Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Toru Kagata

Masumi Kazaoka

Takayoshi Onodera

A vehicle drive system includes a compact drive mode-shifting mechanism that is mounted in the final drive gearset of a vehicle. The drive mode-shifting mechanism includes a first shaft, a second shaft, and a clutch assembly. The first shaft forms an input shaft for the differential for a pair of wheels, the second shaft transmits engine power and the clutch assembly connects and disconnects the first and second shafts to one another to effect either the two-wheel-drive mode or the four-wheel-drive mode. The first shaft has an outer surface provided with a first spline, the second shaft has an outer surface provided with a second spline, and said clutch assembly includes an axially movable shifting member provided with an internal spline. The shifting member is movable between a first position in which the internal spline on the shifting member is in engagement with the first spline on the first shaft and the second spline on the second shaft to achieve the four-wheel-drive more and a second position in which the internal spline on the shifting member is in engagement with the first spline on the first shaft and is out of engagement with the second spline on the second shaft to achieve the two-wheel-drive mode.

Vehicle drive system including drive mode-shifting mechanism for shifting between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive

A driving force transmitting device for a vehicle includes a drive mode-shifting mechanism which is disposed in the final drive gear-set of a vehicle. The drive mode-shifting mechanism includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, a third rotating member, and a movable member. The movable member is movable between a first position in which the first and second rotating members are disconnected to effect the two-wheel-drive mode, a second position in which the first and second rotating members are connected to effect differential-free four-wheel-drive mode, and a third position in which the second and third rotating members are connected to effect the differential-lock four-wheel-drive mode.

Driving force transmitting device for vehicle

A vehicle drive system includes a compact drive mode-shifting mechanism that is mounted in the final drive gearset of a vehicle. The drive mode-shifting mechanism includes a first shaft, a second shaft, and a clutch assembly. The first shaft forms an input shaft for the differential for a pair of wheels, the second shaft transmits engine power and the clutch assembly connects and disconnects the first and second shafts to one another to effect either the two-wheel-drive mode or the four-wheel-drive mode. The first shaft has an outer surface provided with a first spline, the second shaft has an outer surface provided with a second spline, and said clutch assembly includes an axially movable shifting member provided with an internal spline. The shifting member is movable between a first position in which the internal spline on the shifting member is in engagement with the first spline on the first shaft and the second spline on the second shaft to achieve the four-wheel-drive mode and a second position in which the internal spline on the shifting member is in engagement with the first spline on the first shaft and is out of engagement with the second spline on the second shaft to achieve the two-wheel-drive mode.

Vehicle drive system including drive mode-shifting mechanism for

A wheel hub clutch assembly which includes a cylindrical body attached to a wheel hub, an inner sleeve contained within the body and fixedly mounted on a driveable axle, a clutch member splined to the inner sleeve to be maintained in a first position in which external splining of the clutch member is disengaged from internal splining of the body to uncouple the wheel hub from the axle and to be axially moved from the first position to a second position in which the external splining is engaged with the internal splining to couple the wheel hub to the axle, a cam ring formed at one side thereof with a cam face and rotatable on the inner sleeve, a cam follower splined to the inner sleeve between the clutch member and the cam ring to cooperate with the cam face of the cam ring to be moved to and from the clutch member in response to rotation of the inner sleeve, and a return spring for loading the cam follower toward the cam face of the cam ring, wherein the cam follower is operatively connected to the clutch member, and the cam ring is arranged to be applied with the brake in response to rotation of the cam follower. In the clutch assembly, the cam face of the cam ring is improved to reliably effect complete disengagement of the external splining of the clutch member from the internal splining of the body in declutching operation.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi-ken, Japan

Toru Kagata