Jtekt Corporation

Yasunori Kamitani

He Jin

Tadashi Yoshisaka

Minoru Onitake

Motoyasu Yamamori

Keiji Kishimoto

Hidenori Kakinuma

Gaku Takimoto

Soma Iwai

A steering system includes a steering operation shaft, a lower shaft, an upper shaft, and an intermediate shaft. The intermediate shaft includes a tubular member including a hollow portion; and a shaft member. An oil groove that retains lubricating oil is provided in a predetermined range in an axial direction of the intermediate shaft on at least one of an outer peripheral surface of the shaft member at a part housed in the hollow portion and an inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion of the tubular member. A sectional area of the oil groove in an upper shaft-side part of the predetermined range is larger than a sectional area of the oil groove in a lower shaft-side part of the predetermined range, the upper shaft-side part being located on a side of the upper shaft, and the lower shaft-side part being located on a side of the lower shaft.

Steering system and method for manufacturing the same

A steering column device includes a metal outer-side cylindrical member, a metal inner-side cylindrical member, and a resin intermediate cylindrical member that is disposed between the outer-side cylindrical member and the inner-side cylindrical member. The intermediate cylindrical member has an oil feed orifice through which the semisolid lubricating oil is guided from an outer circumferential face side to an inner circumferential face side when inserting the intermediate cylindrical member into the outer-side cylindrical member.

Steering column device and manufacturing method for the same

A differential device has: a differential case supported so as to be rotatable with respect to a differential carrier fixed to the vehicle body; a differential gear mechanism composed of a plurality of pinion gears and side gears; pinion gear shafts that support the plurality of pinion gears; a tubular slide member that supports the pinion gear shafts in the differential case; an actuator that moves the slide member in the axial direction; and a position sensor that is attached to a sensor attachment member provided to the differential carrier and that is configured to detect an operating state of the actuator.

Differential device and method of adjusting differential device

A differential device includes: a differential case on which a meshed portion is formed; a tubular slide member that has a meshing portion; a differential gear mechanism disposed inside the slide member; a pinion gear shaft that supports pinion gears of the differential gear mechanism; and an actuator that moves the slide member in the axial direction. The slide member has a cylindrical portion, on one side of which in the axial direction the meshing portion is formed, and a long hole that extends in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion and that opens toward the other side in the axial direction, which is the opposite side from the meshing portion. The pinion gear shaft is fitted with the long hole, and supported by the slide member. A reinforcing ring that suppresses deformation of the slide member is attached to an end portion of the cylindrical portion in which the long hole opens.

Differential device

A differential apparatus includes a differential gear mechanism in which side gears mesh with pinion gears, a pinion shaft that rotatably supports the pinion gear, a slide member that supports the ends of the pinion shaft, and pinion gear washers each disposed between the slide member and a corresponding one of the pinion gears. Movement of each pinion gear washer toward the slide member in the axial direction of the pinion shaft is restricted. When a force of the pinion gear pressing the pinion gear washer toward the slide member is less than a predetermined value, a clearance is formed between the slide member and the pinion gear washer. When the force of the pinion gear pressing the pinion gear washer toward the slide member is greater than the predetermined value, the outer surface of the pinion gear washer abuts the inner surface of the slide member.

Differential apparatus

An interrupter includes: an intermittent member having a meshing tooth meshing with a second rotary member, and moving in an axial direction between a coupled position and an uncoupled position; and an actuator making the intermittent member move in the axial direction. The actuator includes: a coil generating magnetic flux; and a plunger moving with the intermittent member in the axial direction. The plunger is disposed in a manner capable of making relative rotation to one of the first and second rotary members via first and second air gaps. When the coil is energized, the magnetic flux is introduced to the plunger from one of the first and second air gaps, the magnetic flux is led out of the plunger to the other air gap, and the plunger moves in the axial direction so as to reduce at least one air gap of the first and second air gaps.

Interrupter and differential

A differential apparatus includes: a differential mechanism that distributes an input driving force to a pair of side gears so as to allow differential motion therebetween; a differential case that accommodates the differential mechanism; and a clutch mechanism that transmits the driving force between the differential case and pinion shafts of the differential mechanism. The clutch mechanism includes: a slide member that is movable relative to the pinion shafts of the differential mechanism in the axial direction of the differential case and is non-rotatable relative thereto in the differential case; and an actuator that applies an axial moving force to the slide member. The slide member has on one end portion a first meshing portion. The differential case includes a disc-shaped first case member and a bottomed-cylindrical second case member that accommodates the differential mechanism. The second case member has a second meshing portion facing the first meshing portion.

A differential apparatus includes a differential mechanism, a differential case that accommodates the differential mechanism, and a clutch mechanism that transmits a driving force between the differential case and the differential mechanism. The clutch mechanism includes a side member movable inside the differential case in an axial direction and an actuator for moving the slide member to the axial direction. The slide member has a first meshable portion at one end in the axial direction, is allowed to move relative to the differential mechanism, and is prevented from rotating relative to the differential mechanism. The differential case has a second meshable portion facing the first meshable portion in the axial direction. When the slide member moves toward the second meshable portion by actuation of the actuator, the first meshable portion meshes with the second meshable portion so that the differential case and the slide member are coupled to prevent a relative rotation between the differential case and the slide member.

In a differential device, a differential case includes a first engaging part having engaging teeth on a first side wall of the differential case. A clutch member is disposed between the first side wall and a second side wall of the differential case in an axial direction. The clutch member includes a second engaging part. An urging member is disposed between the second side wall and the clutch member such that the urging member is compressed in the axial direction. When an actuator does not generate a pressing force, the first engaging part and the second engaging part are engaged with each other by the urging force of the urging member, and the differential case and the input member are connected together via the clutch member. The first engaging part is disengaged from the second engaging part by the pressing force provided due to actuation of the actuator.

A differential unit includes: a differential case; a differential mechanism; a connecting-disconnecting member that connects the differential case to the differential mechanism; an actuator that generates a moving force for moving the connecting-disconnecting member; a moving-force transmitting member that transmits the moving force generated by the actuator to the connecting-disconnecting member; and a wave washer that urges the connecting-disconnecting member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the connecting-disconnecting member is moved by the actuator. The actuator includes a plunger that moves while compressing the wave washer in the axial direction from a first prescribed length using a magnetic force of an electromagnet. A movement of the plunger in a direction away from the connecting-disconnecting member is restricted by a contacting portion of a restricting member. An axial clearance is formed between the plunger and the contacting portion when the wave washer is at the first prescribed length.

Differential Unit

A power transmission interrupting device includes: an interrupting member that is restrained from rotating relative to the first rotating member, has engaging teeth engaging with a second rotating member, and is movable in an axial direction between a coupling position at which the engaging teeth engage with the second rotating member and an uncoupling position at which the engaging teeth do not engage with the second rotating member; and a moving mechanism that moves the interrupting member in the axial direction. The moving mechanism has an annular electromagnet, a yoke, and a moving member. The moving member has a cylindrical part facing an inner circumferential surface or an outer circumferential surface of the electromagnet, and an annular cover extending from one end of the cylindrical part in a radial direction and covering one of axial end faces of the electromagnet.

Power transmission interrupting device and limited-slip differential

A differential apparatus includes a differential mechanism, a differential case that accommodates differential mechanism, and a clutch mechanism that transmits a driving force between the differential case and the differential mechanism. The clutch mechanism includes a slide member movable inside the differential case in an axial direction and an actuator for moving the slide member in the axial direction. The actuator is located outside the differential case. The slide member includes a first meshable portion and an engaging portion engaging with a pinion shaft of the differential mechanism. The differential case has a second meshable portion to mesh with the first meshable portion and a wall portion having multiple insertion holes for transmitting a moving force of the actuator to the slide member. The slide member is located between the second meshable portion and the wall portion.

A dog clutch includes: a first rotational member; a second rotational member; a clutch member; and a pressing mechanism. The clutch member includes a meshing portion meshing with the second rotational member, an engageable portion circumferentially engaging with an engaged portion provided in the first rotational member, and a cam surface configured to generate a cam thrust in a direction of a rotation axis by a relative rotation with respect to the first rotational member. When the clutch member moves, a depth of meshing with the second rotational member is deepened by the cam thrust, and then the engageable portion engages with the engaged portion, so that the clutch member receives a torque from the first rotational member.

Dog clutch and differential gear

A power transmission interrupting device includes: an interrupting member restrained from rotating relative to a first rotating member and movable in an axial direction between a coupling position at which the interrupting member engages with the second rotating member and an uncoupling position; and a moving mechanism moving the interrupting member in the axial direction. The moving mechanism has a magnetic flux generation unit, a holder unit, and a moving member. The holder unit includes: a yoke having a cylindrical part that faces the magnetic flux generation unit in a radial direction; and a restraint member having an axial movement restraining part that is fixed to the yoke and restrains the magnetic flux generation unit from moving in the axial direction relative to the cylindrical part, and a rotation restraining part that is locked in a locking portion provided in the case member and restrains the yoke from rotating.

A differential gear includes: a first output gear; a second output gear; a differential case; a clutch member configured to move in a direction of a rotation axis between a connecting position where the differential case is connected to the first output gear in a relatively non-rotatable manner and a non-connecting position where the differential case and the first side gear are allowed to rotate relative to each other; an electromagnetic coil having a cylindrical shape and configured to move the clutch member in the direction of the rotation axis; and a yoke having an annular shape and serving as a magnetic path of a magnetic flux of the electromagnetic coil. The clutch member has an outermost diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the yoke.

Growing community of inventors

Fujimi, Japan

Yasunori Kamitani