POWER DISTRIBUTION DEVICE

• US 20190316655A1
• Filed: 03/19/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: OSADA, Yasumitsu, NAKAZAWA, Teruhiko, SUZUKI, Atsushi, NISHIZAWA, Hiroyuki, TORII, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 11,047,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/165 provided between independent half axles B60K17/18, B60K17/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/346 the transfer gear being a differential gear
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/3462 with means for changing distribution of torque between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/73 Planetary gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/106 characterised by two sun gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/666 with compound planetary gear units, e.g. two intermeshing orbital gears F16H3/663 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/724 using external powered electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/0826 with only one output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/10 with orbital spur gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/11 having intermeshing planet gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A planetary gear mechanism has a first planetary gear train that includes a ring gear to which power from a main power source is input, a planetary carrier that is connected to a first output shaft, a first planetary pinion that is turnably supported by the planetary carrier, and a first sun gear that is connected to a distribution electric motor. The planetary gear mechanism also has a second planetary gear train that includes the ring gear, the planetary carrier, the first planetary pinion, a second planetary pinion that is turnably supported by the planetary carrier, and a second sun gear that is connected to a second output shaft.

Claims

1. A power distribution device for splitting power input from a main power source between a first output shaft and a second output shaft, the power distribution device having a variable torque distribution ratio and comprising:

a planetary gear mechanism including;

a ring gear to which the power from the main power source is input;

a planetary carrier that is connected to the first output shaft;

a first planetary pinion that is turnably supported by the planetary carrier and meshes with the ring gear;

a second planetary pinion that is turnably supported by the planetary carrier and meshes with the first planetary pinion;

a first sun gear that meshes with the first planetary pinion; and

a second sun gear that is connected to the second output shaft and meshes with the second planetary pinion; and

a distribution electric motor that is connected to the first sun gear, and from which torque for changing the torque distribution ratio is input to the planetary gear mechanism.

2. The power distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the first sun gear is attached on a first sun gear shaft that is a hollow shaft having a space through which the second output shaft extends, and a rotor of the distribution electric motor is joined to the first sun gear shaft.

3. The power distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the first sun gear is attached on a first sun gear shaft that is a hollow shaft having a space through which the second output shaft extends, and the first sun gear shaft is connected to a rotor of the distribution electric motor via a reduction gear pair that slows down turning of the distribution electric motor and transfers it to the first sun gear shaft.

4. The power distribution device according to claim 1, wherein

the first output shaft is connected to the planetary carrier via a first intermediate shaft joined to the planetary carrier and a first reduction gear pair that slows down turning of the first intermediate shaft and transfers it to the first output shaft;

the second output shaft is connected to the second sun gear via a second intermediate shaft joined to the second sun gear and a second reduction gear pair that slows down turning of the second intermediate shaft and transfers it to the second output shaft; and

the second intermediate shaft is a hollow shaft having a space through which a first sun gear shaft extends, the first sun gear shaft joining together the distribution electric motor and the first sun gear.