JP6887733B2 - Power transmission mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power transmission mechanism for transmitting engine power in a vehicle such as an automobile.

For example, in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, the power from the engine is input to the automatic transmission via a torque converter, and the power shifted by the automatic transmission is driven by a differential gear or the like. Is transmitted to. The torque converter and the automatic transmission are integrally combined to form a unit. As the automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a stepped automatic transmission (AT: Automatic Transmission) are widely known.

The crankshaft of the engine extends toward the automatic transmission, and a substantially disk-shaped drive plate is attached to the tip of the crankshaft. The drive plate is connected to the torque converter. As a result, the crankshaft and the torque converter are connected via the drive plate. For example, when the engine is started, the power of the starter is input to the drive plate, and the power causes the crankshaft to rotate integrally with the drive plate, thereby cranking the engine.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-263450

An oil pan for receiving engine oil is provided at the bottom of the engine. The oil pan is bolted to the underside of the cylinder block. Specifically, the oil pan integrally has a container-shaped main body portion and a flange-shaped peripheral edge portion protruding outward from the peripheral edge of the main body portion. A plurality of bolt insertion holes are formed at appropriate intervals on the peripheral edge of the oil pan. The peripheral edge of the oil pan is abutted against the cylinder block from the lower side, the bolt is inserted into each bolt insertion hole from the lower side, and the tip of each bolt is screwed into the bolt hole of the cylinder block. Is fixed to the cylinder block.

Bolt insertion holes are also provided between the main body of the oil pan and the drive plate. To remove the bolt inserted in the bolt insertion hole, a tool such as a spinner handle must be inserted between the main body of the oil pan and the drive plate, and the bolt must be turned with the tool. Therefore, the drive plate is placed away from the engine so that there is a gap between the tool and the drive plate, and the overall length of the torque converter and automatic transmission unit includes the distance between the engine and the torque converter. It is getting longer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a power transmission mechanism capable of reducing the overall length of the unit including the distance between the engine and the torque converter.

In order to achieve the above object, in the power transmission mechanism according to the present invention, an automatic transmission is arranged on an extension of the crankshaft of the engine, and a torque forming a unit with the automatic transmission is provided between the engine and the automatic transmission. The converter is placed, the drive plate is attached to the crankshaft between the engine and the torque converter, the drive plate is connected to the torque converter, and the oil pan of the engine is outward from the container-shaped main body and the periphery of the main body. It has a flange-shaped peripheral edge that overhangs, and the peripheral edge is fixed to the cylinder block of the engine with a fastening member, and the tool can access the fastening member through between the drive plate and the main body of the oil pan, and the drive There is a hole in the part of the plate on the oil pan side.

According to this configuration, the crankshaft of the engine extends towards the automatic transmission. A torque converter that forms a unit with the automatic transmission is arranged between the engine and the automatic transmission. The crankshaft is connected to the torque converter via a drive plate provided between the engine and the torque converter. The drive plate is perforated so that some of the tools that are accessed by the fasteners through between the drive plate and the body of the oil pan can be received in the holes, which allows the tool and the drive plate. Interference with is avoided. Therefore, the fastening member can be tightened and loosened with the tool.

Compared to the conventional drive plate, the drive plate can be brought closer to the engine by the amount that a part of the tool and the drive plate overlap in the axial direction of the crankshaft in the hole, and the torque converter and the automatic transmission can be used. The unit can be brought closer to the engine. As a result, the overall length of the unit including the distance between the engine and the torque converter can be shortened.

The drive plate may have a configuration in which the outer peripheral portion bulges toward the engine side rather than the inner portion thereof, and the tool receiving hole is formed so as to straddle the inner portion and the outer peripheral portion.

Since the bulge of the outer peripheral portion of the drive plate increases the strength near the boundary between the outer peripheral portion and the inside, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the strength of the drive plate by forming a hole so as to straddle the boundary.

Further, the drive plate may be arranged so that the hole and the peripheral edge of the oil pan overlap in the axial direction of the crankshaft.

According to the present invention, a part of the tool that is accessed to the fastening member through between the drive plate and the main body of the oil pan is received in the hole formed in the drive plate, so that the tool and the drive plate interfere with each other. Since this is avoided, the drive plate can be brought closer to the engine by the amount that a part of the tool and the drive plate overlap in the axial direction of the crankshaft in the hole. Therefore, the torque converter and the automatic transmission unit can be brought closer to the engine, and the total length of the unit including the distance between the engine and the torque converter can be shortened.

It is sectional drawing of the power transmission mechanism which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and shows a drive plate, a crankshaft and a torque converter. It is the figure which looked at the drive plate and the engine from the torque converter side. It is sectional drawing of the engine and the drive plate in the cut plane line AA shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Drive plate configuration>
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a power transmission mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a drive plate 1, a crankshaft 2, and a torque converter 3. FIG. 2 is a view of the drive plate 1 and the engine E / G as viewed from the torque converter 3 side. Note that in FIG. 1, the addition of hatching indicating a cross section is omitted.

The drive plate 1 is used in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission T / M, and includes a crankshaft 2 of an engine E / G extending toward the automatic transmission T / M, and an engine E / G and an automatic transmission T / M. A torque converter 3 arranged between the M and the M is connected. The torque converter 3 and the automatic transmission T / M are integrated to form a single unit.

The drive plate 1 is formed from a metal disk by plastic working. The drive plate 1 integrally includes a disk-shaped main body portion 11 and a ring gear 12 that surrounds the outer periphery of the main body portion 11. The outer peripheral end portion 13 of the main body portion 11 has a flat cylindrical shape by being bent toward the torque converter 3, and a ring gear 12 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral end portion 13.

The ring gear 12 may be fixed to the outer peripheral end portion 13 of the main body portion 11 by welding, or may be integrally molded with the outer peripheral end portion 13 by plastic working (rolling) of the outer peripheral end portion 13.

A circular crankshaft mounting portion 14 recessed one step toward the crankshaft 2 side is formed in the central portion of the main body portion 11 by drawing. A circular crankshaft insertion hole 15 is formed in the center of the crankshaft mounting portion 14. Further, in the crankshaft mounting portion 14, six circular crankshaft mounting holes 16 are formed around the crankshaft insertion hole 15 on the same circumference concentric with the crankshaft insertion hole 15, that is, 60 °. It is formed so as to penetrate the crankshaft mounting portion 14 at intervals.

The annular outer peripheral portion 17 along the outer peripheral end portion 13 of the main body portion 11 is recessed one step toward the crankshaft 2 side (engine E / G side) by drawing. A concave torque converter mounting portion 18 further recessed on the crankshaft 2 side is formed on the outer peripheral portion 17 at the same position in the circumferential direction as each of the six crankshaft mounting holes 16. A circular torque converter mounting hole 19 is formed in each torque converter mounting portion 18 so as to penetrate the torque converter mounting portion 18.

In the annular portion 21 between the crankshaft mounting portion 14 and the outer peripheral portion 17, lightening is performed at each position between the crankshaft mounting hole 16 and the torque converter mounting hole 19 formed at the same position in the circumferential direction. The hole 22 is formed.

Further, at each position in the middle of the torque converter mounting portions 18 adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, a circular tool receiving hole 23 for reducing the weight of the drive plate 1 is provided with the outer peripheral portion 17 and the annular portion 21 on the rotation center side thereof. It is formed across the steps formed by the torque converter. The tool receiving hole 23 overlaps the peripheral edge portion 55 of the oil pan 51, which will be described later, in the axial direction of the crankshaft 2.

<Installation of drive plate>
The crankshaft 2 has a flange portion 32 that projects radially outward from the entire circumference thereof on the base end side of a substantially cylindrical tip portion 31. Screw holes 33 are formed in the flange portion 32 at positions corresponding to the six crankshaft mounting holes 16 of the drive plate 1.

The tip portion 31 of the crankshaft 2 is inserted into the crankshaft insertion hole 15 of the drive plate 1, and the bolt 34 torques with the flange portion 32 of the crankshaft 2 in contact with the crankshaft mounting portion 14 of the drive plate 1. The drive plate 1 is fixed to the crankshaft 2 by being screwed into the screw hole 33 from the converter 3 side through the crankshaft mounting portion 14.

The torque converter 3 includes a front cover 41 at an end on the crankshaft 2 side. On the surface of the front cover 41 on the crankshaft 2 side, bosses 42 are provided at positions corresponding to the six torque converter mounting holes 19 of the drive plate 1. The boss 42 has a structure in which an inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical member is threaded, and is fixed to the front cover 41 by welding.

With the torque converter mounting portion 18 of the drive plate 1 in contact with the tip surface of the boss 42, the bolt 43 is screwed into the boss 42 from the drive plate 1 side through the torque converter mounting hole 19, so that the drive plate 1 is screwed into the torque converter. It is fixed at 3.

When the drive plate 1 is fixed to the crankshaft 2 and the torque converter 3, respectively, when the engine is started, the power of the starter is input to the ring gear 12 of the drive plate 1, so that the crankshaft 2 is integrated with the drive plate 1. Rotates and the engine is cranked. After starting the engine, the drive plate 1 transmits the power from the engine to the torque converter 3. Further, the drive plate 1 bends due to elastic deformation to absorb engine vibration and the like, and also absorbs a deviation (axis deviation) between the rotation axis of the crankshaft 2 and the rotation axis of the torque converter 3.

<Oil pan>
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the engine E / G and the drive plate 1 at the cutting plane line AA shown in FIG.

An oil pan 51 for receiving engine oil is provided at the bottom of the engine E / G. The oil pan 51 is fixed to the lower side of the cylinder block 52 with bolts 53. Specifically, the oil pan 51 integrally has a container-shaped main body portion 54 and a flange-shaped peripheral edge portion 55 projecting outward from the peripheral edge of the main body portion 54. A plurality of bolt insertion holes 56 are formed in the peripheral edge portion 55 of the oil pan 51 at appropriate intervals. The peripheral edge 55 of the oil pan 51 is abutted against the cylinder block 52 from below, the bolt 53 is inserted into each bolt insertion hole 56 from below, and the tip of each bolt 53 is a bolt hole of the cylinder block 52 (shown). The oil pan 51 is fixed to the cylinder block 52 by being screwed into the cylinder block 52.

The bolt insertion hole 56 is also provided between the main body 54 of the oil pan 51 and the drive plate 1. When removing the bolt 53 inserted into the bolt insertion hole 56 between the main body 54 of the oil pan 51 and the drive plate 1, the bolt 53 inserted between the main body 54 of the oil pan 51 and the drive plate 1 is removed from below. A tool 57 such as a spinner handle is inserted, and the bolt 53 is loosened by the tool 57. At this time, a part of the tool 57 is received by the tool receiving hole 23 of the drive plate 1, and a part of the tool 57 and the drive plate 1 overlap in the tool receiving hole 23 in the axial direction of the crankshaft 2.

<Effect>
As described above, the crankshaft 2 of the engine E / G extends toward the automatic transmission T / M. A torque converter 3 forming a unit with the automatic transmission T / M is arranged between the engine E / G and the automatic transmission T / M. The crankshaft 2 is connected to the torque converter 3 via a drive plate 1 provided between the engine E / G and the torque converter 3. The drive plate 1 is provided with a tool receiving hole 23, and a part of the tool 57 that is accessed by the bolt 53 through between the drive plate 1 and the main body 54 of the oil pan 51 receives the tool receiving hole 23. By doing so, interference between the tool 57 and the drive plate 1 is avoided. Therefore, the tool 57 can tighten and loosen the bolt 53.

Then, as compared with the conventional drive plate 1, a part of the tool 57 and the drive plate 1 overlap in the tool receiving hole 23 in the axial direction of the crankshaft 2, so that the drive plate 1 is used as the engine E / G. It can be brought closer, and the torque converter 3 and the unit of the automatic transmission T / M can be brought closer to the engine E / G. As a result, the overall length of the unit including the distance between the engine E / G and the torque converter 3 can be shortened.

The outer peripheral portion 17 of the drive plate 1 is recessed (bulged) one step toward the engine E / G side from the annular portion 21 on the rotation center side thereof. The tool receiving hole 23 is formed so as to straddle the outer peripheral portion 17 of the drive plate 1 and the annular portion 21. Since the outer peripheral portion 17 of the drive plate 1 is recessed one step with respect to the annular portion 21, the strength near the boundary between the outer peripheral portion 17 and the annular portion 21 is increased, so that the tool receiving hole 23 is formed so as to straddle the boundary. Thereby, the decrease in the strength of the drive plate 1 can be suppressed.

<Modification example>
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can also be implemented in other embodiments.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, six tool receiving holes 23 are provided by forming the tool receiving holes 23 at each position in the middle of the torque converter mounting portions 18 adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. The number of holes 23 is not limited to 6, and may be set arbitrarily, and may be 1 to 5, or 7 or more.

In addition, various design changes can be made to the above-mentioned configuration within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

1: Drive plate 2: Crankshaft 3: Torque converter 23: Tool receiving hole 51: Oil pan 52: Cylinder block 53: Bolt 54: Main body 55: Peripheral 57: Tool E / G: Engine T / M: Automatic transmission Machine

Claims (1)

An automatic transmission is placed on the extension of the crankshaft of the engine,
A torque converter forming a unit with the automatic transmission is arranged between the engine and the automatic transmission.
A drive plate is attached to the crankshaft between the engine and the torque converter.
The drive plate is connected to the torque converter and
The engine oil pan has a container-shaped main body portion and a flange-shaped peripheral edge portion protruding outward from the peripheral edge of the main body portion, and the peripheral edge portion is fixed to the cylinder block of the engine by a fastening member.
The tool is accessible to the fastening member through between the drive plate and the main body of the oil pan, and the tool is accessing the fastening member at a portion of the drive plate on the oil pan side. A power transmission mechanism with a hole that accepts a part of the tool.

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