JP3158979B2 - Differential device for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a differential device suitable for use in vehicles, particularly relatively large trucks, tractors, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With reference to FIG. 3, a typical structure of a differential device employed in a conventional heavy-duty truck and trailer will be described. In the drawing, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a differential device, and the differential device includes a differential carrier 12.
The differential carrier 12 has an axle housing 1 of which only a part is shown by a two-dot chain line in the drawing.
4, a peripheral part thereof is fixed by a large number of bolts, and forms a part of a casing that houses therein a reduction gear and a differential gear device to be described later.

[0003] the differential carrier 12 is bearing literals over Na 16 detachably mounted by a plurality of bolts, the bearing literals over reduction pinion 20 equipped with the hypoid gear 18 in the burner 16 is inner bearing 22 and the outer It is rotatably supported via a bearing 24. Same reduction pinion 2
A companion flange 26 is connected to one end protruding outside from the differential carrier 12 of No. 0, and the companion flange 26 is connected to a crankshaft of the engine via a propeller shaft and a transmission (not shown).

The other end of the reduction pinion 20 is rotatably supported by a pinion pilot bearing 28 disposed on the differential carrier 12. A differential case 32 is rotatably supported by the differential carrier 12 via left and right side bearings 30. The differential case 32 includes a left case 321 and a right case 32r which are divided into left and right. , Both cases 3
21 and 32r are integrally connected by a bolt 34.

[0005] A plurality of bolts 3
6, the large-diameter reduction gear 38 is fixed, and the reduction gear 38 is connected to the reduction pinion 20.
Of the hypoid gear 18 meshing with the hypoid gear 18 of FIG. Also, in the differential case 32,
A differential gear device including left and right differential gears 401 and 40r and a plurality of differential pinions 44 rotatably supported on the pinion spider 42 and meshing with the differential gears 401 and 40r, respectively, is provided. One end of an axle 46 indicated by a dashed line in the drawing is operatively connected to 401 and 40r. The axle 46 extends outwardly in the vehicle width direction through the side bearing 30, and is illustrated at the other end. Not wheels are connected.

The side bearing 30 includes a bearing support bracket (not shown) protruding from a mounting surface of the differential carrier 12 with respect to the axle housing 14, a side bearing cap 48 detachably mounted by the bracket bolt. The bearing cap 48 is fixedly protruded from the bearing cap 48 to prevent the side bearing 30 from falling down, that is, to prevent the axis of the bearing from tilting from its normal position.

The operation of the differential device 10 is well known and will be briefly described below. While the vehicle is running, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the reduction pinion 20, and the reduction 38 meshing with the hypoid gear 18 of the reduction pinion 20 is reduced and driven integrally with the reduction case 32. The rotation of the reduction case 32 is performed by the operation of a well-known differential gear device.
r, and further transmitted to the left and right wheels via the left and right axles 46, respectively.

While the vehicle is running, the reduction pinion 20
When the transmission torque of the reduction gear 38 increases, the reduction pinion 20 of the reduction gear 38
The reaction force generated at the meshing portion with the gears becomes large, the reduction case 32 supporting the reduction gear 38 falls, and the side bearing 30 that rotatably supports the reduction case 32 tends to fall. At this time, the stopper 50 contacts the axle housing 14 so that the side bearing 30 is prevented from falling down.

However, members that support or are adjacent to the side bearing 30, such as the axle housing 14, the bearing cap 48 , and the reduction carrier 12, have unavoidable manufacturing errors due to their manufacturing techniques, and also require assembly. Due to the presence of an error, the projection-shaped stopper 50 may not properly contact the axle housing 14 and a gap C may be generated as shown in the figure.
If the gap C exists, the side bearing 30 cannot be effectively prevented from falling down, and the rolling members such as the rollers of the bearing may be hit against the outer and inner races and be damaged early.

[0010]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and ensures reliable side mounting regardless of manufacturing errors and assembly errors of the members supporting the side bearings and members around the bearings. It is an object of the present invention to provide a differential device for a vehicle that can prevent the bearing from falling down, improve its durability and reliability, and reduce the maintenance frequency by reducing the frequency of replacement of the bearing. is there.

[0011]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a reduction pinion to which the driving force of an engine is transmitted, and a reduction rotatably supported by a differential carrier and driven by meshing with the reduction pinion. A gear, a differential gear device operatively connected to the reduction gear, a side bearing rotatably supporting the reduction gear with respect to the differential carrier, and an axle passing through the inside thereof; and a differential carrier including the side bearing. And a side bearing cap for holding the differential carrier in contact with the side bearing cap of the axle housing on which the differential carrier is mounted. Be screwed a stopper bolt to prevent the collapse of the side bearings by that proposes a differential device for a vehicle according to claim.

[0012]

According to the present invention, since the stopper bolt is screwed to the axle housing at a portion facing the side bearing cap supporting the side bearing, the stopper bolt is screwed to a position where it comes into contact with the side bearing cap. By locking
It is possible to absorb a manufacturing error or an assembly error of each member related to the support of the side bearing, and to reliably prevent the side bearing from falling down.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to an enlarged plan view of a main part of FIG.
(Note that substantially the same or corresponding members and portions as those of the conventional differential device shown in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description will be omitted.) As shown, the vehicle of the differential carrier 12 Bearing bracket 52 protruding near the end in the width direction
The side bearing 30 is supported by the side bearing cap 48 which is detachably attached to the support bracket 52 by bolts 54 (see FIG. 2).
Reference numeral 56 denotes an adjusting screw for adjusting the starting torque of the side bearing 30.

The seat member 5 is placed on the axle housing 14 at a position facing the side bearing cap 48.
8 is fixed or integrally formed by welding or the like, and a stopper bolt 60 is screwed to the seat member 58. The stopper bolt 60 is, as shown in FIG.
The side bearing cap 48 is screwed into the side surface in the axial direction of the side bearing until the front end thereof comes into contact with the side bearing cap 48, and then fixed by lock nuts 62 and 64.

According to the above configuration, while the vehicle is running, FIG.
, The tilting moment based on the meshing reaction force acting on the side bearing 30 via the reduction gear 38 and the reduction case 32 supporting the gear,
Since the axle housing 14 is supported by the axle housing 14 via the stopper bolt 60 abutting on the side surface of the side bearing cap 48, the side bearing 30 is effectively prevented from falling down. As a result, one side contact of the rolling member of the side bearing 30 is prevented, and the durability and reliability of the bearing are improved. In addition, since the durability of the side bearing 30 is improved, there is an advantage that the frequency of replacement and repair is reduced, and the maintenance cost is reduced.

[0016]

As described above, the vehicle differential device according to the present invention is driven by a reduction pinion to which the driving force of the engine is transmitted, and rotatably supported by the differential carrier to mesh with the reduction pinion. A reduction gear, a differential gear device operatively connected to the reduction gear, a side bearing that rotatably supports the reduction gear with respect to the differential carrier, and through which an axle is inserted. A side bearing cap for holding the differential carrier, wherein the side bearing cap is attached to a portion of the axle housing on which the differential carrier is mounted, facing the side bearing cap. It is characterized by being screwed with a stopper bolt that suppresses the side bearing from falling by contacting the bearing, and effectively suppresses the side bearing from falling, irrespective of manufacturing errors and assembly errors of related members. Therefore, there is an advantage that the bearing can be prevented from being damaged, its durability and reliability can be improved, and the maintenance cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a main part showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view as viewed from the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional vehicle differential device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Differential device, 12 ... Differential carrier, 14 ... Axle housing, 20 ... Reduction pinion, 30 ... Side bearing, 32 ... Differential case, 38 ... Reduction gear, 4
01 and 40r: Differential gear, 44: Differential pinion, 46: Axle, 48: Side bearing cap, 60: Stopper bolt, 62 and 64: Lock nut

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reduction pinion for transmitting a driving force of an engine, a reduction gear rotatably supported by a differential carrier and driven by meshing with the reduction pinion, and a differential operatively connected to the reduction gear. A gear device, a side bearing that rotatably supports the reduction gear with respect to the differential carrier, and through which an axle is inserted, and a side bearing cap that holds the side bearing in the differential carrier; A strike that prevents the side bearing from falling down by abutting the side bearing cap on the axle housing on which the carrier is mounted, facing the side bearing cap. A vehicle differential device characterized by being screwed with a pad bolt.