Uncoupling of drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10145423-B2
Application number	US-201013496535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2010
Priority date	Sep 16, 2009
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A device (10) for uncoupling a vehicle's wheel shaft drive, which device is intended to be placed close to a drive shaft (11) in order to uncouple/couple a driven unit to which the drive shaft (11) is coupled. The device (10) comprises includes at least one bearing (12) fitted around the end (13) of the drive shaft (11). A carrier (14) coupled to the unit or to the drive shaft, has an inner cavity large enough to surround the drive shaft's end (13) and the bearing (12) and is fastened in the bearing (12) so as to be freely rotatable relative to the drive shaft (11). A coupling ring (15) is coupled rotationally to the drive shaft (11) and is movable axially relative to the drive shaft (11). A coupling fork (17) at least partly surrounds the coupling ring (15) and is movable axially relative to the drive shaft (11). An activating device which acts upon the coupling fork (17) to move the latter in axial directions along the drive shaft (11). Coupling the drive shaft (11) to the unit involves the coupling fork (17) and the coupling ring (15) being moved axially towards the carrier (14) by the activating device (20) so that the drive shaft (11) becomes rotationally coupled with the carrier (14) and the unit via the coupling ring (15).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for uncoupling/coupling a vehicle's wheel drive shaft, so as to uncouple/couple a driven unit from/to the vehicle drive shaft having an end, the device comprising:
at least one first bearing fitted around the end of the drive shaft;
a carrier is coupled to the driven unit or to the drive shaft, the carrier having an inner cavity positioned and configured to surround the end of the drive shaft and the first bearing, the carrier being fastened to the first bearing to be freely rotatable relative to the drive shaft;
a coupling ring coupled rotationally to the drive shaft and being movable in an axial direction of the drive shaft;
a coupling ring moving device which at least partly surrounds the coupling ring, the coupling ring moving device is movable in the axial direction of the drive shaft; and
an activating device which acts upon the coupling ring moving device to move the coupling ring moving device in the axial direction of the drive shaft,
wherein coupling the drive shaft to the driven unit involves the coupling ring moving device and the coupling ring being moved in the axial direction of the drive shaft toward the carrier by the activating device so that the drive shaft becomes rotationally coupled with the carrier and the driven unit via the coupling ring;
a structure configured to anchor the device; and
a stabilizing bearing positioned and configured to stabilize the drive shaft in relation to the structure,
wherein the carrier, the coupling ring and the coupling ring moving device are positioned at the end and distal to the stabilizing bearing along an axial direction of the drive shaft,
wherein the carrier is part of a universal joint on the drive or driven shaft; and further comprising:
an intermediate element intermediate relative to the drive shaft and the coupling ring, the intermediate element is situated torque-transmittingly on the drive shaft, and the bearing for the carrier supported on the drive shaft, and
the splined connection is configured between the coupling ring and the intermediate element,
wherein the first bearing radially surrounds the intermediate element.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier is adjacent to part of a universal joint.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier and the coupling ring comprise mutually facing sides which engage.

4. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a splined connection rotationally coupling the coupling ring to the drive shaft,
wherein the splined connection allows the coupling ring to move in the axial direction of the drive shaft.

5. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second device configured for preventing the coupling ring moving device from rotating with the coupling ring and the drive shaft.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the activating device is powered by compressed air or an electric motor and acts in an axial direction of the coupling ring moving device when the coupling ring is to be coupled to/uncoupled from the carrier.

7. The vehicle comprising at least one gearbox or shaft gear and comprising an output drive shaft therefrom, and the device according to claim 1 which is separate from the gearbox or the shaft gear.

8. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the mutually facing sides are provided with matching teeth.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling ring has an outer periphery and the coupling ring moving device engages the outer periphery of the coupling ring.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling ring moving device comprises a coupling fork.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the coupling ring comprising an outer periphery with a groove therein and the coupling fork is in engagement with the coupling ring about the groove in the outer periphery of the coupling ring.

Assignees

• Stroembom Vidar
• Scania Cv Ab

Inventors

• Strömbom Vidar

Classifications

• F16D2500/10431

  4WD Clutch dividing power between the front and the rear axle · CPC title

• F16D25/088

  the line of action of the fluid-actuated members being distinctly separate from the axis of rotation · CPC title

• F16D11/10 Primary

  with clutching members movable only axially · CPC title

• F16D2011/002

  using an external and axially slidable sleeve for coupling the teeth of both coupling components together · CPC title

• B60K17/36

  for driving tandem wheels · CPC title