Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Toshio Yoshinaka

Shuji Nagano

Shuichiro Ida

Shinji Ogawa

Hideo Hamano

Toshikatsu Taniguchi

Hiroshi Minami

Akihiko Ichikawa

Shigeru Kimura

Shoji Haga

Toshikazu Koide

Shozo Okuda

Syuji Nagano

Yasuo Tanaka

Hiroomi Fukaya

In a power transfer mechanism including an input shaft arranged to be applied with drive torque from a prime mover of a motor vehicle, a first output shaft arranged coaxially with the input shaft for drive connection to a first set of drive axles and a second output shaft arranged in parallel with the first output shaft for drive connection to a second set of drive axles, a planetary gearset of the double pinion type is mounted on the first output shaft to transfer the drive torque from the input shaft to the first and second output shafts, the planetary gearset including a ring gear in drive connection to the input shaft, a sun gear in drive connection to the first output shaft and a planet carrier for drive connection to the second output shaft, a limited-slip differential in the form of a viscous fluid coupling is disposed between the ring gear and planet carrier to limit differential action between the first and second output shafts, and a drive train for drive connection between the planet carrier and the second output shaft is located at the rear side of the viscous fluid coupling.

Power transfer mechanism for motor vehicle

A power transfer device of the type which includes a housing, a first shaft rotatably mounted within the housing to transfer drive torque from a power transmission to a set of rear-wheel drive axles, a second shaft rotatably mounted within the housing in parallel with the first shaft for drive connection to a set of front-wheel drive axles, and a pair of clutch sleeves mounted on the first and second shafts and shiftable between respective positions in which they effect drive connection or disconnection between the first and second shafts. A shift mechanism for the clutch sleeves includes a shift rod arranged in parallel with the first and second shafts and axially movably mounted within the housing, a first shift fork axially slidably mounted on the shift rod and coupled with one of the clutch sleeves, a second shift fork fixedly mounted on the shift rod at a position adjacent the first shift fork and coupled with the other clutch sleeve, and a retainer element fixed to the shift rod at a position where it is spaced in a predetermined distance from the first shift fork when the second shift fork is maintained in engagement with the first shift fork.

Shift mechanism in power transfer device

An electric control apparatus for a transfer device in a part-time four-wheel drive vehicle is arranged to permit switchover of the transfer device from the two-wheel drive mode to the four-wheel drive mode when a difference in rotational speed between front and rear propeller shafts is smaller than a predetermined value and to prohibit switchover of the transfer device from the two-wheel drive mode to the four-wheel drive mode when the difference in rotational speed between the front and rear propeller shafts is larger than the predetermined value.

Electric control apparatus for transfer device in part-time four-wheel

A transfer unit in an automobile for selectively transferring the drive power to wheels from a two-wheel-drive state to a four-wheel-drive state, and vice versa, having a vacuum-operated actuator. The actuator is secured to the transfer case by a cylindrical fitting so that a transfer shaft can extend from the transfer case to the actuator body and so that oil in the transfer case will flow to the actuator body.

Diaphragm actuator mounting on a transfer case

The device for fixing a plug and the like comprises a spring member which is constituted by a plurality of radially deformable claws with their free ends engageable with an arresting stepped portion formed in an inserting hole in which the plug is fixed and a body integral with the claws and deformable in the direction in which the plug is urged so as to position the plug in position.

Fixed plug assembly

In a power transfer device including an input shaft rotatably mounted within a housing, a first output shaft rotatably supported on the housing for connecting the input shaft to a pair of front wheel drive axles, and a second output shaft arranged in parallel with the first output shaft and rotatably supported on the housing for drive connection to a pair of rear wheel drive axles, a shift mechanism includes a sleeve member axially slidable on the first output shaft between respective positions in which it effects a drive connection or disconnection between the output shafts, a shift rod arranged in parallel with the output shafts and axially movably supported on the housing, a shift fork mounted on the shift rod and coupled with the sleeve member, an operation rod extending through the peripheral wall of the housing and rotatably supported therethrough, the operation rod having an outer end operatively connected to a manual operation lever, and a swing arm secured to the inner end of the operation rod for rotation therewith and engaged at one end portion thereof with a recessed portion formed on the shift rod to restrict axial movement of the operation rod outwardly with respect to the housing and to restrict rotation of the shift rod.

Power transfer device for automotive vehicles

A shift mechanism in a power transfer device includes first and second shift rods axially slidably mounted in parallel to each other within a housing of the transfer device, an interlock mechanism arranged to selectively retain the shift rods in their shifted positions, an operation rod extending through the wall of the housing and rotatably supported therethrough, the operation rod having an outer end operatively connected to a manually operated transfer lever and an inner end located in the interior of the housing, and a swing lever pivoted to the inner end of the operation rod at a position displaced in a predetermined distance from the axis of the operation rod, the swing lever having one end portion engaged with the first shift rod and the other end portion engaged with the second shift rod. In the shift mechanism, the axial movement amount of the first shift rod is determined to be substantially the same as that of the second shift rod, and the distance between the pivot axis of the swing lever and the other end portion of the same in engagement with the second shift rod is determined to be smaller than the distance between the pivot axis of the swing lever and the one end portion of the same in engagement with the first shift rod.

A power transfer device adapted for use in combination with a power transmission. The transfer device includes a housing, an input shaft rotatably mounted within the housing for drive connection to an output shaft of the transmission, an output shaft rotatably mounted within the housing for rotation relative to the input shaft, a planetary gear unit arranged within the housing and having an input element mounted on the input shaft for rotation therewith and an output element connectable to the output shaft, and a sleeve member axially slidably mounted on the output shaft and shiftable between a first position in which it effects a drive connection between the input and output shafts and a second position in which it effects a drive connection between the output element of the gear unit and the output shaft. A bearing retainer is secured to the housing to retain a bearing carried on the housing for supporting thereon the input shaft, and an oil pump assembly is contained within a cavity of the bearing retainer and mounted on the input shaft at the outside of the housing to be driven by rotation of the input shaft. The pump assembly is arranged to pump up lubricating oil stored in the housing and supply it into an axial bore in the input shaft.

Lubrication mechanism in power transfer device for four wheel drive

The present invention relates to a stop member which is used in a four-wheel vehicle drive system in an automotive vehicle. Particularly, the stop member includes a tentative holding portion which provides for temporary alignment of members of the transmission, and a firmly gripping portion which firmly holds members of the transmission together once they are appropriately aligned. Specifically, the stop member includes a pair of legs for the tentative holding portion and an enclosed area for the firmly gripping portion. The firmly gripping portion of the stop member contacts with a fork shaft in the transmission to hold the fork shaft at a fixed position.

Stop member mechanism for use in a four-wheel drive vehicle

In combination with a power transmission, a power transfer device comprises a first shaft rotatably mounted within a housing and having an input end for connection to an output shaft of the transmission and an output end for drive connection to a pair of rear-wheel axles, a second shaft rotatably mounted within the housing in parallel with the first shaft for drive connection to a pair of front-wheel axles, a drive gear rotatably mounted on the first shaft and connectable to the first shaft, a driven gear rotatably mounted on the second shaft and connectable to the second shaft, the driven gear being drivingly connected to the drive gear, and a pair of sleeves each mounted on the first and second shafts and shiftable between a first position where both the clutch sleeves are retained to connect the drive and driven gears to the first and second shafts and a second position where both the clutch sleeves are retained to disconnect the drive and driven gears from the first and second shafts, whereby both the drive and driven gears are stilled when two wheel drive is selected at the transfer device.

Power transfer device for four-wheel drive

A power transfer device includes an input shaft for connection to an output shaft of a power transmission, a first output shaft rotatably coupled at the inner end thereof with the input shaft, a second output shaft arranged in parallel with the input and first output shafts, an output member rotatably mounted on the first output shaft and being operatively connected to the second output shaft, a planetary gear unit mounted on the input shaft and having an input member connected with the input shaft and an output element for providing a low speed drive power train, a first sleeve member mounted on the first output shaft between the planetary gear unit and the output member and shiftable between a first position where the first sleeve member is retained to connect the first output shaft to the input shaft and a second position where the first sleeve member is retained to connect the first output shaft to the output element of the planetary gear unit, and a second sleeve member mounted on the first output shaft between the first sleeve member and the output member and shiftable between a first position where the second sleeve member is retained to connect the output member to the first output shaft and a second position where the second sleeve member is retained to disconnect the output member from the first output shaft.

The mounting of a speed meter drive gear for an automobile is improved. That is, the speed meter drive gear is provided on an outer circumferential surface of a connecting member for transmitting a driving force such as to a companion flange mounted to an output shaft of a transmission. With this arrangement, a shaft length of the output shaft of the transmission may be shortened, thereby preventing creation of vibration, making the drive gear lightweight, and decreasing a joint angle of a propeller shaft.

Speed meter drive device for automobile

A four-wheel drive system for use in a vehicle includes mechanisms for preventing disengagement of the engagement sleeves of a transfer gear shift mechanism while permitting limited displacement of the engagement sleeves, shift forks and fork shafts to prevent a large amount of friction between grooves in the engagement sleeves and engagement fingers of the shift forks. Disengagement of the engagement sleeves is prevented by formation of chamfers and tapered surfaces on corresponding portions of the engagement sleeves, splines and sprockets. Limited displacement of the engagement sleeves, shift forks and fork shafts is accomplished by means of notches in the fork shafts which are larger than corresponding locking pins, so that the fork shafts, shift forks and engagement sleeves are displaceable within a distance corresponding to the difference in size between the notches and locking pins. The above features prevent disengagement of the engagement sleeves without undue friction and consequent sludge buildup, even when a torque is applied through the transfer gear shift mechanism and thrust forces are exerted on the engagement sleeves.

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Toshio Yoshinaka