Gkn Automotive Gmbh

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Yuu Yaguchi

Takahiro Nagaoka

Koji Takaira

Toshiaki Komatsu

Kazutaka Kawata

Shinichiro Ishikawa

Masato Horiguchi

Satoshi Niimura

Ryuya Saito

Yasumasa Narita

Toshiyuki Kikuchi

An in-wheel motor includes a casing at least partly housed in a wheel; a hub rotatable about an axis with a neck portion disposed in the casing and having a first face spline and a flange portion radially expanding outside the casing to combine with the wheel; a stator including an electromagnet for generating a magnetic flux and fixedly supported by the casing; a rotor rotatably supported by the casing and including a shoulder portion having a second face spline to mesh with the first face spline and a disk portion integral with the shoulder portion and radially expanding from the shoulder portion toward the stator to receive the magnetic flux so as to be driven around the axis; and a bolt screwed in the shoulder portion to force the first face spline in close contact with the second face spline.

In-wheel motor

A system for controlling a clutch is provided with: an action member rotatable about an axis; a motor drivingly connected to the action member to impart a rotational motion about the axis to the action member; a conversion mechanism drivingly connected to the action member to convert the rotational motion about the axis into an axial motion; a clutch member constituting the clutch and drivingly connected to the conversion mechanism so as to be driven by the axial motion, the clutch member being movable axially bidirectionally from a first position where the clutch is disconnected, through a second position, to a third position where the clutch is connected; and a controller configured to measure and compare a rotational angle of the motor with a reference value to determine at which of the first position, the second position, and the third position the clutch member is.

Clutch system

A differential used for distributing input torque, is provided with: a casing to receive the input torque; a differential gear set supported by the casing for differentially distribute the input torque to first and second side gears; a clutch interposed between the casing and the first side gear to limit differential motion between the first side gear and the second side gear; an actuator to exert a pressure force on the clutch to control the differential motion; and an electronic control unit configured to calculate a locking rate from a selected differential torque ratio, calculate a requesting torque from a product as a result of multiplying the input torque by the locking rate, and control an electric power to be input to the actuator on the basis of the requesting torque.

Variable characteristic limited-slip differential

An actuator for externally manipulating a clutch within a machine rotatable about an axis is provided with a driving unit including a plurality of magnetic coils arranged around the axis, each of the coils being arranged to generate a magnetic flux in a direction parallel to the axis; an armature disposed coaxially with the axis and opposed axially to the driving unit, the armature being movable axially; and a plunger coupled with the armature to transmit axial motion to the clutch.

Axially driving actuator

A drive device includes a housing a pair of rotating members, a connection and disconnection portion, and an actuator. In the housing, lubricating oil is accommodated. The pair of rotating members is accommodated in the housing so as to be capable of rotating relative to one another. The connection and disconnection portion connects and disconnects power transmitted between the pair of rotating members. The actuator is accommodated in the housing and has an electric component that actuates the connection and disconnection portion. The electric component is provided with a temperature sensor that detects a temperature inside the housing.

Driving device

A system for controlling a clutch is provided with: a thrust member movable between a first position for disconnecting the clutch and a second position for connecting the clutch; a solenoid generating a magnetic flux in response to input of electric power; a movable element drivingly coupled with the thrust member and set into motion by the magnetic flux to drive the thrust member between the first position and the second position; an electric circuit configured to add alternating-current power to the electric power and apply the electric power with the alternating-current power to the solenoid; and a controller configured to detect a phase difference of an electric current relative to an electric voltage in the alternating-current power added to the electric power and compare the detected phase difference with a reference value to determine whether the thrust member is at the first position or at the second position.

System for controlling clutch

A power transmission device is provided with: a rotary body arranged to receive the torque to rotate about an axis; a clutch including a clutch member engaging with the rotary body and axially movable and clutch teeth connectable with the clutch member to transmit the torque; a solenoid configured to generate a magnetic flux in response to input of electric power; a stator coupled with the solenoid as to conduct the magnetic flux and prevented from rotation about the axis; a rotor arranged to receive the magnetic flux from the stator and, when driven by the received magnetic flux, to create a rotational motion about the axis; and a conversion mechanism drivingly connected with the rotor to convert the rotational motion into a linear motion in a direction along the axis, the conversion mechanism including a thrust member transmitting the linear motion to the clutch member.

Power transmission device

A vehicle includes a first axle temporary driven by a motor, a second axle permanently connected to the motor via a propeller shaft, and a sub-shaft that connects the propeller shaft and the first axle. A control system for a connection between the motor and the first axle includes a first clutch between the propeller shaft and the sub-shaft, a second clutch between the sub-shaft and the first axle. The first clutch is controlled to continue applying a synchronous torque until the second clutch is determined to be connected. The second clutch is controlled to be connected in response to a determination that the second clutch is connectable.

Growing community of inventors

Tochigi, Japan

Yuu Yaguchi