Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Nobuaki Katayama

Kan Sasaki

Kazuhito Ikemoto

Yukio Terakura

Keisuke Takimura

Akio Numazawa

Hideaki Koga

Fumitomo Tsuchiya

Takashi Yamamoto

Kinya Yoshii

Takeharu Koide

Isao Tsuzuki

Yoshio Ohta

Mikio Kaneko

Junichi Matsuura

Mitsuyoshi Yasuda

Fumie Nakao

Shyogo Kato

In a power transfer device for four-wheel drive including a differential arranged to split the driving torque from a power transmission into two torque delivery paths, a first output shaft assembly in drive connection to the differential to transfer the split driving torque to front or rear-wheel drive axles and a second output shaft assembly in drive connection to the differential to transfer the split driving torque to rear or front-wheel drive axles, one of the output shaft assemblies being composed of a pair of split shafts, a shift mechanism includes a clutch sleeve slidably mounted on one of the split shafts for rotation therewith and shiftable between a first position where it is engaged with the other split shaft and a second position where it is disengaged from the other split shaft, a manually operated plug member rotatably coupled within a corresponding bore in the peripheral wall of a housing of the transfer device, and a fastening bolt threaded into the peripheral wall of the housing to fasten the plug member to the housing at a rotated position, the plug member having an inner end portion integrally provided with an eccentric cam pin which is engaged with an annular groove formed on the clutch sleeve.

Power transfer device for four-wheel drive

In combination with a power transmission for an automotive vehicle, a power transfer device includes a transfer casing secured at one side thereof to a casing of the power transmission, a ring gear rotatably mounted within the transfer casing to be applied with driving power from the power transmission through a center differential, and an output shaft assembly mounted within the transfer casing to transmit the driving power from the ring gear to a propeller shaft. The output shaft assembly includes a drive pinion integrally formed with an internally splined hollow shaft portion rotatably mounted within the transfer casing and being in mesh with the ring gear, and an externally splined slide shaft axially slidably coupled within the hollow shaft portion of the drive pinion for rotation therewith and having an output end portion for drive connection to the propeller shaft.

Output shaft assembly in power transfer device

A power transfer device for four-wheel drive includes a center differential of the bevel gear type arranged to split the driving power from a power transmission into two torque delivery paths respectively for front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, a front-drive differential of the bevel gear type arranged coaxially with the center differential at one side thereof to transfer the split driving power from a side gear of the center differential to front-wheel axles, and an output gear for rear-wheel drive arranged coaxially with the center differential at the other side thereof to transfer the split driving power from another side gear of the center differential to rear-wheel axles. In the power transfer device, a limited-slip differential in the form of a viscous coupling is assembled within a mounting case for the output gear to effect limited-slip torque proportional to the difference in rotational speed between the side gears.

A power transfer device for four-wheel drive includes a center differential of the bevel gear type arranged to split the driving torque from a power transmission into two torque delivery paths respectively for front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, a front-drive differential of the bevel gear type arranged coaxially with the center differential at one side thereof to transfer the split driving torque from a side gear of the center differential to front-wheel axles, an output gear for rear-wheel drive arranged coaxially with the center differential at the other side thereof to transfer the split driving torque from another side gear of the center differential to rear-wheel axles, and a limited-slip differential in the form of a viscous coupling assembled with a mounting case for the output gear to effect limited-slip torque proportional to the difference in rotational speed between the side gears. In the transfer device, a clutch mechanism is arranged between the center differential and the mounting case for the output gear to selectively render the limited-slip differential inoperative.

An air breather plug assembly adapted for use in a transmission or trans-axle casing includes a cylindrical plug body detachably threaded into an upper portion of the casing and having an inner end portion which extends into an interior of the casing in a predetermined length, a cup-shaped baffle-plate fixedly coupled within the inner end portion of the plug body and being formed with a slot for permitting the flow of air passing therethrough, a cup-shaped seal member of elastic material fixedly coupled within an outer end portion of the plug body and spaced from the baffle-plate in a predetermined distance, the seal member being formed with a slit to be opened by an internal pressure applied thereto from the interior of the casing through the baffle-plate, and a cap fixedly coupled over the outer end portion of the plug body in such a manner as to allow the air flowing from the interior of the plug body to the exterior through the slit of the seal member.

Air breather plug assembly for use in power transmission unit

A power transmission for automotive vehicles includes a trans-axle housing formed therein with first, second and third compartments which are in open communication with each other and store therein an amount of lubricating oil, a change-speed gear transmission mounted within the first compartment, a first transfer gear mechanism mounted within the second compartment and in drive connection with the gear transmission, and a second transfer gear mechanism mounted within the third compartment and in drive connection coaxially with the first transfer gear mechanism. For sufficient lubrication of the second transfer gear mechanism, an oil pump is mounted within the first compartment to be driven by the output drive power from the gear transmission and is connected to a communication passage extending to the third compartment through the second compartment to introduce lubricating oil discharged from the oil pump into the third compartment.

Power transmission for automotive vehicle

A differential gear in an automobile, comprising a differential case formed by an annular unit wall structure having a cylindrical outer surface along at least a part of its length, four through holes opening at the cylindrical outer surface at generally constant circumferential intervals, and a circumferential groove on the cylindrical outer surface. Four differential pinions are radially arranged in the case between a pair of opposed side gears for simultaneously mating therewith. The four differential pinions are rotatably supported by one long and two short pinion shafts, the outer ends of which are received by the through holes of the case, respectively. An inner holder maintains a cross configuration of the pinion shafts. An outer ring is fitted on the case for engaging with the outer ends of the pinion shafts and snap ring is provided for retaining the outer ring in place.

Differential gear in an automobile

In combination with a power transmission, a power transfer device comprises a transfer casing detachably secured to a transmission casing, a first differential rotatable within the transmission casing and having a first gear casing driven by an output gear of the transmission, a second differential coaxial with the first differential having a second gear casing integral with an output element of the first differential and rotatable within the first gear casing, a carrier member rotatably mounted within the transfer casing and arranged coaxially with the first and second differentials, a first axle connected with an output element of the second differential and extending outwardly from the transmission casing, a second axle connected with another output element of the second differential and extending outwardly from the transfer casing through the carrier member, a hollow shaft in surrounding relationship with the second axle and connected at its opposite ends with another output element of the first differential and the carrier member, and a clutch sleeve slidably mounted on the hollow shaft to be engaged with the first gear casing. The clutch sleeve is arranged to be axially slidably coupled with the carrier member and to be positioned by engagement with the carrier member.

A power transmission for a four-wheel drive vehicle includes a change-speed gearing mounted within a transmission casing, and an intermediate differential unit assembled within the transmission casing and drivingly connected to an output shaft of the change-speed gearing to be applied with a driving torque through the change-speed gearing for transmitting the driving torque to a first drive shaft for front-wheel drive and to a second drive shaft for rear-wheel drive. The differential unit comprises a differential casing rotatably mounted within the transmission casing and drivingly connected to the output shaft of the change-speed gearing, a pair of pinion gears rotatably mounted within the differential casing, a plurality of first side gears concentrically mounted within the differential casing for relative rotation and being meshed with the pinion gears, the first side gears being formed in different diameter and arranged to be drivingly connected to one of the drive shafts, a second side gear rotatably mounted within the differential casing, the second side gear being meshed with the pinion gears and drivingly connected to the other drive shaft, and a shift mechanism for selectively connecting the first side gears to the one of the drive shafts.

Power transmission for four-wheel drive vehicle

A power transfer device for four-wheel drive in combination with a power transmission having a differential gear unit for front-wheel drive. The power transfer device comprises a transfer casing detachably secured at one side thereof to the transmission casing, a carrier member rotatably mounted within the transfer casing and arranged coaxially with the differential gear unit, an output gearing assembled within the transfer casing and arranged to be driven by the carrier member for rear-wheel drive, a front-wheel axle drivingly connected at its inner end with the differential gear unit and extending outwardly through the transfer casing, and a hollow shaft arranged in surrounding relationship with the front-wheel axle and slidably engaged at its one end portion with the carrier member to be shifted to a position in which the other end of the hollow shaft is brought into engagement with the differential gear unit for four-wheel drive.

Power transfer device for four wheel drive

The present invention relates to a transaxle mechanism for use in a four-wheel drive system of an automotive vehicle. The four-wheel vehicle drive system includes a central differential gear assembly, a front-wheel differential gear assembly, a ring gear and a bevel gear. The central differential gear assembly includes: a toothed wheel which engages with a transmission output gear of a power transmission gear unit; a central differential case fixed to the toothed wheel; a central pinion cross shaft fixed to the central differential case; central differential bevel pinions mounted rotatably on the central pinion cross shaft and central side bevel gears engaging with the central differential bevel pinion. The front-wheel differential gear assembly include; a front-wheel differential case fixed to one of the central side bevel gears; a front-wheel pinion cross shaft fixed to the front-wheel differential case; front-wheel differential bevel pinions mounted rotatably on the front wheel pinion cross shaft; front-wheel side bevel gears engaging with the front wheel differential bevel pinions and being secured to front wheel shafts. A second of the central side bevel gear has a hollow shaft portion within which one of the front shafts is inserted and a hub case is fixed to the hollow shaft portion of the second of central side bevel gear. The ring gear fixed to the hub case and the ring gear engages with the bevel gear which is connected to a propeller shaft. The ring gear is located apart from the central differential gear assembly and is located adjacent to the central longitudinal line of the vehicle.

Four-wheel vehicle drive system

A power transfer device for four-wheel drive in combination with a power transmission comprises a transfer casing detachably secured at one side thereof to the transmission casing, first and second inner casings respectively assembled within the transmission and transfer casings in a coaxial relationship, a first ring gear integral with the first inner casing and in mesh with an output gear of the transmission, a second ring gear integral with the second inner casing and drivingly connected to rear-wheel axles, a first differential gear unit for front-wheel drive assembled within the first inner casing, a second differential gear unit assembled within the second inner casing and drivingly connected to the first inner casing and to the first differential gear unit, and a locking mechanism for locking the second differential gear unit.

In a change-speed gearing unit, a manual shift lever is mounted at its lower end on a retainer casing which is secured at its outer peripheral portion to the upper seating face of an extension housing for the unit by means of fastening bolts threaded into the housing with intervention of an oil buffer member of elastic material between the outer peripheral portion of the casing and the upper seating face of the housing. A first plurality of fastening bolts adjacent to the lower end of the shift lever are directly engaged with the outer peripheral portion of the retainer casing to prevent floating of the casing, and a second plurality of fastening bolts are engaged respectively through a plurality of elastic members with the outer peripheral portion of the casing such that the casing is floatably secured in place due to resiliency of the oil buffer member.

Mounting construction of shift lever retainer casing in change-speed

A synchronizer of transmission for vehicles such as an automobile has a double-mesh prevention member for permitting only one fork shaft to engage with a shift-and-select lever shaft. The gap in the engaging portion between the double-mesh prevention member and one of the forward fork shafts is selected to be greater than that between the double-mesh prevention member and the other forward fork shaft. When the shift-and-select lever shaft is operated for shifting to the reverse position, the forward fork shaft is moved by a distance corresponding to the difference in the size between the gaps mentioned above so that the synchronizer for forward transmission is put into effect to attain a synchronization between the input shaft and the output shaft.

Synchronizer of transmission for vehicles

The shift lever of a transmission is comprised of a first shift lever having a cylindrical portion for mounting a grip, and a rod-like second shift lever inserted into the cylindrical portion of the first shift lever. In the space defined between the cylindrical portion of the first shift lever and the second shift lever, there are packed a plurality of soft rubber rings and at least one hard rubber rings. The soft rubber rings serve to diminish the propagation of the vibration through the second shift lever to the first shift lever. The hard rubber ring is bonded onto one of the peripheral surfaces of the first and the second shift lever in radially spaced apart relation to the other of the peripheral surfaces of the first and the second shift lever and serves to prevent an excessive bending of the first shift lever relative to the second shift lever during the operation of the shift lever.

Growing community of inventors

Toyota, Japan

Nobuaki Katayama