Differential device for vehicle

Abstract

A differential device is equipped with differential gears 3 and a pair of output gears 5, 7 that mesh with the differential gears 3 in different meshing pitch-circle radii R1, R2. The output gears 5, 7 are formed by contrate gears, while the differential gears 3 are formed by spur gears.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a center differential in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a center differential in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a power system of a vehicle equipped with an engine in horizontal arrangement; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a power system of a vehicle equipped with an engine in longitudinal arrangement.

Claims

1. A differential device for a vehicle, comprising: differential gears to which a driving torque of a motor is inputted; anda pair of output gears that mesh with the differential gears to distribute the driving torque inputted from the differential gears to vehicle wheels, whereinthe differential device is constructed so as to allow respective meshing pitch-circle radii of the output gears meshing with the differential gears to be changeable in compliance with a desired distribution ratio of the driving torque to be transmitted to the vehicle wheels.

2. The differential device of claim 1, wherein the pair of output gears have gearing teeth parts arranged so as to mesh with the differential gears in meshing pitch-circle radii different from each other, each of the gearing teeth parts including a number of gearing teeth formed in a circumferential direction of each of the pair of output gears.

3. The differential of claim 2, wherein the pair of output gears are formed by contrate gears, while the differential gears are formed by spur gears.

4. The differential device of claim 2, wherein, the pair of output gears are arranged so that their gearing teeth parts overlap each other in a radial direction thereof.

5. The differential of claim 4, wherein the pair of output gears are arranged so that their gearing teeth parts overlap each other in the vicinity of respective midpoints of the gearing teeth parts of the differential gears in the radial direction.

6. The differential device of claim 1, further comprising: an accommodating member allowing the differential gears to rotate due to the driving torque of the motor; anda sliding member arranged between the accommodating member and at least one of the pair of output gears to limit a differential motion between the wheels due to sliding resistances produced on receipt of a meshing reactive forces of the at least one output gear.

7. The differential device of claim 1, further comprising: an accommodating member allowing the differential gears to rotate due to the driving torque of the motor; anda pair of sliding members arranged between the accommodating member and the pair of output gears to limit a differential motion between the wheels due to sliding resistances produced on receipt of meshing reactive forces of the pair of output gears, whereinthe pair of sliding members are formed so as to slide in different sliding radii from each other.

8. The differential device of claim 1, further comprising: an accommodating member allowing the differential gears to rotate due to the driving torque of the motor, whereinthe accommodating member is provided with an accommodating space which is formed with a length corresponding to face widths of the differential gears in a diametral direction thereby allowing an accommodation of the pair of output gears.