JP4254000B2 - Vehicle drive device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle drive device, and more particularly to a vehicle drive device provided with a fluid coupling.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-164730 discloses a vehicle drive device in which a fluid coupling is disposed in a drive system for the purpose of absorbing engine rotational fluctuation and vibration. In the vehicle drive device provided with this fluid coupling, an engine mounted on the vehicle, a fluid coupling, a dry single-plate friction clutch, and a transmission are arranged in series. The fluid coupling (fluid coupling) is provided with a pump having an annular pump shell and a plurality of impellers radially disposed in the pump shell, and is disposed radially in the annular turbine shell and the turbine shell. A turbine having a plurality of runners disposed opposite to the pump, and a pump and a working fluid filled in the turbine. The pump is connected to an engine crankshaft (input as a fluid coupling). The turbine is attached to an output shaft disposed on the same axis as the input shaft. A clutch drive plate of a friction clutch is attached to the output shaft of the fluid coupling.
[0003]
There has also been proposed a fluid coupling including a lock-up clutch that frictionally engages the casing and the turbine to directly connect the input shaft and the output shaft. This lock-up clutch is provided between a casing and a turbine, and includes a clutch disk that forms an outer chamber between the casing and an inner chamber between the casing and the turbine. The casing and the turbine are engaged or disengaged by a pressure difference between the inner chamber side and the outer chamber side.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Generally, a flywheel is attached to the crankshaft of an engine, and a ring gear is mounted on the outer periphery of the flywheel, and is configured to mesh with and engage with a drive gear of a starter motor for starting the engine. ing. Then, the engine is started by driving the starter motor and rotationally driving the crankshaft via the ring gear and the flywheel. In a drive device in which a friction clutch is provided between the engine and the transmission, the flywheel functions as a clutch drive plate. However, in the vehicle drive device provided with the fluid coupling, the fluid coupling is disposed between the engine and the friction clutch. For this reason, the flywheel provided with the ring gear can be used as a clutch drive plate by connecting the flywheel to the output shaft of the fluid coupling.
[0005]
However, in a vehicle drive device equipped with a fluid coupling, when the engine is started by driving a ring gear mounted on the outer periphery of the clutch drive plate, the crankshaft of the engine can be rotationally driven by slippage caused by the fluid coupling. Therefore, the engine cannot be started. If the input shaft and the output shaft can be directly connected by operating the lock-up clutch described above, the clutch drive plate can be driven to start the engine. However, when the engine is not operating, the hydraulic fluid is connected to the fluid coupling. Since it cannot be circulated, it is impossible to operate the lock-up clutch.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned facts, and its main technical problem is that the ring gear mounted on the outer periphery of the clutch drive plate of the friction clutch is improved by improving the lock-up clutch mounted on the fluid coupling. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle drive device having a fluid coupling that can be driven to start an engine.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, in order to solve the main technical problem, an engine mounted on a vehicle, a fluid coupling operated by a crankshaft of the engine, and a fluid coupling disposed between the fluid coupling and the transmission. In the vehicle drive device comprising the friction clutch,
The fluid coupling includes a casing coupled to the crankshaft, a pump disposed facing the casing and attached to the casing, and a chamber formed by the pump and the casing facing the pump. An outer chamber is formed between the turbine, which is disposed and attached to the output shaft, and an outer chamber formed by the casing and the turbine, and an inner chamber is formed between the turbine and the turbine. A lock-up clutch that engages or disengages the casing and the turbine by a fluid pressure difference between the outer chamber and the inner chamber, and the clutch to engage the casing and the turbine. Elastic urging means for applying a predetermined pressing force to the disc,
The friction clutch includes a clutch drive plate mounted on the output shaft of the fluid coupling, and a driven plate disposed between the clutch drive plate and the pressure plate and mounted on the input shaft of the transmission. The outer periphery of the clutch drive plate is fitted with a ring gear that meshes with a drive gear of a starter motor for starting the engine.
There is provided a vehicle drive device characterized by the above.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a vehicle drive device constructed in accordance with the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0009]
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a vehicle drive device constructed according to the present invention. The illustrated vehicle drive device includes an internal combustion engine 2 as a prime mover, a fluid coupling (fluid coupling) 4, a friction clutch 8 and a transmission, which are arranged in series. The internal combustion engine 2 is a diesel engine in the illustrated embodiment.
[0010]
Next, the fluid coupling will be described.
The fluid coupling 4 is disposed in a fluid coupling housing 40 attached to a housing 22 attached to the diesel engine 2 by fastening means such as a bolt 23. The fluid coupling 4 in the illustrated embodiment includes a casing 41, a pump 42, and a turbine 43.
[0011]
The casing 41 is attached to the outer periphery of the drive plate 44 whose inner periphery is attached to the crankshaft 21 of the diesel engine 2 by bolts 24 by fastening means such as bolts 441 and nuts 442.
[0012]
The pump 42 is disposed to face the casing 41. The pump 42 includes a bowl-shaped pump shell 421 and a plurality of impellers 422 arranged radially in the pump shell 421. The pump shell 421 is attached to the casing 41 by means of fixing such as welding. It is attached. Therefore, the pump shell 421 of the pump 42 is connected to the crankshaft 21 via the casing 41 and the drive plate 44. For this reason, the crankshaft 21 functions as an input shaft of the fluid coupling 4.
[0013]
The turbine 43 is disposed opposite to the pump 42 in a chamber formed by the pump 42 and the casing 41. The turbine 43 includes a bowl-shaped turbine shell 431 disposed to face the pump shell 421 of the pump 42, and a plurality of runners 432 disposed radially in the turbine shell 431. . The turbine shell 431 is attached to a turbine hub 47 that is spline-fitted to an output shaft 46 that is disposed on the same axis as the crankshaft 21 as the input shaft by fixing means such as welding.
[0014]
The fluid coupling 4 in the illustrated embodiment includes a lock-up clutch 50 for directly transmitting and connecting the casing 41 and the turbine 43. The lockup clutch 50 includes a clutch disk 51 that is disposed between the casing 41 and the turbine 43 and forms an outer chamber 40 a between the casing 41 and the inner chamber 40 b between the turbine 43. . The clutch disc 51 is supported so that the inner peripheral edge thereof can rotate relative to the outer periphery of the turbine hub 47 and can slide in the axial direction. A clutch facing 52 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the clutch disk 51 on the surface facing the casing 41. It is installed. An annular recess 53 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the clutch disc 51 on the inner chamber 40b side, and a plurality of damper springs 55 respectively supported by support pieces 54 are provided in the recess 53 at predetermined intervals. Arranged. On both sides of the plurality of damper springs 55, an input side retainer 56 attached to the clutch disk 51 is protruded and disposed between the damper springs 55 and attached to a turbine shell 431 of the turbine 43. Further, an output side retainer 57 is provided so as to protrude. The lock-up clutch 50 in the illustrated embodiment includes elastic biasing means 58 for pressing the clutch disc 51 toward the casing 41 and causing the clutch facing 52 to frictionally engage the casing 41. The elastic biasing means 58 is constituted by a disc spring 581 disposed between the turbine hub 47 and the clutch disc 51 in the illustrated embodiment. The spring force of the disc spring 581 releases the frictional engagement between the clutch facing 52 of the clutch disc 51 and the casing 41 when the pressure of the working fluid in the outer chamber 40a is higher than the pressure of the working fluid on the inner chamber 40b side by a predetermined value or more. Is set to a value. Therefore, the disc spring 581 functions as an elastic urging unit that applies a predetermined pressing force to the clutch disc 51 to engage the casing 41 and the turbine 43.
[0015]
The lock-up clutch 50 in the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described.
When the working fluid supplied to the fluid coupling 4 does not reach a predetermined pressure as when the engine is started, the clutch facing 52 of the clutch disk 51 and the casing 41 are frictioned by the action of the disc spring 581 as described above. Engaged (lock-up clutch contact). Therefore, the casing 41 and the turbine 43 are directly connected to each other via the clutch facing 52, the clutch disc 51, the input side retainer 56, the damper spring 55, and the output side retainer 57. Further, when the pressure of the working fluid on the inner chamber 40b side is higher than the pressure of the working fluid on the outer chamber 40a, that is, the working fluid supplied by the lock-up clutch actuating means described later is formed by the pump 42 and the turbine 43. When flowing from the working chamber 4a to the outer chamber 40a through the inner chamber 40b, the clutch disk 51 is pressed to the left in FIG. 2, so that the clutch facing 52 attached to the clutch disk 51 is pressed by the casing 41. Friction engagement (lock-up clutch contact). Therefore, the casing 41 and the turbine 43 are directly connected to each other via the clutch facing 52, the clutch disc 51, the input side retainer 56, the damper spring 55, and the output side retainer 57 as described above. On the other hand, when the pressure of the working fluid in the outer chamber 40a is higher than the pressure of the working fluid in the inner chamber 40b, that is, the working fluid supplied by the working fluid circulation means described later passes from the outer chamber 40a to the pump 42 and the turbine through the inner chamber 40b. 1, the clutch disc 51 is pressed to the right in FIG. 1 against the spring force of the disc spring 581, so that the clutch facing attached to the clutch disc 51 is 52 is not frictionally engaged with the casing 41 (lock-up clutch disengaged), and therefore the direct transmission connection between the casing 41 and the turbine 43 is released.
[0016]
The drive device in the illustrated embodiment includes a hydraulic pump 60 as a fluid pressure source of a lockup clutch actuating means described later. The hydraulic pump 60 is attached to the fluid coupling housing 40 by a fixing means such as a bolt 61 and disposed in the pump housing 62. The hydraulic pump 60 is configured to be rotationally driven by a pump hub 48 attached to the pump shell 421 of the pump 42. The pump hub 48 is rotatably supported by a bearing 490 on a cylindrical support portion 620 of a pump housing 62 that is formed so as to surround the output shaft 46. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a working fluid passage 460 is provided in the output shaft 46 in relation to the lockup clutch operating means described later, and the output shaft 46 and the cylindrical support portion 620 are connected to each other. A working fluid passage 461 is provided therebetween. One end of the passage 460 opens to the left end surface in the drawing of the output shaft 46 and communicates with the outer chamber 40 a, and the other end communicates with a radial passage 462 that opens to the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 46. . The passage 461 is configured to communicate between the working chamber 4 a formed by the pump 42 and the turbine 43 and a communication hole 621 provided in the cylindrical support portion 620.
[0017]
Next, a lock-up clutch actuating means for circulating a working fluid through the fluid coupling 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The lock-up clutch operating means includes a reserve tank 65 that stores the working fluid, and the working fluid in the reserve tank 65 is discharged to the passage 66 by the hydraulic pump 60. The working fluid discharged to the passage 66 is supplied to a passage 68 communicating with the communication hole 621 or a passage 69 communicating with the passage 462 via an electromagnetic direction control valve 67 that controls a circulation path of the working fluid. The electromagnetic direction control valve 67 is controlled based on the operating state of the vehicle drive device, the traveling speed of the vehicle, and the like.
[0018]
When the hydraulic pump 60 is not operating, such as when the engine is started, the working fluid does not circulate as shown in FIG. In this state, the pressure of the working fluid in the outer chamber 40a and the pressure of the working fluid in the inner chamber 40b are the same, so that the clutch facing 52 of the clutch disc 51 and the casing 41 are frictionally engaged by the action of the disc spring 581. (Cock-up clutch contact).
[0019]
In the state shown in FIG. 3 in which the electromagnetic directional control valve 67 is de-energized (OFF), the working fluid discharged into the passage 66 is, as indicated by arrows, the passage 69, the passage 462, the passage 460, the outer chamber 40a, It is circulated to the reserve tank 65 through the inner chamber 40 b, the working chamber 4 a formed by the pump 42 and the turbine 43, the passage 461, the communication hole 621, the passage 68, the return passage 70, the cooler 71 and the passage 72. When the working fluid circulates as shown by an arrow in FIG. 2, the fluid pressure in the outer chamber 40 a is higher than the fluid pressure in the inner chamber 40 b, so that the clutch facing 52 of the clutch disc 51 resists the spring force of the disc spring 581. And the frictional engagement between the casing 41 and the casing 41 are released. Accordingly, the lockup clutch 50 is disengaged.
[0020]
On the other hand, when the electromagnetic directional control valve 67 is energized (ON), the state shown in FIG. 4 is obtained, and the working fluid discharged into the passage 66 has a passage 68, a communication hole 621, a passage 461, and a pump 42 as indicated by arrows. It is circulated to the reserve tank 65 through the working chamber 4a, the inner chamber 40b, the outer chamber 40a, the passage 460, the passage 462, the passage 69, the return passage 70, the cooler 71 and the passage 72 formed by the turbine 43. When the working fluid circulates as shown by an arrow in FIG. 4, the fluid pressure in the inner chamber 40b is higher than the fluid pressure in the outer chamber 40a, so that the lock-up clutch 50 is frictionally engaged as described above (kock-up clutch). Contact).
[0021]
The fluid circuit in the illustrated embodiment is provided with a relief passage 73 connecting the passage 66 and the reserve tank 65, and a relief valve 74 is disposed in the relief passage 73. The relief valve 74 is set to, for example, 6 kg / cm 2, which is a fluid pressure required for the clutch facing 52 mounted on the clutch disc 51 to be pressed against the casing 41 and frictionally engaged when the lockup clutch is ON. When the working fluid pressure in the passage 66 exceeds 6 kg / cm 2, the working fluid is returned to the reserve tank 65 through the relief passage 73.
[0022]
Next, the friction clutch 8 will be described with reference to FIG.
The friction clutch 8 is a dry single-plate friction clutch, and is disposed in a clutch housing 80 mounted on the fluid coupling housing 40 with bolts 81. The friction clutch 8 in the illustrated embodiment is spline-fitted to the clutch drive plate 82 mounted on the output shaft 46 of the fluid coupling and the input shaft 101 of the transmission 10 disposed on the same axis as the output shaft 46. A clutch hub 83, a clutch driven plate 85 attached to the clutch hub 83 and having a clutch facing 84 mounted on the outer periphery thereof, a pressure plate 86 for pressing the clutch driven plate 85 against the clutch drive plate 82, A diaphragm spring 87 that urges the pressure plate 86 toward the clutch drive plate 82; a release bearing 88 that engages with an inner end portion of the diaphragm spring 87 and operates with an intermediate portion of the diaphragm spring 87 as a fulcrum 871; Release bear It is provided with a clutch release fork 89 allowed to operate the ring 88 in the axial direction. The clutch release fork 89 is operated by a friction clutch operating means (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, a ring gear 90 is press-fitted and attached to the outer periphery of the clutch drive plate 82, and a drive gear of a starter motor (not shown) for starting the engine meshes with the ring gear 90. It is configured as follows.
[0023]
The vehicle drive apparatus in the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, and the operation thereof will be described below.
First, the case where the diesel engine 2 is started is demonstrated with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. Note that the transmission 10 is positioned in a neutral state when the engine is started. Since the hydraulic pump 60 is not in operation when starting the engine, the working fluid does not circulate as shown in FIG. 2, so the pressure of the working fluid in the outer chamber 40a and the pressure of the working fluid in the inner chamber 40b are the same. It is. Therefore, as described above, the clutch facing 52 of the clutch disk 51 and the casing 41 are frictionally engaged by the action of the disc spring 581 (lock-up clutch contact). In this state, when a starter motor (not shown) that meshes with the ring gear 90 mounted on the outer periphery of the clutch drive plate 82 is driven, the clutch drive plate 82 is driven via the ring gear 90. As a result, the output shaft 46 of the fluid coupling 4 connected to the clutch drive plate 82, the turbine hub 47, the output side retainer 57, the damper spring 55, the input side retainer 56, the clutch disc 51, the clutch facing 52, the casing 41, and the drive plate. The crankshaft 21 is rotationally driven through 44 and the diesel engine 2 can be started. When the diesel engine 2 is started, the hydraulic pump 60 is driven via the pump 42 and the pump hub 48 of the fluid coupling 4. Therefore, when the electromagnetic directional control valve 67 is deenergized (OFF), the working fluid is As shown in FIG. 3, it is circulated in the direction indicated by the arrow. At this time, when the engine rotation exceeds a predetermined value and the pressure of the working fluid in the outer chamber 40a becomes higher than the pressure of the working fluid in the inner chamber 40b by the working fluid circulated by the hydraulic pump 60, the clutch disk 51 Since it is displaced rightward in FIGS. 1 and 3 against the spring force of the disc spring 581, the frictional engagement between the clutch facing 52 mounted on the clutch disk 51 and the casing 41 is released (the lock-up clutch). Refusal). Thus, after the engine is started, the diesel engine 2 is idling while the lockup clutch 50 is disengaged.
[0024]
Next, the case where power is transmitted by the action of the working fluid by the fluid coupling 4 will be described. In this case, the electromagnetic direction control valve 67 of the lock-up clutch operating means is deenergized (OFF), and the working fluid is circulated in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3 as described above. In a state where the working fluid is circulated in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3, the pressure of the outer chamber 40 a as described above is higher than the pressure on the inner chamber 40 b side, and the clutch disk 51 acts on the spring force of the disc spring 581. 1 and 3, the clutch facing 52 mounted on the clutch disc 51 does not frictionally engage with the casing 41 (lock-up clutch disengagement). As a result, the driving force generated on the crankshaft 21 (input shaft) of the diesel engine 2 is transmitted to the casing 41 of the fluid coupling 4 via the drive plate 44 as described above. Since the casing 41 and the pump shell 421 of the pump 42 are integrally formed, the pump 42 is rotated by the driving force. When the pump 42 rotates, the working fluid in the pump 42 flows toward the outer periphery along the impeller 422 by centrifugal force, and flows into the turbine 43 side as indicated by an arrow. The working fluid that has flowed into the turbine 43 flows toward the center and returns to the pump 42 as indicated by an arrow. As described above, the working fluid in the working chamber 4a formed by the pump 42 and the turbine 43 circulates in the pump 42 and the turbine 43, so that the driving torque on the pump 42 side is transferred to the turbine 43 side via the working fluid. Communicated. The driving force transmitted to the turbine 43 side is transmitted to the output shaft 46 through the turbine shell 431 and the turbine hub 47 and further transmitted to the transmission 10 through the friction clutch 8.
[0025]
Next, a state in which the lockup clutch 50 is operated to directly connect the casing 41 and the turbine 43 to transmit drive torque will be described. In this case, the electromagnetic direction control valve 67 of the lockup clutch operating means is energized (ON), and the working fluid is circulated in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. In a state where the working fluid is circulated in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4, the pressure on the inner chamber 40b side is higher than the pressure on the outer chamber 40a as described above, and the clutch disc 51 is left on the left in FIGS. Therefore, the clutch facing 52 mounted on the clutch disc 51 is pressed against the casing 41 and frictionally engaged (lock-up clutch contact). As a result, the casing 41, the pump 42, and the turbine 43 are directly connected to each other via the clutch facing 52, the clutch disk 51, the input side retainer 56, the damper spring 54, and the output side retainer 57. Accordingly, the driving force generated on the crankshaft 21 (input shaft) of the diesel engine 2 is transmitted to the output shaft 46 via the drive plate 44, the casing 41, the lockup clutch 50, the turbine 43, and the turbine hub 47, and further, It is transmitted to the transmission 10 via the friction clutch 8.
[0026]
In the illustrated embodiment, as described above, when the engine is not operating (the hydraulic pump 60 is not operating), the disk facing 581 causes the clutch facing 52 and the casing 41 of the clutch disc 51 to act. Since the lock-up clutch 50 is engaged by frictional engagement, so-called gear parking becomes possible by putting the transmission 10 into the gear position when the vehicle is stopped.
[0027]
Although the present invention has been described based on the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, an example in which an elastic biasing means and a disc spring are used to apply a predetermined pressing force to the clutch disk to engage the casing and the turbine is shown, but other elastic members are used. May be.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
Since the vehicle drive device according to the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.
[0029]
That is, according to the present invention, a vehicle including an engine mounted on the vehicle, a fluid coupling operated by a crankshaft of the engine, and a friction clutch disposed between the fluid coupling and the transmission. In the driving apparatus for the vehicle, the elastic biasing means for applying a predetermined pressing force to engage the casing of the fluid coupling and the turbine to the clutch disk of the lockup clutch disposed in the fluid coupling is provided. The crankshaft and the clutch drive plate of the friction clutch are transmitted and connected via a lock-up clutch. Therefore, by driving the ring gear attached to the outer periphery of the clutch drive plate of the friction clutch attached to the output shaft of the fluid coupling by the starter motor, the crankshaft is rotationally driven via the lockup clutch to start the engine. can do. In addition, as described above, when the engine is stopped, the crankshaft of the engine and the clutch drive plate of the friction clutch are transmission-coupled via the lock-up clutch, so that the transmission is put into the gear stage when the vehicle is stopped. By so doing, so-called gear parking becomes possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a vehicle drive device configured according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an operating state of a lock-up clutch operating means provided in the vehicle drive device shown in FIG. 1, and showing a lock-up clutch engaged state when the engine is stopped.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an operating state of a lock-up clutch operating means equipped in the vehicle drive device shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an operating state of a lock-up clutch operating means equipped in the vehicle drive device shown in FIG. 1, and showing a lock-up clutch engaged state when the engine is operating;
[Explanation of symbols]
2: Internal combustion engine 21: Crankshaft 4: Fluid coupling 40: Fluid coupling housing 41: Casing 42: Pump 421: Pump shell 422: Impeller 43: Turbine 431: Turbine shell 432: Runner 44: Drive plate 45: Ring gear 46: Output Shaft 47: Turbine hub 48: Pump hub 50: Cuck-up clutch 51: Clutch disc 54: Support piece 55: Damper spring 56: Input side retainer 57: Output side retainer 58: Elastic biasing means 581: Belleville spring 60: Hydraulic pump 62 : Pump housing 65: reserve tank 67: electromagnetic direction control valve 71: cooler 74: relief valve 75: throttle 8: friction clutch 80: clutch housing 82: clutch drive plate 83: clutch hub 84: clutch facing 85: driven plate 8 : Pressure plate 87: the diaphragm spring 88: the release bearing 89: clutch release fork 90: ring gear

Claims (1)

In a vehicle drive device comprising: an engine mounted on a vehicle; a fluid coupling operated by a crankshaft of the engine; and a friction clutch disposed between the fluid coupling and a transmission.
The fluid coupling includes a casing coupled to the crankshaft, a pump disposed facing the casing and attached to the casing, and a chamber formed by the pump and the casing facing the pump. An outer chamber is formed between the turbine, which is disposed and attached to the output shaft, and an outer chamber formed by the casing and the turbine, and an inner chamber is formed between the turbine and the turbine. A lock-up clutch that engages or disengages the casing and the turbine by a fluid pressure difference between the outer chamber and the inner chamber, and the clutch to engage the casing and the turbine. Elastic urging means for applying a predetermined pressing force to the disc,
The friction clutch includes a clutch drive plate mounted on the output shaft of the fluid coupling, and a driven plate disposed between the clutch drive plate and the pressure plate and mounted on the input shaft of the transmission. The outer periphery of the clutch drive plate is fitted with a ring gear that meshes with a drive gear of a starter motor for starting the engine.
The vehicle drive device characterized by the above-mentioned.

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