Final drive supporting structure for vehicle
First Claim
1. A final drive supporting structure for a vehicle, comprising:
- a final drive assembly comprising a final reduction gear set comprising a drive pinion rotatable about a predetermined input axis, and a ring gear which is in engagement with said drive pinion and which is rotatable about a predetermined output axis lying in an imaginary lateral plane substantially perpendicular to said input axis, said ring gear being disposed on a first lateral side of an imaginary longitudinal plane which contains said input axis and which is substantially perpendicular to said output axis; and
first, second, third and fourth supporting means for elastically supporting said final drive assembly to a vehicle body of the vehicle, respectively, at first, second, third and fourth support points, said first and fourth supporting means being located on a front side of said lateral plane, and said second and third supporting means being located on a rear side of said lateral plane which is opposite to said front side, said first and second supporting means being located on a second lateral side of said longitudinal plane which is opposite to said first lateral side, and said third and fourth supporting means being located on said first lateral side of said longitudinal plane, said first, second, third and fourth supporting means having respective stiffnesses each of which is equal to or smaller than a predetermined maximum value, the stiffness of at least one of said first, second, third and fourth supporting means being smaller than said maximum value, the stiffness of one of said first and third supporting means being equal to said maximum value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To reduce vibrations and noise, a final drive assembly of a vehicle is supported at four separate support points. The first and fourth support points are on the front side of the axis of a ring gear of a final reduction gear pair, and a second and third support points are on the opposite rear side. The third and fourth support points are on the same side of the axis of a drive pinion of the final reduction gear pair, as the ring gear. The first and second support points are on the opposite side of the axis to the ring gear. The support stiffness is greatest at one of the first and third support points. The support positions and support stiffness are preferably determined according to theoretically obtained mathematical relationships.
32 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A final drive supporting structure for a vehicle, comprising:
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a final drive assembly comprising a final reduction gear set comprising a drive pinion rotatable about a predetermined input axis, and a ring gear which is in engagement with said drive pinion and which is rotatable about a predetermined output axis lying in an imaginary lateral plane substantially perpendicular to said input axis, said ring gear being disposed on a first lateral side of an imaginary longitudinal plane which contains said input axis and which is substantially perpendicular to said output axis; and first, second, third and fourth supporting means for elastically supporting said final drive assembly to a vehicle body of the vehicle, respectively, at first, second, third and fourth support points, said first and fourth supporting means being located on a front side of said lateral plane, and said second and third supporting means being located on a rear side of said lateral plane which is opposite to said front side, said first and second supporting means being located on a second lateral side of said longitudinal plane which is opposite to said first lateral side, and said third and fourth supporting means being located on said first lateral side of said longitudinal plane, said first, second, third and fourth supporting means having respective stiffnesses each of which is equal to or smaller than a predetermined maximum value, the stiffness of at least one of said first, second, third and fourth supporting means being smaller than said maximum value, the stiffness of one of said first and third supporting means being equal to said maximum value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle body; a drive wheel; a propeller shaft; a final drive assembly comprising an input rotary member connected with said propeller shaft, an output rotary member connected with an axle of said drive wheel, and a final reduction gear set through which rotation is transmitted from said input member to said output member, an axis of said input member extending along a longitudinal axis of said vehicle, and an axis of said axle extending along a lateral axis of said vehicle, said final reduction gear set comprising larger and smaller gears engaging with each other; and first, second, third and fourth supporting means for elastically suspending said final drive assembly on said vehicle body, respectively, at first, second, third and fourth support points, said first and fourth support points being located forward of the axis of said axle, and said second and third support points being located rearward of the axis of said axle, said fourth and third support points being located on a first lateral side of the axis of said input member on which said larger gear of said final reduction gear set is disposed, and said first and second support points being located on a second lateral side of the axis of said input member, said first, second, third and fourth supporting means having respective stiffnesses each of which is equal to or smaller than a predetermined maximum value, the stiffness of at least one of said first, second, third and fourth supporting means being smaller than said maximum value, the stiffness of one of said first supporting means at said first support point and said third supporting means at said third support point being equal to said maximum value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification