BR-102025016983-A2 - DRIVE DEVICE

BR102025016983A2BR 102025016983 A2BR102025016983 A2BR 102025016983A2BR-102025016983-A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drive device that may comprise a motor, a first shaft configured to be driven by the motor, a planetary gear mechanism, a housing that houses the planetary gear mechanism, an output shaft, and a transmission mechanism. The planetary gear mechanism may comprise a sun gear, a sprocket, a carrier, and a planetary gear. The transmission mechanism may be configured to switch between multiple modes of operation of the planetary gear mechanism. The first shaft may be mechanically connected to the sun gear. The output shaft may be mechanically connected to the carrier. In a first mode, rotation of the sprocket relative to the housing is prevented, but rotation of the sprocket relative to the carrier is permitted. In a second mode, rotation of the sprocket relative to the carrier is prevented, but rotation of the sprocket relative to the housing is permitted.

Inventors

Yasukuni Ojima
Eiji Kida
Taiki OWARI
Takumi Harada

Assignees

TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
AISIN CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260310
Application Date: 20250813
Priority Date: 20240829

Claims (12)

1. Drive device (1) for a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises: a motor (20); a first shaft (61) configured to be driven by the motor; a planetary gear mechanism (30) comprising a sun gear (31), a sprocket (32), a carrier (34) and a planetary gear (33); a housing (10) housing the planetary gear mechanism; an output shaft (64, 65) configured to produce drive force to the outside; and a transmission mechanism configured to switch a mode of operation of the planetary gear mechanism between multiple modes, in which the first shaft is mechanically connected to the sun gear, the output shaft is mechanically connected to the carrier; and the multiple modes include: a first mode in which rotation of the sprocket relative to the housing is prevented, but rotation of the sprocket relative to the carrier is permitted; A second mode in which rotation of the toothed crown relative to the support is prevented, but rotation of the toothed crown relative to the housing is allowed.
2. Actuating device, according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission mechanism comprises: a coupling component (45); and an actuator (41) configured to move the coupling component between a first position (P1) and a second position (P2), wherein when the coupling component is in the first position, the first mode is implemented by uncoupling the toothed crown from the support and coupling the toothed crown to the housing in a state of not being able to rotate relative to the housing, and when the coupling component is in the second position, the second mode is implemented by uncoupling the toothed crown from the support and coupling the toothed crown to the support in a state of not being able to rotate relative to the support.
3. Actuating device, according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing comprises a first ring section (46) arranged coaxially with the toothed crown, the support comprises a second ring section (47) arranged coaxially with the toothed crown, the toothed crown comprises a toothed crown hub (48) fixed to an outer circumference of the toothed crown, an outer circumference of each toothed crown hub, of the first ring section and of the second ring section comprises an outer circumferential spline, the coupling component comprises a sleeve (45) arranged in a sliding manner along an axial direction of the toothed crown, an inner circumference of the sleeve comprises an inner circumferential spline configured to engage with the respective outer circumferential splines of the toothed crown hub, of the first ring section and of the second ring section, when the sleeve is in the first position, the sleeve is engaged with the toothed crown hub and the first ring section, but not with the second ring section. When the sleeve is in the second position, the sleeve is engaged with the toothed crown hub and the second ring section, but not engaged with the first ring section.
4. A drive device, according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises: a second shaft (62) arranged parallel to the first shaft and having the sun gear disposed at one end thereof, and to which the drive force of the first shaft is transmitted; and a third shaft (63) arranged coaxially with the second shaft and having the support disposed at one end thereof, and to which the drive force produced from the planetary gear mechanism is transmitted, wherein the output shaft is arranged coaxially with the first shaft, and the drive force of the third shaft is transmitted to the output shaft.
5. A drive device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first shaft comprises a hollow structure, and the output shaft penetrates through the first shaft.
6. Drive device, according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that it further comprises: a differential gear (70) mechanically connected to the third shaft, wherein the output shaft comprises a first output shaft and a second output shaft which are arranged coaxially with respect to each other, one end of the first output shaft is coupled to the differential gear and the other end of the same penetrates the first shaft, and one end of the second output shaft is coupled to the differential gear.
7. Drive device, according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the housing comprises a first chamber (R1), a second chamber (R2) and a third chamber (R3), the motor is housed in the first chamber, the planetary gear mechanism and a first pair of gears (91) coupling the first shaft and the second shaft are housed in the second chamber, a second pair of gears (92) coupling the third shaft and the output shaft is housed in the third chamber, and the first chamber, the second chamber and the third chamber are arranged in this order along an axial direction of the first shaft.
8. Actuating device, according to claim 7, characterized in that the housing further comprises a first wall (W1) separating the first chamber from the second chamber, a second wall (W2) separating the second chamber from the third chamber and a third wall (W3) defining the third chamber between the third wall and the second wall, a first bearing (81) rotatably supporting the first shaft and a second bearing (82) rotatably supporting the second shaft are arranged in the first wall, a third bearing (83) rotatably supporting the first shaft, a fourth bearing (84) rotatably supporting the third shaft and a fifth bearing (85) rotatably supporting the output shaft are arranged in the second wall, and a sixth bearing (86) rotatably supporting the third shaft and a seventh bearing (87) rotatably supporting the output shaft are arranged in the third wall.
9. Actuating device, according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises an oil pump (50) configured to circulate oil within the housing, wherein the oil pump is mechanically connected to the sun gear and is actuated according to the rotation of the sun gear.
10. Actuating device, according to claim 3, characterized in that the actuator is a rotary actuator, and the transmission mechanism comprises: a linear motion mechanism (42) configured to convert the rotational motion produced by the actuator into linear motion; and a change fork (44) configured to transmit the linear motion produced by the linear motion mechanism to the sleeve.
11. Actuating device, according to claim 10, characterized in that the linear motion mechanism comprises a ball screw.
12. Actuating device, according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the shift fork is configured as movable in both first and second directions along the axial direction of the sprocket, the first direction (D1) being a direction away from the sprocket and the second direction (D2) being a direction towards the sprocket, the transmission mechanism further comprises a biasing section (43) that applies biasing force to the shift fork along the axial direction of the sprocket, and the biasing section applies the biasing force in the first direction when the shift fork moves in the first direction, and applies the biasing force in the second direction when the shift fork moves in the second direction.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED ORDERS [001] This application claims priority over Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-147666 filed on August 29, 2024. The content of the priority applications in their entirety is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF TECHNIQUE [002] The present invention relates to a drive device for a vehicle. PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE [003] JP Patent No. 6938678 describes a drive device with an incorporated motor for a vehicle. SUMMARY [004] A motorized drive device is subject to the demand for incorporation of a transmission mechanism. However, when possessing such a transmission mechanism, there are risks, such as complication of its structure and an increase in the size of the drive device. [005] The technique described in this report is implemented as a drive device for a vehicle. The drive device may comprise a motor. The drive device may comprise a first shaft configured to be driven by the motor. The drive device may comprise a planetary gear mechanism comprising a sun gear, a sprocket, a carrier, and a planetary gear. The drive device may comprise a housing that houses the planetary gear mechanism. The drive device may comprise an output shaft configured to transmit drive force to the outside. The drive device may comprise a transmission mechanism configured to switch a mode of operation of the planetary gear mechanism between multiple modes. The first shaft may be mechanically connected to the sun gear. The output shaft may be mechanically connected to the carrier. The multiple modes may include a first mode in which rotation of the sprocket relative to the housing is prevented, but rotation of the sprocket relative to the carrier is permitted. Multiple modes may include a second mode in which rotation of the toothed crown relative to the support is prevented, but rotation of the toothed crown relative to the housing is permitted. [006] In the configuration above, in the first mode, the support can rotate around a central axis of the sun gear. Because of this, the rotation of the first shaft is transmitted to the output shaft after being decelerated by the planetary gear mechanism. Furthermore, in the second mode, the support and the sprocket rotate together with the sun gear. Because of this, the rotation of the first shaft is transmitted to the output shaft without being decelerated by the planetary gear mechanism. That is, the planetary gear mechanism can be switched between the first mode, in which it functions as a reduction gear, and the second mode, in which it does not function as a reduction gear. By using the planetary gear mechanism, there is no need to add new transmission gear(s) or other component(s). Thus, it becomes possible to incorporate a transmission mechanism into the drive device while suppressing structural complexity and size increase. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [007] FIG. 1 is a skeleton diagram showing a schematic configuration of an actuation device 1. [008] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an area including a planetary gear mechanism 30 for explanation of a first mode. [009] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the area including the planetary gear mechanism 30 for explanation of a second mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0010] In one embodiment of the technique disclosed in this report, the transmission mechanism may comprise a coupling component and an actuator configured to move the coupling component between a first position and a second position. When the coupling component is in the first position, the first mode may be implemented by decoupling the toothed crown from the support and coupling the toothed crown to the housing in a state of not being able to rotate relative to the housing. When the coupling component is in the second position, the second mode may be implemented by decoupling the toothed crown from the support and coupling the toothed crown to the support in a state of not being able to rotate relative to the housing. [0011] The coupling component can be, for example, a claw clutch. The claw clutch can simplify the structure compared to a wet-type multi-disc clutch. [0012] According to the configuration above, the operating mode of the planetary gear mechanism can be switched between the first mode and the second mode by the coupling component. [0013] In one embodiment of the technique disclosed in this report, the housing may comprise a first ring section arranged coaxially with the toothed crown. The support may comprise a second ring section arranged coaxially with the toothed crown. The toothed crown may comprise a toothed crown hub fixed to an outer circumference of the toothed crown. An outer circumference of each of the toothed crown hubs, the first ring section, and the second ring section may comprise an outer circumferential groove. The coupling component may comprise a sleeve arranged in a sliding manner along an axial direction of the toothed crown. An inner circumference of the sleeve may comprise an inner circumferential groove configured