Disconnector-type clutch for rear wheel-driving device in four-wheel driving electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9518620-B2
Application number	US-201414252738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2014
Priority date	Apr 12, 2013
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed is a disconnector-type clutch for a rear wheel-driving device in a 4-wheel driving electric vehicle, which can eliminate a loss in the driving force due to a slip of friction plates disposed in a multiple disc clutch by transmitting power to rear wheels using the disconnector-type clutch, instead of the multiple disc clutch in 4-wheel driving, and can prevent a loss in the energy by preventing a differential from unnecessarily rotating when rear wheels are drawn by a driving force of front wheels in 2-wheel driving in which a rear-wheel driving motor is not driven by installing the disconnector-type clutch at a rear end of the differential. The disconnector-type clutch includes an actuator motor generating rotation power, a worm gear connected to the actuator motor, a screw rotating in engagement with the worm gear, a first push case converting a rotary motion of the screw into a linear reciprocating motion, a second push case assembled with the first push case, a first spring installed between the first push case and the second push case, a second spring installed at an exterior side of the second push case to provide a restoration force, a shifting fork connected to the second push case and moving forward and backward, and a sleeve connected to the shifting fork and connecting or disconnecting the first rear-wheel driving shaft and the second rear-wheel driving shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A disconnector-type clutch for a rear wheel-driving device in a 4-wheel driving electric vehicle, the disconnector-type clutch comprising:
an actuator motor generating rotation power;
a worm gear connected to the actuator motor; a screw rotating in engagement with the worm gear;
a first push case converting a rotary motion of the screw into a linear reciprocating motion;
a second push case assembled with the first push case, the first push case and the second push case collectively defining a cavity;
a first spring installed between the first push case and the second push case and located within the cavity;
a second spring installed at an exterior side of the second push case to provide a restoration force;
a shifting fork connected to the second push case and moving forward and backward; and
a sleeve connected to the shifting fork and connecting or disconnecting a first rear-wheel driving shaft and a second rear-wheel driving shaft;
wherein the first push case has outer and inner case portions and a screw thread to be engaged with the screw is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the inner case portion, at least a portion of the second push case being received between the outer and inner case portions.

2. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein the first rear-wheel driving shaft is installed to penetrate an inside of a rear-wheel driving motor.

3. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein the screw has a centrally formed gear engaged with the worm gear and a screw thread is formed in both front and rear directions.

4. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein a nut is installed at one side of the screw, and first and second sensors for sensing forward and rearward motions of the first push case are installed using the nut.

5. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein a sleeve is installed at an interior side of the shifting fork to be spline-coupled to the first rear-wheel driving shaft and the second rear-wheel driving shaft to connect or disconnect the first rear-wheel driving shaft and the second rear-wheel driving shaft.

6. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein in 4-wheel driving, the sleeve connects the first rear-wheel driving shaft and the second rear-wheel driving shaft to be engaged with each other to transmit the rotation power of the first rear-wheel driving shaft to the second rear-wheel driving shaft.

7. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein in 2-wheel driving, the sleeve moves so as to disconnect the first rear-wheel driving shaft and the second rear-wheel driving shaft from each other to prevent the rotation power of the first rear-wheel driving shaft from being transmitted to the second rear-wheel driving shaft.

8. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein the first rear-wheel driving shaft and the second rear-wheel driving shaft are selectively connected via an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve.

9. The disconnector-type clutch of claim 1 , wherein the second push case overlaps a portion of the first push case.

10. The disconnector type clutch of claim 1 , wherein the a portion of the second push case is received within the first push case.

Assignees

• Hyundai Wia Corp

Inventors

• Choi Hong Kyu

Classifications

• B60K23/08

  for changing number of driven wheels {, for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles (B60K17/3515 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60K2001/001

  one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle · CPC title

• F16D2011/002

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

• B60K2023/0858

  with electric means, e.g. electro-hydraulic means · CPC title

• F16D23/12 Primary

  Mechanical clutch-actuating mechanisms arranged outside the clutch as such (specific for combined clutches F16D21/00; mechanisms specific for synchronisation F16D23/02) · CPC title