DRIVE GEAR UNIT

• US 20160153537A1
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alchemica Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alchemica Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kubo, Aizoh, Sugitani, Nobuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,203,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/364 using electric or hydraulic motors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/10 with orbital spur gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/36 characterised by intentionally generating speed difference between outputs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

The present invention provides a drive gear device that can easily be made compact and lightweight with a simple configuration, and that has little friction loss. Among externally toothed sun gear members (12a, 12b) and ring gear members (16, 17) of first and second planetary gear mechanisms (11a, 11b), one pair, which are first paired members (12a, 12b), are coupled to a coupling member (12) for equalizing the rotational speeds and rotational directions of the first paired members (12a, 12b), and the other pair, which are second paired members (16, 17) are coupled to opposite rotation members (18, 19) for making the second paired members (16, 17) rotate in opposite directions. Rotational torque inputted to the coupling member (12) is distributed to the first planetary gear mechanism (11a) and the second planetary gear mechanism (11b), and is outputted from planetary carriers (15a, 15b).

Claims

1. A drive gear unit comprising:

a housing;

first and second pinion gear units each of which includes a sun gear as an external gear, a pinion gear meshed with the sun gear, an internal gear having inner teeth meshed with the gear, and a carrier which supports the pinion gear while allowing to rotate and to revolve around the sun gear, and in which the sun gear, the internal gear and the carrier are allowed to rotate;

a connection member that provides a connection between either one pair of the sun gears or the internal gears of the first and second pinion gear units as a first pair in such a manner to rotate at same speeds and in same directions;

a reverse rotation member that provides a connection between the other pair of the sun gears or the internal gears of the first and second pinion gear units as a second pair in such a manner to rotate in different directions;

wherein a torque inputted to the connection member is distributed to the first pinion gear unit and the second pinion gear unit, and outputted from the carrier.

2. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a control motor which rotates at least one of the second member of the first pinion gear unit, the second member of the second pinion gear unit and the reverse rotation member.

3. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the connection member is connected coaxially with the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units serving as the first pair, and

the internal gears of the first and second pinion gear units comprises outer teeth,

the drive gear unit further comprising:

a first auxiliary gear pair, which has first outer teeth and second outer teeth formed coaxially to be engaged with the outer teeth of the internal gear of the first pinion gear unit, and which is rotatably supported by the housing; and

a second auxiliary gear pair, which has coaxially formed third outer teeth to be engaged with the second outer teeth of the first auxiliary gear pair and fourth outer teeth to be engaged with the outer teeth of the internal gear of the second pinion gear unit, and which is rotatably supported by the housing, and

the first and second auxiliary gear pairs functioning as the reverse rotation members.

4. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the internal gear of the first pinion gear unit comprises outer teeth,

the drive gear unit further comprising:

a dual concentric motor which includes an inner rotor arranged between the first pinion gear unit and the second pinion gear unit with both ends protruding to the first pinion gear unit side and the second pinion gear unit side and an outer rotor with both ends protruding the first pinion gear unit side and the second pinion gear unit side, and in which the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units are connected coaxially at the both ends of the inner rotor and the second pinion gear unit side of the outer rotor is connected coaxially to the internal gear of the second pinion gear unit;

a third auxiliary gear pair having inner teeth which is connected coaxially to the first pinion gear unit side of the outer rotor; and

a fourth auxiliary gear pair, which has coaxially formed first outer teeth to be engaged with the outer teeth of the internal gear of the first pinion gear unit and second outer teeth to be engaged with the inner teeth of the third auxiliary gear pair, and which is rotatably supported by the housing,

the inner rotor of the dual concentric motor functions as the connection member,

the outer rotor of the dual concentric motor and the third and fourth auxiliary gear pair function as the reverse rotation member, and

the dual concentric motor functions as the control motor and as a drive motor that drives the connection member to rotate.

5. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the internal gear of the first pinion gear unit comprises outer teeth,

the drive gear unit further includes:

a fifth auxiliary gear pair which is connected coaxially to the first pinion gear unit side of the internal gear of the second pinion gear unit, and which has inner teeth;

a sixth auxiliary gear pair, which has coaxially formed first outer teeth to be engaged with the outer teeth of the internal gear of the first pinion gear unit and the second outer teeth to be engaged with the inner teeth of the fifth auxiliary gear pair, and which is rotatably supported by the housing; and

a drive motor which is arranged between the first pinion gear unit and the second pinion gear unit and has an inner rotor with both ends protruding the first pinion gear unit side and the second pinion gear unit side, and in which the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units are connected coaxially to the both ends of the inner rotor,

the first pair is the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units,

the inner rotor of the drive motor functions as the connection member, and

the fifth and sixth auxiliary gear pairs function as the reverse rotation members.

6. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the connection member is connected coaxially with the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units serving as the first pair, and

the internal gears of the first and second pinion gear units comprise outer teeth,

the drive gear unit further comprising a reversing motor that has first and second output shafts, which are arranged coaxially, protrude to sides opposite to each other, and are driven to rotate in reverse directions, and in which first and the second external gears to be engaged with the outer teeth of the internal gears of the first and second pinion gear units are connected coaxially to the first and second output shafts, and

the reversing motor functions as the reverse rotation member and the control motor.

7. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the connection member is connected coaxially with the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units serving as the first pair,

the inner teeth of the internal gear of the first pinion gear unit includes an inner teeth extension portion which is extended to the second pinion gear unit side, and

the inner teeth of the internal gear of the second pinion gear unit includes the inner teeth extension portion which is extended to the first pinion gear unit side,

the drive gear unit further comprising:

a first auxiliary gear pair, which has coaxially formed first gear and second gear to be engaged with the inner teeth extension portion of the internal gear of the first pinion gear unit, and which is rotatably supported by the housing; and

a second auxiliary gear pair, which has coaxially formed third gear to be engaged with the second gear of the first auxiliary gear pair and fourth gear to be engaged with the inner teeth extension portion of the internal gear of the second pinion gear unit, and which is rotatably supported by the housing, and

the first and second auxiliary gear pairs function as the reverse rotation members.

8. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the connection member is connected coaxially with the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units as the first pair,

the drive gear unit further comprising an intermediate gear which is fixed to the connection member, and has outer teeth formed coaxially with the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units.

9. The drive gear unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the first pair is the internal gears of the first and second pinion gear units,

the drive gear unit further includes a reversing motor that has first and second output shafts, which are arranged between the first and second pinion gear units, protrude to sides opposite to each other coaxially and are driven to rotate in reverse directions, and in which the sun gears of the first and second pinion gear units are connected coaxially to the first and second output shafts, and

the reversing motor functions as the reverse rotation member and the control motor.