JPS6320580Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

This invention relates to a tandem drive axle system for a vehicle, and more particularly to a drive axle system for transmitting torque to a forward drive-steering axle. A 6x6 type vehicle is a vehicle with six driven wheels.In this specification, the expression 6x6 type will be used below, and the first number indicates the total number of wheels on the vehicle.
The next number represents the number of wheels being driven. Therefore, as long as the front axle is driven, this invention can be applied to vehicles with multiple wheels such as 8x8 type vehicles, but it is particularly applicable to 6x6 type vehicles, and this specification will not discuss this. explain. In normal operating conditions, a 6x6 vehicle is operated as a 6x4 vehicle, applying torque to the tandem axle system of the vehicle and then transmitting this torque to the two rear drive axles. However, it is clear that the invention is equally applicable to vehicles operating as 6x6 vehicles in normal conditions. Tandem axle systems have the ability to drive two or three drive axles. This is generally accomplished using a differential gear mechanism in which a differential side gear transmits a percentage of the input torque to the first drive axle while the other differential side gear transmits a percentage of the input torque to the first drive axle. The remaining torque is transferred to the second
It is transmitted to the following axle system including the drive axle. A tandem drive known in the art is described in US Pat. No. 3,000,456. 6×6 currently known in this technical field
Type vehicle drive devices are either mounted on the rear side of the vehicle transmission and driven directly by the transmission output shaft, or mounted on the vehicle body and driven directly by the transmission output shaft. It uses a transmission case driven by an attached drive train and a transmission case input shaft.
Examples of conventional 6x6 drives and transmission cases used therein are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,770,150;
No. 3191708 and No. 3495477. Drives using such a transmission case require additional transmission equipment, resulting in a considerable increase in the weight and cost of the drive. It is also necessary that the transmission case be sufficiently large so that the output shaft from the transmission case to the forward drive-steering axle does not impinge on the bell-shaped housing of the transmission. Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a method that can transmit torque to the forward drive-steering axle, while eliminating the need for a transmission case and the space required for its installation, and reducing the increase in weight and cost. To provide vehicle drive devices. Another disadvantage of prior art 6x6 drives is that when driving a forward drive-steer axle, the transmission case typically transfers torque to a tandem axle.
50% of the torque and an additional 50% of the torque to the forward-steering axle. In other words, such torque distribution is not proportional to the axle load condition where 30% of the vehicle weight is on the front axle and 70% on the rear axle;
%.50% torque distribution has the disadvantage that the proportion of the available torque transmitted to the front axle is greater than the proportion of the total weight on this axle. Another object of this invention is therefore to eliminate these disadvantages of conventional drive systems, to distribute torque to each axle according to the load on it, and to further reduce the amount of force exerted on the ground without loss of traction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive axle system capable of providing a total torque output. The above and other objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a drive axle system for transmitting torque from a vehicle transmission to first and second rear drive axles and a forward drive-steer axle as follows. achieved. That is, this drive axle device includes a differential gear mechanism having first and second differential side gears that receive approximately half of the input torque from the transmission, and a first differential side gear and a first rear drive axle. a second gear that connects the shaft member coupled to the second differential side gear and the second rear drive axle; a third gear that meshes with the first gear; a drive shaft connecting the third gear and the forward drive-steering axle, and a clutch member slidable between engagement and disengagement positions of the third gear with respect to the drive shaft; The driving side gear receives approximately half of the input torque, the second differential side gear receives the remaining input torque, and the first rear drive axle therefore receives approximately half of the input torque.
It is to receive half of the torque transmitted to the differential side gear, and the third gear to receive the remainder. The drawings show an embodiment of the invention and are not necessarily limited thereto, and FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing only the necessary parts of a vehicle to explain the vehicle drive system. The vehicle 1 has a conventional frame 2 suitably supported by a front axle 3 and a tandem rear axle 4.
has. The vehicle transmission 5 provides torque to the rear axle 4. The illustrated vehicle has six wheel drives, ie a plurality of rear wheels 6 are driven and, in some situations, a pair of front wheels are also driven. This is carried out in the rear axle arrangement 4 by means of a tandem axle arrangement 11, in which case the input torque is split between the first and second rear axle pairs.
R ₁ , R ₂ and at the same time is transmitted by the drive shaft S to the forward drive-steering axle F. The above-mentioned torque distribution mechanism performed by the axle mechanism 11 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 2-4. The axle mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 2 has a housing 13 that accommodates a pair of shaft members 15 and 17 that are aligned in a straight line in the axial direction. Shaft member 15 includes a suitable universal joint 19 for coupling with a propulsion shaft or the like (not shown) for transmitting input torque to shaft member 15.
A spline 21 is provided at the front end of the shaft member 15, and a universal joint 19 is coupled thereto. A hub 23 with a reduced cross-sectional area is provided at the opposite end of the shaft member 15,
This is the shaft member 1, which is partially cut away in the drawing.
It extends into a bushing 25 seated in a socket portion 27 provided at the front end of 7 and is rotatable therein. A spline 29 is provided at the opposite end of the shaft member 17, to which a universal joint 31 is attached.
The shaft members 15, 17 are rotatably supported within the housing 13 by bearings 33, 35, 37. The shaft member 15 transmits input torque from the propulsion shaft to a first differential gear mechanism 39, which has a rotatable spider 41 to which a plurality of differential pinion shafts 43 are attached, each pinion shaft 43 A planetary pinion 45 is rotatably attached to. A first differential side gear 47 rotatably supported on the shaft member 15 by a bushing 49 meshes with the planetary pinion 45 . A second differential side gear 51 also meshes with the planetary pinion 45 , the outer circumference of its shank is seated within the bearing 35 , and the inner circumference is connected to the shaft member 17 by a spline 53 . A portion (approximately 50%) of the input torque transmitted to the differential gear mechanism 39 is then transmitted to the shaft member 17, while the remaining torque is transmitted to the pair of axles by the method described below. The first differential side gear 47 has teeth 55 on its outer periphery, which mesh with teeth 57 of a first gear 59 connected to the front end of the pinion shaft 61 by a spline 63 . pinion shaft 6
1 is rotatably supported within the housing 13 by thrust bearings 65 and 67. pinion shaft 61
At the opposite end of the spline 63 is a drive pinion 69.
is provided, the pinion 69 transmits the remaining torque to the side gear 71, which in turn transfers this torque to the drive axle R ₁ consisting of a right axle section 75 and a left axle section (not shown in FIG. 2). It is transmitted by a second differential gear mechanism 73 for distribution. Differential gear mechanism 73 has a spider 77 attached to gear 71 using suitable bolts or rivets. The spider 77 has a plurality of planetary pinions 81 that meshingly engage a right differential side gear 83 and a left differential side gear (not shown). The shaft member 15 further includes an intermediate spline 85 to which a clutch member 87 is slidably attached;
Clutch member 87 has clutch teeth 89 that engage clutch teeth 91 provided on the front surface of rearwardly extending first differential side gear 47 . A front end of a shaft member 201 is connected to the universal joint 31, and a universal joint 219 shown in FIG. 5 is connected to the rear end of this shaft member 201. Universal joint 219
A front end of a pinion shaft 261 rotatably supported within the housing 213 of the rear axle mechanism 211 is coupled to the rear end of the pinion shaft 261, and a drive pinion 269 is provided at the rear end of the pinion shaft 261. The pinion 269 transmits torque to a side gear 271, which in turn transfers this torque to a third differential for torque distribution to a drive axle _R2 consisting of a right axle portion 275 and a left axle portion (not shown in FIG. 5). Moving gear mechanism 273
communicate by. Differential gear mechanism 273 has a spider 277 attached to gear 271 using suitable bolts or rivets. spider 277
has a plurality of planetary pinions 281 in meshing engagement with a right differential side gear 283 and a right differential side gear (not shown). This differential gear mechanism 27
3 is constructed similarly to the differential gear mechanism 73, as is clear from the above. Next, the function of this clutch member will be described. Regarding FIGS. 3 and 4, FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the first differential side gear 47 and the first gear 59. A shaft 101 that rotates together with the drive shaft S is spaced apart from the pinion shaft 61 and arranged substantially parallel thereto. The third gear 103 made of a helical gear can freely rotate around the shaft 101 in a normal operating state. Teeth 105 are provided on the outer periphery of the third gear 103 and mesh with the teeth 57 of the first gear 59. The shaft 101 extends forward from the housing 13 (fourth
(to the left in the figure) and a suitable bearing 10
It is rotatably supported by 7. Axis 101
extends forwardly to a point (not shown in FIG. 4) where it connects with the drive shaft S driving the forward drive axle F, as is well known in the art. The shaft 101 has a spline 109 that engages a spline on a clutch member 111, and clutch teeth 113 of the clutch member 111 engage clutch teeth 115 on the front surface of the third gear 103. Clutch member 111 is formed with an annular groove 117 for engaging a sliding fork (not shown) that engages and disengages third gear 103. When the clutch member 87 is slid to a position where the clutch teeth 89 engage with the clutch teeth 91, the first differential gear mechanism 39 is fixed to the shaft member 15, so that the differential side gears 47, 51 are connected to the respective inputs. 50 of torque
% will be received. In addition, the clutch member 111
is moved to a position where the clutch teeth 113 and 115 engage, the third gear 103 is moved to the position where the clutch teeth 113 and 115 engage.
1 and thus the first differential lateral gear 47
Half of the torque transmitted from is received at pinion shaft 61, and the other half of the torque is received at shaft 101 and transmitted to forward drive-steering axle F. Therefore, if this idea is used, the forward drive-steering axle F
25% of the torque is transmitted to the first
50% of the torque is distributed to _the second rear drive axle _R2 . The following table quantifies the benefits obtained by using this invention, namely the increase in torque output to the ground. In this table, the total load on the vehicle is 2.49×10 ⁵ Kg (550001 bs), and this load is distributed across the axles as shown in the "Weight" column. Also, the torque distribution ratio between the conventional type and this invented type, and the torque applied to the ground through each axis (the traction limit is 1ft-1 per 1b of load).
1b torque) is shown.

[Table] In the conventional model, 2.03×10 ⁴ N・m is applied to the front drive axle.
(15000ft-1bs) of torque reduces the steering function and reduces the total torque output to 4.06 x ¹⁰⁴ Nm (30000ft-1bs).
1bs), but this devised type does not significantly reduce the steering function, and also has a maximum speed of 5.4×10 ⁴ Nm (40,000ft−
It can be seen that a full torque output of 1bs) is allowed. In conjunction with the operation of the drive system described above, there is a need for a device for actuating the engagement of clutch members 87, 111 either simultaneously or sequentially (preferably, clutch member 87 is engaged earlier than clutch member 111). Clutch members 87, 111 can be actuated by any of a number of methods known in the art, such as pneumatic pistons or electric solenoids. Under certain drive conditions in which traction has been lost, the driver manually locks the 6x6 vehicle by actuating only both clutch members 87, 111, or by actuating only clutch 87, the first, By locking the second rear drive axles R ₁ , R ₂ together or without locking the second rear drive axle R ₂ by actuating the clutch members 87, 111, the forward drive-steering axle F and the first rear These actuators can also be provided with manual controls for locking the drive axle _R1 . Apart from this, first and second rear drive axles R ₁ ,
It automatically senses that the speed difference between elements that are normally rotated at the same speed, such as R ₂ or the first and second differential side gears 47 and 51, has reached a predetermined speed difference or more. It is possible and generally desirable to provide a device for automatically actuating the clutch members 87, 111, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that such automatic locking devices are well known and that such devices are It is clear that the can be easily adapted to the clutch member 111. After reading this specification, modifications and alterations to the described embodiments will be apparent, and all such modifications are included in this invention as long as they fall within the scope of the utility model claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a drive system using this invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the first rear drive axle portion of an embodiment of this invention, and Fig. 3 is a line 3 in Fig. 2. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along
A cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 in the drawings, FIG. 5 is a partially longitudinal front view of the second rear drive axle portion of an embodiment of the invention. F...Front drive-steering axle, _R1 , _R2 ...first and second rear drive axles, S...drive shaft, 1...vehicle, 2...frame, 3...front axle device, 4...rear axle device,
5... Transmission, 6... Rear wheel, 7... Front wheel, 11... Tandem type axle mechanism, 13... Housing, 15, 17... Shaft member, 21... Spline, 25... Housing, 39... First differential gear mechanism , 41... Spider, 43... Differential pinion shaft, 4
5... Planetary pinion, 47... First differential lateral gear, 5
1... Second differential lateral gear, 59... First gear, 61...
Pinion shaft, 69... Drive pinion, 71... Side gear, 73... Second differential gear mechanism, 81... Planetary pinion, 83... Right differential side gear, 85... Intermediate spline, 87, 111... Clutch member, 89 ,91...
Clutch tooth, 101...shaft, 103...third gear, 1
13,115...clutch tooth.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A tandem drive axle device that transmits torque from a vehicle transmission to first and second rear drive axles and a front drive and steering axle, comprising: (a) a transmission; (b) a first gear that connects the first differential side gear and the first rear drive axle; (c) The shaft member connected to the second differential side gear and the second
(d) a third gear meshing with the first gear; (e) a drive shaft coupling the third gear with the forward drive-steering axle; (f) A clutch member is provided that is slidable between a disengaged position in which the third gear is disengaged from the drive shaft and an engaged position in which the drive shaft is engaged with the third gear. (g) for a vehicle, characterized in that the first rear drive axle is adapted to receive substantially half of the torque transmitted to the first differential lateral gear, and the third gear is adapted to receive the remaining transmitted torque. Tandem type drive axle device.