear during a rear collision of the vehicle,
Due to the impact, a load directed toward the front of the vehicle is input to a driving force distribution device mounted on the rear of the vehicle.

Although this input load is transmitted to the torque tube via the driving force distribution device, the conventional torque tube is not deformed because of its high rigidity in the axial direction.
There is a problem that the input load is transmitted to the driving force generating device as it is, and the scale of vehicle restoration becomes large.

Therefore, the present invention tunes the deformation resistance in the vehicle width direction freely while securing the rigidity of the torque tube in the vertical direction, deforms the torque tube in an arbitrary direction, and adjusts the front of the driving force distribution device. Provided is a vehicle drive device capable of reducing the transmission of an input load at the time of a rear collision of a vehicle to a driving force generating device without hindering movement, and reducing the scale of restoration of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle. Things.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a driving force generating device having an engine, an exhaust pipe for guiding exhaust gas discharged from the engine, and a driving force generator for driving the left and right wheels. A power distribution device that distributes the driving force, a propeller shaft that transmits a driving force generated by the driving force generation device to the driving force distribution device, and a built-in propeller shaft,
A vehicle having one end fixed to the vehicle body or the driving force generating device, and the other end including a torque tube fixed to the power distribution device, wherein the exhaust pipe and the torque tube are integrally formed or coupled. The cross section of the torque tube is asymmetrical in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the propeller shaft.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the torque tube according to the first aspect is provided with an insertion space for the propeller shaft at a substantially central portion of the torque tube, and exhaust gas is provided on both sides of the insertion space. A pipe is formed integrally with the torque tube, and the exhaust pipe is asymmetrical in cross section to the torque tube in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the propeller shaft.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the torque tube according to the first aspect is provided with an insertion space for the propeller shaft at a substantially central portion of the torque tube, and any one of the insertion spaces is formed. An exhaust pipe is formed integrally with the torque tube on the side.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the torque tube according to the first aspect is provided with an insertion space for the propeller shaft at a substantially central portion of the torque tube, and any one of the insertion spaces is formed. An exhaust pipe is formed integrally with the torque tube on one side, and the other side is open to form a substantially U-shaped cross section.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the sectional shape of the torque tube is asymmetric in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the propeller shaft, the driving force of the rear portion of the vehicle at the time of rear collision of the vehicle. Even if a collision load from the rear is input to the torque tube through the distribution device, the deformation resistance in the vehicle width direction can be tuned by tuning the cross-sectional shape of the torque tube. Can be deformed in any direction,
Without impeding the forward movement of the driving force distribution device, reduce the transmission of the input load at the time of rear collision of the vehicle to the driving force generation device,
The scale of restoration of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the first aspect is provided.
In addition to the above effects, a torque tube is formed substantially at the center of the torque tube with an insertion space for the propeller shaft, and exhaust pipes are formed integrally with the torque tube on both sides of the insertion space, and Since the exhaust pipe is formed in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the propeller shaft and the cross-sectional shape of the torque tube is formed asymmetrically, the exhaust tube is connected to the torque tube via a driving force distribution device at the rear of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle. Even if a collision load is input from behind, the torque tube can be deformed in any direction because the asymmetrically provided exhaust pipe portion has a different deformation coefficient in the vehicle width direction of the torque tube. Further, the transmission of the input load at the time of the rear collision of the vehicle to the driving force generation device can be further reduced without hindering the forward movement of the driving force distribution device.

According to the invention described in claim 3, according to claim 1 of the present invention,
In addition to the above effects, a torque tube is formed at a substantially central portion of the torque tube with an insertion space for the propeller shaft, and an exhaust pipe is formed integrally with the torque tube on one side of the insertion space. Therefore, even if a collision load from the rear is input to the torque tube through the driving force distribution device at the rear of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle, an exhaust pipe is provided on one side of the insertion space. Since the deformation coefficient in the vehicle width direction is changed, the torque tube can be deformed in an arbitrary direction, and the input load at the time of rear collision of the vehicle can be reduced without hindering the forward movement of the driving force distribution device. Transmission to the generator can be further mitigated.

According to the invention described in claim 4, according to claim 1 of the present invention,
In addition to the above effects, a torque tube is formed at a substantially central portion of the torque tube with an insertion space for the propeller shaft, and an exhaust pipe is formed integrally with the torque tube on one side of the insertion space. However, since the other side portion is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section, the collision load from the rear is input to the torque tube via the driving force distribution device at the rear of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle. Also, since one side of the torque tube is opened in this way and the deformation coefficient of the torque tube in the vehicle width direction is changed, the torque tube can be deformed in an arbitrary direction, and the driving force can be increased. The transmission of the input load at the time of the rear collision of the vehicle to the driving force generator can be further reduced without hindering the forward movement of the distribution device.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a vehicle driving apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In the vehicle driving apparatus, an engine which is a driving force generating apparatus mounted below a floor panel and in a front part of a vehicle body. The driving force from the transmission 10 is transmitted to a differential gear 21 which is a driving force distribution device at the rear of the vehicle body by a vehicle driving device using the torque tube 1, and is transmitted by the differential gear 21 via left and right drive shafts 22, 22. The driving force is distributed to the left and right rear wheels 6b, 6b.

The engine 10 draws a mixture of fuel and air from an intake manifold (not shown) into a combustion chamber (not shown) inside the engine 10 and converts the mixture into driving force by burning the mixture in the combustion chamber. The exhaust gas thus exhausted is exhausted from the exhaust manifold 11.

One end of the torque tube 1 is fixed to the transmission 15 via bolts 8 via a flange 2, and the other end of the torque tube 1 is connected to a flange 3.
Is fixed to a housing of the differential gear 21 which is a driving force distribution device at the rear of the vehicle body by bolts (not shown).

An insertion space 13 for the propeller shaft 7 is formed substantially at the center of the torque tube 1, and the propeller shaft 7 is passed through the insertion space 13.

The propeller shaft 7 has one end on the front side of the vehicle connected to the output shaft of the transmission 15 by a spline that is axially displaceable, and the other end on the rear side of the vehicle is connected to the input shaft of the differential gear 21 in the axial direction. The driving force of the engine 1 is transmitted to a differential gear 21 at the rear of the vehicle through a displaceable spline connection.

On the other hand, an exhaust pipe 9 is formed integrally with the torque tube 1. In this embodiment, in particular, in this embodiment, the exhaust pipe 9 is provided on both sides of the insertion space 13 of the propeller shaft 7 with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft 7. Exhaust pipes 9a and 9b having asymmetric cross sections in the orthogonal direction are formed.

The exhaust pipes 9a and 9b are located on the front side of the vehicle.
An exhaust pipe 9 extending rearward from the exhaust manifold 11 via a catalyst device 12 is connected to the exhaust pipe 9 via brackets 16 and 16, and a muffler 23 provided on a side of a differential gear 21 at a rear portion of the vehicle. Exhaust gas generated by the engine 10 is exhausted to the rear of the vehicle by communicating with each other via brackets 17 and 17.

In the drawing, reference numeral 4 denotes a seat arranged on the floor panel 1, and 6a denotes a front wheel.

Next, the sectional shape of the torque tube 1 will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of the present invention, and more specifically, a sectional view taken along the line AA shown in FIG.

Assuming that the internal heights of the exhaust pipes 9a and 9b disposed on both sides of the insertion space 13 through which the propeller shaft 7 is inserted are h1 and h2 and the internal widths are b1 and b2, the sectional area is as follows. The relationship holds.

[0028]

(Equation 1) In this equation, when h1 ≠ h2 and attention is paid to the exhaust pipes 9a and 9b, the section coefficients can be set differently on both sides of the torque tube 1.

When the rear part of the vehicle body is deformed by an impact from the rear at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle, a load toward the front of the vehicle body is input to a differential gear 21 as a driving force distribution device mounted on the rear part of the vehicle body due to the impact.

The input load causes the torque tube 1 to generate a bending moment M via the differential gear 21.

Here, assuming that the exhaust pipe 9a of the torque tube 1 is a simple beam and the sectional coefficient of the exhaust pipe 9a is Z1, the positive maximum in the cross section in the portion where the exhaust pipe 9a of the torque tube 1 is formed is shown. Stress σm and maximum negative stress σ-m
Can be calculated from the following equation.

[0032]

(Equation 2)

(Equation 3) Similarly, assuming that the section coefficient of the exhaust pipe 9b is Z2, the maximum positive stress σm 'and the maximum negative stress σ-m' in the cross section of the torque tube 1 at the portion where the exhaust pipe 9b is formed are calculated from the following equations. Can be.

[0033]

(Equation 4)

(Equation 5) Here, assuming that the outer height of the exhaust pipes 9a and 9b is H, the outer width is B, the inner heights are h1 and h2, and the inner widths are b1 and b2,
The section coefficients Z1 and Z2 can be expressed by the following equations.

[0034]

(Equation 6)

(Equation 7) From Equation 1,

(Equation 8) Focusing on the second term of the numerator in Equation 6, substituting Equation 8 into Equation 6 gives

(Equation 9) Here, assuming that b1 <b2,

(Equation 10) Therefore, the following relationship is required.

[0035]

[Equation 11] Therefore, when the exhaust pipes 9a and 9b formed in the torque tube 1 are compared from Equations 2, 7 and 11, it can be seen that the bending stress is larger on the exhaust pipe 9a side.

According to the structure of the above embodiment, since the sectional shape of the torque tube 1 is asymmetric in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the propeller shaft 7, the driving force distribution at the rear of the vehicle at the time of rear collision of the vehicle. Even if a collision load from the rear is input to the torque tube 1 through the differential gear 21 as a device, the deformation resistance in the vehicle width direction can be tuned by tuning the cross-sectional shape of the torque tube 1. Therefore, the torque tube 1 can be deformed in an arbitrary direction, and the input load at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle is controlled by the engine which is the driving force generating device without hindering the forward movement of the differential gear 21 which is the driving force distribution device. 1, and the scale of restoration of the vehicle at the time of rear collision of the vehicle can be reduced.

In this embodiment, in particular, the insertion space 13 of the propeller shaft 7 is provided substantially at the center of the torque tube 1.
And the exhaust pipes 9 are provided on both sides of the insertion space 13.
a and 9b are formed integrally with the torque tube, and even if the cross-sectional areas of the exhaust pipes 9a and 9b are substantially the same, the exhaust pipes 9a and 9b are orthogonal to the axis of the propeller shaft 7 and the cross-sectional shape is asymmetric. And the bending stiffness at both sides of the torque tube 1 is set to be different.
Differential gear 2 at the rear of the vehicle at the time of rear collision of the vehicle
Even if a collision load from the rear is input to the torque tube 1 via the first gear 1, the torque tube 1 can be deformed in an arbitrary set direction, and the rearward surface of the vehicle can be prevented without obstructing the forward movement of the differential gear 21. The transmission of the input load at the time of the collision to the engine 1 can be further reduced.

When the torque tube 1 is deformed, the propeller shaft 7 inserted through the inside of the torque tube 1 is connected to the transmission 15 or the differential gear 21 which is a driving force distribution device in the axial direction as described above. Since the spline connection is displaceable in the axial direction, the torque tube 1 can be displaced in the axial direction following the axial displacement of the torque tube 1. Therefore, the propeller shaft 7 serves as a strut member to prevent deformation of the rear portion of the vehicle body. There is no such thing.

FIGS. 5 to 8 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the torque tube 1 of the first embodiment is attached to the substantially central portion of the torque tube 1 by the propeller shaft 7.
And an exhaust pipe 9 is formed integrally with the torque tube 1 on one side of the insertion space 13 so as to be orthogonal to the axis of the propeller shaft 7. The cross-sectional shape of the torque tube 1 is formed asymmetrically.

In particular, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, an exhaust pipe 9 formed inside the torque tube 1 is used.
Are formed above and below as exhaust pipes 9c and 9d.

The exhaust pipes 9c and 9d are provided with brackets 16 and 16 on the exhaust pipe 9 extending rearward from the exhaust manifold 11 through the catalyst device 12 on the vehicle front side, as in the first embodiment. And connected through
On the rear side of the vehicle, the vehicle is connected to a muffler 23 provided on the side of the differential gear 21 through brackets 17 and 17 so that exhaust gas generated by the engine 10 is discharged to the rear of the vehicle.

The torque tube 1 is housed in a floor tunnel 14 provided substantially at the center of the floor panel so as to lower the center of gravity of the whole vehicle.

According to the structure of the second embodiment, the insertion space 13 for the propeller shaft 7 is formed substantially at the center of the torque tube 1, and the exhaust pipe is formed on one side of the insertion space 13. 9c and 9d with the torque tube 1
And the bending stiffness at both sides of the torque tube 1 is set to be different, so that the torque tube 1 is provided via a differential gear 21 which is a driving force distribution device at the rear of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle. 1 can deform the torque tube 1 in an arbitrary direction even if a collision load from the rear is input to the differential gear 21.
The transmission of the input load at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle to the engine 1 can be reduced without hindering the forward movement of the vehicle, and the scale of restoration of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle can be reduced.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention. In the same manner as in the above-described second embodiment, the torque tube 1 is provided at substantially the center of the torque tube 1 by the propeller shaft 7. While the exhaust pipes 9c and 9d are vertically divided on either side of the insertion space 13 so as to be integrally formed with the torque tube 1.
The other side is open and has a substantially U-shaped cross section.

According to the third embodiment, the insertion space 13
Exhaust pipes 9c and 9d are formed integrally with the torque tube on one side of the torque tube, and the other side is formed to have a substantially U-shaped cross section with an open side. Since the bending stiffness is set to be different, even if a collision load from the rear is input to the torque tube 1 via the differential gear 21 which is a driving force distribution device at the rear of the vehicle at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle, the torque is not changed. The tube 1 can be deformed in an arbitrary direction, and the transmission of the input load at the time of a rear collision of the vehicle is alleviated to be transmitted to the engine 1 without hindering the forward movement of the differential gear 21. The scale of vehicle repair can be reduced.

Further, in each of the embodiments, in addition to the above-described common effects, the torque tube 1 has a cross-sectional shape that can be constituted by an extruded material or a drawn material, so that the number of production steps can be reduced as compared with the conventional torque tube. In addition to
The number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be advantageously obtained.

Further, since the deformation direction of the torque tube 1 can be set arbitrarily, the clearance between the torque tube 1 and the floor panel 1 can be reduced, and the space can be secured for the fuel tank and the floor height can be reduced. Can be used for

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the torque tube of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary plan view showing the vehicle mounted state of the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the vehicle mounted state of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a torque tube according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a vehicle mounted state of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a vehicle mounted state of the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Torque tube 7 Propeller shaft 9 Exhaust pipe 10 Driving force generation device (engine) 13 Insertion space 21 Driving force distribution device (Differential gear)

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tohru Yasuda F-term in Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. 2 Takaracho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 3D038 BA13 BB01 BC08 BC22 3D039 AA03 AB02 AD11 3D042 AA06 AA08 AB02 DB01 DB08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A driving force generator including an engine,
An exhaust pipe that guides exhaust gas discharged from the engine; a power distribution device that distributes driving force to left and right wheels; and a propeller shaft that transmits the driving force generated by the driving force generation device to the driving force distribution device. And a torque tube having the propeller shaft built-in, one end fixed to the vehicle body or the driving force generating device, and the other end fixed to the power distribution device, and the exhaust pipe and the torque tube are integrally formed. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the torque tube is asymmetrical in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the propeller shaft. 2. The torque tube, wherein an insertion space for the propeller shaft is formed substantially at the center of the torque tube, and exhaust pipes are formed integrally with the torque tube on both sides of the insertion space, and 2. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust pipe has a cross section asymmetrical to the torque tube in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the propeller shaft. 3. The torque tube has an insertion space for the propeller shaft formed substantially at the center of the torque tube, and an exhaust pipe is formed integrally with the torque tube on one side of the insertion space. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The torque tube has an insertion space for the propeller shaft formed substantially at the center of the torque tube, and an exhaust pipe is formed integrally with the torque tube on one side of the insertion space. 2. A cross section having a substantially U-shaped cross section with the other side opened.
4. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1.