Motor vehicles – Steering by driving – Combined with manual steering
Patent
1997-04-25
2000-02-15
Hurley, Kevin
Motor vehicles
Steering by driving
Combined with manual steering
180 65, 180 652, 180243, B62D 602
Patent
active
060241829
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a coupling device to be provided between left and right wheels of a vehicle, in particular between the left and right idler wheels that are not driven by an engine.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, as this kind of coupling device, there is known, in Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 131855/1993, a coupling device in which: between the left and right wheels there are provided a first coupling passage which transmits the rotation of one of the left and right wheels to the other thereof with increasing speed, and a second coupling passage which transmits the rotation of one of the wheels to the other thereof with decreasing speed; in both the coupling passages a clutch is interposed respectively; and at the time of cornering when one of the wheels becomes an inner wheel, the clutch for the first coupling passage is engaged, and at the time of cornering when one of the wheels becomes an outer wheel, the clutch for the second coupling passage is engaged so that the outer wheel is positively speeded up as compared with the inner wheel. In this manner, by generating a braking force on the inner wheel side and a driving force on the outer wheel side, the cornering performance is sought to be improved.
By the way, at the time of starting on a slippery road, such as on a snowy road, or the like, it is being considered to perform a starting assistance by driving the idler wheels by a driving source, such as an electric motor, or the like. It is desired to obtain a starting assistance function in addition to the above-described cornering control function in that the cornering performance is improved by generating a difference rotation between the left and right wheels.
The present invention has an object of providing a compact and inexpensive coupling device which meets the above-described desire and in which a difference in rotation between the right and left wheels can be generated by utilizing the driving source for the starting assistance.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In order to solve the above-described problem, according to a first feature of the present invention, a coupling device to be provided between left and right wheels of a vehicle is arranged to comprise: a differential gear having a first rotational element, and second and third rotational elements one of which rotates in normal direction while the other thereof rotates in reverse direction, respectively, relative to the first rotational element; a driving source which is coupled to the first rotational element of the differential gear; a first power transmission system which couples the second rotational element to one of the left and right wheels; and a pair of second and third power transmission systems which are selectively established via switching means and which couple the third rotational element to the other of the left and right wheels; wherein gear ratios of the first power transmission system and the second power transmission system are both set to an identical first gear ratio; and wherein a gear ratio of the third power transmission system is set to a second gear ratio which is different from the first gear ratio.
At the time of starting of the vehicle, the driving source is rotated in normal direction or in reverse direction in a state in which the second power transmission system is established. According to this arrangement, the driving force is equally transmitted from the differential gear to the left and right wheels via the first and second power transmission systems of the mutually identical gear ratio. The left and right wheels are both rotated either in normal direction or in reverse direction, whereby the starting assistance for forward running or reverse running is performed.
After starting, the third power transmission system is established and also the driving source is stopped. In this case, if the second gear ratio that is the gear ratio of the third power transmission system is set so as to be opposite in direction to, but be equal in absolute value to, the gear rat
REFERENCES:
patent: 799245 (1905-09-01), Lemp
patent: 1083730 (1914-01-01), Collischonn
patent: 1984830 (1934-12-01), Higley
patent: 2780299 (1957-02-01), Matson
patent: 3799284 (1974-03-01), Hender
patent: 4762022 (1988-08-01), Johnshoy
patent: 5465806 (1995-11-01), Higasa
patent: 5540299 (1996-07-01), Tohda
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Appln. No. 5-131855 dated May 28, 1993 .
Arai Kentaro
Hamada Tetsuro
Hashizume Isamu
Kanamaru Yoshihiro
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Hurley Kevin
Ririe Andrew J.
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