JP2020131967A - Hub clutch device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a hub clutch device which can reduce a variation of a changeover operation negative pressure, and can stably switch a drive state.SOLUTION: A hub clutch device has: a shaft 11 in which a slide gear 19 is arranged; a hub 12 in which an outer gear 20 engaged with the slide gear 19 is arranged; and a changeover mechanism 13 for switching a state to either of an engagement state that the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 are engaged with each other by relatively moving the slide gear 19 in an axial direction with respect to the shaft 11, and a release state that both the gears 19, 20 are separated from each other. The changeover mechanism 13 has an adsorption part 35 arranged at one of the slide gear 19 side and the outer gear 20 side, and imparted with a magnetic force by a magnet 38, and an adsorbed part 36 arranged at the other of the slide gear 19 side and the outer gear 20 side, and adsorbed by the adsorption part 35, and a hole processing part 37 for partially hindering the abutment of the adsorption part 35 is formed at the adsorbed part 36.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a hub clutch device having a freewheel function.

In a four-wheel drive vehicle, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, the two-wheel drive state and the four-wheel drive state can be switched, and in the two-wheel drive state, the driven side wheel is disconnected from the driven side axle. A free wheel that shuts off the running resistance received from the driven wheel, locks the driven wheel and the driven axle in the four-wheel drive state, and can transmit the driving force from the engine to the driven wheel. A functional hub clutch device may be adopted.

This type of hub clutch device is adopted in, for example, the four-wheel drive vehicle C shown in FIG. The four-wheel drive vehicle C includes an engine 1, a transmission 2, and a transfer 5 capable of switching between a two-wheel drive state and a four-wheel drive state by operating a switching mechanism 4 by a transfer lever 3. In the two-wheel drive state, the driving force is transmitted from the transfer 5 to the rear wheels 9b via the rear propeller shaft 6b, the rear differential 7b, and the rear axle 8b, while the switching mechanism 4 acts. The transmission of the driving force from the transfer 5 to the front propeller shaft 6a is cut off. On the other hand, in the four-wheel drive state, the driving force is transmitted to the rear wheels 9b as in the two-wheel drive state, and the front propeller shaft 6a, the front differential 7a, and the front axle 8a (shaft) are transmitted from the transfer 5. The driving force is also transmitted to the front wheels 9a via the 11) and the hub clutch device 100.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the hub clutch device 100 includes a shaft 101 that rotates about an axis by a driving force from an engine, a hub 102 that rotates about an axis together with wheels 9a (see FIG. 2), and a shaft. The main component is a switching mechanism 103 capable of switching the rotation transmission between the 101 and the hub 102 to either connection or disconnection. The shaft 101 and the switching mechanism 103 are housed inside the hub 102 and the cover 104 and the spindle 105 provided integrally with the hub 102. A slide gear 106 is provided on the shaft 101 so as to be relatively movable in the axial direction and integrally rotatable around the shaft. Further, the hub 102 is provided with an outer gear 107 that can be engaged with the slide gear 106 so as to be integrally rotatable around an axis.

The switching mechanism 103 causes the slide gear 106 to move relative to the shaft 101 in the axial direction to engage the slide gear 106 and the outer gear 107 to enable rotational transmission between the shaft 101 and the hub 102. It has a function of disengaging the slide gear 106 and the outer gear 107 to cut off the rotation transmission.

The switching mechanism 103 is provided with a diaphragm 110 that partitions the internal space (negative pressure chamber) of the switching mechanism 103 into a two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 108 and a four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 109. The two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 108 is connected to the two-wheel drive negative pressure port 112 via the two-wheel drive negative pressure path 111, and the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 109 is four-wheel drive via the four-wheel drive negative pressure path 113. Each is connected to a negative pressure port 114. A disk-shaped outer reinforcing plate 115 made of a magnetic material is provided on the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 108 side of the diaphragm 110, and an inner reinforcing plate 116 is provided on the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 109 side. The diaphragm 110, the outer reinforcing plate 115 and the inner reinforcing plate 116 are integrated by a rivet 117, so that the outer reinforcing plate 115 and the inner reinforcing plate 116 move in the axial direction as the diaphragm 110 moves in the axial direction. It has become.

A diaphragm cover 118 made of a magnetic material is fixed to the inside of the cover 104, and a cylindrical flange portion 118a standing upright so as to face the outer reinforcing plate 115 is formed at the inner peripheral end portion of the diaphragm cover 118. ing. A magnet 119 is attached to the diaphragm cover 118, and magnetism is imparted to the diaphragm cover 118 (flange portion 118a) by the magnet 119. A coil spring 120 is interposed between the diaphragm cover 118 and the outer reinforcing plate 115. The coil spring 120 urges the outer reinforcing plate 115 (diaphragm 110, inner reinforcing plate 116) in a direction away from the diaphragm cover 118. A slide gear 106 is provided on the outer peripheral edge side of the inner reinforcing plate 116 so as to be integrally movable in the axial direction, and the slide gear 106 also moves in the same direction as the inner reinforcing plate 116 moves in the axial direction.

In the two-wheel drive state, as shown in FIG. 7, the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 108 is in the negative pressure state, and the diaphragm 110 moves to the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 108 side. Along with this movement, the slide gear 106 and the outer gear 107 are disengaged to switch to a two-wheel drive state in which the transmission of the rotational force between the shaft 101 and the hub 102 is cut off, and the outer reinforcing plate 115. Is attracted by magnetic force to the tip plane of the flange portion 118a of the diaphragm cover 118 having magnetism. When the switching to the two-wheel drive state is completed, the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 108 is opened to the atmosphere, and the two-wheel drive state is maintained only by the attractive force of the magnet 119.

On the other hand, in the four-wheel drive state, as shown in FIG. 8, the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 109 is set to the negative pressure state, and the diaphragm 110 moves to the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 109 side. Along with this movement, the slide gear 106 and the outer gear 107 are engaged with each other to switch to a four-wheel drive state in which the rotational force can be transmitted from the shaft 101 to the hub 102. When the switching to the four-wheel drive state is completed, the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 109 is opened to the atmosphere, and the four-wheel drive state is maintained only by the urging force of the coil spring 120.

In this way, the sealing materials 121, 122, which secure the airtightness of the negative pressure chambers 108, 109 by opening the negative pressure chambers 108, 109 to the atmosphere while switching to the two-wheel drive state or the four-wheel drive state, A load is constantly applied to 123 to prevent its deterioration from progressing and muddy water from being sucked into the device due to negative pressure.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-203895

In the configuration according to Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 7, it is ideal that the tip of the flange portion 118a of the diaphragm cover 118 and the outer reinforcing plate 115 are in a plane contact state. However, due to the processing accuracy of the flange portion 118a or the outer reinforcing plate 115, if the surfaces have waviness or inclination, the contact area between them is greatly reduced as compared with the case where they are in flat contact. There may be a partial gap between the two. Then, the holding posture (contact state) at the time of adsorption in the two-wheel drive state becomes unstable, and the switching operation negative pressure for reliably attracting the outer reinforcing plate 115 by the magnetic force of the magnet 119 may vary greatly from product to product. There is.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the variation in the switching operation negative pressure and to stably switch the drive state.

In order to solve this problem, in the present invention, a shaft that is provided so that the slide gear can move relative to the axial direction and can rotate integrally around the shaft, and the shaft that rotates around the shaft by a driving force from a drive source, An outer gear that can be engaged with the slide gear is provided so as to be integrally rotatable around the shaft, and a hub that rotates around the shaft together with the wheels and the slide gear are moved relative to the shaft in the axial direction to move the slide gear. The switching mechanism has a switching mechanism for switching between an engaged state in which the outer gear is engaged and a release state in which the slide gear and the outer gear are separated from each other, and the switching mechanism is on the slide gear side or the outer gear. A suction portion provided on one side and to which a magnetic force is applied by a magnet, and a suction portion provided on the slide gear side or the other side opposite to the one on the outer gear side and attracted by the suction portion. A hub clutch device is configured in which a hole-machined portion is formed in the suctioned portion to partially prevent the suction portion from coming into contact with the suction portion.

By forming the hole-machined portion in this way, the contact area between the suction portion and the suctioned portion can be reduced as compared with the case where the suction portion and the suctioned portion are in full contact with each other. The influence of surface conditions such as tilt and inclination can be minimized. As a result, the contact state between the suction portion and the suctioned portion is stabilized, and the slide gear can be reliably switched with a predetermined operating negative pressure. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the variation of the switching operation negative pressure for each product and secure a stable adsorption state.

In the above configuration, the negative pressure chamber that applies negative pressure when switching between the engaged state and the disengaged state by relatively moving the suction portion and the suctioned portion in the axial direction is defined as the engaging state. It further has a diaphragm that divides the engaging negative pressure chamber into a negative pressure chamber and the release negative pressure chamber into which the negative pressure is applied when the release state is released, and the suction portion is formed on the diaphragm cover covering the switching mechanism. The flange portion whose tip faces the suctioned portion, and the suctioned portion is provided on the diaphragm side and may be a reinforcing plate that moves in the axial direction together with the diaphragm.

Since it is easy to form a hole-machined portion in the reinforcing plate, it is possible to suppress the processing cost.

In each of the above configurations, the hole processing portion may be formed at three or more locations.

By forming the hole-machined portions at three or more locations in this way, the influence of the surface states of the suction portion and the suctioned portion can be further reduced, and a stable suction state between the two can be ensured. The number of the holes to be machined is not particularly limited as long as it is three or more, but high stability may be ensured by setting the number to three.

In the hub clutch device according to the present invention, the hole-machined portion is formed in the suctioned portion as described above to reduce the contact area between the suctioned portion and the suctioned portion, so that the suctioned portion and the suctioned portion swell. The influence of surface conditions such as tilt and tilt can be minimized. For this reason, the contact state between the suction part and the suctioned part is stable, and the switching operation when switching between the suction state and the non-suction state can reduce the variation of the negative pressure between products and secure a stable suction state. it can.

A vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of a hub clutch device according to the present invention. Overall configuration diagram showing an example of a four-wheel drive vehicle using the hub clutch device shown in FIG. Cross-sectional view showing the main part of the contact part between the suction part and the suction part Sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. Vertical cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the hub clutch device (two-wheel drive state) Vertical cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the hub clutch device (four-wheel drive state) Vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a hub clutch device according to the prior art (two-wheel drive state) Vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a hub clutch device according to the prior art (four-wheel drive state)

An embodiment of the hub clutch device according to the present invention is shown in FIG. This hub clutch device is adopted in, for example, the four-wheel drive vehicle C shown in FIG. As described above, the four-wheel drive vehicle C can switch between the two-wheel drive state and the four-wheel drive state by operating the switching mechanism 4 by the engine 1, the transmission 2, and the transfer lever 3. It is equipped with a transfer 5.

In the two-wheel drive state, the driving force is transmitted from the transfer 5 to the rear wheels 9b via the rear propeller shaft 6b, the rear differential 7b, and the rear axle 8b, while the action of the switching mechanism 4 causes the driving force to be transmitted. The transmission of the driving force from the transfer 5 to the front propeller shaft 6a is cut off. On the other hand, in the four-wheel drive state, the driving force is transmitted to the rear wheels 9b as in the two-wheel drive state, and the front propeller shaft 6a, the front differential 7a, and the front axle 8a (shaft) are transmitted from the transfer 5. The driving force is also transmitted to the front wheels 9a via the 11) and the hub clutch device 10.

The hub clutch device 10 includes a shaft 11 that rotates around an axis by the driving force of an engine as a drive source 1 (hereinafter, the same reference numerals as those of the drive source 1), and a shaft together with wheels 9a (see FIG. 2). The hub 12 that rotates around and the switching mechanism 13 that switches the rotation transmission between the shaft 11 and the hub 12 are the main components. The shaft 11 and the switching mechanism 13 are housed inside the hub 12 and the cover 14 and the spindle 15 provided integrally with the hub 12. The hub 12 and the cover 14 are integrally fastened by the bolt 16.

A bearing 17 is provided between the hub 12 and the spindle 15, and the hub 12 and the spindle 15 can rotate relative to each other around an axis. Further, the shaft 11 is provided with a bush 18, so that the shaft 11 can smoothly rotate about the axis with respect to the spindle 15.

A ring-shaped slide gear 19 is provided on the shaft 11. Serrations 11a and 19a are formed on the outer diameter surface of the shaft 11 and the inner diameter surface of the slide gear 19. By fitting the serrations 11a and 19a together, the slide gear 19 can move relative to the shaft 11 in the axial direction and can rotate integrally around the shaft 11. Further, spline teeth 19b are formed on the outer diameter surface of the slide gear 19.

Inside the cover 14, a ring-shaped outer gear 20 that can rotate integrally with the hub 12 around an axis and a ring-shaped sleeve 21 that is adjacent to the outer gear 20 in the axial direction are incorporated. A seal member 22 is provided between the outer gear 20 and the sleeve 21 to ensure airtightness. Spline teeth 20a are formed on the inner diameter surface of the outer gear 20. The spline teeth 20a can be engaged with the spline teeth 19b formed on the slide gear 19.

When the shaft 11 is rotated about an axis in a state where the spline teeth 19b formed on the slide gear 19 and the spline teeth 20a formed on the outer gear 20 are engaged, the rotational force is applied to the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 via the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20. It is transmitted to the hub 12.

The switching mechanism 13 moves the slide gear 19 relative to the shaft 11 in the axial direction, and either the engaged state in which the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 are engaged or the released state in which the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 are separated from each other. It has a function to switch to that state.

In the switching mechanism 13, the internal space (negative pressure chamber) of the switching mechanism 13 is driven by two wheels as a negative pressure chamber 23 that becomes a negative pressure when the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 are disengaged. A four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber as an engaging negative pressure chamber 24 that becomes a negative pressure when the chamber (hereinafter, the same reference numeral as the release negative pressure chamber 23 is assigned) and the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 are engaged. (Hereinafter, the same reference numerals as those of the engaging negative pressure chamber 24 are given.) A diaphragm 25 for partitioning is provided.

The two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 23 is connected to the two-wheel drive negative pressure port 27 via the two-wheel drive negative pressure path 26, and the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 24 is four-wheel drive via the four-wheel drive negative pressure path 28. It is connected to each of the negative pressure ports 29. A timer-controlled shutoff valve (not shown) is provided in the two-wheel drive negative pressure path 26 and the four-wheel drive negative pressure path 28. This shutoff valve operates when the negative pressure of the two-wheel drive negative pressure path 26 or the four-wheel drive negative pressure path 28 elapses for a predetermined time set in advance by a timer, and the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber in the negative pressure state. The 23 or four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 24 is opened to the atmosphere.

An outer reinforcing plate as a reinforcing plate 30 (hereinafter, the same reference numerals as those of the reinforcing plate 30) is provided on the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 23 side of the diaphragm 25, and an inner reinforcement is provided on the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 24 side. Boards 31 are attached to each. The diaphragm 25, the outer reinforcing plate 30, and the inner reinforcing plate 31 are integrated by a rivet 32. Then, as the diaphragm 25 moves in the axial direction, the outer reinforcing plate 30 and the inner reinforcing plate 31 move integrally in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the suctioned portion 36 of the outer reinforcing plate 30 sucked by the flange portion 34 (sucking portion 35) of the diaphragm cover 33 described later partially prevents the contact with the suction portion 35. A hole processing portion 37 is formed. The hole processing portion 37 is formed by three through holes (hereinafter, the same reference numerals as those of the hole processing portion 37) penetrating the front and back surfaces of the suctioned portion 36, which are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. is there. Each through hole 37 is an elongated hole that draws a curve along the annular suction portion 35.

Since the flange portion 34 and the outer reinforcing plate 30 are formed by machining, the surface of the flange portion 34 and the outer reinforcing plate 30 may be wavy or inclined due to the machining accuracy. In this case, a partial gap is generated between the two, the holding posture (contact state) at the time of suction becomes unstable, and the switching operation negative pressure may vary from product to product. When the through hole 37 is formed in this way, the contact area between the suction portion 35 (flange portion 34) and the suctioned portion 36 (outer reinforcing plate 30) is increased as compared with the case where the through hole 37 is not formed. It can be reduced, and the influence of the surface condition such as the waviness and inclination of the suction portion 35 and the suctioned portion 36 can be minimized. Therefore, the contact state between the suction portion 35 and the suctioned portion 36 is stable, and the variation of the switching operation negative pressure when switching between the suction state and the non-adsorption state is reduced for each product to ensure a stable suction state. be able to.

Inside the cover 14, a ring-shaped diaphragm cover 33 that covers the switching mechanism 13 is fixed. The diaphragm cover 33 is made of a magnetic material. An annular flange portion 34 having a tip facing the outer reinforcing plate 30 and adsorbing the outer reinforcing plate 30 is formed on the inner peripheral edge of the diaphragm cover 33. A magnet 38 is provided in the vicinity of the flange portion 34. The flange portion 34 is magnetized by the magnet 38, and functions as a suction portion 35 that magnetically attracts the suctioned portion 36 of the outer reinforcing plate 30.

A coil spring 39 is interposed between the diaphragm cover 34 and the outer reinforcing plate 30. The coil spring 39 urges the outer reinforcing plate 30, the diaphragm 25, and the inner reinforcing plate 31 in a direction to separate them from the diaphragm cover 34. A slide gear 19 is provided on the outer peripheral edge side of the inner reinforcing plate 31 so as to be integrally movable in the axial direction, and the slide gear 19 also moves in the same direction as the inner reinforcing plate 31 moves in the axial direction.

When the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 23 is in the negative pressure state, the diaphragm 25 moves to the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 23 side as shown in FIG. Along with this movement, the engagement between the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 is released, and the two-wheel drive state is switched in which the transmission of the rotational force between the shaft 11 and the hub 12 is cut off. When a predetermined time elapses after this switching, a timer (not shown) provided in the two-wheel drive negative pressure path 26 operates, and the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 23 is opened to the atmosphere. Then, the suctioned portion 36 of the outer reinforcing plate 30 is attracted by the magnetic force of the suction portion 35 of the flange portion 34, and the two-wheel drive state is maintained only by this suction force.

When the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 24 is in the negative pressure state in the two-wheel drive state, the diaphragm 25 moves to the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 24 side as shown in FIG. Along with this movement, the slide gear 19 and the outer gear 20 are engaged with each other to switch to a four-wheel drive state in which the rotational force can be transmitted from the shaft 11 to the hub 12. When a predetermined time elapses after this switching, the timer provided in the four-wheel drive negative pressure path 28 operates, and the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 24 is opened to the atmosphere. Then, the four-wheel drive state is maintained only by the urging force of the coil spring 39.

In this way, by switching to the two-wheel drive state or the four-wheel drive state and opening the two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 23 and the four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber 24 to the atmosphere, the airtightness of the negative pressure chambers 23 and 24 is improved. It is possible to prevent the sealing materials 40, 41, and 42 to be secured from being constantly loaded and deteriorated, or to prevent muddy water from being sucked into the device due to negative pressure as much as possible.

The hub clutch device 10 according to the above embodiment is merely an example, and as long as the problem of the present invention of reducing the variation in the switching operation negative pressure and stably switching the driving state can be solved, The shape, arrangement, etc. of each component can be changed as appropriate.

For example, in the above embodiment, the through hole 37 is illustrated as the hole processing portion 37, but a non-contact portion may be formed between the flange portion 34 and the outer reinforcing plate 30, for example, a bottomed portion. It can also be a recess of. Further, the number, shape, size and the like of the hole processing portions 37 can be changed as appropriate.

1 Drive source (engine)
9a wheels (front wheels)
11 Shaft 12 Hub 13 Switching mechanism 19 Slide gear 20 Outer gear 21 Sleeve 23 Release negative pressure chamber (two-wheel drive negative pressure chamber)
24 Engagement negative pressure chamber (four-wheel drive negative pressure chamber)
25 Diaphragm 30 Reinforcing plate (outer reinforcing plate)
33 Diaphragm cover 34 Flange part 35 Suction part 36 Suction part 37 Hole processing part (through hole)
38 magnet

Claims (3)

A shaft (11) that is provided so that the slide gear (19) can move relative to the axial direction and can rotate integrally around the shaft, and that rotates around the shaft by a driving force from the drive source (1).
An outer gear (20) that can be engaged with the slide gear (19) is provided so as to be integrally rotatable around the shaft, and a hub (12) that rotates around the shaft together with the wheel (9a).
The slide gear (19) is moved relative to the shaft (11) in the axial direction to engage the slide gear (19) and the outer gear (20) in an engaged state, and the slide gear (19). And the switching mechanism (13) that switches the outer gear (20) to any of the separated states.
The switching mechanism (13) has
A suction portion (35) provided on either the slide gear (19) side or the outer gear (20) side and to which a magnetic force is applied by a magnet (38).
A suctioned portion (36) provided on the slide gear (19) side or the other side opposite to the one on the outer gear (20) side and sucked by the suction portion (35).
A hub clutch device having a hole-machined portion (37) formed in the suctioned portion (36) to partially prevent the suction portion (35) from abutting. A negative pressure chamber that applies a negative pressure when switching between the engaged state and the disengaged state by relatively moving the suction portion (35) and the suctioned portion (36) in the axial direction is referred to as the engaged state. Further, it has a diaphragm (25) for partitioning into an engaging negative pressure chamber (24) that creates a negative pressure when the pressure is applied and a release negative pressure chamber (23) that creates a negative pressure when the release state is established.
The suction portion (35) is a flange portion (34) formed on a diaphragm cover (33) covering the switching mechanism (13) and having a tip facing the suctioned portion (36). 36) The hub clutch device according to claim 1, wherein the hub clutch device is provided on the diaphragm (25) and is a reinforcing plate (30) that moves in the axial direction together with the diaphragm (25). The hub clutch device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hole processing portion (37) is formed at three or more locations.

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