JPH0558171A - Support structure for power unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce an influence exercised by the rotation reaction force of a tire on the coupling part of a power unit capable of reducing whole weight through rigid coupling, with an adapter, a differential gear device, and a transmission. CONSTITUTION:A power unit comprises an engine 12 arranged approximately at the central part of a vehicle, a transmission 14 brought into rigid coupling with the engine, an adapter 16 brought into rigid coupling with the transmission, and a differential gear device 18 transmitting a drive force to tires on both sides and brought into rigid coupling with the adapter. The support structure of the power unit contains at least two sets of cushion mounts 20 and 22. The one set 20 of the two sets of the cushion mounts is arranged to the engine 12 and the other set to the differential gear device 18.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle power unit support structure in which an engine, a transmission, a differential gear device for transmitting a driving force to left and right tires, and the like are rigidly coupled to each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to reduce the weight of a power unit as a whole, an engine and a transmission are rigidly coupled, a rigid torque tube is extended from the transmission to a differential gear unit, and the torque tube serves as a carrier of the differential gear unit. A supporting structure for such a power unit has been proposed (JP-A-3-36922).

[0003]

In the supporting structure according to the above proposal, the torque tube also serves as the carrier of the differential gear device, and therefore cannot be applied to the existing differential gear device. Further, in order to apply to a vehicle model having a different span between the transmission and the differential gear unit, it is necessary to manufacture a torque tube having a different length for each vehicle model.

If a rigid adapter is disposed between the transmission and the differential gear unit and rigidly coupled to each other to form a power unit, the above two cases can be dealt with only by changing the length of the adapter. However, in this power unit, the rotational reaction force of the engine and the rotational reaction force of the tire act on the adapter.

Regarding the influence of the rotational reaction force of the engine and the rotational reaction force of the tire on the adapter, the former is as follows.
The latter acts directly on the adapter, while it is also received by the engine body and the transmission. Therefore, it can be said that the rotational reaction force of the tire has a stronger influence on the adapter. And since the influence appears in the connecting portion between the adapter and the differential gear unit and the transmission, it is necessary to increase the strength or rigidity of this connecting portion.
By rigidly connecting the whole, the advantage of the power unit, which attempts to reduce the weight, is diminished.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a support structure for a power unit, which can be lightened as a whole by rigidly connecting the tires, and which rotates a tire to a connecting portion between an adapter and a differential gear unit and a transmission. It is to provide a support structure that can reduce the influence of reaction force.

[0007]

A power unit support structure according to the present invention comprises an engine disposed substantially in the center of a vehicle, a transmission rigidly coupled to the engine, and an adapter rigidly coupled to the transmission.
At least two sets of cushion mounts for supporting a power unit including a differential gear unit rigidly coupled to the adapter for transmitting a driving force to the left and right tires are included. Of the two sets of cushion mounts, one set is arranged in the engine and the other set is arranged in the differential gear unit.

[0008]

[Operation and effect] The rotational reaction force of the tire is transmitted through the differential gear unit to the cushion mount arranged in this differential gear unit, and is received there.

Since the engine, the transmission, the adapter and the differential gear unit constitute a rigidly coupled power unit, the overall weight can be reduced and the workability when the power unit is mounted on the vehicle body can be improved.

The influence of the rotational reaction force of the tire on the connecting portion between the differential gear unit and the adapter and the connecting portion between the adapter and the transmission is reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the strength or rigidity of the connecting portion, in other words, to simplify the structure of the connecting portion.

Since the adapter is arranged between the transmission and the differential gear unit, it can be easily applied to the existing differential gear unit, and the adapter can be replaced with another adapter having a different size. It can also be applied to vehicle types having different spans between the transmission and the differential gear unit.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, a power unit includes an engine 12 disposed substantially in the center of a vehicle 10, a transmission 14 rigidly coupled to the engine 12, an adapter 16 rigidly coupled to the transmission 14, and an adapter. 16 and a differential gear unit 18 rigidly coupled thereto.
These components are rigidly connected to each other by a fixing means known per se such as a bolt and a nut so that the entire power unit becomes a rigid body.

The support structure of the power unit includes at least two sets of cushion mounts 20 and 22.

In the illustrated embodiment, the transmission 1
4 is rigidly connected to the engine 12 via a clutch 24 and is located in front of the engine 12. Differential gear device 18
Is located in front of the transmission 14 and receives the driving force from the transmission 14 on the left and right tires 26 of the front wheels.
Tell. That is, the vehicle 10 is in the form of front wheel drive.

According to the illustrated front-wheel drive configuration, the driver 2
Since the engine 12 can be arranged below the seat of 8 and the power unit is arranged in front of the engine 12, a wide passenger compartment 30 can be secured behind the driver 28 without being restricted by the drive system. Therefore, it is particularly preferred that the present invention be implemented with front wheel drive.

The adapter 16 is used for the transmission 14
It is a rigid body having a cylindrical or groove-shaped cross section that rigidly connects the differential gear unit 18 and the differential gear unit 18. The length of the adapter 16 in the front-rear direction is determined by the span between the transmission 14 and the differential gear unit 18, and the lateral dimension can be coupled to the transmission 14 on one side and to the differential gear unit 18 on the other side. To determine.

The differential gear unit 18 is, as shown in FIG.
A structure having a structure known per se, which has a differential mechanism 32, a final reduction mechanism 34, a carrier 36 that accommodates them, and a carrier cover 38 that covers the opening of the carrier, is used for coupling with the adapter 16. The flange 40 is provided.

Of the two sets of cushion mounts 20 and 22, one set of cushion mounts 20 is attached to the engine 12,
The other pair of cushion mounts 22 is attached to the differential gear unit 18
The power unit is elastically supported by the vehicle body. Here, one set of cushion mounts may consist of one cushion or may include two or more cushions. In the present invention, it is necessary to arrange the two sets of cushion mounts 20 and 22 as described above. However, for example, three sets of cushion mounts are used, and two of them are arranged as described above, and the rest are arranged. It is also possible to arrange a pair of cushion mounts between the transmission and the vehicle body.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the differential gear unit 18
The pair of cushion mounts 22 arranged in the above is composed of two cushions 42. These cushions 42 are mounted on the carrier 36 of the differential gear device 18, and are mounted on the vehicle body by bolts and nuts.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, one set of cushion mounts 22 is used for the carrier cover 3 of the differential gear unit 18.
It is attached to 8.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the rotational reaction force A of the engine 12 and the rotational reaction force B of the tire 26 act on the power unit, most of the rotational reaction force B of the tire is one set of cushion mounts. Since it is received by 22, the rotational reaction force B of the tire acting on the coupling portion between the adapter 16 and the differential gear device 18 is small, and most of the force acting on the coupling portion is the rotational reaction force A of the engine. .. Therefore, the structure of the coupling portion can be simplified. The same applies to the connecting portion between the adapter 16 and the transmission 14.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when one set of cushion mounts 22 is arranged on the adapter 16, the rotational reaction force of the engine 12 is applied to the connecting portion between the adapter 16 and the differential gear unit 18. Since A and the rotational reaction force B of the tire 26 act, it is necessary to increase the strength or rigidity of the joint portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a support structure for a power unit according to the present invention, showing a state in which the power unit is arranged in a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a differential gear device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a differential gear unit and a set of cushion mounts arranged in the differential gear unit, showing a drive shaft and a tire on one side together.

FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing another embodiment of the power unit support structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing a comparative example of the support structure of the power unit, showing a state in which the power unit is arranged in the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 vehicle 12 engine 14 transmission 16 adapter 18 differential gear unit 20, 22 1 set of cushion mount

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An engine disposed substantially in the center of a vehicle, and a transmission rigidly coupled to the engine.
At least two sets of cushion mounts for supporting a power unit including an adapter rigidly coupled to the transmission and a differential gear unit rigidly coupled to the adapters for transmitting a driving force to the left and right tires are included. A power unit support structure in which one set is arranged in the engine and the other set is arranged in the differential gear device.