Clutch device and differential device therewith

Abstract

A clutch device is combinable with a rotating device rotating about an axis. The clutch device is provided with a clutch rotatable with the rotating device, a plunger for disengageably engage the clutch, a solenoid for generating a magnetic flux for driving the plunger, a magnetic core slidably fitting on a portion of the rotating device and incompletely enclosing the solenoid to expose the solenoid to the portion, and a support member configured to support the magnetic core to fit with the rotating device in an axial direction along the axis. The magnetic core in combination with the portion of the rotating device and the plunger is so dimensioned as to enclose the solenoid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are sectional views of a differential device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, as being taken from a line I-I of FIG. 3; where FIG. 1 illustrates a state of freely differential motion and FIG. 2 illustrates a differential-lock state;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the differential device viewed from the left of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plunger and a clutch ring for the differential device;

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the plunger and the clutch ring;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a differential device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, which is drawn as correspondent to FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a differential device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, which is drawn as correspondent to FIG. 1 and taken from a line VII-VII of FIG. 8;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the differential device viewed from the left of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9A is a sectional view of a differential device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, which is drawn as correspondent to FIG. 1 and taken from a line VII-VII of FIG. 10;

FIG. 9B is a magnified sectional view of the differential device with respect to a solenoid and its proximity;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the differential device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, as being viewed from the left of FIG. IX-IX;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are sectional views of a differential device in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 11A merely shows a clutch device thereof and FIG. 11B merely shows a solenoid and its proximity;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are sectional views of a differential device in accordance with a modification of the fifth embodiment, where FIGS. 12A and 12B are respectively correspondent to FIGS. 11A and 11B;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a differential device in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which is drawn as correspondent to FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the differential device viewed from the right of FIG. 13, which partly shows a section taken from a line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a side view of the differential device viewed along an arrow XV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a side view of the differential device viewed along an arrow XVI of FIG. 13;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a differential device in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention, which is drawn as correspondent to FIG. 1; and

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a differential device in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention, which is drawn as correspondent to FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A clutch device combinable with a rotating device rotating about an axis, the clutch device comprising: a clutch rotatable with the rotating device;a plunger configured to disengageably engage the clutch;a solenoid configured to generate a magnetic flux for driving the plunger;a magnetic core slidably fitting on a portion of the rotating device and incompletely enclosing the solenoid to expose the solenoid to the portion, the magnetic core in combination with the portion and the plunger being so dimensioned as to surround the solenoid; anda support member configured to support the magnetic core to fit with the rotating device in an axial direction along the axis.

2. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the support member includes a latching piece latching with any of the magnetic core and the rotating device.

3. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the support member includes a repulsive member to urge the magnetic core toward the rotating device.

4. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the solenoid includes an anti-rotating member engagable with an external stationary member to prevent the solenoid from rotating.

5. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the solenoid is so arranged as to deliver the magnetic flux to the portion of the rotating device.

6. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core and the solenoid are so arranged as to directly face the solenoid to the portion of the rotating device in the axial direction.

7. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the support member is so arranged as to branch the magnetic flux into a first flux path and a second flux path so as to cancel forces generated by the first and second flux paths on the solenoid.

8. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the support member is so arranged as to branch the magnetic flux into a first flux path directly conducted to the portion and a second flux path routed to the support member.

9. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core includes a projection formed on an outer periphery of the core, the projection having a first end and a second end to branch the magnetic flux into a first flux conducted through the first end and a second flux conducted through the second end.

10. The clutch device of claim 1, further comprising: a chamber defined by the solenoid and the rotating member to branch the magnetic flux into a first flux conducted through the first end and a second flux conducted through the second end.

11. A differential device for differentially distributing a driving force to axles, the differential device comprising: a rotating device including a differential gear set; andthe clutch device of claim 1 combined with the rotating device.

12. The differential device of claim 11, wherein the clutch device is configured to unlockably lock a differential motion of the differential gear set or intermissively transmit the driving force to the axles.