| CPC B60K 17/08 (2013.01) [B60K 1/00 (2013.01); F16H 48/36 (2013.01)] | 11 Claims |
|
1. A drive device for distributing rotational torque to right and left wheels of a vehicle, comprising:
an input shaft rotatively driven by a drive source;
first and second intermediate shafts rotatably supported;
first and second output shafts rotatably supported;
first and second planetary gear mechanisms coupled to the input shaft in such a manner as to be adjacent to each other in an axial direction of the input shaft;
a differential mechanism for equally distributing the rotational torque to the first and second planetary gear mechanisms;
a first rotation transmission mechanism that transmits rotation from the first planetary gear mechanism to the first intermediate shaft;
a second rotation transmission mechanism that transmits rotation from the second planetary gear mechanism to the second intermediate shaft;
a first deceleration mechanism that transmits rotation from the first intermediate shaft to the first output shaft with the rotation decelerated; and
a second deceleration mechanism that transmits rotation from the second intermediate shaft to the second output shaft with the rotation decelerated,
wherein each of the first and second planetary gear mechanisms includes:
an external sun gear fixed to the input shaft;
a plurality of planetary gears that mesh with the external sun gear, and rotate around the external sun gear while revolving;
a hollow cylindrical ring gear that is rotatably supported, and includes inner teeth meshing with the planetary gears; and
a planetary carrier that rotatably supports the planetary gears,
the planetary carrier includes an external gear corresponding to an externally toothed gear that is coaxial with the input shaft, is adjacent to the planetary gears in the axial direction, and rotates together with the planetary carrier,
the differential mechanism connects the ring gear of the first planetary gear mechanism to the ring gear of the second planetary gear mechanism in such a manner that the ring gears rotate in mutually opposite directions,
the first rotation transmission mechanism includes:
the external gear of the planetary carrier of the first planetary gear mechanism; and
a first intermediate gear that is fixed to the first intermediate shaft and meshes with the external gear of the planetary carrier of the first planetary gear mechanism,
the second rotation transmission mechanism includes:
the external gear of the planetary carrier of the second planetary gear mechanism; and
a second intermediate gear that is fixed to the second intermediate shaft, and meshes with the external gear of the planetary carrier of the second planetary gear mechanism, and
the rotational torque input to the input shaft is distributed to the first planetary gear mechanism and the second planetary gear mechanism, is output from the first output shaft through the first planetary gear mechanism, the first rotation transmission mechanism and the first deceleration mechanism, and is output from the second output shaft through the second planetary gear mechanism, the second rotation transmission mechanism, and the second deceleration mechanism.
|