JPS6148032B2 - - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent water from infiltrating into an axle case via a through hole by boring a small hole smaller than the diameter of the through hole of an air breather at the middle portion of the air breather so as to open downward. CONSTITUTION:While a car is running, the air goes into or out of the through hole 7a of an air breather 7 by an increase or an decrease of the air temperature in an axle case proper 1. When the other end section 7c of the air breather 7 is submerged in water and its through hole 7a is blocked with water, the air in the axle case proper 1 is discharged or sucked through the small hole 7e of the air breather.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides an axle that prevents water from entering the axle case body from the shaft hole of the air breather, and prevents the air breather from being subjected to repeated bending deformation. Regarding the case.

(Prior Art) Generally, when the car is running, the temperature of the air inside the axle case increases and its volume expands.
Furthermore, when the axle case is exposed to water or the vehicle stops running, its temperature decreases and its volume contracts. Therefore, when the axle case is sealed, the air inside the axle case becomes overpressure or negative pressure. In overpressure conditions, the entire axle case becomes heated, reducing the lubricity of the differential gear, and in negative pressure conditions, water is sucked in through the oil seals in the bearings at both ends of the axle case. will occur. For this reason, the axle case is equipped with an air breather as a pipe member with a shaft hole, and the air inside the axle case is made to flow in and out through the shaft hole of the air breather in order to keep the air pressure inside the axle case constant. There is. However, such an air breather
If it is too short, water will easily enter the axle case through the shaft hole. In order to eliminate this drawback, there is a conventional axle case as shown in Figure 1, which is known from Nissan Service Bulletin No. 424 (June 1980, published by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.). . In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an axle case body, and the wall of this axle case body 1 is provided with a hole 1a that opens upward. Reference numeral 7 denotes a flexible air breather having a shaft hole 7a along the axis, and one end 7b of the air breather 7 is attached to the axle case body 1 so that the shaft hole 7a communicates with the hole 1a of the axle case body 1. It is being A frame cross member 4 is located above the axle case body 1, and the other end 7c of the air breather 7 is locked to the cross member 4 with the shaft hole 7a open to the outside air. In this way, the other end 7c of the air breather 7 is locked to the upper cross member 4, which is less likely to be exposed to water. Air inside 1 can go in and out.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in such conventional axle cases, one end of the air breather is attached to the axle case body and the other end is locked to the cross member. Since the axle case body and the cross member move relative to each other by approaching and separating from each other via the suspension, it is difficult to install the air breather.
In addition, the air breather is repeatedly bent and deformed due to relative movement between the axle case body and the cross member when driving on rough roads, etc.
There was a problem in that the air breather required a design with sufficient dimensions and strength to prevent it from breaking.

(Means for Solving the Problems) Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an axle case body in which a differential gear is housed in the center and an upwardly opening hole is bored in the wall of the axle case body. and a flexible tube member having an axial hole along the axis and one end of which is attached to the axle case body so that the axial hole communicates with the hole. The other end is secured to the outer periphery of the axle case body so that the shaft hole faces downward, and the middle part of the pipe member has a smaller diameter than the shaft hole and communicates with the outside air. The communicating holes are opened to face each other downward.

(Function) In such an axle case, if the temperature inside the axle case increases and the volume of the air expands, or if the temperature decreases and the volume of the air contracts, the axle case Most of the air within the main body is discharged and inhaled through the shaft hole of the tube member.

When the other end of the pipe member is submerged in water and the shaft hole at the other end is blocked, the air inside the axle case body passes through the communication hole opened in the middle part of the pipe member and exits from the shaft hole. Exhaled/inhaled into the outside air. Therefore, compared to a case where there is no communication hole, water can be prevented from being sucked into the axle case body through the shaft hole of the tube member when the other end of the tube member is immersed in water.

In addition, the shaft hole at the other end of the tube member and the communication hole opened in the middle part of the tube member are arranged so as to face each other downward, so even if the entire tube member is covered with water, they will not be affected. Water can be prevented from entering the axle case body through the shaft hole or the communication hole.

Furthermore, since the other end of the tube member is locked to the outer periphery of the axle case body, the installation work of the tube member is facilitated, and the tube member is designed to prevent the axle case body from moving up and down when driving on rough roads. It also moves up and down integrally with the axle case body, and is not subjected to repeated bending deformation as in conventional cases. For this reason, unlike in the past, there is no need for a design with sufficient dimensions and strength to prevent pipe members from breaking due to repeated bending deformation.
Therefore, the minimum length of the tube member is sufficient, which is advantageous in terms of layout, and the durability of the tube member can also be improved.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the invention. First, the configuration will be explained. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same components as in the prior art.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an axle case body, and a differential gear 3 having an axle shaft 2 extending on both sides thereof is housed in the center of the axle case body 1. A hole 1a opening upward is bored in the wall of the axle case body 1. A pipe 5 is fitted into this hole 1a, and one end of a flexible air breather (pipe member) 7 having a shaft hole 7a penetrating the entire length along the axis of the pipe 5 is fitted. ing. In this way, the shaft hole 7a of the air breather 7
One end of the air breather 7 is connected to the axle case body 1 so that the air breather 7 communicates with the hole 1a of the axle case body 1.
installed on. Further, the air breather 7 is arranged such that the other end 7c thereof is bent in an inverted U shape so that the shaft hole 7a faces downward, and is secured to the outer periphery of the axle case body 1 by a clamp 8. There is one communication hole 7e in the middle of the top 7d of the inverted U-shaped shape of the air breather 7, the diameter of which is smaller than the diameter of the shaft hole 7a of the air breather 7, and which communicates the shaft hole 7a with the outside air. Or a plurality of openings facing each other downward. Furthermore, the other end 7c of the air breather 7 is formed so that its cut end is oblique. Note that the axle case body 1 and the air breather 7 constitute an axle case 10 as a whole.

Next, the action will be explained.

When the temperature of the air inside the axle case body 1 increases while the car is running and the volume of the air expands, most of the expanded air is discharged from the axle case body 1 to the outside air through the shaft hole 7a of the air breather 7. be done. In addition, the axle case body 1
When the air inside the axle case body 1 contracts due to the temperature of the air inside the axle case body 1 falling when the car is covered with water or the car stops running, most of the air outside the axle case body 1 is absorbed into the shaft of the air breather 7. It is sucked into the axle case body 1 through the hole 7a. In this way, since the shaft hole 7a opens to the outside air at the other end 7c of the air breather 7, most of the air within the axle case body 1 is discharged through the shaft hole 7a and is also sucked in. At this time, some of the air passing through the shaft hole 7a is discharged or sucked into the outside air through the communication hole 7e, but since the diameter of the shaft hole 7a is larger than that of the communication hole 7e, most of the air passes through the shaft hole 7a. It is discharged or inhaled from inside the axle case body 1 through the axle case body 1. However, Air Breather 7
When the other end 7c is submerged in water and its shaft hole 7a is blocked by water, the air inside the axle case body 1 cannot pass through the shaft hole 7a over the entire length of the air breather 7, so the axle The air inside the case body 1 flows from one end 7b of the air breather 7 to the shaft hole 7.
a and flows to the top 7d, and is discharged from the shaft hole 7a of the top 7d to the outside air through the communication hole 7e, or is sucked into the axle case body 1 through the opposite route. When the other end 7c of the air breather 7 is immersed in water in this way, air can be sucked into the axle case body 1 through the communication hole 7e, so that when the temperature of the axle case 1 decreases, the negative pressure inside the air breather 7 It is possible to reliably prevent water from being sucked into the axle case 1 from the shaft hole 7a. Also, the other end 7c of the air breather 7
Since the shaft hole 7a of the air breather 7 and the communication hole 7e of the top portion 7d face downward, even when the axle case 10, especially its entire air breather 7, is covered with water, water will not pass through the shaft hole 7a of the air breather 7 or the communication hole 7e. Water can be prevented from entering the inside of the axle case body 1.

Furthermore, since the other end 7c of the air breather 7 is secured to the outer periphery of the axle case 1 by the clamp 8, the air breather 7 will not hold the axle case body 1 even if the axle case body 1 moves up and down when driving on rough roads. It moves up and down in one piece, and is not subjected to repeated bending deformation as in the past. For this reason, the air breather 7
The air breather 7 is not required to have a design with sufficient dimensions and strength to prevent it from breaking due to repeated bending deformation. Therefore, the minimum length of the air breather 7 is sufficient, which is advantageous in terms of layout, and improves the durability of the air breather 7. can also be improved.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 3, one end of an L-shaped elbow pipe 11 is fitted into a hole 1a drilled in the wall of the axle case body 1, and the other end of this elbow pipe 11 is fitted into a hole 1a made in the wall of the axle case body 1. One end 7b of an air breather 7 similar to the above is fitted. The air breather 7 is bent into an inverted U-shape along the central shape of the axle case body 1, and is secured to the outer periphery of the axle case body 1 by a clamp 8, and the shaft hole 7a faces downwardly at the other end 7c. It is arranged so that Top portion 1c in the central shape of the axle case body 1
The middle part of the nearby air breather 7 has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the shaft hole 7a of the air breather 7.
One or more communication holes 7e that communicate the shaft hole 7a with the outside air are opened so as to face each other downward. According to the second embodiment, the middle of the inverted U-shape of the air breather 7 is formed along the central shape of the axle case 1. This is advantageous in terms of layout.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 4, 12 has an opening 1 at its upper end.
The opening 12a of the check valve 12 fits into the other end 7c of the air breather 7. The wall at the lower end of the check valve 12 is double layered to prevent the force of water from entering, and the outer wall 12
b has a small hole 12c, and the inner wall 12d has a small hole 12e.
is drilled. A spherical valve 13 is housed in a space 12f between an opening 12a of the check valve 12 and an inner wall 12d, and the spherical valve 13 is made of a float having a specific gravity lower than that of water. The inner wall 1 passes through the small hole 12c of the outer wall 12b of this check valve 12.
When water enters the space 12f through the small hole 12e of 2d, the spherical valve 13 floats on the water surface and rises from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the imaginary line, closing the opening 12a and the shaft hole 7a of the air breather 7. In this way, the shaft hole 7 of the air breather 7 is
It is possible to prevent water from entering the axle case body 1 from a. When the opening 12a of the check valve 12 is closed by the spherical valve 13, the air inside the axle case body 1 passes through the communication hole 7e that is opened in the middle of the top part of the air breather 7 so as to face downward. Exhaled to or inhaled from the outside air.

According to the third embodiment, it is possible to more reliably prevent water from entering into the axle case body 1 through the shaft hole 7a of the other end 7c of the air breather 7.

(Effect of the invention) As explained above, according to this invention,
The shaft hole at one end communicates with the inside of the axle case body.The other end of the pipe member is engaged with the outer periphery of the axle case body so that the shaft hole faces downward, and the pipe is inserted into the middle part of the pipe member. The communication hole, which has a smaller diameter than the shaft hole of the member and communicates the shaft hole with the outside air, is opened downward to face the outside, preventing water from entering the axle case body through the shaft hole and communication hole of the pipe member. Not only can this be prevented, but it also makes it easier to install pipe members.
Furthermore, unlike in the past, pipe members are not required to be designed with enough dimension and strength to prevent them from breaking due to repeated bending deformation, and therefore, the minimum length of the pipe member is sufficient, and it is also convenient for layout. This is advantageous, and the durability of the tube member can also be improved.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the other end of the air breather is formed so that the cut end is oblique, which prevents water droplets from adhering to it, and when the temperature is low, the adhering water droplets freeze and become This prevents the shaft hole from being blocked.

In addition to the above-mentioned common effects, in the second embodiment, since the air breather is locked along the central shape of the axle case body, the appearance of the entire axle case can be improved, and the axle This is advantageous in terms of layout around the case body.

Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the check valve provided at the other end of the air breather prevents water from entering the shaft hole even if the other end of the air breather is immersed in water. Furthermore, it is possible to reliably prevent water from entering the axle case body through the shaft hole of the air breather.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a conventional axle case.
FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of an axle case according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
A partially cutaway side view of the axle case according to the example,
FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of an axle case according to a third embodiment of the invention. 1...Axle case body, 1a...hole, 2...
...Axle shaft, 3...Differential gear, 4...Cross member, 5...Pipe, 7...
...Air breather (pipe member), 7a...Shaft hole, 7b
...One end, 7c...Other end, 7d...Top, 7
e...Communication hole, 8...Clamp, 10...Axle case, 11...Elbow pipe, 12...Check valve,
12a...Opening, 12b...Outer wall, 12c, 1
2e...Small hole, 12d...Inner wall, 12f...Space, 13...Spherical valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An axle case body in which a differential gear is housed in the center and a hole opening upwardly is bored in the wall thereof, and an axle case body having a shaft hole along the axis line. an axle case comprising: a flexible tube member having one end attached to the axle case body so as to communicate with the hole; The pipe member is arranged so as to be fixed to the outer periphery of the main body, and a communication hole having a smaller diameter than the shaft hole and communicating the shaft hole with the outside air is opened in the middle part of the pipe member so as to face downward. Axle case. 2. A check valve is provided at the other end of the pipe member, and when water of a predetermined height or higher tries to enter the shaft hole of the pipe member, the check valve closes, and the water reaches a predetermined height in the shaft hole of the pipe member. The axle case according to claim 1, characterized in that further intrusion is prevented.