Differential and self-propelled machine with the same

Abstract

The application provides a differential and a self-propelled machine with the differential, wherein the differential comprises a shell and a movable component installed in the shell, the movable component comprises gears and shafts for fixing the gears; the gears are at least three, including a first output wheel, a second output wheel and a first transmission wheel, and the shafts are also at least three, including a first shaft for installing the first output wheel, a second shaft for installing the second output wheel and a third shaft for installing the first transmission wheel; wherein the first output wheel and the second output wheel are configured to be connected with driving wheels, the first output wheel is engaged with the first transmission wheel, and the first transmission wheel is engaged with the second output wheel; wherein at least one damping mechanism is arranged in the shell. The application has the advantages of less parts, simple processing, convenient assembly and low overall cost of the differential; in addition, the self-propelled machine with the differential can adapt to complex road conditions and can make sharp turns.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of differential device technology, and more particularly to a differential and a self-propelled machine incorporating the differential. Background Technology

[0002] A differential is a mechanism that allows the left and right drive wheels to rotate at different speeds.

[0003] A patent application filed by a French transmission company on March 4, 2021, and published on September 23, 2021, with publication number WO2021186118A1, discloses a differential device suitable for self-propelled machinery (snowplows, lawnmowers, etc.). Self-propelled machinery equipped with this differential device has a small turning radius and can make sharp turns, facilitating operators to pivot the vehicle around itself when reaching the end of a straight section of a winding path, thus enabling continued snow removal along the winding path.

[0004] However, this type of differential is heavy, expensive, and complex; see appendix of WO2021186118A1 for details. Figure 1 Appendix Figure 3 Appendix Figure 4 Appendix Figure 5 Its components, including the clutch hub 4, clutch disc 5, and main body 2, all have complex structures. Due to their high cost, this differential is currently rarely used in self-propelled machinery in China. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a differential that reduces the production cost of differentials and increases market share.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is a differential, including a housing and a movable part installed in the housing. The movable part includes a gear and a shaft for fixing the gear.

[0007] The gear has at least three parts, including a first output gear, a second output gear, and a first transmission gear. Correspondingly, there are at least three shafts, including a first shaft for mounting the first output gear, a second shaft for mounting the second output gear, and a third shaft for mounting the first transmission gear. The first output gear and the second output gear are configured to connect with the drive gear, the first output gear meshes with the first transmission gear, and the first transmission gear meshes with the second output gear.

[0008] The housing contains at least one damping mechanism. The damping structure is located inside the housing and can rotate together with the housing. The damping mechanism can contact at least one of the moving parts. When the contacted part rotates relative to the damping structure, the damping structure can provide resistance to the moving part to suppress the rotation of the part.

[0009] When multiple damping mechanisms are provided inside the housing, different damping mechanisms can contact the same or different parts.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a second drive wheel and a fourth shaft for mounting the second drive wheel, the first output wheel meshing with the second drive wheel, and the second drive wheel meshing with the second output wheel;

[0011] Alternatively, it may also include a second drive wheel and a fourth shaft for mounting the second drive wheel, a third drive wheel and a fifth shaft for mounting the third drive wheel, ... the Nth drive wheel and the (N+2)th shaft for mounting the Nth drive wheel, all of which can mesh with the first output wheel and the second output wheel respectively.

[0012] Furthermore, the axes of the first output wheel and the second output wheel coincide; the axes of the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel coincide.

[0013] When the damping structure contacts the first output wheel and / or the second output wheel, the damping structure is arranged along the axial direction of the first output wheel and / or the second output wheel; when the damping structure contacts the first transmission wheel and / or the second transmission wheel, the damping structure is arranged along the axial direction of the first transmission wheel and / or the second transmission wheel.

[0014] Furthermore, the damping mechanism can contact at least one of the gears in the housing, and the gear contacted by the damping mechanism is a contact gear;

[0015] The damping mechanism includes a damping disk that contacts a contact gear. The damping disk has a first contact area, and / or the contact gear has a second contact area. The first contact area is the part of the damping disk that can contact the contact gear, and the second contact area is the part of the contact gear that can contact the damping disk.

[0016] The first contact area and the second contact area are planar, and their surfaces are rough.

[0017] Alternatively, the first contact area and the second contact area each include at least one first protruding area and one second protruding area. When the first protruding area and the second protruding area mesh, they can suppress the relative rotation between the contact gear and the damping disk. The first protruding area and the second protruding area are respectively provided with a first inclined surface, a second inclined surface, a third inclined surface, and a fourth inclined surface. After the first protruding area and the second protruding area mesh, when the force between them is sufficient, a relative displacement is generated between the contact gear and the damping disk, so that the first protruding area can be offset from the second protruding area.

[0018] Furthermore, the first contact area of ​​the damping disc is provided with a first protrusion area in a circumferential array, and correspondingly, the second contact area of ​​the contact gear is provided with a second protrusion area in a circumferential array. Each first protrusion area on the first protrusion area can mesh with the corresponding second protrusion area on the second contact area.

[0019] Furthermore, the contact gear is provided with a first protrusion, and the damping disc is provided with a first embedded portion, wherein the first protrusion is at least partially embedded in the first embedded portion;

[0020] The damping disc has an extension that can engage with the inner wall of the housing. This engagement restricts the rotation of the damping disc about its axis, but does not restrict the translation of the damping disc along the axis.

[0021] There are two extensions, which are symmetrically arranged so that the two extensions on the damping disc can respectively mate with the inner walls of the two sides of the housing.

[0022] The housing has a second insert portion, and the extension portion at least partially enters the second insert portion;

[0023] There are two second embedding parts, and the two extensions on the damping disc enter the two second embedding parts respectively.

[0024] Furthermore, the differential also includes a flexible element that contacts the moving element, or the flexible element contacts the damping disc, so that the damping disc and the contact gear always remain in contact.

[0025] In this configuration, the elastic component contacts the contact gear; or, the elastic component contacts the shaft at the center of the contact gear; or, the elastic component contacts the damping disc.

[0026] The elastic component is a regular spring or a corrugated / wave spring.

[0027] Furthermore, the damping structure includes two damping discs, which respectively contact two contact gears: a first contact gear and a second contact gear.

[0028] The axes of the first contact gear and the second contact gear are on the same straight line, the two damping discs are arranged opposite each other, and the elastic component is located between the two damping discs.

[0029] Furthermore, the shaft at the center of the first contact gear is engaged with the shaft at the center of the second contact gear, and the engagement includes direct engagement and indirect engagement;

[0030] When the shaft at the center of the first contact gear is indirectly engaged with the shaft at the center of the second contact gear, the shafts at the center of the first contact gear and the shafts at the center of the second contact gear are internally connected. The shaft at the center of the first contact gear is detachably connected to the first drive shaft, and the shaft at the center of the second contact gear is detachably connected to the second drive shaft. The first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are engaged together.

[0031] The second drive shaft has a socket, and the first drive shaft has a third insert, which can be inserted into the socket at least partially; the outer wall of the third insert is clearance-fitted with the inner wall of the socket.

[0032] A self-propelled machine equipped with the aforementioned differential.

[0033] In summary, the beneficial effects of this invention are: fewer parts, simpler processing, and easier assembly, resulting in a lower overall cost of the differential; in addition, the differential performs well, can adapt to complex road conditions, and can make sharp turns; the differential of this invention can achieve all the functions disclosed in the French transmission device patent: a differential suitable for self-propelled machinery. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the differential of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the center differential with the first housing removed;

[0036] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the center differential;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the damping disc and the contact gear.

[0038] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the center differential in one direction;

[0039] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the center differential from another direction;

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a snowplow equipped with the differential of the present invention in a straight-line state;

[0041] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the working status of the internal differential of a snowplow.

[0042] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a snowplow equipped with the differential of the present invention in a left-turning state;

[0043] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing the working status of the internal differential of a snowplow.

[0044] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a snowplow equipped with the differential of the present invention rotating around itself;

[0045] Figure 12 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram showing the working status of the internal differential of a snowplow.

[0046] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a snowplow equipped with the differential of the present invention encountering an obstacle;

[0047] Figure 14 for Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the working state of the internal differential of a snowplow. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are merely detailed descriptions of the present invention and should not be regarded as limitations on the present invention. All features disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, or all steps in all methods or processes disclosed, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps, can be combined in any way.

[0049] Example 1, refer to Appendix Figure 1 ~Attached Figure 6 .

[0050] This embodiment provides a differential, including a housing 90 and movable parts installed within the housing 90. The movable parts are defined as components that can move relative to the housing 90. The movable parts include multiple parts categorized according to their function, including gears and shafts for fixing the gears. At least three gears are provided, including a first output gear 10, a second output gear 20, and a first drive gear 30. Correspondingly, the shafts include a first shaft 70 for mounting the first output gear 10, a second shaft 80 for mounting the second output gear 20, and a third shaft for mounting the first drive gear 30. The first output gear 10 and the second output gear 20 are configured to connect with the drive wheels on the left and right sides, respectively. The first output wheel 10 meshes with the first transmission wheel 30, and the first transmission wheel 30 meshes with the second output wheel 20. The housing 90 contains at least one damping mechanism, each of which can contact at least one of the moving parts (one of the first output wheel 10, the second output wheel 20, the first transmission wheel 30, the first shaft 70, the second shaft 80, or the third shaft). When the housing 90 contains multiple damping mechanisms (two or more), different damping mechanisms can contact the same or different parts. When the contacted part moves relative to the damping structure, the damping structure provides resistance to the moving part, suppressing its rotational movement and preventing deflection of the differential assembly. It should be noted that the shaft and the gear mounted on it can be assembled from two parts: a gear mounted on the shaft; or it can be a single part: a part with a shaft portion and a gear portion. In this embodiment, for ease of differential assembly, the gear and the shaft at its axial position (the gear and the shaft used to mount the gear) are integrated.

[0051] Generally, the contact area provided by the shaft and the gear fixed on it is larger than the contact area provided by the shaft. A larger contact area means a better damping effect. Therefore, when the damping mechanism contacts the shaft or the gear on the shaft, it is preferable that the damping mechanism contacts the gear on the shaft. Preferably, the damping mechanism can contact at least one of the gears in the housing 90. For example, the damping mechanism contacts one of the first output wheel 10, the second output wheel 20, and the first transmission wheel 30. This gear in contact with the damping mechanism is called the contact gear.

[0052] Preferably, the damping structure is disposed within the housing 90 and rotates together with the housing 90. Thus, when the moving parts do not move relative to the housing 90 (i.e., when the first output wheel 10, second output wheel 20, first transmission wheel 30, first shaft 70, second shaft 80, and third shaft remain relatively stationary with respect to the housing 90), the damping structure will not generate friction with the moving parts. The significance of the damping structure is to make it difficult for the moving parts to rotate relative to the housing 90. Such a differential has many advantages when applied to self-propelled machinery, which will be described in detail later.

[0053] Preferably, in this embodiment, the differential further includes a second drive wheel 40 and a fourth shaft for mounting the second drive wheel 40. The first output wheel 10 meshes with the second drive wheel 40, and the second drive wheel 40 meshes with the second output wheel 20. Further, the first drive wheel 30 and the second drive wheel 40 are arranged symmetrically, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 2 ~Attached Figure 6 As shown.

[0054] Preferably, in some other embodiments, the differential includes not only the first drive wheel 30 and the second drive wheel 40, but also a third drive wheel and a fifth shaft for mounting the third drive wheel, a fourth drive wheel and a sixth shaft for mounting the fourth drive wheel, ... the Nth drive wheel and a (N+2)th shaft for mounting the Nth drive wheel. These drive wheels can respectively mesh with the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20. It should be noted that the aforementioned third drive wheel, fifth shaft, fourth drive wheel, sixth shaft, Nth drive wheel, and (N+2)th shaft are all parts included in the moving parts.

[0055] Preferably, in this embodiment, the axes of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20 coincide.

[0056] Preferably, in this embodiment, the axes of the first transmission wheel 30 and the second transmission wheel 40 coincide.

[0057] Preferably, when the damping structure contacts the first output wheel 10 and / or the second output wheel 20, the damping structure is arranged along the axial direction of the first output wheel 10 and / or the second output wheel 20; when the damping structure contacts the first drive wheel 30 and / or the second drive wheel 40, the damping structure is arranged along the axial direction of the first drive wheel 30 and / or the second drive wheel 40. Typically, the volume of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20 inside the differential is larger than the volume of the first drive wheel 30 and the second drive wheel 40, and the number of teeth of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20 is also larger than the number of teeth of the first drive wheel 30 and the second drive wheel 40, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 5As shown in the figure, the longitudinal space (the distance between the first transmission wheel 30 and the second transmission wheel 40) in the area between the four gears is greater than the transverse space (the distance between the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20). Therefore, if only one of the longitudinal or transverse spaces is selected for the arrangement of the damping structure within this space (ignoring the travel of the damping structure during friction), then arranging it along the axis of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20 allows for the installation of a larger damping mechanism, resulting in a larger contact area and better damping effect. In this embodiment, for ease of assembly of the reducer and considering the damping requirements during actual operation, the reducer only has a damping structure arranged in one direction, which is along the axis of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20. In this case, the first output wheel 10 or the second output wheel 20 is a contact gear. In some other embodiments, the reducer has multiple damping structures arranged in multiple directions. For example, one damping structure is arranged along the axis of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20, another damping structure is arranged along the axis of the first transmission wheel 30 and the second transmission wheel 400, and so on. In this case, there are multiple contact gears, namely the first contact gear, the second contact gear, etc.

[0058] Preferably, the damping mechanism includes a damping disc 50 for contacting a contact gear. The damping disc 50 has a first contact area 51, and / or the contact gear has a second contact area 21. The first contact area 51 is the portion of the damping disc 50 that can contact the contact gear, and the second contact area 21 is the portion of the contact gear that can contact the damping disc 50. Both the first contact area 51 and the second contact area 21 can provide resistance to the contact gear when the moving part moves. In some embodiments, the first contact area 51 and the second contact area 21 are planes with rough surfaces. During the movement of the moving part, friction occurs between the damping disc 50 and the contact gear, and the damping disc 50 (along the axial direction of the contact gear) does not generate stroke.

[0059] In this embodiment, the damping disc 50 is provided with a first contact area 51, and the contact gear is provided with a second contact area 21. The first contact area 51 and the second contact area 21 each include at least a first protruding area 52 and a second protruding area 22. When the first protruding area 52 and the second protruding area 22 are engaged, the relative rotation between the contact gear and the damping disc 50 can be suppressed. Further, the first protruding area 52 and the second protruding area 22 are respectively provided with a first inclined surface 53, a second inclined surface 54, a third inclined surface 23, and a fourth inclined surface 24. The inclined surfaces on the protruding areas enable that after the first protruding area 52 and the second protruding area 22 are engaged, when the force between them is sufficient, a relative displacement occurs between the contact gear and the damping disc 50, i.e., a stroke is generated, so that the first protruding area 52 can be displaced from the second protruding area 22, thereby allowing the moving part to continue rotating and preventing the contact gear from jamming with the damping disc 50. It should be noted that the relative displacement can be generated by the contact gear and / or the damping disk 50 (relative to the housing 90). In this embodiment, the damping disk 50 is displaced, thereby causing the damping disk 50 to travel, and the first protruding area 52 is offset from the second protruding area 22.

[0060] Preferably, the first contact area 51 of the damping disc 50 is provided with a first protrusion area 52 in a circumferential array, and correspondingly, the second contact area 21 of the contact gear is provided with a second protrusion area 22 in a circumferential array. In this way, each first protrusion area 52 on the first protrusion area 52 can mesh with the corresponding second protrusion area 22 on the second contact area 21, thereby providing relatively uniform damping when the moving part moves.

[0061] During the movement of the moving parts, the contact gear rotates relative to the damping disk 50. To prevent the contact gear from easily disengaging from the damping disk 50 during movement, preferably, the contact gear has a first protrusion 25, and the damping disk 50 has a first insert portion 55. The first protrusion 25 can at least partially insert into the first insert portion 55. Further, the first protrusion 25 is cylindrical, and the first insert portion 55 is a cylindrical through hole.

[0062] In this embodiment, because the first protruding region 52 and the second protruding region 22 are misaligned, the damping disk 50 will generate a stroke. Simultaneously, the damping structure can rotate synchronously with the housing 90; therefore, the damping disk 50 cannot be fixedly installed inside the housing 90. Preferably, the damping disk 50 is provided with an extension 56, which can cooperate with the inner wall of the housing 90, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 6As shown, this fit restricts the rotation of the damping disc 50 about its axis, but does not restrict the translation of the damping disc 50 along the axis. The reason for restricting the rotation of the damping disc 50 about its axis is that the extension 56 will contact the inner wall of the housing 90 when rotating, preventing it from rotating; the reason for not restricting the translation of the damping disc 50 is that the dimensions of the inner wall of the housing 90 remain consistent in the direction of the contact gear axis, allowing the damping disc 50 to move along the direction of the contact gear axis.

[0063] Preferably, in order to ensure stable installation of the damping disc 50, the damping disc 50 is provided with two extensions 56, which are symmetrically arranged so that the two extensions 56 on the damping disc 50 can respectively cooperate with the inner walls of the two sides of the housing 90.

[0064] Preferably, the housing 90 is provided with a second embedding portion 92, and the extension portion 56 at least partially enters the second embedding portion 92. The second embedding portion 92 helps to position the extension portion 56, and at the same time, it also helps to prevent the extension portion 56 from coming out of the second embedding portion 92, which helps to determine the installation position of the damping disc 50 within the housing 90. Further, there are two second embedding portions 92, and the two extension portions 56 on the damping disc 50 respectively enter the two second embedding portions 92.

[0065] Preferably, the differential further includes an elastic member 60, which contacts a movable member, or the elastic member 60 contacts a damping disc 50, thereby ensuring that a first contact area 51 on the damping disc 50 remains in contact with a second contact area 21 on the contact gear. In some embodiments, the elastic member 60 contacts the contact gear, applying stress to the contact gear to bring the contact gear into contact with the damping disc 50; in other embodiments, the elastic member 60 contacts a shaft at the axis of the contact gear, transmitting stress to the contact gear via the shaft to bring the contact gear into contact with the damping disc 50. In this embodiment, the elastic member 60 contacts the damping disc 50, applying stress to the damping disc 50 to bring the contact gear into contact with the damping disc 50.

[0066] Preferably, the damping structure includes two damping discs 50, which respectively contact two contact gears: a first contact gear and a second contact gear. The axes of the first and second contact gears are collinear, therefore the two damping discs 50 are also located on the same straight line. The two damping discs 50 are arranged opposite to each other, and an elastic member 60 is located between them. The elastic member 60 can simultaneously apply two opposite compressive stresses to the two damping discs 50, ensuring that each damping disc 50 maintains contact with the second contact area 21 of the first and second contact gears through its first contact area 51. Thus, when the first and second contact gears need to rotate, they must overcome the resistance provided by the two damping discs 50. In this embodiment, the first and second contact gears are the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20, respectively.

[0067] To ensure a more stable installation of the damping disc 50 and elastic component 60 within the housing 90, preferably, refer to the attached... Figure 3 - Appendix Figure 6 The shaft at the center of the first contact gear engages with the shaft at the center of the second contact gear. This engagement can be direct or indirect. Direct engagement means that the shafts at the center of the two contact gears are directly engaged; indirect engagement means that the shafts at the center of the two contact gears are engaged by installing other parts / components. In this embodiment, an indirect engagement is used. The first shaft 70 and the second shaft 80 are internally connected. The first shaft 70 is detachably connected to the first drive shaft 61, and the second shaft 80 is detachably connected to the second drive shaft 62. The first drive shaft 61 and the second drive shaft 62 are engaged together. Specifically, the second drive shaft 62 has an insertion hole 81, and the first drive shaft 61 has a third insert 71, which can at least partially insert into the insertion hole 81. By engaging the shafts, the elastic component 60 is fitted onto the outside of the first drive shaft 61, preventing it from falling off between the two damping discs 50, thus contributing to the stable installation of the damping discs 50. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the outer wall of the third insert 71 is clearance-fitted with the inner wall of the insertion hole 81. In some other embodiments, the first shaft 70 is integral with the first drive shaft 61, and the second shaft 80 is integral with the second drive shaft 62, thus enabling direct engagement of the shafts at the center positions of the two contact gears.

[0068] Preferably, the elastic component 60 can be a regular spring, a corrugated / wave spring, etc. During the production process of the reducer, different springs are selected according to customer needs to achieve different damping forces and meet the customer's actual requirements.

[0069] Preferably, the housing 90 includes a first housing 91 and a second housing 92, and the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 are assembled together to form the housing 90.

[0070] Preferably, the housing 90 is provided with a mounting area 93, which can be used to mount a rotating wheel (not shown in the figure). The rotating wheel can be driven by the engine or not. When the rotating wheel is driven by the engine, the driving method includes, but is not limited to, gear drive and pulley drive. Power is transmitted from the engine to the differential, causing the housing 90 to rotate, and / or the first output wheel 10 to rotate, and / or the second output wheel 20 to rotate. Further, the mounting area 93 is provided with four mounting holes 95 for mounting the rotating wheel onto the housing 90.

[0071] Example 2, refer to Appendix Figure 7 ~Attached Figure 14 .

[0072] This embodiment provides a self-propelled machine equipped with the reducer disclosed in Embodiment 1. The self-propelled machine includes a snowplow. A snowplow includes a differential 89 installed inside the machine body. The first drive shaft 61 and the second drive shaft 62 connected to the differential are respectively connected to the first drive wheel 98 and the second drive wheel 97 on both sides of the snowplow. A bucket 99 is provided on the machine body, which can be used for shoveling snow. A handle 79 is also provided on the machine body for controlling the forward direction of the snowplow.

[0073] The other implementation methods in this embodiment are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0074] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the principle of the differential of this invention and appreciate its advantages, the following is a description of the working state of a snowplow equipped with the differential of this invention. (The appendix...) Figure 7 Appendix Figure 8 This diagram shows the snowplow in forward motion and the internal working state of the differential in this state; attached. Figure 9 Appendix Figure 10 This diagram illustrates the snowplow in a turning position and the internal working state of the differential in this state; (Attached) Figure 11 Appendix Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a snowplow rotating around itself and a schematic diagram of the internal working state of the differential in this state; Figure 13 , Figure 14 This diagram illustrates a snowplow encountering an obstacle and the internal working state of the differential in that situation.

[0075] See attached document Figure 7 Appendix Figure 8The operator pushes the handle 79 to put the snowplow in the forward position. At this time, the drive wheel connected to the engine output shaft drives the rotating wheel on the differential mounting area 93 to rotate. The rotating wheel drives the differential housing 90 to rotate as well. At this time, the moving parts inside the housing 90 remain stationary relative to the housing 90. The rotation of the housing 90 drives the first drive shaft 61 and the second drive shaft 62 to rotate. The first drive shaft 61 and the second drive shaft 62 drive the first drive wheel 98 and the second drive wheel 97 to rotate. In this state, the first drive wheel 98 and the second drive wheel 97 rotate at the same speed, so the snowplow moves in a straight line. (In this state: the first contact area 51 of the two damping discs 50 engages with the second contact area 21 of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20, respectively.)

[0076] See attached document Figure 9 Appendix Figure 10 The operator pushes the handle 79 to put the snowplow into a turning position. At this time, the drive wheel connected to the engine output shaft drives the rotating wheel on the differential mounting area 93 to rotate. The rotating wheel drives the differential housing 90 to rotate together. In order to achieve turning, the moving parts inside the housing 90 move relative to the housing 90. For example, as shown in the attached... Figure 9 Appendix Figure 10 In the left-turn state shown, the first output wheel 10 rotates clockwise (observed from the outside of the differential, the same applies below), driving the first drive shaft 61 to accelerate; the second output wheel 20 also rotates clockwise, driving the second drive shaft 62 to decelerate, so that the speed of the first drive wheel 98 connected to the first drive shaft 61 is greater than that of the second drive wheel 97 connected to the second drive shaft 62, thus realizing the left turn of the snow sweeper. (In this state: the first contact area 51 of the two damping discs 50 disengages from the second contact area 21 of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20, respectively.)

[0077] See attached document Figure 11 Appendix Figure 12 The operator pushes the handle 79 to rotate the snowplow around itself. At this time, the engine is off and the differential is not driven to rotate. The moving parts inside the housing 90 move relative to the housing 90. For example, as shown in the attached... Figure 11 Appendix Figure 12 As shown, the first output wheel 10 rotates clockwise, and the second output wheel 20 also rotates clockwise. At this time, the first output wheel 10 drives the first drive wheel 98 to rotate via the first drive shaft 61, and the second output wheel 20 drives the second drive wheel 97 to rotate via the second drive shaft 62. The first drive wheel 98 and the second drive wheel 97 rotate in opposite directions, realizing that the snow sweeper rotates around itself. (In this state: the first contact area 51 of the two damping discs 50 disengages from the second contact area 21 of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20, respectively.)

[0078] See attached document Figure 13 Appendix Figure 14 The operator pushes the handle 79 to put the snowplow in the forward position. During the snowplow's forward movement, the drive wheels may encounter obstacles on the ground. For example, refer to the attached... Figure 13 In the middle, the second drive wheel 97 encountered an obstacle 96. In this situation, the snowplow equipped with a conventional differential will cause the second drive wheel 97 on the left to get stuck (the speed will decrease or become zero), and the first drive wheel 98 on the right to start slipping, which will prevent the snowplow from moving forward. In a snowplow equipped with the differential of this invention, the presence of the damping structure enhances the connection between the first drive shaft 61 and the second drive shaft 62. When the second drive wheel 97 encounters an obstacle 96, the obstacle 96 is insufficient to overcome the resistance brought by the two damping discs 50. That is, at this time, the first contact area 51 of the two damping discs 50 in the differential is still engaged with the second contact area 21 of the first output wheel 10 and the second output wheel 20. This keeps the moving parts in the housing 90 stationary relative to the housing 90. At this time, the drive wheel connected to the engine output shaft drives the rotating wheel on the differential mounting area 93 to rotate. The rotating wheel drives the differential housing 90 to rotate together. The rotation of the housing 90 drives the first drive shaft 61 and the second drive shaft 62 to rotate. The first drive shaft 61 and the second drive shaft 62 drive the first drive wheel 98 and the second drive wheel 97 to rotate, so that the second drive wheel 97 can pass over the obstacle 96 in one go and continue to move forward. In reality, obstacle 96 can be a pit, a bump, a pebble, etc., on the ground. A snowplow equipped with the differential of this invention can pass through the above obstacles smoothly.

[0079] It's important to note that while large stones on the road could indeed cause the differential to slip if they come into contact with the drive wheels, allowing it to overcome the resistance from the damping discs 50, this is not actually the case in practice. This is because the bucket 99 pre-scoops the stones into its compartment; stones not scooped into the bucket are insufficient to cause differential slippage. Furthermore, snowplows are commonly used on public roads, which typically lack large potholes or bumps. They only have minor potholes caused by road construction. These potholes and bumps are insufficient for the differential to overcome the resistance from the two damping discs 50, thus preventing snowplow slippage. In conclusion, snowplows utilizing the differential of this invention can overcome almost all difficulties encountered during road snow removal.

[0080] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the invention, but the scope of protection of the invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions conceived without inventive effort should be included within the scope of protection of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A differential, characterized in that, It includes a housing (90) and movable parts installed within the housing (90), the movable parts including gears and shafts for fixing the gears; The gears are provided with at least three, including a first output gear (10), a second output gear (20), and a first transmission gear (30). Correspondingly, there are also at least three shafts, including a first shaft (70) for mounting the first output gear (10), a second shaft (80) for mounting the second output gear (20), and a third shaft for mounting the first transmission gear (30). The first output gear (10) and the second output gear (20) are configured to be connected to the drive gear. The first output gear (10) meshes with the first transmission gear (30), and the first transmission gear (30) meshes with the second output gear (20). The housing (90) is provided with at least one damping mechanism. The damping structure is located inside the housing (90) and can rotate together with the housing (90). The damping mechanism can contact at least one part of the moving parts. When the contacted part rotates relative to the damping structure, the damping structure can provide resistance to the moving part to suppress the rotation of the part. When multiple damping mechanisms are provided inside the housing (90), different damping mechanisms can contact the same or different parts; The damping mechanism can contact at least one of the gears in the housing (90), and the gear contacted by the damping mechanism is the contact gear; The damping mechanism includes a damping disk (50), which contacts a contact gear. The damping disk (50) has a first contact area (51), and / or the contact gear has a second contact area (21). The first contact area (51) is the part of the damping disk (50) that can contact the contact gear, and the second contact area (21) is the part of the contact gear that can contact the damping disk (50). The damping disc (50) is provided with an extension (56) that can engage with the inner wall of the housing (90). This engagement can restrict the rotation of the damping disc (50) about its axis, but does not restrict the translation of the damping disc (50) along the axis.

2. A differential according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second drive wheel (40) and a fourth shaft for mounting the second drive wheel (40), the first output wheel (10) meshes with the second drive wheel (40), and the second drive wheel (40) meshes with the second output wheel (20); Alternatively, it may also include a second drive wheel (40) and a fourth shaft for mounting the second drive wheel (40), a third drive wheel and a fifth shaft for mounting the third drive wheel, ... the Nth drive wheel and a (N+2)th shaft for mounting the Nth drive wheel, all of which can mesh with the first output wheel (10) and the second output wheel (20) respectively.

3. A differential according to claim 2, characterized in that, The axes of the first output wheel (10) and the second output wheel (20) coincide; the axes of the first transmission wheel (30) and the second transmission wheel (40) coincide. When the damping structure contacts the first output wheel (10) and / or the second output wheel (20), the damping structure is arranged along the axial direction of the first output wheel (10) and / or the second output wheel (20); when the damping structure contacts the first transmission wheel (30) and / or the second transmission wheel (40), the damping structure is arranged along the axial direction of the first transmission wheel (30) and / or the second transmission wheel (40).

4. A differential according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first contact area (51) and the second contact area (21) are planar surfaces with rough surfaces; Alternatively, the first contact area (51) and the second contact area (21) may each include at least one first protruding area (52) and one second protruding area (22). When the first protruding area (52) and the second protruding area (22) are engaged, they can suppress the relative rotation between the contact gear and the damping disk (50). The first protruding area (52) and the second protruding area (22) are respectively provided with a first inclined surface (53), a second inclined surface (54), a third inclined surface (23), and a fourth inclined surface (24). After the first protruding area (52) and the second protruding area (22) are engaged, when the force between them is sufficient, the contact gear and the damping disk (50) will generate a relative displacement, so that the first protruding area (52) can be offset from the second protruding area (22).

5. A differential according to claim 4, characterized in that, The damping disc (50) has a first protrusion area (52) arranged in a circular array on the first contact area (51), and correspondingly, the second contact area (21) of the contact gear has a second protrusion area (22) arranged in a circular array. Each first protrusion area (52) on the first protrusion area (52) can mesh with the corresponding second protrusion area (22) on the second contact area (21).

6. A differential according to claim 4, characterized in that, The contact gear is provided with a first protrusion (25), and the damping disk (50) is provided with a first embedded part (55). The first protrusion (25) is at least partially embedded in the first embedded part (55). There are two extensions (56), which are symmetrically arranged so that the two extensions (56) on the damping disc (50) can respectively cooperate with the inner walls of the two sides of the housing (90). The housing (90) is provided with a second insert (92), and the extension (56) is at least partially inserted into the second insert (92); There are two second embedding parts (92), and two extensions (56) on the damping disc (50) respectively enter the two second embedding parts (92).

7. A differential according to claim 4, characterized in that, The differential also includes an elastic element (60) that contacts a moving part, or the elastic element (60) contacts a damping disc (50) so that the damping disc (50) always remains in contact with the contact gear; Among them, the elastic component (60) contacts the contact gear; or, the elastic component (60) contacts the shaft at the center of the contact gear; or, the elastic component (60) contacts the damping disc (50); The elastic component (60) is a regular spring or a corrugated / wave spring.

8. A differential according to claim 7, characterized in that, The damping structure includes two damping discs (50), which respectively contact two contact gears: a first contact gear and a second contact gear. The axes of the first contact gear and the second contact gear are on the same straight line, the two damping discs (50) are arranged opposite to each other, and the elastic component (60) is located between the two damping discs (50).

9. A differential according to claim 8, characterized in that, The shaft at the center of the first contact gear is engaged with the shaft at the center of the second contact gear. The engagement includes direct engagement and indirect engagement. When the shaft at the center of the first contact gear is indirectly engaged with the shaft at the center of the second contact gear, the shafts at the center of the first contact gear and the shafts at the center of the second contact gear are internally connected. The shaft at the center of the first contact gear is detachably connected to the first drive shaft, and the shaft at the center of the second contact gear is detachably connected to the second drive shaft. The first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are engaged together. The second drive shaft has a socket (81) inside, and the first drive shaft has a third insert (71) on it. The third insert (71) can be inserted into the socket (81) at least partially. The outer wall of the third insert (71) is in clearance fit with the inner wall of the socket (81).

10. A self-propelled machine, characterized in that, It is equipped with a differential according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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