JPH0732224Y2 - Vehicle torque tube - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a torque tube of a vehicle installed between a differential case and a transmission to support torque applied to a rear axle. Is.

(Prior Art) As a vehicle body structure, as shown in FIG. 3, a torque tube 4 which is a rigid body between a differential case 2 and a transmission 3 for the purpose of supporting a torque applied to a rear axle 1. This Torque tube 4
There is one in which the propeller shaft 5 is interposed. In such a vehicle, a bearing 6 is generally interposed between the torque tube 4 and the propeller shaft 5 as shown in FIG.

Conventionally, when the bearing 6 is interposed between the torque tube 4 and the propeller shaft 5, the following two means have been adopted.

First, after fixing the bearing 6 to the outer peripheral portion of the propeller shaft 5, the propeller shaft 5 and the bearing 6 are inserted into the inside of the torque tube 4, and the outer peripheral portion is caulked to thereby secure the torque tube 4 and the bearing 6. It was fixed. The other one is that a rubber material is baked on the outer peripheral portion of the bearing 6, the bearing 6 is fixed to the propeller shaft 5, and then the bearing 6 portion is press-fitted into the torque tube 4.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in any of these means, when the torque tube 4 is connected to the differential case 2 and each shaft tube 7 of the transmission 3, the torque tube 4 and the propeller shaft are not connected. Since 5 and 5 are fixed relatively, it was necessary to connect them as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when assembled, the spline 10 of the propeller shaft 5 protruding from the flange surface of the torque tube 4 and the spline 9 protruding from the flange surface of the shaft tube 7 are fitted to each other first. The torque tube 4 is moved to the shaft tube 7 side while maintaining this fitted state, and the flange of the shaft tube 7 and the flange of the torque tube 4 are fastened with bolts.

However, the fitting of the spline 9 and the spline 10 is a precise fitting without play. Therefore, unless the axial center of the propeller shaft 5 and the axial center of the torque transmission shaft 8 are exactly aligned, the spline 9 and the spline 10 are Torque tube 4 is a heavy object when mating becomes impossible.
There is a problem that it is extremely difficult to move the torque tube 4 to the shaft tube 7 side while accurately supporting the shaft center of the propeller shaft 5 and the shaft center of the torque transmission shaft 8 while supporting the shaft.

Further, when the spline 10 is fitted to the spline 9, if the weight of the torque tube 4 is applied to the fitting portions of the splines 9 and 10, the spline 10 or the spline 9 may be bent. There was a problem that skill and prudence were required for proper assembly.

A technique relating to the vehicle torque tube is also disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-21935.

An object of the present invention is to facilitate assembling of a differential case or a shaft of a transmission to a shaft tube to further improve the assembling workability.

(Means for Solving Problems) As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides
In a torque tube of a vehicle in which a propeller shaft is rotatably mounted via a bearing, a plurality of notches that open in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape in the circumferential direction are formed at predetermined axial positions of the torque tube body. A flange extending outward is integrally provided on the torque tube main body at the formation position of, and a substantially semi-cylindrical cover corresponding to the notch is formed, and the flange at the open end of the cover is formed on the flange. A corresponding outwardly extending flange is integrally provided, and a bearing fixed to the propeller shaft is positioned corresponding to the notch of the torque tube body, and the bearing is sandwiched between the torque tube body and the cover. It is characterized by being fixed by.

(Operation) In the present invention, when the substantially semi-cylindrical cover is removed from the notch of the torque tube main body, the bearing is not fixed to the torque tube main body, so the propeller shaft and the bearing are set inside the torque tube main body. It can be moved in the axial direction and the diametrical direction of the torque tube body, and the torque tube body and the propeller shaft can be separately assembled.

After the torque tube main body and the propeller shaft are assembled, the bearing can be fixed in the torque tube main body by fixing the cover to the torque tube main body by fitting the flanges together.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Although FIG. 3 is used for explaining the structure of the conventional torque tube, it will be loosely applied to the description of this embodiment as it is.

The torque tube 4 according to the present invention is interposed between the vehicle differential case 2 and the transmission 3 as in the above-described conventional torque tube, and both ends of the propeller shaft 5 held inside the disk are inserted. It is connected to a torque transmission shaft (not shown) in each shaft tube 7 of the differential case 2 and the transmission 3 (second).
(See Figures and Figure 3). The torque tube 4 comprises a torque tube main body 12 and a predetermined number of covers 11. The torque tube main body 12 has a plurality of (three locations in this embodiment) which are opened at a predetermined axial portion in a circumferential direction. ), The cover 11 is formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape corresponding to the notch 13 portion. The notch 13 of the torque tube main body 12 is provided in the torque tube 4 with the propeller shaft 5
It is provided at the mounting position of the bearing 6 so as to hold (see FIG. 2).

A flange 14 extending outward is integrally provided at a position where the notch 13 of the torque tube main body 12 is formed, and the cover 11
At both ends of the U-shaped opening, flanges 15 are provided to extend outward so as to be joined to the flanges 14.
Flanges 14 and 15 each have a specified number of bolt insertion holes
16 is provided so that the flange 14 and the flange 15 can be fastened and fixed by a bolt (not shown).

The bearing 6 is fixed in advance at a predetermined position of the propeller shaft 5 and is inserted into the torque tube main body 12 in this state.

In the above structure, when the torque tube 4 is assembled to the shaft tube 7 of the differential case 2 or the transmission 3, the propeller shaft 5 of the propeller shaft 5 is first fixed in a predetermined position. Is set in the torque tube 4. In this state, the bearing 6 corresponds to the notch 13 formed in the torque tube main body 12, and the propeller shaft 5 is movable in the axial direction and the diametrical direction with respect to the torque tube main body 12. . Therefore, when the torque tube main body 12 is assembled, the torque tube main body 12 can be moved independently of the spline connection of the propeller shaft 5 and assembled to the shaft tube 7. Further, the spline connection of the propeller shaft 5 can be moved and fitted independently of the connection of the torque tube body 12. That is, at the time of spline connection, an operator inserts his / her hand through the notch 13 of the torque tube main body 12, grips the propeller shaft 5 and the pairing 6, and aligns the propeller shaft 5 to position the spline 10 on the spline 9. Can be fitted.

After that, the shaft tube 7 and the end face of the torque tube main body 12 are joined by bolting or the like, the notch 13 of the torque tube main body 12 is covered with a cover 11, and the flange 14 on the torque tube main body 12 side is
And the flange 15 on the cover 11 side with bolts. When the flange 14 and the flange 15 are tightened together,
The bearings 6 are tightened together and become fixed with respect to the torque tube 4.

This completes the assembly work.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, when the cover is removed from the notch of the torque tube body, the bearing in the torque tube body is released from the fixation, and the bearing and the propeller shaft are axially moved in the torque tube body. And diametrically movable, and the assembly of the torque tube body and the propeller shaft can be performed separately. As a result, the torque tube body can be moved regardless of the spline connection of the propeller shaft, and the weight of the torque tube body does not affect the spline of the propeller shaft, so the spline of the propeller shaft is not damaged. It is possible to improve the assemblability of the torque tube.

Further, after the torque tube main body is assembled, the bearing can be easily fixed in the torque tube main body by attaching the cover to the torque tube main body and fixing the cover by aligning the flanges. This makes it easy to attach and detach the torque tube body and the propeller shaft,
Maintenance and inspection work can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view taken along line II of FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of a torque tube, FIG. Is a sectional view showing a conventional mode, and FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view of a V portion in FIG. 4 …… Torque tube 5 …… Propeller shaft 6 …… Bearing 11 …… Cover 12 …… Torque tube body

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A torque tube for a vehicle in which a propeller shaft is rotatably mounted via bearings, and a plurality of notches that are opened in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape in the circumferential direction are formed at predetermined axial portions of the torque tube body. The torque tube main body at the position where the notch is formed is integrally provided with a flange extending outward, and a substantially semi-cylindrical cover corresponding to the notch is formed, and the open side end of the cover is formed. Is integrally provided with an outwardly extending flange corresponding to the flange, and a bearing fixed to the propeller shaft is positioned corresponding to the notch of the torque tube body, and the bearing is fixed to the torque tube body. A torque tube for a vehicle, which is sandwiched and fixed by a cover and a cover.