Planetary gear transmission systems or components – Differential planetary gearing – Bevel gear differential
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-03
2001-09-25
Oberleitner, Robert (Department: 3613)
Planetary gear transmission systems or components
Differential planetary gearing
Bevel gear differential
C188S071500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293890
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a brake system for a vehicle, especially a small vehicle, such as an all-terrain vehicle or a utility vehicle, provided with a differential drive mechanism in a gear case in which a final reduction gear is housed.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-130791/1984 discloses a conventional system as shown in
FIG. 5
, in which a gear case
101
is provided therein with a large final reduction gear
102
, a differential drive mechanism
104
and a wet type multiplate friction brake
105
for braking a differential case
106
alone. The friction brake
105
is provided with a plurality of rotary friction plates
113
spline-fitted in a hub
112
, which is fixed to the differential case
106
, in such a manner that the rotary friction plates
113
can be axially moved, and a plurality of stationary friction plates
114
spline-fitted in an inner circumferential surface of the gear case
101
so that the stationary friction plates
114
can be axially moved.
There is another conventional system for arranging drum brakes, which are adapted to brake left and right axles independently, on the left and right sides of a gear case. In this system, levers of the respective brakes are combined together into a single operating mechanism, and both the left and right drum brakes are actuated by a single operation.
When a braking operation is carried out in the former conventional system while a vehicle travels straight, the skidding (revolution without load) of one side wheel does not occur since the differential drive mechanism is not operated. However, when a braking operation is carried out while the vehicle turns, the differential drive mechanism is operated to cause a floated wheel to skid (revolve without load) in some cases.
In the latter conventional system, in which drum brakes are arranged on the left and right sides of a gear case, two sets of brake parts, such as drums, shoes and levers, are required. Accordingly the number of parts increase, and a double brake installing space is required. Moreover, it is necessary to adjust the brakes so that balanced left and right braking forces are put forth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to reduce the number of brake parts, a brake installing space and a vehicle width and to facilitate an adjustment operation for equalizing left and right braking forces, by enabling a differential case and one axle to be braked at once with one set of wet type multiplates.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a brake system for vehicles having a gear case wherein a final reduction gear and a differential case of the differential drive mechanism is housed. The brake system includes a first rotary friction plate supported on the differential case, and a second rotary friction plate supported on an axle. The brake system also includes a plurality of stationary friction plates arranged axially alternately with respect to the rotary friction plates. The stationary friction plates are supported non-rotatably on the gear case. The stationary friction plates and the rotary friction plates are pressed at once in a single braking operation to brake the differential case and the axle. It becomes possible to brake both the differential case and one axle at once by a single braking operation, brake the rotation of a differential gear, and brake wheels by equal left and right braking forces without causing one wheel to skid (revolve without load) even while the vehicle is turned.
According to another aspect of the invention, a brake housing is integrally formed with an end wall of the gear case, and the end wall, through which the axle passes, has an opening from which the rotary friction plates and the stationary friction plates are removed and inserted. Various brake parts, such as rotary friction plates, can be set in the brake housing through the opening in a side portion of the gear case, so that assembly and disassembly of the brake system can be carried out simply.
According to another aspect of the invention, the number of the first rotary friction plates is set larger than the number of the second rotary friction plates so that a differential case braking force is larger than an axle braking force. The braking force for the differential case which substantially works to brake the vehicle is set large, and that for the axle which works to prevent the differential gear from rotating idly is set small, so that the braking force can be efficiently used.
These objects as well as other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2025098 (1935-12-01), Dudick
patent: 3707207 (1972-12-01), Kondo
patent: 3772940 (1973-11-01), Ohtsuka et al.
patent: 3907073 (1975-09-01), Harrison
patent: 4294334 (1981-10-01), Shinoda et al.
patent: 4876921 (1989-10-01), Yasui et al.
patent: 5007886 (1991-04-01), Holmquist et al.
patent: 5009290 (1991-04-01), Harada et al.
patent: 5484347 (1996-01-01), Holmquist
patent: 5988326 (1999-11-01), Sommer
patent: 6182800 (2001-02-01), Mochizuki et al.
patent: 59-130791 (1984-07-01), None
Burch Melody M.
Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Oberleitner Robert
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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