Support structure of power transmission shaft in differential gear for vehicle

• US 20050269147A1
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Mito, Eiji
• Application Number:
  US11/135,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20050269147A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/248
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/165 provided between independent half axles B60K17/18, B60K17/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/24 Arrangements of mountings for shafting
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/364 with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/548 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/56 in which the rolling bodies of one bearing differ in diameter from those of another
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/61 Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts in general F16H57/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/063 Fixing them on the shaft with interposition of an element F16C35/07
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/423 characterised by bearing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/0221 Axial adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/037 Gearboxes for accommodating differential gearings rotating cases for differential gearings F16H48/40

Abstract

There is provided the anti-loosening spacer between the screw lock nut and the inner race of the first bearing for drive pinion, such that it is moved forward by a rotation of the screw lock nut, and there can exist the specified magnitude of backlash in the rotational direction between the anti-loosening spacer and the drive pinion shaft at the beginning of the rotation of the screw lock nut, and the specified magnitude of backlash can be eliminated according to the rotation of the screw lock nut. Accordingly, the screw lock nut can be properly prevented from being loosened by this locked spacer.

Claims

1. A support structure of a power transmission shaft in a differential gear for a vehicle, comprising:

a power transmission shaft which is equipped with an input portion for receiving a power at one end thereof and a drive gear for transmitting the power at the other end thereof;

a differential carrier on which said power transmission shaft is supported;

first and second bearings to rotatably support said power transmission shaft on said differential carrier, the first and second bearings being provided in serial order from said one end of the power transmission;

a screw lock nut which is disposed on said power transmission shaft;

an anti-loosening spacer which is disposed on said power transmission shaft between said screw lock nut and an inner race of said first bearing, the anti-loosening spacer being configured so as to be pressed and moved forward on the power transmission shaft by a rotation of said screw lock nut,

wherein said anti-loosening spacer includes a tooth and groove portion which is formed at an inner periphery thereof, said power transmission shaft includes a tooth and grove portion which is formed at an outer periphery thereof so as to engage with said tooth and groove portion of the anti-loosening spacer, and a tooth line of said tooth and groove portion of the anti-loosening spacer and a tooth line of said tooth and groove portion of the power transmission shaft are configured so as to extend in a substantially axial direction of the power transmission shaft but with a specified difference in angle thererbetween, whereby there can exist a specified magnitude of backlash in a rotational direction between the anti-loosening spacer and the power transmission shaft at the beginning of the rotation of said screw lock nut, and said specified magnitude of backlash can be eliminated according to the rotation of the screw lock nut.

2. The support structure of a power transmission shaft in a differential gear for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein an angle of chamfer formed at an end corner of said tooth and groove portion of the anti-loosening spacer is configured so as to be smaller than that formed at an end corner of said tooth and groove portion of the power transmission shaft.

3. The support structure of a power transmission shaft in a differential gear for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein a hardening treatment is applied to a face of said anti-loosening spacer which contacts said inner race of the first bearing.

4. The support structure of a power transmission shaft in a differential gear for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein an interference of insertion pressure between said inner race of the first bearing and said power transmission shaft is configured so as to be smaller than that of insertion pressure between an inner race of said second bearing and said power transmission shaft.

5. The support structure of a power transmission shaft in a differential gear for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said differential gear for a vehicle comprises a wet multi-plate clutch device to control a distribution ratio of drive power between front wheels and rear wheels of the vehicle, and a power from said wet multi-plate clutch device is transmitted to said input portion of the transmission shaft.