JPS62216830A - Automobile driving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid an interference of a clutch with a projection on a road, by providing a differential restriction clutch with an intermediate shaft connected between a first shaft and a second shaft and pivotably disposing the clutch and the intermediate shaft on a floor plate of an automobile body. CONSTITUTION:A thrust shaft S comprises a first shaft 3 connected to an output member 1, a second shaft 4 connected to an input member 2 and an intermediate shaft 5 connected between these shafts 3, 4. The intermediate shaft 5 is divided into a front half shaft portion and a rear half shaft portion and provided with a differential restriction clutch C. Both the differential restriction clutch C and the intermediate shaft 5 are pivotally supported on a floor plate Ba. In this case, the differential restriction clutch C is accommodated and disposed in a tunnel-shaped reinforcing rib 6 to maximize its height from the ground. With this arrangement, its interference with a projection on a road is avoided and internal friction heat produces less effect on other components.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] A1 Object of the Invention (1) Industrial Application Field The present invention is directed to a vehicle that normally drives either the front or rear wheels, but drives both wheels when necessary. Regarding the drive system of a vehicle that has been
A power unit is connected to the wheel to constantly drive it,
The present invention relates to an improvement in a vehicle drive system in which a power unit is connected to the other wheel via a differential limiting clutch that enables torque transmission when the relative rotational speed of input and output members increases.

(2) Conventional technology Conventionally, in this type of drive device, a differential limiting clutch is provided integrally with the differential device (for example, Utility Model Application No. 59-188).
(See Publication No. 731).

(3) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In general, a vehicle differential device has a relatively low ground clearance, so if a differential limiting clutch is provided there, the ground clearance of the differential limiting clutch will naturally have to be lowered. In addition, there is a risk of interference with protrusions on the road surface while driving, and there is also a risk that a large amount of frictional heat generated in the differential limiting clutch will be transmitted to the differential gear, degrading the lubricating oil inside it. There are also.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is a drive system for a vehicle in which a differential limiting clutch can have a high ground clearance, and the influence of internal frictional heat on other objects can be extremely reduced. The purpose is to provide

B0 Structure of the Invention (1) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a propulsion shaft that connects the power unit and the other wheel to the first wheel connected to the power unit.
It consists of a shaft, a second shaft connected to the other wheel, and an intermediate shaft connected between the first and second shafts via a joint, and a differential limiting clutch is interposed on the intermediate shaft, The present invention is characterized in that the intermediate shaft and the differential limiting clutch are rotatably supported on the floor plate of the vehicle body.

(2) Operation The differential limiting clutch, which is supported on the floor plate of the vehicle body together with the intermediate shaft of the propulsion shaft, has a sufficiently high ground clearance without being interfered with by other elements of the drive system.

Moreover, even when the power unit vibrates and the wheels move up and down, only the first and second propulsion shafts swing, and the heavy differential and intermediate shafts are supported by the vehicle body and do not swing. The swinging weight of the propulsion shaft can be minimized.

Further, since the frictional heat generated in the differential limiting clutch is blocked by the entire propulsion shaft having a joint, the influence of heat on the driving side and driven side of the propulsion shaft is extremely small.

(3) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. First, in FIGS. 1 and 2, each pair of front wheels Wf,
Wf and rear wheels Wr, Wr are suspended on a vehicle body B via a suspension device (not shown), and a power unit P consisting of an engine E, a transmission iM, a front differential Df, and a transfer T is mounted at the front of the vehicle body B. Ru.

A pair of front axles A connected to the left and right front wheels wr and wr, respectively
f and Af are connected to each other via the front differential device Dr.

Further, a pair of rear axles Ar, which are connected to left and right rear wheels Wr, Wr, respectively, are connected to each other via a rear differential device Dr. The output member 1 of the transfer T and the input member 2 of the rear differential device Dr are connected to each other by a propulsion shaft S having a differential limiting clutch C interposed therebetween.

The propulsion shaft S includes a first shaft 3 connected to the output member 1 of the transfer T via a joint J1, and a rear differential device Dr.
The second input member 2 connected to the input member 2 of
axis 4 and these first . Joint J2 between 2nd shaft 3.4
．． and an intermediate shaft 5 connected via J.

This intermediate shaft 5 includes the first half shaft 5a of the three first shafts and the second shaft 4.
The second half axis 5b on the side is divided into the two-hand axis 5a, 5b.
The differential limiting clutch C is provided to connect between the two.

The intermediate shaft 5 is housed together with a differential limiting clutch C in a tunnel-shaped reinforcing rib 6 formed on the floor plate Ba of the vehicle body B along its longitudinal axis toward the passenger compartment. Joints J3rJ4 arranged on the floor plate Ba are rotatably supported through bearings 7 and 8, respectively. In this way, the differential limiting clutch C is connected to the floor plate Ba together with the intermediate shaft 5.
Supported by

In this case, the intermediate shaft 5 itself may be supported by the floor +JliiBa via a bearing.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the differential limiting clutch C includes a cylindrical clutch outer 11 as an input member connected to the rear end of the front half shaft 5a, and a cylindrical clutch outer 11 that is surrounded by the clutch outer 11. It includes a clutch inner 12 as an output member that is connected to the front end of the rear shaft 5b. The clutch outer 11 is arranged so as to face each other at a constant interval.
A pair of front and rear end plates 1 connected to the rear shafts 5a and 5b, respectively.
1a and llb, and a cylindrical body 11c having both ends oil-tightly fixed to these end plates 11a and llb, and defines an annular sealed oil chamber 13 between the clutch outer 11 and the clutch inner 12. As shown in FIG.
4.15 and needle bearings 16.17 so that they can rotate relative to each other.

The sealed oil chamber 13 accommodates a plurality of annular outer clutch plates 18, 18, .
18... are engaged with the inner circumferential surface of the clutch outer 11 via splines 20 so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and inner clutches vi, 19, 19... are engaged with the outer circumferential surface of the clutch inner 12 via splines 21. axially slidably engaged.

Further, the sealed oil chamber 13 is filled with highly viscous oil and a small amount of air that allows the oil to thermally expand. For filling with oil, each end plate 11a, llb is provided with a filling port 22, which is normally closed with a tap 23.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the outer clutch plate 18 has a large number of teeth 24 that engage with the splines 20 of the clutch outer 11, and a large number of oil holes 25 that allow the oil to flow. The inner clutch plate 19 is provided with a large number of teeth 2 that engage with the splines 21 of the clutch inner 12.
6, and a large number of oil grooves 27 through which the oil flows.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, to describe the action of the differential limiting clutch C, when a relative rotation is applied to the first half shaft 5a and the second half shaft 5b of the intermediate shaft 5 in the propulsion shaft S, a similar relative rotation is caused between the clutch outer 11 and the clutch inner 12. As a result, the outer clutch plate 18 and the inner clutch plate 19 rotate relative to each other while shearing the high viscosity oil interposed between them.

At this time, the oil holes 25 and oil grooves 27 in each clutch plate 18, 19 retain oil and contribute to effective shearing of the oil. When the oil temperature is relatively low, the torque transmitted between the club outer 11 and the clutch inner 12 is determined by the shear torque of the oil.

As the relative rotational speed of the two-handed shafts 5a and 5b increases, the temperature of the oil increases due to the shear energy received from both clutch plates 18 and 19, and initially the transmission torque decreases due to a decrease in viscosity as the oil temperature rises. However, when the relative rotational speed exceeds a predetermined value, a complicated temperature gradient occurs in each clutch plate 18, 19 due to the sudden rise in oil temperature, resulting in distortion and the sealing of the oil chamber due to the sudden rise in oil temperature. Due to the synergistic effect with the increase in pressure within 13, the adjacent inner and outer clutch plates 19°1
A frictional engagement part or a part with an extremely small gap is formed between the clutch outer 11 and the clutch inner 12, and as a result, the club clutch outer 11 and the clutch inner 12 are substantially compressed, and the two-hand shaft 5a
, 5b.

Now, when the engine E is operated to drive the vehicle, the power is transmitted to the front differential Dr and the transfer T via the transmission M. Then, the power transmitted to the front differential Dr passes through the left and right front axles Af, and then the front wheels wr,
wr and drives them.

On the other hand, the power transmitted to the transfer T attempts to drive the rear differential device Dr via the propulsion shaft S and differential limiting clutch C.

By the way, when the road surface condition is good, the front wheels Wr, W, which are the driving wheels,
If the slippage of f with the road surface is extremely small, the front wheels wr,
The rotational speed difference between wr and the rear wheels Wr, Wr, and therefore in front of the intermediate shaft 5 in the propulsion shaft S.

Since the relative rotational speed between the rear shafts 5a and 5b is small, the transmission torque of the differential limiting clutch C is small, so the front half shaft 5a cannot drive the rear shaft 5b, and the inner and outer clutch plates 19.18 Relative rotation of the two-handed shafts 5a and 5b is allowed due to mutual sliding.

Therefore, even when the turning radius of the front wheels wr, wf and the rear wheels Wr, Wr are significantly different when the vehicle is turning, slipping is caused in the differential limiting clutch C to prevent each wheel from slipping on the road surface. while enabling the vehicle to turn smoothly.

However, when the road surface conditions are poor, such as muddy, sandy, or snowy terrain, and the front wheels wr, wr begin to slip violently on the road surface, the rotational speed difference between the front wheels Wr, Wf and the rear wheels Wr, Wr, Therefore, when the relative rotational speed between the first half shaft 5a and the second half shaft 5b increases rapidly and exceeds a predetermined value, the differential limiting clutch C automatically enters the coupling state and rapidly increases the transmission torque, so that the transmission torque reaches the transfer T. The transmitted power is further transmitted to the rear differential device Dr via the propulsion shaft S and differential limiting clutch C, and then to the left and right rear axles Ar, A.
r, the power is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels Wr, Wr, and drives them. Therefore, all four wheels Wf, Wf,
Wr and Wr act as driving wheels, allowing the vehicle to travel over rough road surfaces.

While the vehicle is running, if the power unit P vibrates due to load fluctuations or the rear wheels Wr, Wr move up and down due to uneven road surfaces, the first shaft 3 and second shaft 4 of the propulsion shaft S will move to the joints J,, J. , the intermediate shaft 5 equipped with the heavy differential limiting clutch C is supported by the vehicle body B and remains stationary, so that the swinging weight of the propulsion shaft S is minimized and its The occurrence of vibration due to rocking can be suppressed to a small level.

In addition, the differential limiting clutch C is housed in a tunnel-shaped reinforcement 11 formed on the floor plate Ba of the vehicle body B.
The ground clearance of the clutch C can be maximized. Moreover, since the differential limiting clutch C is effectively cooled by the running air passing through the reinforcing ribs 6, it is possible to prevent overheating due to internal frictional heat.
Joint Js, J4 and 1st. Since it is blocked by the second shafts 3 and 4, it is possible to eliminate the thermal influence on the transfer T and rear differential device Dr.

C1 Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the propulsion shaft that connects the power unit and the other wheel is divided into a first shaft connected to the power unit, a second shaft connected to the other wheel, and a second shaft connected to the other wheel.
and an intermediate shaft connected between the second shaft through a joint, and a differential limiting clutch is interposed in this intermediate shaft, and together with the differential limiting clutch, the intermediate shaft is rotatably connected to the floor plate of the vehicle body. Since it is supported, the ground clearance of the differential limiting clutch can be sufficiently increased to avoid interference with protrusions on the road surface.

In addition, the frictional heat generated in the differential limiting clutch can be blocked by the entire propulsion shaft that has a joint.
Thermal effects on the driving and driven sides of the propulsion shaft can be minimized, and deterioration of lubricating oil can be prevented.

Furthermore, since the heavy differential limiting clutch does not increase the swinging weight of the propulsion shaft, the swinging resistance of the propulsion shaft can be minimized and the occurrence of vibrations caused by the swinging can be prevented as much as possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinally sectional plan view of a part of the drive system of an automobile, Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a differential limiting clutch in the drive system. FIGS. 4A and 4B are plan views of the outer and inner clutch plates of the differential limiting clutch. Af...Front axle, Ar...Rear axle, B...Vehicle body,
C...Differential limiting clutch, Df...Front differential gear,
Dr...Rear differential, E...Engine, Jl, J
z, Js, Ja...Joint, M...Transmission, P
... Nower unit, S ... Propulsion shaft, T ... Transfer, Wf ... Front wheel, Wr ... Rear wheel 3 ... First shaft, 4 ... Second shaft, 5 ... intermediate shaft, 5
a... First half shaft, 5b... Second half shaft, 6... Reinforcement lip, 7... Bearing, 8... Bearing

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A power unit is connected to either the front or rear wheel to constantly drive it, and the other wheel is equipped with a differential that enables torque transmission when the relative rotational speed of the input and output members increases. In a vehicle drive system in which a power unit is connected via a limiting clutch, a propulsion shaft connecting the power unit and the other wheel includes a first shaft connected to the power unit, a second shaft connected to the other wheel, It consists of an intermediate shaft connected between the first and second shafts via a joint, and a differential limiting clutch is interposed in this intermediate shaft, and the intermediate shaft is attached to the floor plate of the vehicle body together with the differential limiting clutch. A vehicle drive device characterized by being rotatably supported. (2) In what is stated in claim (1),
A vehicle drive system in which a differential limiting clutch is housed together with an intermediate shaft within a tunnel-shaped reinforcing rib that is recessed into the vehicle interior along the longitudinal axis of the floor plate of the vehicle body.