IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0146952
(2002-05-17)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Okada, Hideaki
- Ishii, Norihiro
- Abend, Robert
- Winfree, Krista
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
16 인용 특허 :
12 |
초록
▼
An axle driving apparatus of the invention is available for an economical vehicle having a belt type stepless transmission. The axle driving apparatus includes a pair of axles connected to respective drive wheels, a propelling transmission mechanism, and a steering transmission mechanism. The propel
An axle driving apparatus of the invention is available for an economical vehicle having a belt type stepless transmission. The axle driving apparatus includes a pair of axles connected to respective drive wheels, a propelling transmission mechanism, and a steering transmission mechanism. The propelling transmission mechanism is drivingly connected to said prime mover through said belt type stepless transmission so as to transmit speed-variable output rotation of said belt type stepless transmission to both said axles, thereby rotating said axles together at various speeds in a common direction selected from two opposite directions for forward and backward traveling of said vehicle. The steering transmission mechanism is drivingly connected to said prime mover so as to transmit two oppositely directive output rotations to said respective axles, thereby differentially rotating said axles at various differences of rotational speed between said axles. If the belt type stepless transmission comprises first and second belts through a variator pulley and the second belt is looped over an input pulley of the propelling transmission mechanism, the first belt may be looped over an input pulley of the steering transmission mechanism. Alternatively, the first belt may be looped over a power taking-out pulley provided on an input shaft of the steering transmission mechanism.
대표청구항
▼
1. An axle driving apparatus for a vehicle having a prime mover and a belt driven stepless transmission, comprising:a pair of axles connected to respective drive wheels;a propelling transmission mechanism drivingly connected to said prime mover at a variable speed through said belt driven stepless t
1. An axle driving apparatus for a vehicle having a prime mover and a belt driven stepless transmission, comprising:a pair of axles connected to respective drive wheels;a propelling transmission mechanism drivingly connected to said prime mover at a variable speed through said belt driven stepless transmission so as to transmit speed-variable output rotation of said belt driven stepless transmission to both said axles, thereby rotating said axles together at various speeds in a common direction selected from two opposite directions for forward and backward traveling of said vehicle;a steering transmission mechanism drivingly connected to said prime mover at a constant speed so as to transmit two oppositely directive output rotations to said respective axles, thereby differentially rotating said axles at various rotational speeds between said axles;an accelerator operatively connected to said belt transmission so as to change the output rotational speed of said propelling transmission mechanism; anda steering operation device operatively connected to said steering transmission so as to change the output rotational speed of said steering transmission. 2. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising;a common housing incorporating said propelling transmission mechanism and said steering transmission mechanism. 3. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:at least two housings incorporating said propelling transmission mechanism and said steering transmission mechanism, respectively. 4. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:a first differential mechanism differentially connecting said pair of axles to each other, wherein said first differential mechanism transmits the output rotation of said propelling transmission mechanism to both said axles, and allows said axle to be differentially rotated by the oppositely directive output rotations of said steering transmission mechanism transmitted to said respective axles. 5. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:a common housing incorporating said propelling transmission mechanism, said steering transmission mechanism, and said first differential mechanism. 6. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:at least two housings incorporating said propelling transmission mechanism and said steering transmission mechanism, respectively, wherein said first differential mechanism is incorporated in either the housing incorporating said propelling transmission mechanism or the housing incorporating said steering transmission mechanism. 7. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:a second differential mechanism which is driven by said steering transmission mechanism so as to generate two appositely rotational forces applied onto said respective axles. 8. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said steering transmission mechanism comprises a hydrostatic transmission. 9. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:a switching device whose output rotational direction is selected from two opposite directions for selecting one of said two oppositely directive output rotations of said propelling transmission mechanism. 10. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said switching device is interposed in a drive train between said belt driven transmission and said pair of axles. 11. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said switching device is interposed between said prime mover and a pulley and a pump shaft shared by said belt driven transmission and said steering transmission mechanism. 12. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said belt driven transmission including:a first belt which is driven by said prime mover at a speed in proportion to the output rotational speed of said prime mover; anda second belt which is driven by s aid prime mover through said first belt. 13. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the driving speed of said first belt is determined according to the output rotational speed of said prime mover and is constant, and a driving speed of said second belt vanes by operation of said accelerator. 14. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said steering transmission mechanism is driven by said first belt. 15. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:a common input device drivingly connected to said prime mover, wherein the rotational force of said common input device is shared between said first belt and said steering transmission mechanism. 16. The axle driving apparatus asset forth in claim 1, said belt driven transmission including:a first belt which is driven by said prime mover and driven at a constant speed determined according to the output rotational speed of said prime mover, wherein said first belt drives said steering transmission mechanism; anda second belt which is driven by said prime mover through said first belt and whose driving speed varies by operation of said accelerator. 17. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:a common input device drivingly connected to said prime mover, wherein a rotational force of said common input device is shared between said first belt and said steering transmission mechanism. 18. An axle driving apparatus for a vehicle having a prime mover and a belt driven stepless transmission, said belt driven transmission including:a first belt which receives power of said prime mover;a first idler pulley over which said first belt is looped for variation of a tension of said first belt;an accelerator operatively connected to said first idler pulley;a second belt;a variator pulley over which said first and second belts are looped so as to allow a driving speed ratio of said second belt to said first belt to vary according to variation of the tension of said first belt by operation of said accelerator; anda second idler pulley over which said second belt is looped for absorbing variation of tension of said second belt,wherein said axle driving apparatus comprises:a pair of axles connected to respective drive wheels;a propelling transmission mechanism for rotating said axles together at various speeds in a common direction selected from two opposite directions for forward and backward traveling of said vehicle;a propelling input pulley serving as an input pulley of said propelling transmission mechanism, wherein said second belt is looped over said propelling input pulley;a steering transmission mechanism for differentially rotating said axles at various differences of rotational speed between said axles;a steering operation device operatively connected to said steering transmission mechanism; anda steering input pulley serving as an input pulley of said steering transmission, wherein said first belt is looped over said steering input pulley. 19. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:a common housing incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism and said steering transmission mechanism together. 20. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:a first housing incorporating said pair of axles and said propelling transmission mechanism; anda second housing incorporating said steering transmission mechanism. 21. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 18, said propelling transmission mechanism further comprising:a switching device, whose output rotational direction is selected from two opposite directions, wherein said propelling transmission mechanism transmits the selected one directive output rotation of said switching device to both said axles so as to rotate said axles together in one corresponding common direction. 22. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:a fir st differential mechanism differentially connecting said pair of axles to each other, wherein said propelling transmission mechanism transmits power through said first differential mechanism to both said axles so as to rotate said axles together in said selected common direction; anda second differential mechanism for generating two oppositely directive rotations, wherein said steering transmission mechanism transmits power through said second differential mechanism to said respective axles so as to differentially rotate said axles. 23. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 22, further comprising:a common housing incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism, said steering transmission mechanism, said first differential mechanism and said second differential mechanism together. 24. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 22, further comprising:a first housing chamber incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism, said first differential mechanism and said second differential mechanism; anda second housing chamber incorporating said steering transmission mechanism. 25. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 22, further comprising:a first housing incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism and said first differential mechanism;a second housing incorporating said steering transmission mechanism and said second differential mechanism; anda transmission mechanism interposed between said first and second housings so as to transmit said two oppositely directive output rotations of said second differential mechanism to said axles. 26. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 22, said propelling transmission mechanism further comprising:a switching device, whose output rotational direction is selected from two opposite directions, wherein said propelling transmission mechanism transmits the selected one directive output rotation of said switching device to both said axles so as to rotate said axles together in one corresponding common direction. 27. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said steering transmission mechanism comprises a hydrostatic transmission. 28. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said first belt is driven at a constant speed determined according to the output rotational speed of said prime mover. 29. An axle driving apparatus for a vehicle having a prime mover and a belt driven stepless transmission, said belt driven transmission including:a first belt;a first idler pulley over which said first belt is looped for variation of a tension of said first belt;an accelerator operatively connected to said first idler pulley,a second belt;a variator pulley over which said first and second belts are looped so as to allow a driving speed ratio of said second belt to said first belt to vary according to variation of the tension of said first belt by operation of said accelerator; andsecond idler pulley over which said second belt is looped for absorbing variation of tension of said second belt,wherein said axle driving apparatus comprises:a pair of axles connected to respective drive wheels;a switching device for selecting forward or backward traveling of said vehicle;a propelling transmission mechanism for rotating said axles together at various speeds in a common direction corresponding to the selected output rotational direction of said switching device for forward or backward traveling of said vehicle;a propelling input pulley serving as an input pulley of said propelling transmission mechanism, wherein said second belt is looped over said propelling input pulley;a steering transmission mechanism for differentially rotating said axles at various differences of rotational speed between said axles;a steering operation device operatively connected to said steering transmission mechanism; anda common input mechanism for receiving power of said prime mover, wher ein the output of said common input device is shared between said steering transmission mechanism and said first belt of said belt driven stepless transmission. 30. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 29, further comprising:a common housing incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism, said steering transmission mechanism and said common input mechanism together. 31. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 29, further comprising:a first housing incorporating said pair of axles and said propelling transmission mechanism; anda second housing incorporating said steering transmission mechanism and said common input mechanism. 32. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said common input mechanism comprises a switching device whose output rotational direction is selected from two opposite directions and transmitted to said steering transmission mechanism and said first belt of said belt driven stepless transmission. 33. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 29, further comprising:a first differential mechanism differentially connecting said pair of axles to each other, wherein said propelling transmission mechanism transmits power through said first differential mechanism to both said axles so as to rotate said axles together in said selected common direction; anda second differential mechanism for generating two oppositely directive rotations, wherein said steering transmission mechanism transmits power through said second differential mechanism to said respective axles so as to differentially rotate said axles. 34. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 33, further comprising:a common housing incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism, said steering transmission mechanism, said first differential mechanism, said second differential mechanism, and said common input mechanism together. 35. The axle driving apparatus as act forth in claim 33, further comprising:a first housing chamber incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism, said first differential mechanism and said second differential mechanism; anda second housing chamber incorporating said steering transmission mechanism and said common input mechanism. 36. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 33, further comprising:a first housing incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism and said first differential mechanism;a second housing incorporating said common input mechanism, said steering transmission mechanism and said second differential mechanism; anda transmission mechanism interposed between said first and second housings so as to transmit said two oppositely directive output rotations of said second differential mechanism to said axles. 37. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said common input mechanism comprises a switching device whose output rotational direction is selected from two opposite directions and transmitted to said steering transmission mechanism and said first belt of said belt driven stepless transmission. 38. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said steering transmission mechanism comprises a hydrostatic transmission. 39. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 38, further comprising:a pump shaft of said hydrostatic transmission, said pump shaft being driven by said common input mechanism, anda power taking-out pulley fixed on said pump shaft, wherein said first belt is looped over said power taking-out pulley so as to transmit the rotational force of said pump shaft to said first belt. 40. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said first belt is driven at a constant speed determined according to the output rotational speed of said prime mover. 41. An axle driving apparatus for a vehicle having a prime mover and a belt driven stepless transmission, said belt driven transmission including :a first belt which receives power of said prime mover;a first idler pulley over which said first belt is looped for variation of a tension of said first belt,an accelerator operatively connected to said first idler pulley;a second belt;a variator pulley over which said first and second belts are looped so as to allow a driving speed ratio of said second belt to said first belt to vary according to variation of the tension of said first belt by operation of said accelerator; anda second idler pulley over which said second belt is looped for absorbing variation of tension of said second belt,wherein said axle driving apparatus comprises:a pair of axles connected to respective drive wheels;a steering transmission mechanism for differentially rotating said axles at various differences of rotational speed between said axles;a steering operation device operatively connected to said steering transmission mechanism;a first input pulley over which said first belt is looped, said first input pulley serving as an input pulley of said steering transmission;a second input pulley over which said second belt is looped; anda propelling transmission mechanism which differentially connects said first and second input pulleys to each other and transmits a resultant rotation of said first and second input pulleys to both said axles so as to rotate said axles together at various speeds in a common direction corresponding to the direction of said resultant rotation for forward or backward traveling of said vehicle. 42. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 41, further comprising:a common housing incorporating said propelling transmission mechanism and said steering transmission mechanism together. 43. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 41, further comprising:a differential mechanism differentially connecting said pair of axles to each other, wherein said propelling transmission mechanism transmits said resultant rotation of said first and second input pulleys through said differential mechanism to both said axles so as to rotate said axles together at various speed in said common direction. 44. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 43, further comprising:a common housing incorporating said pair of axles, said propelling transmission mechanism, said steering transmission mechanism and said differential mechanism together. 45. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein an output force of said steering transmission mechanism is applied onto one of said axles. 46. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 45, further comprising:a clutch interposed between an output portion of said steering transmission mechanism and said one of said axles. 47. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein said propelling transmission mechanism comprises a planetary gear unit. 48. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 47, said propelling transmission mechanism comprising;a sun gear fixed to said first drive pulley;a variable-speed gear fixed to said second drive pulley;a ring gear including an outer gear and an inner gear, wherein said outer gear of said ring gear engages with said variable-speed gear; anda planet gear engaging between said sun gear and said inner gear of said ring gear, wherein the revolution of said planet gear around said sun gear is transmitted to said pair of axles so as to rotate said axles together at various speeds in a common direction corresponding to either forward or backward traveling of said vehicle. 49. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein said propelling transmission mechanism comprises a bevel gear differential unit. 50. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein said steering transmission mechanism comprises a hydrostatic transmission. 51. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 50, said pair of axles are differentially connected to each other, further comprising:a clutch interposed between an outpu t portion of said hydrostatic transmission and one of said axles. 52. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 50, said hydrostatic transmission further comprising:a hydraulic pump;a hydraulic motor;a pair of passages interposed between said hydraulic pump and said hydraulic motor so as to constitute a closed fluid circuit of said hydrostatic transmission; anda bypass interposed between said pair of oil passages. 53. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 50, said hydrostatic transmission further comprising:a hydraulic pump provided on an axial direction thereof with a pump shaft; anda hydraulic motor provided on an axial direction thereof with a motor shaft, wherein said pump shaft and said motor shaft are perpendicular to each other. 54. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 53, said hydrostatic transmission further comprising:a center section formed therein with a closed fluid circuit for fluidly connecting said hydraulic pump and said hydraulic motor mounted thereonto with each other, wherein said pump shaft and said motor shaft are perpendicular to each other. 55. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 53, said hydrostatic transmission further comprising:a center section formed therein with a closed fluid circuit for fluidly connecting said hydraulic pump and said hydraulic motor mounted thereonto with each other, wherein said center section is L-like shaped so as to arrange said pump shaft and said motor shaft in perpendicular to each other. 56. The axle driving apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein said first belt is driven at a constant speed determined according to the output rotational speed of said prime mover.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.