Coupling device between left and right wheels of vehicle

• US 6,105,704 A
• Filed: 11/16/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hashizume, Isamu, Arai, Kentaro, Kanamaru, Yoshihiro, Hamada, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEENDER, FLORIAN M
• Application Number:
  US09/441,232
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/242, 180/243, 180/76, 180/245, 180/6.28, 180/6.44, 180/6.5, 180/248
• US Class Current: 180/248
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/04 characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of gearing electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/046 with planetary gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/354 having separate mechanical assemblies for transmitting drive to the front or to the rear wheels or set of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/001 one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0061 the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/04 for differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/08 for changing number of driven wheels , for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles B60K17/3515 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/00 Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units arrangement or mounting in vehicles of electrical gearing, in which an electrical machine serves only as reduction gearing and not as the prime mover and in which no electrical storing means are used B60K17/12; control and regulation of purely electrical prime movers B60L; prime-movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors in a common engine block or housing per se F02B65/00; electric motors or motor-generators used for starting the combustion engine F02N11/04; electric motors for synchronising gearing F16H3/12 Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0015 the motor being hydraulic
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 : including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 : including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 : Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 : Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 : Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/26 : Wheel slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 : Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 : Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 : Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/421 : Dog type clutches or brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/16 : the additional power supply being supplied mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/24 : Endless track steering specially adapted for vehicles having both steerable wheels and endless track
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 : Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 : with plurality of drive axles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 : with transmission for changing gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

This is a connecting device (7) to be interposed between left and right wheels (5L, 5R) of a vehicle. It enables to perform a starting assistance control, a cornering control to improve the cornering performance by positively generating a difference rotation between left and right wheels, and a differential limiting control for restricting the difference rotation between the left and right wheels. There are provided: a differential gear (8) having a first rotational element (8a), and second and third rotational elements (8b, 8c) so arranged that, when one of them rotates in the forward direction relative to the first rotational element (8a), the other thereof rotates in the reverse direction; and a driving source (9) connected to the first rotational element (8a). One of the second and third rotational elements, e.g., the third rotational element (8c) is coupled to one (5R) of the rear wheels via the first power transmission system (10), and the second rotational element (8b) is coupled to the other (5L) of the rear wheels via second and third power transmission systems (11, 12) which are selectively established via a switching means (13). The gear ratios of both the first and second power transmission systems (10, 11) are identically set, and the gear ratio of the third power transmission system (12) is set so as to be opposite in direction to, but be equal in absolute value to, the above-mentioned gear ratio.

Claims

1. A coupling device between left and right wheels of a vehicle, said coupling device being provided between the left and right wheels of the vehicle, comprising:

a differential gear having a first rotational element, and second and third rotational elements one of which rotates in the forward direction while the other thereof rotates in the reverse direction, respectively, relative to said first rotational element;

a driving source which is coupled to said first rotational element of said differential gear;

a first power transmission system which couples said second rotational element to one of the left and right wheels; and

second and third power transmission systems which are selectively established via switching means and which couple said third rotational element to the other of the left and right wheels;

wherein gear ratios of said first power transmission system and said second power transmission system are both set to a mutually identical first gear ratio; and

wherein a gear ratio of said third power transmission system is set to a second gear ratio which is different from said first gear ratio.

2. A coupling device between left and right wheels of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said second gear ratio is opposite in direction to, but is equal in absolute value to, said first gear ratio.

3. A coupling device between left and right wheels of a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising clutch means which releases the coupling between the left and right wheels or the coupling between said differential gear and said driving source when a difference rotation between the left and right wheels has exceeded a predetermined value.

4. A coupling device between left and right wheels of a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said switching means is arranged to be switchable to a neutral state in which neither of said second and third power transmission systems is established such that said switching means is switched to the neutral state when the difference rotation between the left and right wheels has exceeded a predetermined value.