Differential assembly, drive axle and vehicle

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the field of vehicle drive axle technology, and discloses a differential assembly, a drive axle, and a vehicle. The differential assembly includes a differential housing, half-shaft gears, a cross shaft, and planetary gears. An oil inlet passage is provided on the outer wall of the differential housing for lubricating oil to enter the differential housing. The half-shaft gears are disposed within the differential housing, the cross shaft is installed within the differential housing, and the planetary gears are disposed within the differential housing and rotatably mounted on the cross shaft. The planetary gears mesh with the half-shaft gears. An annular groove extending circumferentially is provided on the inner wall of the planetary gear's shaft hole. An oil hole penetrating to the outer wall of the planetary gear is formed on the bottom wall of the annular groove, allowing lubricating oil from the differential housing to enter the annular groove through the oil hole. The differential assembly, drive axle, and vehicle provided by this utility model can cover the entire meshing area, improving the lubrication effect of the differential assembly and reducing friction and wear.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vehicle drive axle technology, and in particular to differential assembly, drive axle and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component of a vehicle's drive system, the differential's performance directly affects the vehicle's power transmission efficiency and reliability. A traditional differential mainly consists of planetary gears, half-shaft gears, planetary gear shafts, and a housing. Its function is to allow the left and right wheels to rotate at different speeds when the vehicle is turning or driving on uneven surfaces, ensuring that the drive wheels on both sides perform pure rolling motion. The differential is a device designed to adjust the speed difference between the left and right wheels when turning or driving on uneven surfaces.

[0003] Most existing commercial vehicle drive axles use an open differential structure. When encountering off-road conditions and the left and right wheels slip, the lubricating oil inside the differential chamber is lost, leading to a decrease in the lubrication performance of the differential gears and ultimately damage to the differential gears. When used in electric vehicles, due to the influence of the motor's energy recovery strategy, the left and right wheels frequently experience high-speed differentials, and the lubrication performance of the open differential is insufficient, resulting in damage to the differential gears.

[0004] In related technologies, differentials typically have straight oil grooves on the inner wall of the planetary gear shaft bore. The axial distribution of these straight oil grooves may cause lubricating oil to accumulate at both ends of the gear, resulting in insufficient lubrication in the middle and difficulty in covering the entire meshing surface, thus leading to poor lubrication. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a differential assembly, drive axle, and vehicle that can cover the entire meshing area and improve the lubrication effect of the differential assembly.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] Differential assembly, including:

[0008] The differential housing has an oil inlet passage on its outer wall, which is used for lubricating oil to enter the differential housing.

[0009] Half-shaft gear, the half-shaft gear is set inside the differential housing;

[0010] The cross shaft is installed inside the differential housing;

[0011] Planetary gears are housed within the differential housing and rotatably mounted on the cross shaft. The planetary gears mesh with the half-shaft gears. The inner wall of the planetary gear shaft hole has an annular groove extending circumferentially. The bottom wall of the annular groove has an oil hole that extends to the outer wall of the planetary gear, allowing lubricating oil in the differential housing to enter the annular groove through the oil hole.

[0012] Preferably, the differential assembly further includes a first bearing, the inner ring of which is fixed to the differential housing, and the outer ring of which is used to fix to the reducer housing.

[0013] Preferably, the differential assembly further includes a second bearing, the inner ring of which is fixed to the half-shaft gear, and the outer ring of which is fixed to the differential housing.

[0014] Preferably, the differential assembly also includes a plug that can block the round hole of the half-shaft gear.

[0015] Preferably, a sealing element is fitted onto the end of the half-shaft gear away from the sealing element, and the sealing element and the sealing element are located on both sides of the second bearing.

[0016] Preferably, a first shim is provided between the half-shaft gear and the differential housing;

[0017] And / or, a second gasket is provided between the planetary gear and the differential housing.

[0018] Preferably, the cross shaft includes a first shaft and a second shaft. The first shaft has a first annular groove at both ends, and a first blocking ring is disposed in the first annular groove. The second shaft has a second annular groove at both ends, and a second blocking ring is disposed in the second annular groove.

[0019] Preferably, the first shaft and the second shaft are connected by mortise and tenon joints;

[0020] Alternatively, the first and second shafts may be integrally formed structural components.

[0021] Drive axle, including:

[0022] Bridge housing and half-shaft;

[0023] The main reducer includes a reducer housing, a driving bevel gear, and a driven bevel gear. The driving bevel gear is rotatably connected to the reducer housing. The axle housing and the reducer housing are detachably connected and enclose a receiving cavity for storing lubricating oil. The driven bevel gear is located inside the receiving cavity.

[0024] The differential assembly is housed within a receiving cavity. The half-shaft gear is keyed to the half-shaft, and the driven bevel gear is fixedly connected to the differential housing. The driven bevel gear meshes with the driving bevel gear.

[0025] Vehicles, including the aforementioned drive axle.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0027] The differential assembly, drive axle, and vehicle provided by this utility model are as follows: When the differential assembly is working, lubricating oil enters the differential housing through the oil inlet. The lubricating oil lubricates the structural components such as the half-shaft gears, cross shafts, and planetary gears inside the differential housing. During rotation, due to centrifugal force, the lubricating oil adhering to the tooth surface is thrown to all sides. The splashed oil covers the key friction pairs such as the shaft holes of the planetary gears, the cross shafts, and the half-shaft gears, improving the lubrication effect. Moreover, some oil enters the annular groove on the inner wall of the shaft hole through the oil hole of the planetary gear. Since the annular groove is located on the mating surface between the planetary gear and the cross shaft, the oil is evenly distributed along the circumference after entering the annular groove through the oil hole, forming a continuous oil film that can cover the entire meshing area, improving the lubrication effect of the differential assembly and reducing friction and wear. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the drive axle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the differential assembly provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the planetary gear provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second housing provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the half-shaft gear provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing component provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first shaft provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second axis provided in this embodiment of the utility model.

[0036] In the diagram: 11. Differential housing; 111. First housing; 112. Second housing; 113. O-ring; 12. Half-shaft gear; 121. Circular hole; 122. First connecting part; 123. Second connecting part; 13. First shaft; 131. First annular groove; 14. Second shaft; 141. Second annular groove; 15. Planetary gear; 151. Annular groove; 152. Oil hole; 16. First bearing; 17. Second bearing; 18. Sealing element; 19. Seal; 20. First gasket; 21. Second gasket; 22. Driving bevel gear; 23. Half-shaft; 24. Driven bevel gear; 25. Reducer housing; 26. Axle housing. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, not the entire structure.

[0038] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0039] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0040] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0041] like Figure 1-8 As shown, an embodiment of this utility model provides a differential assembly, including a differential housing 11, a half-shaft gear 12, a cross shaft, and a planetary gear 15. An oil inlet passage is provided on the outer wall of the differential housing 11 for lubricating oil to enter the differential housing 11. The half-shaft gear 12 is disposed within the differential housing 11, the cross shaft is installed within the differential housing 11, and the planetary gear 15 is disposed within the differential housing 11 and rotatably mounted on the cross shaft. The planetary gear 15 meshes with the half-shaft gear 12. An annular groove 151 extending circumferentially is provided on the inner wall of the shaft hole of the planetary gear 15. An oil hole 152 penetrating to the outer wall of the planetary gear 15 is provided on the bottom wall of the annular groove 151, allowing lubricating oil in the differential housing 11 to enter the annular groove 151 through the oil hole 152.

[0042] The differential housing 11 rotates under power, driving the planetary gear 15 to revolve via the cross shaft. The planetary gear 15 meshes with the left and right half-shaft gears 12, which are connected to the half-shaft 23 via splines, ultimately transmitting power to the wheels. When the vehicle is traveling straight, there is no differential requirement, and the left and right wheels rotate at the same speed. In this case, the planetary gear 15 only revolves with the differential housing 11 and does not rotate on its own axis. When the vehicle turns, the outer wheel needs to rotate faster than the inner wheel. At this time, the planetary gear 15 begins to rotate on its own axis while revolving, to compensate for the speed difference of the two half-shaft gears 12. It should be noted that the working principle of the differential is existing technology and will not be elaborated further here.

[0043] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 3 When the differential assembly is working, lubricating oil enters the differential housing 11 through the oil inlet. The lubricating oil lubricates the structural components such as the half-shaft gear 12, cross shaft, and planetary gear 15 inside the differential housing 11. During rotation, due to centrifugal force, the lubricating oil adhering to the tooth surface is thrown to all sides. The splashed oil covers the key friction pairs such as the shaft hole of the planetary gear 15, the cross shaft, and the half-shaft gear 12, improving the lubrication effect. In addition, some oil enters the annular groove 151 on the inner wall of the shaft hole through the oil hole 152 of the planetary gear 15. Since the annular groove 151 is located on the mating surface between the planetary gear 15 and the cross shaft, the oil is evenly distributed along the circumference after entering the annular groove 151 through the oil hole 152, forming a continuous oil film that can cover the entire meshing area, improving the lubrication effect of the differential assembly and reducing friction and wear.

[0044] Specifically, the differential housing includes a first housing 111 and a second housing 112, which are fastened together by bolts. Half-shaft gears 12 are respectively provided in the first housing 111 and the second housing 112.

[0045] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 The second housing 112 has a protrusion, and the first housing 111 has a groove. The protrusion of the second housing 112 can be inserted into the groove of the first housing 111. An O-ring 113 is installed at the root of the protrusion. The O-ring 113 plays a sealing role between the first housing 111 and the second housing 112, completely blocking the risk of lubricating oil leakage from the joint surface between the first housing 111 and the second housing 112, and improving lubrication performance.

[0046] Furthermore, the differential assembly also includes a first bearing 16, the inner ring of which is fixed to the differential housing 11, and the outer ring of which is fixed to the reducer housing 25. Specifically, the first bearing 16 is a tapered roller bearing.

[0047] By interfering with the inner ring of the first bearing 16 and the shaft diameter of the differential housing 11, and interfering with the outer ring and the round hole of the reducer housing 4, a rigid support can be formed to support the differential assembly.

[0048] Furthermore, the differential assembly also includes a second bearing 17, the inner ring of which is fixed to the half-shaft gear 12, and the outer ring of which is fixed to the differential housing 11. Specifically, the second bearing 17 is a needle roller bearing.

[0049] like Figure 5 As shown, the second bearing 17 is fixedly sleeved on the first connecting part 122 of the half-shaft gear 12. The addition of a needle roller bearing between the half-shaft gear 12 and the differential housing 11 can limit the radial position of the half-shaft gear 12 and the differential housing 11.

[0050] Furthermore, the differential assembly also includes a plug 18, which can block the circular hole 121 of the half-shaft gear 12. Specifically, the plug 18 is a cover.

[0051] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the sealing member 18 is directly inserted into the circular hole 121 of the half-shaft gear 12 and is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the circular hole 121. By covering the end of the spline hole of the half-shaft gear 12 with the sealing member 18, the gap between the spline hole of the half-shaft gear 12 and the spline shaft of the half-shaft 23 can be blocked, achieving physical sealing, preventing lubricating oil leakage and external contaminants from entering, and improving sealing performance.

[0052] Furthermore, a seal 19 is fitted onto the end of the half-shaft gear 12 away from the sealing member 18, and the seal 19 and the sealing member 18 are located on both sides of the second bearing 17. Specifically, the seal 19 is an oil seal.

[0053] Continue as Figure 5As shown, the seal 19 is sleeved on the second connecting part 123 of the half shaft gear 12 and fits tightly. The seal 19 is located on the side of the second bearing 17 away from the sealing member 18. The seal 19 can block the leakage of lubricating oil, prevent the lubricating oil inside the differential housing 11 from seeping out from the gap, improve the sealing performance, and ensure the long-term operation of the lubrication system.

[0054] Specifically, the first connecting part 122 and the second connecting part 123 are both the outer peripheral walls of the half-shaft gear 12 and form a stepped structure. The outer diameter of the second connecting part 123 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first connecting part 122.

[0055] Furthermore, a first shim 20 is provided between the half-shaft gear 12 and the differential housing 11.

[0056] A first shim 20 is provided between the half-shaft gear 12 and the differential housing 11. The first shim 20 has a buffering effect, which can disperse the axial force of the half-shaft gear 12, prevent the gear end face from directly rubbing against the differential housing 11, reduce wear, and extend the service life of the components.

[0057] Similarly, a second shim 21 is provided between the planetary gear 15 and the differential housing 11. The second shim 21 has a buffering function, which can disperse the axial force of the planetary gear 15, prevent the gear end face from directly contacting and rubbing against the differential housing 11, reduce wear, and extend the service life of the components.

[0058] Furthermore, the cross shaft includes a first shaft 13 and a second shaft 14. The first shaft 13 has a first annular groove 131 at both ends, and a first blocking ring is disposed within the first annular groove 131. The second shaft 14 has a second annular groove 141 at both ends, and a second blocking ring is disposed within the second annular groove 141. Specifically, both the first blocking ring and the second blocking ring are O-rings, and the O-rings are tightly attached to the inner walls of the first annular groove 131 and the second annular groove 141, respectively.

[0059] Reference Figure 7 , Figure 8 By adding an O-ring between the cross shaft and the differential housing 11, the O-ring tightly fills the radial gap between the cross shaft and the differential housing 11 through elastic deformation, which can prevent the lubricating oil inside the differential housing 11 from leaking out, maintain the oil pressure balance inside the differential housing 11, ensure that the meshing surfaces of the planetary gear 15 and the half shaft gear 12 are always in a good lubrication state, and ensure the long-term operation of the lubrication system.

[0060] For example, the first shaft 13 and the second shaft 14 are connected by a tenon and mortise joint. In other embodiments, the first shaft 13 and the second shaft 14 may also be integrally formed structural components.

[0061] like Figure 1As shown, an embodiment of this utility model provides a drive axle, including an axle housing 26, a half-shaft 23, a main reducer, and the aforementioned differential assembly. The main reducer includes a reducer housing 25, a driving bevel gear 22, and a driven bevel gear 24. The driving bevel gear 22 is rotatably connected to the reducer housing 25. The axle housing 26 and the reducer housing 25 are detachably connected and enclose a cavity for storing lubricating oil. The driven bevel gear 24 is disposed within the cavity. The differential assembly is disposed within the cavity. The half-shaft gear 12 is keyed to the half-shaft 23. The driven bevel gear 24 is fixedly connected to the differential housing 11 and meshes with the driving bevel gear 22.

[0062] When the drive axle is running, the rotation of the driving bevel gear 22 can drive the driven bevel gear 24 to rotate, thereby driving the differential housing 1 to rotate. When the differential housing 11 rotates, it drives the planetary gear 15 to revolve through the cross shaft. The planetary gear 15 meshes with the left and right half-shaft gears 12. The half-shaft gears 12 drive the half-shaft 23 to rotate, and finally transmit power to the wheels.

[0063] An embodiment of this utility model provides a vehicle including the aforementioned drive axle.

[0064] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the protection scope of this utility model. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A differential assembly, characterized in that, include: A differential housing (11) is provided with an oil inlet passage on the outer wall of the differential housing (11) for lubricating oil to enter the differential housing (11); A half-shaft gear (12) is disposed within the differential housing (11); A cross shaft, which is installed inside the differential housing (11); Planetary gear (15) is disposed in the differential housing (11) and rotatably mounted on the cross shaft. The planetary gear (15) meshes with the half shaft gear (12). The inner wall of the shaft hole of the planetary gear (15) is provided with an annular groove (151) extending circumferentially. The bottom wall of the annular groove (151) is provided with an oil hole (152) that extends to the outer wall of the planetary gear (15). The lubricating oil in the differential housing (11) can enter the annular groove (151) through the oil hole (152).

2. The differential assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The differential assembly also includes a first bearing (16), the inner ring of which is fixed to the differential housing (11), and the outer ring of which is fixed to the reducer housing (25).

3. The differential assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The differential assembly also includes a second bearing (17), the inner ring of which is fixed to the half-shaft gear (12), and the outer ring of which is fixed to the differential housing (11).

4. The differential assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The differential assembly also includes a plug (18) that can block the round hole (121) of the half-shaft gear (12).

5. The differential assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, A sealing element (19) is fitted on one end of the half-shaft gear (12) away from the sealing element (18), and the sealing element (19) and the sealing element (18) are located on both sides of the second bearing (17).

6. The differential assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first shim (20) is provided between the half-shaft gear (12) and the differential housing (11); And / or, a second shim (21) is provided between the planetary gear (15) and the differential housing (11).

7. The differential assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross shaft includes a first shaft (13) and a second shaft (14). The first shaft (13) has a first annular groove (131) at both ends, and a first blocking ring is provided in the first annular groove (131). The second shaft (14) has a second annular groove (141) at both ends, and a second blocking ring is provided in the second annular groove (141).

8. The differential assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first shaft (13) and the second shaft (14) are connected by tenon and mortise joints; Alternatively, the first shaft (13) and the second shaft (14) may be integrally formed structural components.

9. A drive axle, characterized in that, include: Bridge housing (26) and half-shaft (23); The main reducer includes a reducer housing (25), a driving bevel gear (22), and a driven bevel gear (24). The driving bevel gear (22) is rotatably connected to the reducer housing (25). The bridge housing (26) and the reducer housing (25) are detachably connected and enclose a cavity for storing lubricating oil. The driven bevel gear (24) is located inside the cavity. The differential assembly according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the differential assembly is disposed in the receiving cavity, the half-shaft gear (12) is keyed to the half-shaft (23), the driven bevel gear (24) is fixedly connected to the differential housing (11), and the driven bevel gear (24) meshes with the driving bevel gear (22).

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the drive axle as described in claim 9.

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