Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Honda Giken Kogyo K.k.

Katsuhiko Masuda

Kazuhiko Shimada

Kazunori Shibuya

Tetsuro Hamada

Tetsurou Hamada

Jun Aoki

Isamu Hashizume

Hiroshi Ikegami

Kunitaka Furuya

Masami Takano

Yasuji Shibahata

Etsuo Fujii

Hiroyuki Makino

Seiichi Hirai

Tetsuji Muto

Shojji Tokushima

It is a purpose of the present invention to connect the operation of the driving-force distributing device with the operation of the driving-force reducing device at an appropriate timing to insure a stable performance of the vehicle. When a slip rate exceeds a predetermined value, a driving-force distributing device which includes a variable differential operation limiting device is first operated so as to hold a differential operation limiting torque at a predetermined value. If the slip rate further increases, a driving-force reducing device which includes a traction control device is operated so as to hold the engine output at a predetermined value. At that time, if slip rates of both racing inner wheel and racing outer wheel are further increased, the driving-force reducing device is operated to reduce the engine output.

Driving-force control system for a vehicle

A driving-wheel torque control system for an automotive vehicle determines whether or not the driving wheels of the vehicle are in a predetermined racing state. If it is determined that the driving wheels are in the predetermined racing state, the limited slip differential torque is held at a first value substantially equal to or close to a second value thereof assumed when it is determined that the driving wheels are in the predetermined racing state.

Driving-wheel torque control system for automotive vehicles

A connecting system which includes a pilot clutch brought into an engaged state by an actuator, a cam member operated by an engaging force of the pilot clutch, an urging member driven and moved by the cam member, and a main clutch brought into an engaged state by a movement of the urging member. The cam member includes a first cam ring restrained by the pilot clutch, a second cam ring provided on the urging member, and rolling members interposed the first and second cam rings for converting the relative rotation of the cam rings into a thrust. The system further includes a biasing member for biasing the urging member and the first cam ring in a direction of abutment against each other in order to generate a frictional force between the urging member and the first cam ring. Thus, it is possible to prevent the engaging force of the main clutch from being influenced by a drag torque produced in the pilot clutch.

Main clutch connecting system having a pilot clutch

A drive wheel torque control system for a vehicle includes control means for controlling a variable differential motion limiting device provided between drive wheels to distribute a predetermined LSD torque from a racing drive wheel to a nonracing drive wheel. The control means includes vehicle speed determining means for determining a vehicle speed from a follower wheel spaced, drive wheel speed determining means adapted to select a smaller one of the drive wheel speeds as a drive wheel speed, when the inner-side wheel in turning movement is racing, and to select a larger one of the drive wheel speeds, when the outer-side wheel in turning movement is racing, and torque determining means for determining the LSD torque from the vehicle speed and the drive wheel speed. This ensures that only when the inner wheel is racing, the smaller one of the drive wheel speeds can be selected, and an LSD torque can be distributed to the outer wheel, thereby easily effecting the adjustment of the locus of turning movement of the vehicle when the inner wheel is racing, while properly controlling the behavior of the vehicle.

Drive wheel torque controlling system for vehicle

A torque transmitting device includes a rotatable case having defined therein a fluid chamber extending axially and filled with a fluid, a rotatable shaft disposed coaxially in the fluid chamber and rotatable with respect to the case, a plurality of outer plates and inner plates disposed coaxially in the fluid chamber for relative torque transmission between the rotatable case and the rotatable shaft through the fluid, the outer plates having outer peripheries engageable with an inner peripheral surface of the rotatable case for rotation with the rotatable case, the inner plates having inner peripheries engageable with an outer peripheral surface of the rotatable shaft for rotation with the rotatable shaft, and members disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the rotatable case and the outer peripheries of the outer plates or between the outer peripheral surface of the rotatable shaft and the inner peripheries of the inner plates for holding the rotatable case and the rotatable shaft in engagement with each other while allowing them to be angularly shifted through a predetermined angle.

Torque transmitting device

A torque transmitting device for transmitting torque by utilizing the viscosity of a fluid includes a casing having a cylindrical barrel having closed opposite ends, shafts rotatably supported in the casing in concentric relation to the cylindrical barrel, a fluid chamber defined by an inner peripheral surface and outer peripheral surfaces of the shafts, a plurality of annular outer plates disposed in the fluid chamber and rotatable with the casing, a plurality of annular inner plates disposed in the fluid chamber alternately with the outer plates and rotatable with the shafts, and a fluid filled in the fluid chamber. Torque can be transmitted between the casing and the shafts through the viscosity of the fluid present between the outer plates and the inner plates. Flow passages are defined in the fluid chamber and extending axially of the shafts for allowing the fluid to flow in the fluid chamber axially of the shafts.

A viscous coupling has a casing having a fluid chamber defined therein, and a plurality of first plates and a plurality of second plates, the first and second plates being rotatable about a common axis and disposed in the fluid chamber. The first and second plates drivingly interconnect the casing and at leest one rotatable member. A viscous fluid introduced into the fluid chamber through an inlet port defined in one end wall of the casing flows circumferentially in and along an annular groove defined in an inner surface of the end wall. Each of the first and second plates has a plurality of holes defined therein and spaced circumferentially thereof. The viscous fluid flows through these holes into spaces between adjacent ones of the first and second plates. The other end wall of the casing has an air vent hole defined therein which allows air to escape from the fluid chamber when the viscous fluid is charged into the fluid chamber.

Viscous coupling

A drive mode selecting system for a four-wheel-drive motor vehicle includes a drive system for driving a first axle drive mechanism and a second axle drive mechanism, a clutch for selectively rigidly connecting the first and second axle drive mechanisms through the drive system for transmitting relative torque between the first and second axle drive mechanisms, and disconnecting the first and second axle drive mechanisms, a brake operation detector for detecting operation of a brake of the motor vehicle, an accelerator operation detector for detecting operation of an accelerator of the motor vehicle, and a controller responsive to detected signals from the brake operation detecting means and the accelerator operation detecting means for applying a disengaging signal to the clutch means to disconnect the first and second axle drive mechanisms when the detected signals indicate that the brake is operated and the accelerator is not operated.

Drive mode selecting system for four-wheel-drive motor vehicle

To the end of eliminating the problems arising from substantially rigid connection between a front wheel set and a rear wheel set in a four-wheel drive vehicle, there is provided a power transmission system in which a speed-dependent power transmission device is provided between the front wheel set and the rear wheel set so that both the wheel sets are substantially rigidly connected to each other in a low speed range and rotational power is transmitted only from the front wheel set to the rear wheel set in a high speed range. The power transmission device of this kind can be conveniently formed by a pair of one-way clutch elements which are connected between an input member and an output member in a mutually parallel relationship; one of the one-way clutch elements transmitting power from the input member to the output member in both the high and the low speed range while the other one-way clutch element transmits power only from the output member to the input member in the low speed range but does not transmit power in either direction in the high speed range. This speed-dependency can be accomplished by using one-way clutch sprag elements each having a gravitational center offset from its center of rolling motion for wedging between the input member and the output member.

Direction-dependent power transmission system

In a multi-axle drive vehicle having a first axle which is directly coupled to a power source, and a second axle which is coupled to the power source by way of a coupling such as a viscous coupling which is adapted to transmit torque as a mathematical function of a difference in rotational speed between its input end and output end, to the end of eliminating the problems arising from transmission of braking force between the wheels of difference axles, the vehicle is further provided with a clutch for selectively interrupting transmission of power from the power source to the second axle, a brake sensor for detecting activation of a brake system of the vehicle, and a control unit for activating the clutch when the brake sensor has detected activation of the brake system. The conditions for activating the clutch may further include that the vehicle is running at a high speed which may be detected either directly or from a shift position of the power transmission system of the vehicle.

Four wheel drive vehicle

A method and mechanism for selectively transmitting and interrupting power between an input shaft and an output shaft arranged in coaxial relation in which a rotary member is coupled to one of the shafts to provide first and second states therebetween and wherein in the first state the rotary member is free to rotate and rotation is transmitted between the input and output shafts, whereas in the second state the input shaft can rotate relative to the output shaft and transmission of rotation is interrupted. The rotary member and the one shaft are angularly rotated relative to one another between first and second relative positions in the first and second states, and rotation of the rotary member is halted by a disc brake in the second state.

Method and mechanism for selectively transmitting and interrupting

A drive power transmission device includes: a first shaft for receiving drive power transmitted from a drive source; a second shaft having a coupling shaft portion at a front end thereof; a coupling housing comprising a cover body having a front portion operatively coupled to a rear end of the first shaft and a rear portion including a central bearing portion in which a distal end of the coupling shaft portion is rotatably supported, and a tubular member having a front open end in which an outer circumference of the cover body is fitted and a rear boss end having a central through hole in which a proximal portion of the coupling shaft portion is rotatably supported, the cover body, the boss end, the coupling shaft portion, and the tubular member jointly defining a cylindrical fluid chamber filled with a fluid; a viscous shear coupling mechanism disposed in the fluid chamber for transmitting the drive power from the first shaft through the fluid to the second shaft; and a centrifugal clutch mechanism disposed between the coupling housing and the second shaft for transmitting the drive power from the first shaft to the second shaft.

Drive power transmission device

To the end of eliminating the problems arising from substantially rigid connection between a front wheel set and a rear wheel set in a four-wheel drive vehicle, there is provided a power transmission system in which a torque-dependent power transmission device is provided between the front wheel set and the rear wheel set so that both the wheel sets are substantially rigidly connected to each other in a low torque range and rotational power is transmitted only from the front wheel set to the rear wheel set in a high torque range. The power transmission device of this kind can be conveniently formed by a parallel combination of a one-way clutch and a torque limiter.

Torque-dependent power transmission system

A power transmission system suitable for use in a four-wheel drive motorcar. A torque generated from a power source is directly transmitted to a first axle, and it is transmitted to a second axle via a torque transmission device making use of viscosity of fluid. Between the power source and the second axle is provided torque limiter means for limiting a torque transmitted to the second axle to smaller than a preset value. Even if the torque transmission device should take a locked condition, an excessively large torque would not be exerted upon the respective parts in the power transmission system, and hence a torque transmission system can be made light in weight.

Power transmission system for vehicles

An improvement is provided in a differential gear which includes an input shaft, a differential casing adapted to be rotated by the input shaft, a differential pinion shaft radially extending within the differential casing and a plurality of differential pinion gears rotatably mounted on the differential pinion shaft. A pair of side gears having a rotation axis common to that of the differential casing and meshing with the pinion gears, and a pair of output shafts fixed to the side gears. The improvement comprises a centrifugal weight member slidably mounted on the differential pinion shaft and radially inwardly biased, and a multiple disc clutch provided between the differential casing and the output shafts. The clutch is adapted to be engaged in response to the radially outward movement of the centrifugal weight member.

Growing community of inventors

Wako, Japan

Katsuhiko Masuda