MX2007008203A - Multiple rear drive axles with common gearing. - Google Patents

Abstract

A multiple rear drive axle system for a vehicle includes a first axle (102a) coupled with a drive shaft from a transmission of the vehicle. The first axle includes a first cantilevered input pinion (106a) mechanically coupled with the drive shaft and with a first driven gear (108a). The system also includes an output shaft (110a) mechanically coupled with the drive shaft. A second axle (102b) has a second cantilevered input pinion (102b) mechanically coupled with the output shaft of the first axle system and with a second driven gear (108b). The first and second input pinions are common, i.e., are substantially identical pinions. The first and second driven gears are also common, i.e., are substantially identical gears.

Description

MULTIPLE REAR DRIVING SHAFT WITH COMMON GEAR Field of the Invention The present invention is directed generally to wheel drive systems for a motor vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rear multiple drive shaft that utilizes common primary gear shaft conveyors for all shaft conveyors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tandem rear drive shafts are known. U.S. Patent No. 2,120,594 is directed to an automotive double reduction drive shaft including bevel gear of a first reduction and spiral gear for a second reduction. U.S. Patent No. 1,845,318 is directed to a double-reduction tandem rear drive shaft with a tapered gear reduction in advance of a spur gear reduction. The conical gear and spur pinion are formed integrally in a common shaft. The conical gear and the spur pinion are arranged above the final gear. A differential mechanism delivers power from the final gear to the shaft. U.S. Patent No. 1,906,613 discloses a double-reduction tandem rear drive shaft with a tapered gear reduction in advance of a spur gear reduction. The conical gear and spur pinion are formed integrally in a common shaft. The conical gear and the spur pinion are arranged above the final gear. A differential mechanism delivers power from the final gear to each drive shaft. A two-piece input pinion is used and is supported in an extended mounted configuration. U.S. Patent No. 5,267,489 discloses an automotive drive shaft that includes a drive shaft, hinged to a gear via a counter arrow. Sharing the counter arrow is a drive pinion It joins 90 degrees with an arrow ring gear to drive the wheels of the vehicle. U.S. Patent No. 5,370,018 is directed to an inter-axle differential assembly with internal ventilation. This patent discloses an axle gear configuration having a set of spur gears joining the drive shaft with a countersink, which in turn uses a bevel gear to drive the wheels of the vehicle. The published patent application of the United States of America number 2003/0040394 is directed to a power train assembly of four-wheel drive type. There is a need for new and improved multiple rear drive axles that produce a maximum number of different multiple drive shaft radii with a minimum number of gears.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a multi-axis drive system is provided which produces a maximum number of different and multiple drive shaft radii with a minimum number of gears. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a common gear is provided between each axis. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a multiple rear drive shaft system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a first shaft coupled with a drive shaft from a vehicle transmission. The first shaft includes a first cantilever input pinion that is mechanically coupled with the drive shaft and with a first drive gear. The first drive gear is coupled with a power delivery system (eg, multiple, simple reduction) to deliver power to the wheels of the vehicle. The first shaft also includes an output shaft mechanically coupled with the drive shaft. The system also includes at least a second shaft having a second cantilever input pinion mechanically coupled with the output shaft of the first shaft and with a second drive gear. The second drive gear is coupled with a second power delivery system to deliver power to the wheels of the vehicle. The input pinions first and second are common, that is, they are substantially identical pinions. The first and second drive gears are also common, that is, they are substantially identical gears. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a multiple rear drive shaft system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a first shaft having a first common input means for delivering power from a drive shaft from a vehicle transmission to a first common drive gear means for delivering power to a first power delivery means of wheel to distribute power to the wheels of the vehicle. The first shaft further comprises output means for distributing power from the drive shaft to an input of a second shaft. The second shaft has a second common input means for delivering power from the output means of the first shaft to a second common drive gear means for distributing power to a second wheel power delivery means for distributing power to the wheels vehicle. Further applications as well as advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention and with reference to the figures of the drawings are described below.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a diagram of a multiple rear axle drive system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram of a front portion of a multiple rear axle drive system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic of a rear part of a multiple rear axle drive system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a schematic of a multiple rear axle system having three axles in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 is a schematic of a common rear multiple drive shaft system with a common gear according to one embodiment of the present invention. The drive system 100 includes a plurality of axes. For simplicity, an axis of front drive 102a and a rear drive shaft 103, but there is no limit to the number of axes in the system 100. The forward drive shaft 102a includes a cantilever entry gear 106a, one piece, common and coupled with an arrow of input drive (not shown) by a coupling 104a. For example, in a truck, the drive shaft coming from the transmission would be connected to the coupling 104a, which may be, for example, a universal coupling. The input gear 106a (pinion) drives a common drive gear 108a coupled to a power delivery system (not shown) that provides power to the wheels of the vehicle. Such systems for distributing power to the wheels of the vehicle are well known in the art and could include a gear drive system, differentials, multiple gear reduction drive system, chains, belts and solid connectors. An output arrow 110a is connected to another output coupling 112a, which in turn is connected to the next axis 103 by an intermediate arrow 140 to the coupling 104b. The forward drive shaft system 102a can include a gear difference 1 14a that can be lubricated by an oil pump, such as a toggle pump 1 16a on the arrow 1 10a. One will understand that the arrow 1 10a is preferably a pitch arrow that engages the differential 114a directly (and not the pinion). One skilled in the art will understand that a differential may not be necessary for each axis, depending on the application of the vehicle. However, preferably, at least one gear differential 114 is provided for each axle (102n) except for the last axle 103. A third intermediate axle would be substantially identical to the first axle 102a. Thus, as additional intermediate axes are added, each intermediate axis (102b, 102n) will be substantially identical to the first axis 102a. Only the last axis 103 would normally be different. The common input gear 106a is cantilevered from a bearing system 118, which preferably consists of roller bearings, and is preferably a one-piece sprocket. The common input gear 106a must be the same gear (pinion) as the input gear used in each additional shaft (ie, 106b, 106c, .. J06n). Similarly, the common drive gear 108a must be the same gear as the drive gear used in each additional shaft (ie, 108b, 108c, ... 108n). In this way, there is a common gear system between each shaft 102a, 102b, ... J02n, 103. Note. The last axis in the multi-axis system is designated by numeral 103 only because it preferably does not include unnecessary components such as an output or difference arrow. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited as such, and the last axis could be substantially identical to all other axes in the system, although it is recognized that it is somewhat impractical. Figures 2 and 3 show the front rear and rear rear drive shafts respectively of a double-reduction tandem rear drive shaft and according to another embodiment of the present invention. Similar to system 100 of Figure 1, a universal joint 204 is coupled with a drive shaft (not shown) from the vehicle transmission (not shown). A first ball bearing system 218 supports the arrow 210 on which there is a cantilever tapered pinion 206, which acts as the input gear to the front rear axle 202. A conical gear 208 (common drive gear) is driven by the conical pinion 206.

The front rear axle 202 may also include a differential 214 and a screw pump 216 216. The arrow 210 is connected to a universal coupling 212. The universal coupling 212 is attached to the rear rear axle (shown in Figure 3). In Figures 2-3 a double-reduction helical system for distributing power to the wheels of the vehicle is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this system. The conical drive gear 208 is coupled with a helical pinion 220 which drives a helical gear 22, which delivers power to the wheels. The helical gear 222 includes a gear differential 224. This double reduction system provides improved drive line angles as well as other advantages. Figure 3 shows the rear rear axle 302, which is coupled to the front rear axle 202 by a universal joint or the like with the coupling 304. All of the components of the rear rear axle 302 are the same as on the rear axle 202 front except that the differential gear 214 and its accessories are not required in the rear axle system. Note that the input sprockets 206 and 306 are preferably sprockets of the same make and model (that is, identical parts), that the drive gears 208 and 308 are also gears of the same make and model, creating a common gear system for both axes.

Figure 4 shows a three-axis system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The triple axis system 400 includes three (3) axes, a first axis 102a, a second axis 102b, and a third axis 103. Each of the three (3) axes is substantially similar, however, the last axis 103 does not it requires an output arrow 110 or output coupling 1 12, and as shown, the last axis 103 also does not include a differential 114. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the last axis 103 could be configured therefrom. as any of the other axes 102a to 102b (n), but since the last shaft 103 does not need any output to drive other rear axles, these components are unnecessary. Each of the axes 102a, 102b, 103 share common gear. That is, the input pinions 106a to 106c are substantially identical, and the drive gears 108a to 108c are also substantially identical. Each axis 102a, 102b and 103 is shown as having a direct coupling with the wheels 402a to 402c of the vehicle. One skilled in the art will readily understand that any power distribution system on the axles could be incorporated to drive the wheels of the vehicle. For example, a single reduction, a double reduction, or, for example, a differential coupling could be employed. All other components of the system 400 are shown as identical to those shown in Figure 1 and, therefore, they will not be described further here. The system described above provides numerous advantages. For example, the cantilever of the input sprockets requires fewer bearings and it is easier to provide a common input gear. In addition, it provides common input gears. In this way, it is possible to achieve a more efficient and much less expensive system. Thus, a number of preferred embodiments have been described in the foregoing and in a complete manner with reference to the figures of the drawings. While the invention has been described on the basis of these preferred embodiments, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations and alternative constructions become clear, as long as they remain within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, someone skilled in the art will easily understand that the present invention is applicable not only to rear drive shafts in tandem but also to triple rear drive shafts or other multiple rear drive shafts.

Claims (16)

1. Claims 1. A multiple drive rear axle system for a vehicle, said system comprising: a first axle coupled with a drive arrow from a vehicle transmission, said first axle having a first cantilever input pinion that is mechanically coupled with the drive shaft and with a first drive gear, said first drive gear coupled further with a first power distribution system for delivering power to the wheels of the vehicle, said first shaft further comprising an output shaft mechanically coupled with the drive arrow; and at least one second shaft having a second cantilever input pinion and mechanically coupled with the output arrow of said first axis and with a second drive gear, said second drive gear coupled with a second power distribution system for deliver power to the wheels of the vehicle; wherein said first and second input sprockets are substantially identical sprockets and said first and second drive sprockets are substantially identical gears.
2. 2. The multiple rear drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein: said first shaft includes a first input coupling coupled with the drive shaft, and said second shaft includes a second input coupling coupled with the drive shaft of said shaft. first axis; and wherein at least one of said first and second axes includes a gear differential mechanically provided between the input coupling and the input pinion thereof.
3. 3. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 2, wherein said second shaft includes a second output shaft mechanically coupled with the second input coupling, said multiple rear drive shaft system further comprising: a third shaft having a third cantilever input pinion mechanically coupled with the second output shaft and with a third drive gear, said third drive gear coupled with a power distribution system to deliver power to the wheels of the vehicle; wherein said first, second and third input sprockets comprise sprockets which are substantially identical sprockets and said first, second and third sproduction gears comprise gears which are substantially identical. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 1, wherein each cantilever input pinion is flown from a support system. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 1, wherein the support system is a roller bearing system 6. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 1, wherein each Cantilever entry sprocket comprises a one-piece sprocket. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second wheel power distribution systems each comprise a double reduction gear system for delivering power to the wheels of the vehicle. vehicle. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 6, wherein said first and second wheel power distribution systems each comprise a double reduction gear system for delivery of power to the wheels of the vehicle. vehicle. 9. A multiple drive rear axle system for a vehicle, said system comprising: a first axle having a first common input means for distributing power from a drive arrow from a vehicle transmission to a first gear means common drive to deliver power to a first wheel power delivery means for delivering power to the wheels of the vehicle, said first axle further comprising output means for distributing power from the driving arrow to an input of another axle; and a second axis having a second common input means for delivering power from the output means of said first axis to a second means of common drive gear to deliver power to second wheel power delivery means to deliver power to the wheels of the vehicle; wherein said first and second input means each comprise substantially identical cantilever input sprockets and said first and second drive meshing means each comprise substantially identical drive gears. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said first and second axes includes gear differential means for dividing the output power between the wheel power distribution means. first and second. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 9, which further comprises a third axis having a third common input means for distributing power from an output means of said second axis towards third means of common drive gear to deliver power to third wheel power delivery means to deliver power to the wheels of the vehicle. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 12, wherein said input means, first, second and third, comprise input gears that are substantially identical and said driving gear means, first, second and second. third parties, each comprise drive gears that are substantially identical. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 9, wherein said first and second input means comprise input sprockets that are cantilevered from a support system. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 9, wherein said first and second wheel power distribution means each comprise a double reduction gear system for delivering power to the vehicle wheels. . 15. The multiple rear drive shaft system according to claim 14, wherein said wheel power distribution means, first and second. seconds, each comprise a double reduction gear system for distributing power to the wheels of the vehicle. 16. The multiple rear drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein each cantilever input sprocket comprises a one-piece sprocket.