Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Jtekt Corporation

Koyo Seiko Company, Ltd.

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.

Gkn Driveline Torque Technology Kk

Kazuo Kanazawa

Mamoru Murakami

Takatoshi Sakata

Kouji Yoshinami

Hiroshi Yamashita

Takeshi Yoneda

Makoto Shibuya

Nobushi Yamazaki

Takao Nakagawa

Yoshinobu Yamazaki

Hiroyuki Kiryu

Hirotaka Sato

Shin Kurosaki

Hiroshi Ishihara

The present invention offers a power steering device for a four-wheel drive, which includes: a first self-aligning torque estimation unit for estimating a self-aligning torque generated in a current vehicle behavior as a first self-aligning torque; a second self-aligning torque estimation unit for estimating a self-aligning torque that is to influence a subsequent vehicle behavior as a second self-aligning torque; a self-aligning torque change amount calculation unit for calculating a difference of the second self-aligning torque from the first self-aligning torque as a self-aligning torque change amount; and an assisting force correction unit for determining and outputting a corrected value of an assisting force to be generated for a steering operation based on the self-aligning torque change amount. Therefore, even when the self-aligning torque changes as the distribution of the front and rear driving power is variably controlled, a corresponding assisting force is generated, maintaining a natural steering feeling without causing an unpleasant sensation to the driver.

Power steering device for four-wheel drive vehicle

A differential limiter, including: differential mechanism, including: input member, first output member, second output member, and differential gear connecting the above three members so that the above three members differentially rotate; shaft member connected to the first output member and serving as output member of driving force; first cam mechanism including: first cam face on the first output member, and second cam face on the shaft member, the first cam face and second cam face are oppositely connected with each other in axial direction, to cause first axial thrust force and second axial thrust force according to driving torque; and frictional clutch between two of the above three members, and transmitting a differential limit torque. The first axial thrust force of the first output member presses the frictional clutch from first axial end. The second axial thrust force of the shaft member presses the frictional clutch from second axial end.

Differential limiter

A transfer drive gear is provided at the rear end of a hollow counter shaft disposed under an input shaft. A reduction driven gear is provided at the rear end of a front drive shaft inserted in the counter shaft. The transfer drive gear and the reduction driven gear are engaged with a transfer driven gear which is integrally formed with an intermediate output shaft and a reduction drive gear. The rear end side of the intermediate output shaft is coupled with the front end side of a rear drive shaft through a torque coupling device, so that an FF based on the four-wheel drive vehicle can be formed.

Transmission device of a four-wheel drive vehicle

Providing a drive transmission apparatus for vehicle capable of ensuring the adaptability of an electric motor to a high-temperature environment and increasing the degree of freedom for apparatus layout. The drive transmission apparatus for vehicle serves to distribute a drive force generated by a rotary drive sourcebetween drive wheelsand includes: an input memberapplied with the drive force from the rotary drive sourcean output memberfor outputting the drive force to the drive wheelsa hydraulic clutchfor hydraulically performing drive transmission/transmission cut-off between the input memberand the output memberan oil pumpfor applying a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic clutchand a sensorless brushless motor for driving the oil pump.

Drive transmission apparatus for vehicle and a four-wheel drive vehicle

An electronic controlled coupling including a wet-type multiple disc clutch, a coupling case, a hydraulic chamber, an oil pump, an electric motor, an electric control unit, and a supply passage for supplying hydraulic pressure. The coupling case accommodates the wet-type multiple disc clutch and contains oil. The oil pump driven by the electric motor is connected to the coupling case. The outlet of the oil pump is connected to the hydraulic chamber of the wet-type multiple disc clutch with the supply passage therebetween. The electric control unit controls the speed of rotation of the electric motor through a motor driver so that the pump discharge pressure is equal to an operating pressure required for the wet-type multiple disc clutch. The electronic controlled coupling performs a complete coupling mechanism increasing the durability as a coupling and a compact and simple structure enhancing the flexibility in designing.

Electronic controlled coupling

A clutch drum is engaged to the rear part of a carrier of a center differential device. A clutch piston, which is rotated together with the rear drive shaft while allowing it to retractively move in a direction along a rear drive shaft, is provided within the clutch drum. Pinion shafts are protruded from the rear end face of the carrier to form protruded parts, which are confronted with the front end face of the clutch piston. A cam part, which is in sliding contact with the protruded parts, is formed on the front end of the clutch piston. When the carrier and the rear drive shaft relatively rotate, the protruded parts retractively move the clutch piston along cam crests of the cam part to press a clutch mechanism.

Differential limiting device for a differential device

A planetary gear type center differential unit contains a carrier, a first sun gear and a second sun gear provided interiorly of the carrier, a first and second pinions respectively meshing with the first and the second sun gears, a pinion member having a shaft-receiving hole and carrying the first pinion and the second pinion therearound, and a pinion shaft made of carbon/carbon composite. The pinion shaft is supported by the carrier at one end and is inserted into the shaft-receiving hole of the pinion member, so that the pinion shaft directly supports the pinion member so as to rotate.

Center differential unit and planetary gear

In a pressure type differential limiting clutch, a drive plate and a driven plate provided between a clutch drum for transmitting a driving force to a front drive shaft and a clutch hub for transmitting the driving force to a rear drive shaft are pressed by a pressure force of a cone disk spring provided in a pressure plate, and an initial torque by the cone disk spring acts as the differential limiting torque. At a high speed, a weight in limiter device is moved in a radius direction by a centrifugal force through rotation of the rear drive shaft, enters between cam surfaces formed on the pressure plate and the clutch hub, and pushes and broadens. As a result, the pressure plate moves back against energizing force of the cone disk spring, and the initial torque is cancelled.

Driving force distributing apparatus for a four-wheel drive vehicle

A sliding surface is formed on an inner periphery of a drum member secured to a rear output shaft of a differential limiting device. There is provided a cam member between a projection and the sliding surface. The cam member has a friction surface slidable on the sliding surface and a V-shaped groove engageable with the projection. When a relative rotation occurs between the drum member and the carrier, the position where the projection is engaged with the V-shaped groove deviates so as to press the cam member toward the sliding surface. As a result, due to a frictional resistance of the friction surface against the sliding surface, first a differential limiting occurs between the drum member and the carrier and then a differential is locked up by a wedge effect of a corner edge of the cam member.

Planetary gear type differential apparatus

In a twin shaft type transmission having an input shaft and a counter shaft, a planetary gear type center differential coaxially provided with the counter shaft comprises a hollow center differential input shaft connected coaxially with the counter shaft, a first sun gear mounted on the center differential input shaft, a second sun gear provided coaxially with the first sun gear for outputting power to a rear drive shaft, a first pinion meshing with the first sun gear, a second pinion formed integrally with the first pinion and meshing with the second sun gear, a carrier rotatably holding the first and second pinions for outputting power to a front drive shaft, and a hub secured to the inside of the carrier and extending through a space between the first and second sun gears to the inside of the center differential input shaft and connected with the front drive shaft.

Transmission for four wheel drive vehicle

Transmission device of four-wheel drive vehicle

A fluid operated multiple-disk friction clutch has a drive drum, a driven drum co-axial with the drive drum, a hydraulic piston provided in an oil chamber. The piston is moved by oil pressure to engage disks so as to engage the clutch. A pair of annular cam plates are provided to form an annular space adjacent the piston. One of the annular cam plates has a tapered surface. A plurality of fall weights are provided in the space. The tapered surface acts to provide an axial component from centrifugal force in the weights, so as to push the piston in the clutch disengagement direction.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kazuo Kanazawa