JPS6397426A - Transfer structure of four-wheel drive vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a transfer device compact while reducing the bending angle of a driving shaft in a coupling part by providing a differential limiting device in between the differential device between wheels and the differential device between axles. CONSTITUTION:In a transfer device 3, a viscous coupling 90 having a relatively small diameter among members is placed in the close vicinity of a clutch housing 5a. And a front wheel differential device 30 and first and second center differential gears 40, 50 are placed on both sides of the coupling 90. Thereby, the members constituting a transfer can be collectively placed on a left front wheel driving shaft 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a four-wheel drive vehicle with a horizontally mounted engine, and particularly to a differential between front and rear wheels, and a differential operation of the differential. The present invention relates to a transfer structure for a four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a differential limiting device.

(Prior art) The power output from the engine via the transmission is divided to drive the front wheels and rear wheels, respectively.4
In wheel drive vehicles, in addition to inter-wheel differentials between the left and right front wheels and between the left and right rear wheels, an inter-wheel differential (
(hereinafter referred to as a center differential). This center differential consists of an input element into which power is input from the engine or transmission, and output elements for front wheels and rear wheels that divide the power input into the element and transmit it to the front wheels and rear wheels, respectively. By performing differential operation between the output elements, the difference in rotational speed between the front and rear wheels during cornering is absorbed.

On the other hand, if a four-wheel drive vehicle is equipped with a center differential as described above,
Problems such as when one of the front wheels or rear wheels slips, power is not transmitted to the other, or when cornering suddenly, the difference in rotational speed between the front and rear wheels is allowed to be too large, making the C driving condition unstable. occurs.

Therefore, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6O-23683CI, for example, a differential limiting device is provided to limit the differential operation of the center differential, and in the above case, the device locks the center differential or locks the center differential. ! Before racking,
Power is transmitted to both rear wheels or the driving condition is stabilized during sharp cornering. As shown in the above-mentioned publication, this differential limiting device is constructed by alternately arranging a plurality of disc plates each connected to the two elements constituting the center differential, and in addition, the storage space thereof is Attempts have been made to use so-called viscous couplings, which are filled with viscous fluid.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In a four-wheel drive vehicle with a horizontally mounted engine in which the engine is arranged so that the output shaft extends in the width direction of the vehicle body, the center differential and its differential limiting device as described above are used. If equipped, it is customary to integrate these and an interwheel differential device for the left and right wheels located on the engine side to form a transfer device, and connect this to the engine via a transmission. The problem is how to arrange the above-mentioned constituent members in this transfer device. In other words, if all of the transfer components of the inter-wheel differential, center differential, and differential limiting device are placed on the drive shaft of the wheel on the first engine side, the entire transfer system can be shortened in one direction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. However,
This drive shaft is placed near the engine or transmission, and the clutch housing interposed between the engine and transmission is located close to the shaft, so large-diameter drives should avoid this clutch housing. It must be distributed. In addition, if the clutch housing is avoided in this way, each component member will be dispersed in the width direction of the vehicle body, and the dimensions of the Heranshua device in the same direction will become longer. As the position of the drive shaft is shifted toward the outside of the vehicle body, the bending angle of the drive shaft at the joint increases.
This causes problems with the durability of the joint.

The present invention addresses the above-mentioned circumstances, and is directed to a four-wheel drive vehicle with a horizontally mounted engine, which is equipped with an inter-wheel differential device for wheels located on the engine side, a center differential, and a differential limiting device for the center differential. In the transfer device, by adding ideas to the arrangement of each of the transfer component members, the transfer device can be made more compact, and
In particular, the object is to minimize the bending angle at the joint portion of the drive shaft.

(Means for Solving the Problems) That is, a transfer structure for a four-wheel drive vehicle according to the present invention (i.e., an engine and a transmission coupled to the engine are arranged such that their output shafts, etc. extend in the width direction of the vehicle body). In a 4-wheel drive e-car with a horizontally mounted engine,
On the drive shaft of the front wheel or rear wheel located on the engine side, there is a wheel opening 8 device for the wheel, and an interaxle differential that divides the power output from the transmission into the front wheel side and the rear wheel side. device, and two components constituting the inter-axle differential device.
A differential limiting device having a plurality of disc plates connected to each of the two elements and limiting the differential operation of the differential device is provided, and in particular, this differential limiting device is installed between the wheels. It is characterized by being arranged between the differential device and the inter-axle differential device.

(Function) According to the above configuration, a differential limiting device with a relatively small diameter is mounted on the drive shaft of the wheels on the engine side as a differential between the middle wheels of the vehicle f! Since it is disposed between the l1 differential and the differential gear, it is possible to dispose the differential limiting device at a position close to the clutch housing on the drive shaft. Therefore, the transfer components of the eight width difference heads, the inter-axle differential device, and the differential limiting device can be centrally arranged on the drive shaft, and the transfer device is made more compact. It becomes possible to move the universal joint provided on the drive shaft toward the center of the vehicle body, thereby making it possible to reduce the bending angle of the drive shaft at the joint.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described below.

First, the overall configuration of the four-wheel drive vehicle according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. Equipped with a plant.

The engine 1 is arranged so that its output shaft 4 extends in the width direction of the vehicle body. Further, the transmission 2 is also arranged such that an input shaft 6 connected to the engine output shaft 4 via a clutch 5 and an output shaft 7 parallel thereto extend in the vehicle width direction. , and between the output shafts 6.7, there are gear trains 81-8s, 8 for 1st to 5th speeds and reverse speed, which are selectively brought into a power transmission state.
r, and one end of the output shaft 7 is provided with an output key t79 for transmitting power from the transmission 2 to the transfer device 3.

On the other hand, the transfer device 3 divides the power input from the above-mentioned 1 to 2 to 1 to 2, and divides the power input from the above-mentioned 1 to 2 into the left and right front wheels 10.
11, and drive the left and right rear wheels 16.1 via a propeller shaft 12 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, a rear wheel differential device 13, and rear wheel drive shafts 14.15 extending left and right from the device 13.
It is designed to drive 7.

Next, the internal structure of the transfer device 3 will be explained with reference to FIG. .22, an intermediate shaft 23 disposed parallel to the rear of these, and a rear wheel output shaft 24 disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and protruding rearward, all of which are rotatably supported.

In this embodiment, the intermediate shaft 23 has a structure in which two shafts are connected. And the left and right front wheel drive shafts 21
．． 22 is connected to the front wheels 10.11 shown in FIG. 1, and a rear wheel output shaft 24 is connected to the propeller shaft 12, respectively.

Around the opposing ends of the left and right front wheel drive shafts 21 and 22, there is a bevel gear type front wheel differential 30 and a planetary gear type first differential. A second center differential 40.50 mm is arranged.

The front wheel differential device 30 includes left and right front wheel drive shafts 21 and 22.
A differential case 31 is rotatably fitted and supported on the top, a binion shaft 32 is installed within the case 31 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the front wheel drive shaft 21, 22, and a differential case 32 is rotatably supported by the shaft 32. A pair of pinion gears 3
3.34, and a pair of left and right output gears 35.36 meshed with both pinion gears 33.34, and the ends of the left and right front wheel drive shafts 21.22 are connected to the Ryokawa power gears 35.36, respectively. There is.

Further, the first center differential 40 is constituted by a single binion type planetary gear mechanism, and as shown in FIG. ...42, and these pinion gears 42...42 are connected to the pinion shaft 4, respectively.
3...43, and a ring gear 45 that is disposed outside of each pinion gear 42...42 and meshes with them. Further, the second center differential 50 is composed of a double binion type planetary gear mechanism, and as shown in FIG.
A plurality of first pinion gears 52...52 arranged around and meshing with the pinion gears 51, and these pinion gears 52.
... A plurality of second pinion gears 53 meshing with the respective gears 52...
・53 and 1st. Each second pinion gear 52...52
．． 53...53 respectively to the binion shaft 54...5
4. A carrier 56 supporting via 55...55,
The ring gear 57 is arranged outside the second pinion gears 53 and meshes with the second pinion gears 53...53.

As shown in FIG. 2, the carrier 44 of the first center differential 40 and the ring gear 57 of the second center differential 5o are connected, and the input gear 60 formed around the outer periphery of the ring gear 757 is connected to the transmission 2. It is meshed with the output V-ya 9, and both center differentials are 40.5
The four non-gear 41.
Kireliya 5 of the ring gear 45 and the second Kenta differential 50
6 has the 1st. A second intermediate gear 61.62 is connected to the intermediate shaft 23.
The third. 4th intermediate gear 63.6
4 are engaged with each other.

On the other hand, on the intermediate shaft 23, the first. 2nd Senku Diff 4
A switching mechanism 70 of 0.50 is provided. Is this switching mechanism 70 intermediate? ! A third spline member 71 is connected to the outer periphery of the spline member 71 connected to
．． The first gear which is integrally provided with the fourth intermediate gear 63,64.
Splines having the same specifications are formed on the outer periphery of the second spline portions 72 and 73, and a sleeve 74 is fitted so as to be slidable over these splines. When the sleeve 74 is slid to the left as shown in the figure, the third intermediate gill 63 and the intermediate shaft 23 are connected via the spline member 71 and the first spline part 72, and the sleeve 74 is moved as shown in the figure. If it is slid to the right from this position, the fourth intermediate gear 6A and the intermediate shaft 23 are connected via the spline member 71 and the second spline portion 73.

A bevel gear type first output gear 81 for the rear wheels is fixed to the end of the intermediate 1111123, and a bevel gear type first output gear 81 is also formed integrally with the gear 81 and the output shaft 24 for the rear wheels. It is engaged with the second output key r82 for the rear wheel.

In addition to the above configuration, this transfer device 3 includes a front wheel differential device 30 at one end of the left front wheel drive shaft 21 and a first differential device on the left front wheel drive shaft 21 . Between the second center differential 40.50,
A viscous coupling 90 is provided as a differential limiting means for these center dew angles of 40° and 50°. This viscous coupling 90 is connected to the second intermediate gear 62 (second
The outer case 91 is connected to the carrier 56 of the center differential 50, and the boss portion 31a of the differential case 31 in the front wheel differential 30 (the first and second center differentials 40, 5
Inner case 9 coupled to sun gear 41.51) of 0
2, and a large number of plates 93...93 alternately engaged with these between both cases 91 and 92, and the periphery of the plates 93...93 is filled with viscous fluid. ing.

When the rotational speed difference between the two cases 91 and 92 is small, their relative rotation is allowed, but when the rotational speed difference exceeds a predetermined amount, the resistance of the viscous fluid acts to restrict the relative rotation. .

The two cases 91 and 92 of this viscous coupling 90 are connected to the carrier 56 of the second center differential 50 and the sun gear 51, respectively, so that when the relative rotation between them exceeds a predetermined amount, The rotation, that is, the differential operation of the second center differential 50 is restricted.

Regarding the first center differential 40, when relative rotation occurs between the sun gear 41 and the ring gear 45, relative rotation occurs between the sun gear 41 and the carrier 44, and the second center differential 50 rotates integrally with them. Between the nangya 51 and the ring gear 57, the nangya r5
Since relative rotation occurs between the first center differential 40 and the carrier 56, the first center differential 40, the gear 41 and the ring gear 45
When the relative rotation between the
will be restricted through.

Next, to explain the operation of this embodiment, the power output from the engine 1 via the clutch 5 and the transmission 2 is input from the output gear 9 of the transmission 2 to the transfer device 3 via the input gear 60. .

When the sleeve 74 of the switching mechanism 70 in the transfer device 3 is slid to the left as shown, the power is input to the carrier 44 of the first center differential 40 and is divided between the sun gear r41 and the ring gear 45. At the same time, the power divided to the sun gear 41 side is sent to the differential case 31 of the front wheel differential 30, and the power divided to the ring gear 45 side is sent to the first. The signals are output to the intermediate shaft 23 via the third intermediate gears 61 and 63 and the switching mechanism 70, respectively. Furthermore, when the sleeve 74 in the switching mechanism 70 is slid to the right, the power is transferred to the ring gear 5 of the second center differential 5o.
7 and is divided into the sun gear 51 and the carrier 56, and similarly to the first center differential 40, the power divided to the sun gear 51 side is sent to the differential case 31 of the front wheel differential 30 and to the front wheel differential 56 side. The divided power is the second
．． The signals are output to the intermediate shaft 23 via the fourth intermediate gears 62 and 64 and the switching device M470, respectively. In either case, the power input to the differential case 31 of the front wheel differential 30 is further divided into left and right, and the power is further divided into left and right front wheel drive shafts 21.
2 to drive the left and right front wheels 10.11. Further, the power output to the intermediate shaft 23 is transmitted to the rear wheel cylinder 1. It is transmitted to the contact wheel output shaft 24 via the second output gear 81, 82, and is further transmitted to the propeller shaft 12, the rear wheel differential 13, and the rear wheel drive shaft
．． 15 to drive the left and right rear wheels 16 and 17.

In that case, if the power is divided by the first t center differential 40, the carry l-/
The power input to 44 is transmitted to Nangya 41 and ring gear 4.
5 and, for example, 3 depending on the ratio of the number of teeth of both gears 41.45.
Since it is divided into near parts, from sun gear 41 to front wheel 10.1
The power transmitted to the first side is transferred from the ring gear 45 to the rear wheel 16.
．． The power transmitted to the 17 side becomes larger, resulting in a so-called torque distribution that is biased toward the rear wheels and is suitable for sporty driving. On the other hand, when the power is divided by the second center differential 50, if the ratio of the number of teeth between the sun gear 51 and the ring gear 57 is set to, for example, 1:2, the power input to the ring gear 57 is divided between the number of teeth of the sun gear 51 and the carrier 56. Therefore, the torque is equally distributed between the front and rear wheels, which is suitable for normal driving.

In addition, in any case, when the viscous coupling 90 is relatively loose during nulling, the viscous coupling 90 is connected between the sun gear 41 and the ring gear 45, which are the two output elements in the first center differential 40, or between the two output elements in the second center differential 50. Sun gear 51 and carrier 5, which are also two output elements
Since it allows relative rotation between 6 and 6, that is, differential operation,
The difference in rotational speed caused by cornering between the front wheels 10.11 and rear wheels 16.17, which are respectively linked to these output elements, is absorbed, and the braking phenomenon is eliminated. In addition, during sharp cornering, or when either the front 9Q10.11 or rear wheel 16.17 slips, the rotation between the front and rear wheels is caused by the rotation between the two output elements in the second center differential 50. Since the differential operation is limited, the center differential 40 or 50 approaches the locked state, and the difference in rotational speed between the front and rear wheels as described above is eliminated or suppressed. Therefore, during sharp cornering,
This prevents the running condition from becoming unstable due to an excessive rotational speed difference between the front and rear wheels, and when either the front wheel 10.11 or the rear wheel 16.17 slips, power is transferred to the other wheel. For example, it becomes possible to escape from a slip state or obtain the required starting acceleration.

In this way, by using the viscous coupling 90, the differential operation of the center differential 40, 50 is controlled in accordance with the driving conditions.

By the way, in this transfer device 3, a front wheel differential device 30. is mounted on the left front wheel drive shaft 21. Transfer components such as the 1st and 2nd center differentials 40.50 and the viscous coupling 90 are provided, but since the drive shaft 21 is close to the transmission 2, there is no space between the transmission 2 and the engine 1. Interposed clutch 5
The housing 5a protrudes to the vicinity of the drive shaft 21, and a larger diameter member among the members cannot be placed in the protruding position. Therefore, in this transfer device 23, the viscous coupling 90, which has a relatively small diameter among the above-mentioned members, is arranged in a position close to the clutch housing 5a, and the front wheel differential device 30 and the first viscous coupling 90 are arranged on both sides of the viscous coupling 90, which has a relatively small diameter. A second center differential 40.50 mm is installed. As a result, each of the transfer constituent members can be arranged centrally on the left front width drive shaft 21, and compared to a case where these members are arranged avoiding the clutch housing 5a, the vehicle body of the transfer device 3 can be arranged in a concentrated manner. The dimension in the width direction will be shortened. In addition, the above 1st ° 2nd rental differential 40.50
Since the viscous coupling 90 and the viscous coupling 90 that limit the differential movement thereof are located adjacent to each other, the connection structure between the two is simple.

In particular, in order to make these two adjacent, the first. Second
If the viscous coupling 90 is placed on the left side of the center differential 40.50, the universal joint 21a (see Figure 1) provided on the left front wheel drive shaft 21 will be moved to the outside of the vehicle body. Due to the arrangement as described above, it is possible to move the universal joint 21a toward the inside of the vehicle body, thereby reducing the bending angle at the universal joint portion of the left front wheel drive shaft 21 and reducing the load acting on the joint 21a. will be done.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention provides a four-wheel drive vehicle with a horizontally mounted engine. A differential between the axles (center differential) between the layers vJ@ and each transfer component of a differential limiting device that limits the differential operation of the differential are provided, and this differential limiting device is connected to both of the differentials. Since the clutch housing is arranged between the drive shafts, it is possible to centrally arrange the transfer components on the drive shaft, even though the clutch housing is located close to the drive shaft. As a result, the transfer device can be made more compact, and the universal joints provided on the 1 and E2 drive shafts can be brought closer to the center of the vehicle body, making it possible to reduce the bending angle at the universal joints of the drive shafts. Accordingly, the durability of the joint is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a four-wheel drive vehicle according to the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the main parts, and FIG. 3.4 is the first. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a second center differential. 1...Engine, 2...Transmission, 3.
・・１ Heranshua device, 21・・Drive shaft (left front wheel drive @), 30・・Wheel opening e device (front wheel differential device>
, 40.50... Axle opening movement device @ (first and second center differential), 90... Differential limiting device (viscous coupling).

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An engine arranged so that its output shaft extends in the width direction of the vehicle body, a transmission whose input and output shafts are arranged so as to extend in the width direction of the vehicle body and into which power from the engine is input; The structure of the transfer device in a four-wheel drive vehicle includes a transfer device that transmits output to front wheels and rear wheels, and the left and right wheels are mounted on the drive shaft of a wheel located on the engine side of the front wheels or rear wheels. an inter-wheel differential device for the wheels; an inter-axle differential device that divides the power output from the transmission into front wheels and rear wheels; and an inter-axle differential device connected to the two elements that constitute the inter-axle differential device. A differential limiting device having a plurality of disk plates each for limiting differential operation of the differential device is disposed, and on the drive shaft,
A transfer structure for a four-wheel drive vehicle, wherein the differential limiting device is disposed between the inter-wheel differential device and the inter-axle differential device.