Differential mechanism, hybrid module and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of differential mechanisms, in particular to a differential mechanism, a hybrid module and a vehicle. The differential mechanism comprises a differential mechanism shell, and two half axle gears connected with the left wheel half axle and the right wheel half axle respectively are arranged on the differential mechanism shell; the first planetary gear and the second planetary gear are respectively meshed with the two half axle gears; the driving motor assembly is assembled on the differential mechanism shell, and when the driving motor assembly is in the vehicle pivot steering state, the driving motor assembly is connected with the first planetary gear and drives the first planetary gear to change the rotation speed so that the two half axle gears can rotate in the opposite directions. The motor flexibly connected with or disconnected from the planetary gear is arranged, and the motor is used for controlling the rotation speed of one planetary gear, so that the two half axle gears meshed with the planetary gear can rotate in the opposite directions, the turning radius of the vehicle is reduced, and the vehicle can turn around the center axis of the vehicle in situ.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of differentials, and in particular to a differential, a hybrid module and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of China's economy and automobile industry, the number of cars is increasing, which exacerbates the problem of traffic congestion. The wheelbase of cars is getting longer and longer, which brings good and comfortable space inside the car but also brings great challenges to the car's maneuverability. To improve the steering flexibility and passability of the car, most vehicles currently steer by controlling the front wheels, which requires a certain turning radius. The turning radius of large and medium-sized vehicles is larger, which is not flexible enough in a small space.

[0003] In particular, when the car is turning, the turning radius of the outer wheel is larger than that of the inner wheel, which requires that the outer wheel rotates faster than the inner wheel when turning. In the related art, a differential is generally used to meet the requirement of different rotation speeds of the wheels on both sides when the car turns. However, although the differential on the vehicle can make the left and right (or front and rear) driving wheels rotate at different speeds, it cannot make the left and right wheels rotate in different directions, and cannot make the vehicle rotate in place. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the related technology, the vehicle is unable to rotate or turn around on the spot, resulting in the vehicle's turning radius being too large and not being flexible enough in a small space.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a differential, which includes: a differential housing, a planetary gear set and a drive motor assembly; wherein:

[0006] A differential case, on which two axle gears are respectively connected to the left wheel axle and the right wheel axle; a planetary gear set, which is arranged in the differential case, and the planetary gear set includes a first planetary gear and a second planetary gear, and the first planetary gear and the second planetary gear are respectively meshed with the two axle gears; a drive motor assembly, which is arranged on the differential case, and the drive motor assembly is configured to be switchable between a normal driving state and a vehicle in-situ steering state; wherein,

[0007] When the drive motor assembly is in a normal driving state, the drive motor assembly is disconnected from the planetary gear set, and the first planetary gear and the second planetary gear rotate under the drive of the external drive motor;

[0008] When the driving motor assembly is in a vehicle in-situ turning state, the driving motor assembly is connected to the first planetary gear, and drives the first planetary gear to change its rotation speed so that the two side shaft gears rotate in opposite directions.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, in one implementation, the drive motor assembly includes:

[0010] A servo motor, which is mounted on the differential housing;

[0011] A differential controller is connected to the servo motor signal, and is used to receive driving instructions and drive the servo motor to perform control actions according to the driving instructions; wherein,

[0012] When the differential controller receives a normal vehicle driving instruction, the differential controller drives the servo motor to maintain a disconnected state with the first planetary gear;

[0013] When the differential controller receives a vehicle on-site steering instruction, the differential controller controls the servo motor to connect with the first planetary gear, and changes the rotation speed of the first planetary gear through the servo motor to make the two half-shaft gears rotate in opposite directions.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the differential controller is used to drive the first planetary gear to rotate after receiving a vehicle on-site turning instruction and controlling the motor assembly to be connected to the first planetary gear, so that the rotation speed of the first planetary gear meets a preset requirement.

[0015] In combination with the first aspect, in one implementation, the preset requirement for the rotation speed of the first planetary gear includes: the rotation speed n3 of the first planetary gear satisfies:

[0016] n3>n0*r1 / r3

[0017] Wherein, n0 is the rotation speed of the differential case, r1 is the radius of the half-shaft gear, and r3 is the radius of the first planetary gear.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect, in one implementation, the differential controller and the servo motor are integrated and mounted on the differential housing.

[0019] In combination with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the first gear shaft of the first planetary gear passes through the differential housing, and a coupling and separation mechanism is provided at one end of the first gear shaft close to the drive motor assembly, and the coupling and separation mechanism is connected to the differential controller signal, and the coupling and separation mechanism is used to drive the drive motor assembly to connect or disconnect with the first gear shaft.

[0020] In combination with the first aspect, in one implementation, the engaging and disengaging mechanism includes a clutch.

[0021] In combination with the first aspect, in one implementation, the engaging and disengaging mechanism includes a synchronizer.

[0022] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a hybrid module, which includes: a differential as described in any one of the above items.

[0023] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle, comprising: a differential as described in any one of the above items.

[0024] The beneficial effects brought by the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application include at least:

[0025] The present application sets a motor that is flexibly connected or disconnected with the planetary gears, and uses the motor to adjust the rotation speed of some planetary gears so that the two half-shaft gears that are bare-meshed with the planet can rotate in opposite directions, thereby reducing the turning radius of the vehicle and enabling the vehicle to turn around on the spot around its own central axis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a differential in an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] In the figure: 1, differential case; 2, half-shaft gears; 21, left half-shaft gears; 22, right half-shaft gears; 3, first planetary gear; 31, first gear shaft; 4, second planetary gear; 5, servo motor; 6, coupling and separation mechanism; 7, main reduction ring gear. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present application, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] In view of the related technology, the vehicle is unable to rotate or turn around on the spot, resulting in the vehicle's turning radius being too large and not being flexible enough in a small space.

[0031] Conventional models are designed to achieve vehicle U-turns. In some solutions, the left and right wheels of the rear axle are equipped with independent drive motor assemblies, and the front drive uses one motor to drive the left and right wheels. By precisely controlling the torque and steering angle of each wheel, the vehicle can use the inner wheel of the front axle as the center of the circle, and the other wheels rotate around it, thus achieving a "compass U-turn". This is applicable to both pure electric and extended-range vehicles.

[0032] Understandably, its turning radius is still relatively large, making it difficult to use in some special terrains.

[0033] In other solutions, each wheel is equipped with an independent drive motor assembly, and the four wheel drives are completely decoupled, and the motors can easily achieve forward and reverse rotation. By controlling the motors of the wheels on both sides to rotate in opposite directions, the vehicle can rotate around the center axis of the vehicle to achieve a U-turn on the spot.

[0034] It is understandable that the above solution requires multiple additional drive motor components, which are relatively expensive and are not conducive to the economy of the vehicle.

[0035] First, as Figure 1 As shown, a differential is provided in an embodiment of the present application, which includes: a differential housing 1, a planetary gear set and a drive motor assembly; wherein,

[0036] A differential case 1 is provided with two side-axle gears 2 respectively connected to the left wheel side-axle and the right wheel side-axle; a planetary gear set is provided in the differential case 1, and the planetary gear set includes a first planetary gear 3 and a second planetary gear 4, and the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are respectively meshed with the two side-axle gears 2; a drive motor assembly is provided on the differential case 1, and the drive motor assembly is configured to be switchable between a normal driving state and a vehicle in-situ steering state; wherein,

[0037] When the drive motor assembly is in a normal driving state, the drive motor assembly is disconnected from the planetary gear set, and the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 rotate under the drive of the external drive motor;

[0038] When the driving motor assembly is in a state of vehicle in-situ turning, the driving motor assembly is connected to the first planetary gear 3 and drives the first planetary gear 3 to change the rotation speed so that the two side gears 2 rotate in opposite directions.

[0039] It should be noted that if Figure 1As shown, the two half-axle gears 2 connected to the left and right wheel half-axles are respectively the left half-axle gear 21 and the right half-axle gear 22. In the embodiment of the present application, the two half-axle gears 2 are not limited to the left half-axle gear 21 and the right half-axle gear 22, and can also be set to other positions (such as front and rear half-axle gears) according to the driving design requirements. Similarly, the rear drive can also realize one forward rotation and one reverse rotation of the left and right wheels, and cooperate with intelligent control of the steering angle of each wheel to realize the vehicle turning around on the spot.

[0040] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the planetary gear set and the differential housing 1 rotate as a whole, the gears in the planetary gear set do not rotate, and there is no relative movement between the internal parts of the entire differential. When the vehicle is traveling in a non-straight line, the gears in the planetary gear set not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. When the vehicle is turning in place, the drive motor assembly is connected to some gears of the planetary gear set and drives some gears to rotate at a preset speed, thereby driving the left and right half-shaft gears 2 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0041] In some specific embodiments, the planetary gear set includes: a first planetary gear 3 and a second planetary gear 4 disposed in the differential housing 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are respectively meshed with the two half-shaft gears 2, and a first gear shaft 31 is passed through the first planetary gear 3, one end of the first gear shaft 31 passes through the differential housing 1 and is used to connect or disconnect with the drive motor assembly.

[0042] It can be understood that the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 have the same model and size.

[0043] It is worth noting that when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 rotate as a whole with the differential housing 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 do not rotate, and there is no relative movement between the internal parts of the entire differential. When the vehicle is traveling in a non-straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. During the vehicle's straight and non-straight travel, the drive motor assembly is not combined with the first gear shaft 31, and does not interfere with the movement of the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4. When the vehicle is turning in place, the drive motor assembly is combined with the first gear shaft 31 of the first planetary gear 3, and the drive motor assembly drives the first planetary gear 3 to rotate, thereby driving the left and right half-shaft gears 2 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0044] In some specific implementations, the drive motor assembly includes: The drive motor assembly includes:

[0045] A servo motor 5 is mounted on the differential housing 1; a differential controller is connected to the servo motor 5 by signal, and the differential controller is used to receive driving instructions and drive the drive motor assembly to perform control actions according to the driving instructions; wherein,

[0046] When the differential controller receives a normal vehicle driving instruction, the differential controller drives the servo motor 5 to maintain a disconnected state with the first planetary gear 3;

[0047] When the differential controller receives a vehicle in-situ steering instruction, the differential controller controls the servo motor 5 to connect with the first planetary gear 3, and changes the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 through the servo motor 5 to make the two side gears 2 rotate in opposite directions.

[0048] It is worth noting that the present application uses a differential controller to link with the vehicle command, so that when the vehicle's driving mode changes, the differential can quickly change its working state and perform in-situ turning or normal driving. Further, the differential controller is used to receive the vehicle command, and control the drive motor assembly to engage or disconnect with the first gear shaft 31 according to the vehicle command, and drive the drive motor assembly to drive the first gear shaft 31 to rotate, and the first planetary gear 3 changes its rotation speed. It is understandable that the differential controller can establish a connection with the vehicle control system, and quickly and conveniently control the differential to perform corresponding actions according to the driving command.

[0049] In some optional implementations, the differential controller and the servo motor 5 are integrated and installed on the differential housing 1 .

[0050] Furthermore, when receiving the in-situ steering instruction, the differential controller controls the motor assembly to connect with the first gear shaft 31, and drives the first planetary gear 3 to rotate, and the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets the preset requirements.

[0051] In some preferred embodiments, the first gear shaft 31 of the first planetary gear 3 passes through the differential housing 1, and a coupling and separation mechanism 6 is provided at one end of the first gear shaft 31 close to the drive motor assembly. The coupling and separation mechanism 6 is connected to the differential controller signal, and the coupling and separation mechanism 6 is used to drive the drive motor assembly to connect or disconnect with the first gear shaft 31.

[0052] It can be understood that the differential controller can control the engagement and disengagement mechanism 6 to perform an engagement or disengagement action according to the driving command, so that the motor assembly switches between the normal driving and the in-situ steering state.

[0053] In an optional implementation of the present application, the engaging and disengaging mechanism 6 may be a clutch or a synchronizer.

[0054] It is worth noting that the coupling and separation mechanism 6 only couples the end of the first gear shaft 31 with the servo motor 5 when the vehicle needs to perform a U-turn task. In other driving conditions, no action is taken, and the normal straight and non-straight driving of the vehicle is not affected. Among them, the clutch power transmission is direct and the operation is flexible, but it wears quickly and is difficult to operate. The synchronizer can achieve smooth shifting and extend the life of the gearbox. Any one can be selected according to the application scenario.

[0055] Specifically, the principle of the differential in a specific embodiment of the present application to achieve reverse rotation of the left and right half-shaft gears includes:

[0056] Working condition 1: The vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are not rotating, the entire differential is a whole, there is no relative motion between the internal parts of the differential, and the speed of the differential parts satisfies the following formula:

[0057] n1=n2=n0

[0058] Among them, n0 is the rotation speed of the ring gear and the differential case, n1 is the rotation speed of the left half-shaft gear 21, and the rotation speed of the right half-shaft gear 22 is n2.

[0059] Working condition 2: When the vehicle is not traveling in a straight line, the gears in the planetary gear set not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. The speed relationship between the left and right axle gears 2 and the differential case 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 satisfies:

[0060] n1=n0+n3*r3 / r1; Formula a

[0061] n2=n0–n3*r3 / r1 Formula b

[0062] n1+n2=2n0 Formula c

[0063] Among them, n0 is the speed of the ring gear and the differential case, n1 is the speed of the left half-shaft gear 21, the speed of the right half-shaft gear 22 is n2, and the rotation speed of the planetary gear is n3.

[0064] Working condition three: the vehicle performs a U-turn on the spot, the differential controller drives the coupling and separation mechanism 6 to couple the servo motor 5 with the first gear shaft 31, and at the same time, the differential controller drives the servo motor 5 to drive the first gear shaft 31 to rotate, so that the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets the preset requirements, and the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets:

[0065] n3>n0*r1 / r3 formula d

[0066] Wherein, n0 is the rotation speed of the differential case 1 , r1 is the radius of the side gear 2 , and r3 is the radius of the first planetary gear 3 .

[0067] It can be understood that according to equations a and b under the above working condition 2, when n3*r3 / r1>n0, that is, n3>n0*r1 / r3, the rotation speeds of the left and right half shafts are opposite. Therefore, when necessary, a driving force is given to the planetary gear on one side, and the rotation speed of the planetary gear is controlled to meet n3>n0*r1 / r3, so that the left and right half shaft gears can rotate in the opposite direction. The present invention adds a motor and a combination and separation mechanism to the end of the planetary gear shaft on one side, and controls the motor to combine with the planetary gear shaft through system instructions and provide driving force to the planetary gear to achieve the reverse rotation of the left and right half shaft gears.

[0068] In a second aspect, the present application provides a hybrid module, which includes: a differential, which includes: a differential housing 1, a planetary gear set and a drive motor assembly; wherein,

[0069] A differential case 1, on which are provided two side-shaft gears 2 respectively connected to the left and right wheel side shafts; a planetary gear set, which is arranged in the differential case 1, and the planetary gear set includes a first planetary gear 3 and a second planetary gear 4, and the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are respectively meshed with the two side-shaft gears 2;

[0070] A drive motor assembly is mounted on the differential housing 1, and the drive motor assembly is configured to be switchable between a normal driving state and a vehicle in-situ steering state; wherein,

[0071] When the drive motor assembly is in a normal driving state, the drive motor assembly is disconnected from the planetary gear set; when the drive motor assembly is in a vehicle in-situ turning state, the drive motor assembly is connected to the first planetary gear 3, and drives the first planetary gear 3 to change the rotation speed so that the two half-shaft gears 2 rotate in opposite directions.

[0072] It should be noted that if Figure 1 As shown, the two half-axle gears 2 connected to the left and right wheel half-axles are respectively the left half-axle gear 21 and the right half-axle gear 22. In the embodiment of the present application, the two half-axle gears 2 are not limited to the left half-axle gear 21 and the right half-axle gear 22, and can also be set to other positions (such as front and rear half-axle gears) according to the driving design requirements. Similarly, the rear drive can also realize one forward rotation and one reverse rotation of the left and right wheels, and cooperate with intelligent control of the steering angle of each wheel to realize the vehicle turning around on the spot.

[0073] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the planetary gear set and the differential housing 1 rotate as a whole, the gears in the planetary gear set do not rotate, and there is no relative movement between the internal parts of the entire differential. When the vehicle is traveling in a non-straight line, the gears in the planetary gear set not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. When the vehicle is turning in place, the drive motor assembly is connected to some gears of the planetary gear set and drives some gears to rotate at a preset speed, thereby driving the left and right half-shaft gears 2 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0074] In some specific embodiments, the planetary gear set includes: a first planetary gear 3 and a second planetary gear 4 disposed in the differential housing 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are respectively meshed with the two half-shaft gears 2, and a first gear shaft 31 is passed through the first planetary gear 3, one end of the first gear shaft 31 passes through the differential housing 1 and is used to connect or disconnect with the drive motor assembly.

[0075] It can be understood that the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 have the same model and size.

[0076] It is worth noting that when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 rotate as a whole with the differential housing 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 do not rotate, and there is no relative movement between the internal parts of the entire differential. When the vehicle is traveling in a non-straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. During the vehicle's straight and non-straight travel, the drive motor assembly is not combined with the first gear shaft 31, and does not interfere with the movement of the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4. When the vehicle is turning in place, the drive motor assembly is combined with the first gear shaft 31 of the first planetary gear 3, and the drive motor assembly drives the first planetary gear 3 to rotate, thereby driving the left and right half-shaft gears 2 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0077] In some specific implementations, the drive motor assembly includes: The drive motor assembly includes:

[0078] A servo motor 5 is mounted on the differential housing 1; a differential controller is connected to the servo motor 5 by signal, and the differential controller is used to receive driving instructions and drive the drive motor assembly to perform control actions according to the driving instructions; wherein,

[0079] When the differential controller receives a normal vehicle driving instruction, the differential controller drives the servo motor 5 to maintain a disconnected state with the first planetary gear 3;

[0080] When the differential controller receives a vehicle in-situ steering instruction, the differential controller controls the servo motor 5 to connect with the first planetary gear 3, and changes the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 through the servo motor 5 to make the two side gears 2 rotate in opposite directions.

[0081] It is worth noting that the present application uses a differential controller to link with the vehicle command, so that when the vehicle's driving mode changes, the differential can quickly change its working state and perform in-situ turning or normal driving. Further, the differential controller is used to receive the vehicle command, and control the drive motor assembly to engage or disconnect with the first gear shaft 31 according to the vehicle command, and drive the drive motor assembly to drive the first gear shaft 31 to rotate, and the first planetary gear 3 changes its rotation speed. It is understandable that the differential controller can establish a connection with the vehicle control system, and quickly and conveniently control the differential to perform corresponding actions according to the driving command.

[0082] In some optional implementations, the differential controller is integrated with the servo motor 5 and mounted on the differential housing 1. Preferably, the differential controller can also be integrated with the motor of the hybrid module and mounted.

[0083] Furthermore, when receiving the in-situ steering instruction, the differential controller controls the motor assembly to connect with the first gear shaft 31, and drives the first planetary gear 3 to rotate, and the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets the preset requirements.

[0084] In some preferred embodiments, the first gear shaft 31 of the first planetary gear 3 passes through the differential housing 1, and a coupling and separation mechanism 6 is provided at one end of the first gear shaft 31 close to the drive motor assembly. The coupling and separation mechanism 6 is connected to the differential controller signal, and the coupling and separation mechanism 6 is used to drive the drive motor assembly to connect or disconnect with the first gear shaft 31.

[0085] It can be understood that the differential controller can control the engagement and disengagement mechanism 6 to perform an engagement or disengagement action according to the driving command, so that the motor assembly switches between the normal driving and the in-situ steering state.

[0086] In an optional implementation of the present application, the engaging and disengaging mechanism 6 may be a clutch or a synchronizer.

[0087] It is worth noting that the coupling and separation mechanism 6 only couples the end of the first gear shaft 31 with the servo motor 5 when the vehicle needs to perform a U-turn task. In other driving conditions, no action is taken, and the normal straight and non-straight driving of the vehicle is not affected. Among them, the clutch power transmission is direct and the operation is flexible, but it wears quickly and is difficult to operate. The synchronizer can achieve smooth shifting and extend the life of the gearbox. Any one can be selected according to the application scenario.

[0088] Specifically, the principle of the differential in a specific embodiment of the present application to achieve reverse rotation of the left and right half-shaft gears includes:

[0089] Working condition 1: The vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are not rotating, the entire differential is a whole, there is no relative motion between the internal parts of the differential, and the speed of the differential parts satisfies the following formula:

[0090] n1=n2=n0

[0091] Among them, n0 is the rotation speed of the ring gear and the differential case, n1 is the rotation speed of the left half-shaft gear 21, and the rotation speed of the right half-shaft gear 22 is n2.

[0092] Working condition 2: When the vehicle is not traveling in a straight line, the gears in the planetary gear set not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. The speed relationship between the left and right axle gears 2 and the differential case 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 satisfies:

[0093] n1=n0+n3*r3 / r1; Formula a

[0094] n2=n0–n3*r3 / r1 Formula b

[0095] n1+n2=2n0 Formula c

[0096] Among them, n0 is the speed of the ring gear and the differential case, n1 is the speed of the left half-shaft gear 21, the speed of the right half-shaft gear 22 is n2, and the rotation speed of the planetary gear is n3.

[0097] Working condition three: the vehicle performs a U-turn on the spot, the differential controller drives the coupling and separation mechanism 6 to couple the servo motor 5 with the first gear shaft 31, and at the same time, the differential controller drives the servo motor 5 to drive the first gear shaft 31 to rotate, so that the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets the preset requirements, and the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets:

[0098] n3>n0*r1 / r3 formula d

[0099] Wherein, n0 is the rotation speed of the differential case 1 , r1 is the radius of the side gear 2 , and r3 is the radius of the first planetary gear 3 .

[0100] It can be understood that according to equations a and b under the above working condition 2, when n3*r3 / r1>n0, that is, n3>n0*r1 / r3, the rotation speeds of the left and right half shafts are opposite. Therefore, when necessary, a driving force is given to the planetary gear on one side, and the rotation speed of the planetary gear is controlled to meet n3>n0*r1 / r3, so that the left and right half shaft gears can rotate in the opposite direction. The present invention adds a motor and a combination and separation mechanism to the end of the planetary gear shaft on one side, and controls the motor to combine with the planetary gear shaft through system instructions and provide driving force to the planetary gear to achieve the reverse rotation of the left and right half shaft gears.

[0101] In a third aspect, the present application provides a vehicle, which includes: a hybrid module, the hybrid module includes: a differential, the differential includes: a differential housing 1, a planetary gear set and a drive motor assembly; wherein,

[0102] A differential case 1, on which are provided two side-shaft gears 2 respectively connected to the left and right wheel side shafts; a planetary gear set, which is arranged in the differential case 1, and the planetary gear set includes a first planetary gear 3 and a second planetary gear 4, and the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are respectively meshed with the two side-shaft gears 2;

[0103] A drive motor assembly is mounted on the differential housing 1, and the drive motor assembly is configured to be switchable between a normal driving state and a vehicle in-situ steering state; wherein,

[0104] When the drive motor assembly is in a normal driving state, the drive motor assembly is disconnected from the planetary gear set; when the drive motor assembly is in a vehicle in-situ turning state, the drive motor assembly is connected to the first planetary gear 3, and drives the first planetary gear 3 to change the rotation speed so that the two half-shaft gears 2 rotate in opposite directions.

[0105] It should be noted that if Figure 1 As shown, the two half-axle gears 2 connected to the left and right wheel half-axles are respectively the left half-axle gear 21 and the right half-axle gear 22. In the embodiment of the present application, the two half-axle gears 2 are not limited to the left half-axle gear 21 and the right half-axle gear 22, and can also be set to other positions (such as front and rear half-axle gears) according to the driving design requirements. Similarly, the rear drive can also realize one forward rotation and one reverse rotation of the left and right wheels, and cooperate with intelligent control of the steering angle of each wheel to realize the vehicle turning around on the spot.

[0106] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the planetary gear set and the differential housing 1 rotate as a whole, the gears in the planetary gear set do not rotate, and there is no relative movement between the internal parts of the entire differential. When the vehicle is traveling in a non-straight line, the gears in the planetary gear set not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. When the vehicle is turning in place, the drive motor assembly is connected to some gears of the planetary gear set and drives some gears to rotate at a preset speed, thereby driving the left and right half-shaft gears 2 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0107] In some specific embodiments, the planetary gear set includes: a first planetary gear 3 and a second planetary gear 4 disposed in the differential housing 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are respectively meshed with the two half-shaft gears 2, and a first gear shaft 31 is passed through the first planetary gear 3, one end of the first gear shaft 31 passes through the differential housing 1 and is used to connect or disconnect with the drive motor assembly.

[0108] It can be understood that the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 have the same model and size.

[0109] It is worth noting that when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 rotate as a whole with the differential housing 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 do not rotate, and there is no relative movement between the internal parts of the entire differential. When the vehicle is traveling in a non-straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. During the vehicle's straight and non-straight travel, the drive motor assembly is not combined with the first gear shaft 31, and does not interfere with the movement of the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4. When the vehicle is turning in place, the drive motor assembly is combined with the first gear shaft 31 of the first planetary gear 3, and the drive motor assembly drives the first planetary gear 3 to rotate, thereby driving the left and right half-shaft gears 2 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0110] In some specific implementations, the drive motor assembly includes: The drive motor assembly includes:

[0111] A servo motor 5 is mounted on the differential housing 1; a differential controller is connected to the servo motor 5 by signal, and the differential controller is used to receive driving instructions and drive the drive motor assembly to perform control actions according to the driving instructions; wherein,

[0112] When the differential controller receives a normal vehicle driving instruction, the differential controller drives the servo motor 5 to maintain a disconnected state with the first planetary gear 3;

[0113] When the differential controller receives a vehicle in-situ steering instruction, the differential controller controls the servo motor 5 to connect with the first planetary gear 3, and changes the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 through the servo motor 5 to make the two side gears 2 rotate in opposite directions.

[0114] It is worth noting that the present application uses a differential controller to link with the vehicle command, so that when the vehicle's driving mode changes, the differential can quickly change its working state and perform in-situ turning or normal driving. Further, the differential controller is used to receive the vehicle command, and control the drive motor assembly to engage or disconnect with the first gear shaft 31 according to the vehicle command, and drive the drive motor assembly to drive the first gear shaft 31 to rotate, and the first planetary gear 3 changes its rotation speed. It is understandable that the differential controller can establish a connection with the vehicle control system, and quickly and conveniently control the differential to perform corresponding actions according to the driving command.

[0115] In some optional implementations, the differential controller is integrated with the servo motor 5 and mounted on the differential housing 1. Preferably, the differential controller can also be integrated with the motor of the hybrid module and mounted.

[0116] Furthermore, when receiving the in-situ steering instruction, the differential controller controls the motor assembly to connect with the first gear shaft 31, and drives the first planetary gear 3 to rotate, and the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets the preset requirements.

[0117] In some preferred embodiments, the first gear shaft 31 of the first planetary gear 3 passes through the differential housing 1, and a coupling and separation mechanism 6 is provided at one end of the first gear shaft 31 close to the drive motor assembly. The coupling and separation mechanism 6 is connected to the differential controller signal, and the coupling and separation mechanism 6 is used to drive the drive motor assembly to connect or disconnect with the first gear shaft 31.

[0118] It can be understood that the differential controller can control the engagement and disengagement mechanism 6 to perform an engagement or disengagement action according to the driving command, so that the motor assembly switches between the normal driving and the in-situ steering state.

[0119] In an optional implementation of the present application, the engaging and disengaging mechanism 6 may be a clutch or a synchronizer.

[0120] It is worth noting that the coupling and separation mechanism 6 only couples the end of the first gear shaft 31 with the servo motor 5 when the vehicle needs to perform a U-turn task. In other driving conditions, no action is taken, and the normal straight and non-straight driving of the vehicle is not affected. Among them, the clutch power transmission is direct and the operation is flexible, but it wears quickly and is difficult to operate. The synchronizer can achieve smooth shifting and extend the life of the gearbox. Any one can be selected according to the application scenario.

[0121] Specifically, the principle of the differential in a specific embodiment of the present application to achieve reverse rotation of the left and right half-shaft gears includes:

[0122] Working condition 1: The vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 are not rotating, the entire differential is a whole, there is no relative motion between the internal parts of the differential, and the speed of the differential parts satisfies the following formula:

[0123] n1=n2=n0

[0124] Among them, n0 is the rotation speed of the ring gear and the differential case, n1 is the rotation speed of the left half-shaft gear 21, and the rotation speed of the right half-shaft gear 22 is n2.

[0125] Working condition 2: When the vehicle is not traveling in a straight line, the gears in the planetary gear set not only revolve but also rotate around their own axes. The speed relationship between the left and right axle gears 2 and the differential case 1, the first planetary gear 3 and the second planetary gear 4 satisfies:

[0126] n1=n0+n3*r3 / r1; Formula a

[0127] n2=n0–n3*r3 / r1 Formula b

[0128] n1+n2=2n0 Formula c

[0129] Among them, n0 is the speed of the ring gear and the differential case, n1 is the speed of the left half-shaft gear 21, the speed of the right half-shaft gear 22 is n2, and the rotation speed of the planetary gear is n3.

[0130] Working condition three: the vehicle performs a U-turn on the spot, the differential controller drives the coupling and separation mechanism 6 to couple the servo motor 5 with the first gear shaft 31, and at the same time, the differential controller drives the servo motor 5 to drive the first gear shaft 31 to rotate, so that the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets the preset requirements, and the rotation speed of the first planetary gear 3 meets:

[0131] n3>n0*r1 / r3 formula d

[0132] Wherein, n0 is the rotation speed of the differential case 1 , r1 is the radius of the side gear 2 , and r3 is the radius of the first planetary gear 3 .

[0133] It can be understood that according to equations a and b under the above working condition 2, when n3*r3 / r1>n0, that is, n3>n0*r1 / r3, the rotation speeds of the left and right half shafts are opposite. Therefore, when necessary, a driving force is given to the planetary gear on one side, and the rotation speed of the planetary gear is controlled to meet n3>n0*r1 / r3, so that the left and right half shaft gears can rotate in the opposite direction. The present invention adds a motor and a combination and separation mechanism to the end of the planetary gear shaft on one side, and controls the motor to combine with the planetary gear shaft through system instructions and provide driving force to the planetary gear to achieve the reverse rotation of the left and right half shaft gears.

[0134] To summarize, the present application sets up a motor that is flexibly connected or disconnected with the planetary gears, and uses the motor to adjust the rotation speed of some planetary gears so that the two half-shaft gears that are bare-meshed with the planet can rotate in opposite directions, thereby reducing the turning radius of the vehicle and enabling the vehicle to turn around on the spot around its own center axis.

[0135] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. Unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be a connection between the two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0136] It should be noted that, in this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise a ..." do not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements.

[0137] The above description is only a specific implementation of the present application, so that those skilled in the art can understand or implement the present application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but will conform to the widest range consistent with the principles and novel features applied for herein.

Claims

1. A differential, characterized in that: include: A differential housing (1) is provided with two half-axle gears (2) respectively connected to the left wheel half-axle and the right wheel half-axle; A planetary gear set, which is arranged in the differential housing (1), the planetary gear set comprising a first planetary gear (3) and a second planetary gear (4), the first planetary gear (3) and the second planetary gear (4) respectively meshing with the two side shaft gears (2); A drive motor assembly is mounted on the differential housing (1), and the drive motor assembly is configured to be switchable between a normal driving state and a vehicle in-situ steering state; wherein: When the drive motor assembly is in a normal driving state, the drive motor assembly is disconnected from the planetary gear set, and the first planetary gear (3) and the second planetary gear (4) rotate under the drive of the external drive motor; When the driving motor assembly is in a state of vehicle in-situ turning, the driving motor assembly is connected to the first planetary gear (3) and drives the first planetary gear (3) to change its rotation speed so that the two half-shaft gears (2) rotate in opposite directions.

2. The differential according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive motor assembly comprises: A servo motor (5) is mounted on the differential housing (1); A differential controller is connected to the servo motor (5) by signal, and is used to receive a driving instruction and drive the servo motor (5) to perform a control action according to the driving instruction; wherein: When the differential controller receives a normal vehicle driving instruction, the differential controller drives the servo motor (5) and the first planetary gear (3) to maintain a disconnected state; When the differential controller receives a vehicle in-situ steering instruction, the differential controller controls the servo motor (5) to connect with the first planetary gear (3), and changes the rotation speed of the first planetary gear (3) through the servo motor (5) so that the two half-shaft gears (2) rotate in opposite directions.

3. The differential according to claim 2, characterized in that: The differential controller is used to drive the first planetary gear (3) to rotate after receiving a vehicle on-site steering instruction and controlling the motor assembly to be connected to the first planetary gear (3), so that the rotation speed of the first planetary gear (3) meets a preset requirement.

4. The differential according to claim 3, characterized in that: The preset requirements for the rotation speed of the first planetary gear (3) include: the rotation speed n3 of the first planetary gear (3) satisfies: n3>n0*r1 / r3 Wherein, n0 is the rotation speed of the differential case (1), r1 is the radius of the half-shaft gear (2), and r3 is the radius of the first planetary gear (3).

5. The differential according to claim 2, characterized in that: The differential controller and the servo motor (5) are integrally mounted on the differential housing (1).

6. The differential according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first gear shaft (31) of the first planetary gear (3) passes through the differential housing (1); a coupling and separation mechanism (6) is provided at one end of the first gear shaft (31) close to the drive motor assembly; the coupling and separation mechanism (6) is connected to the differential controller signal, and the coupling and separation mechanism (6) is used to drive the drive motor assembly to connect or disconnect with the first gear shaft (31).

7. The differential according to claim 6, characterized in that: The combining and disengaging mechanism (6) is a synchronizer.

8. The differential according to claim 6, characterized in that: The engaging and disengaging mechanism (6) is a clutch.

9. A hybrid module, characterized in that: include: A differential as claimed in claims 1-8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: The hybrid module as claimed in claim 9.

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