192 clutches and power-stop control – Transmission and brake – Motor vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-15
2003-12-09
Rodriguez, Pam (Department: 3683)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Transmission and brake
Motor vehicle
C192S048920, C180S233000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06659256
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device for a vehicle.
2. Description of Background Art
A vehicle is known in the prior art wherein the operating condition can be changed over between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
FIGS. 4 and 5
illustrate one example of the aforesaid vehicle. In
FIGS. 4 and 5
, the vehicle
1
includes a vehicle body frame
3
having an engine
2
mounted at a central part thereof. Front wheels
4
and rear wheels
5
are mounted at both the front and rear sides of the vehicle body frame
3
. A steering handlebar
6
is positioned at the forward upper part of the vehicle body frame
3
for steering the front wheels
4
. A fuel tank
7
is fixed above the engine
2
and is mounted on the vehicle body frame
3
. A seat
8
is fixed to the rear part of the fuel tank
7
.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, each of the front wheels
4
is supported by suspension devices
9
installed at both of the front sides of the vehicle body frame
3
in such a way that the front wheels may be moved up and down. Each of the rear wheels
5
is supported by suspension devices
10
installed at both of the rear sides of the vehicle body frame
3
in such a way that the rear wheels may be moved up and down.
In addition, a forward central part and a rearward central part of the vehicle body frame
3
are provided with a final gear reducer
13
for front wheels and a final gear reducer
14
for rear wheels connected to the engine
2
by propeller shafts
11
,
12
, and the right and left front wheels
4
and the right and left rear wheels
5
are connected to each of these final gear reducer
13
for the front wheels and final gear reducer
14
for the rear wheels.
Then, for example, between the final gear reducer
13
for the front wheels and the propeller shaft
11
is arranged a two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device for connecting or disconnecting power transmitted to the front wheels
4
and changing over between the rear wheel drive and the four wheel drive.
In some cases, the two-wheel and four-wheel drive change-over device is arranged between the rear propeller shaft
12
and the final gear reducer
14
for the rear wheels for changing over between the front wheel drive and the four-wheel drive.
This change-over of the driving states is dependent on a road surface state and a running form and this is changed over by a driver when required.
For the two-wheel and the four-wheel change-over device, the structure shown in
FIG. 6
, for example, has been proposed.
In
FIG. 6
, the two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device denoted by reference numeral
15
is constituted of two input shaft composing units
16
a
and
16
b
in which an input shaft
16
for the final gear reducer
13
for the front wheels is formed to be axially divided into two segments and abutted to each other on the same axis, and a change-over unit
17
is provided for performing connecting and disconnecting operations of these units.
Describing it in detail, a column-like position setting protrusion
18
protrudes at a central part of the end surface of the input shaft composing unit
16
a
positioned at the final gear reducer
13
for the front wheels. In addition, the central part of the end surface of the input shaft composing unit
16
b
positioned outside is formed with a position setting recess
19
to which the position setting protrusion
18
is rotatably fitted. Both input shaft composing units
16
a
and
16
b
are abutted to each other in such a way that the position setting protrusion
18
and the position setting recess
19
are fitted to each other, thereby both input shaft composing units
16
a
,
16
b
are positioned on the same axis and they are connected in a relative rotatable manner.
In addition, an outer circumferential surface of the abutting part of each of both input shaft composing units
16
a
and
16
b
is formed with a spline (not shown) and a change-over unit
17
so as to enclose the abutted part.
The change-over unit
17
is constituted of a change-over ring
20
formed with a spline at its inner surface, slidably fitted to the abutting part of both input shaft composing units
16
a
,
16
b
and engaged with or disengaged from each of the splines. A driving mechanism
21
is composed of a solenoid for selectively moving the change-over ring
20
to a position where the change-over ring is slid in an axial direction of both input shaft composing units
16
a
,
16
b
and engaged only with one input shaft composing unit
16
a
and a position where the change-over ring is concurrently engaged with the splines of both input shaft composing units
16
a
,
16
b.
The two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device
15
provides a two-wheel driving state in which the change-over ring
20
is moved in one direction by the driving mechanism
21
, engaged only with the input shaft composing unit
16
a
to shut off transmission of the driving force toward the front wheels
4
and only the rear wheels are driven, and a four-wheel driving state in which the change-over ring
20
is slid, the change-over ring
20
is engaged with the input shaft composing unit
16
b
under a state in which the change-over ring
20
is engaged with the input shaft composing unit
16
a
, thereby both input shaft composing units
16
a
and
16
b
are connected to each other, the driving force is transmitted to the front wheels
4
and then both front wheels
4
and rear wheels
5
are concurrently driven.
However, such a two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device
15
of the prior art leaves some problems to be improved as follows.
When the driving form is changed over, if there is a slight difference in peripheral speed between the front wheels
4
and the rear wheels
5
, a problem results in that an engagement between the change-over ring
20
and the input shaft composing unit
16
b
is not performed well and the change-over cannot be carried out.
Further, even in the case where the change-over is performed, there is also a problem that the splines abut to each other when the change-over is performed and an unusual noise is produced.
Then, in order to solve such problems as above, it becomes necessary to provide a mechanism in which the spline in the change-over ring
20
and the spline in the input shaft composing unit
16
b
are synchronized to each other (their positions are aligned to each other), so that the structure becomes complex, and when the two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device
15
is assembled, it is necessary to substantially change the members at the assembled positions from the existing structure.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device for a vehicle in which its constitution is simple, assembling can be carried out with as few changes in the existing construction as possible and less frequent occurrences of unusual noise.
A two-wheel and four-wheel driving change-over device for a vehicle described in a first aspect of the present invention is made such that there is provided a change-over unit arranged either at a power transmission mechanism installed between an engine and the front wheels or at a power transmission mechanism installed between the engine and the rear wheels and for performing intermittently power transmission at this power transmission mechanism characterized in that this change-over unit is constituted of a driving shaft connected to a driving side. A driven shaft is fitted to the driving shaft with an annular clearance being provided. A plurality of engaging or disengaging members are installed at a clearance between the driving shaft and driven shaft. The plurality of engaging or disengaging members are engaged with or disengaged from these opposing surfaces to perform a connecting operation and a disconnecting operation between the driving shaft and driven shaft. A change-over mechanism is provided for selectively positioning the engaging or disenga
Handa Akio
Seki Bunzo
Tomita Hiroaki
LandOfFree
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