A three-section automobile drive axle with differential lock

Abstract

The application provides a three-section automobile drive axle with a differential lock device, and relates to the technical field of drive axles.The three-section automobile drive axle comprises two independent half-section housings, a middle housing, a differential, a driving bevel gear, a driven bevel gear and a meshing sleeve.The three-section structure of the two independent half-section housings and the independent middle housing is convenient for installing the differential lock meshing sleeve, solves the arrangement problem of the traditional integrated structure, guarantees the strength stability of the drive axle, leaves flexible space for component layout, is convenient for dismounting, maintaining and applying, the meshing sleeve and the driven bevel gear are engaged through a yoke, the differential is locked in complex road conditions, the two wheels are rigidly connected, the escape and stability are improved, when the yoke drives the meshing sleeve to reversely separate, the differential restores the differential in ordinary road conditions, the left and right wheels are allowed to rotate at different speeds, the normal differential function is realized, and the requirements of smooth turning and stable driving of the vehicle are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of drive axle technology, and more particularly to a three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device. Background Technology

[0002] In the automotive and construction machinery industries, the drive axle is a key component for power transmission and distribution, and its performance directly affects the vehicle's driving ability and stability.

[0003] Currently, in the three-section drive axles used in construction machinery, the main reducer mostly adopts a cylindrical housing structure with corresponding housing sections connected on the left and right. Unlike the conventional axle main reducer which is installed independently, its main reducer housing and the middle housing of the axle housing are designed as a single unit. This integrated structure makes it difficult to implement the conventional solution of arranging the differential lock on the main reducer housing due to the lack of suitable space and structural conditions, resulting in a lack of flexibility in component layout and causing great inconvenience for subsequent disassembly and maintenance. On the other hand, in terms of vehicle driving performance, this structure cannot effectively lock the differential under complex and harsh road conditions, which can easily lead to one wheel slipping and the other wheel spinning freely, making it difficult for the vehicle to get out of trouble and seriously affecting driving stability. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device, which aims to solve the problems of limited differential lock placement, inconvenient component disassembly and maintenance, and difficulty in getting out of trouble in complex road conditions caused by the integrated design of the main reducer and the middle of the axle housing in the three-section drive axle.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides a three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device, including two independent half-section housings and a middle section housing connected between the two half-section housings. Half-shafts are rotatably mounted on the half-section housings, and a differential located inside the middle section housing is connected between the two half-shafts. A driving bevel gear is installed inside the middle section housing, and a driven bevel gear adapted to the driving bevel gear is installed on the differential. A meshing sleeve is slidably fitted on one of the half-shafts to lock or unlock the driven bevel gear.

[0006] In some implementations, the two half-shells are identical in shape and size, and the middle shell is detachably connected between the two half-shells.

[0007] In some implementations, a differential lock seat is fixedly connected to one of the half-section housings. A sliding groove is formed between the top of the half-section housing and the differential lock seat. The differential lock seat is provided with a shift fork that can slide along the axial direction of the half-section housing in the sliding groove. A spring is fixedly connected between one side of the shift fork and the inner wall of the differential lock seat. A control component is provided between one side of the differential lock seat and the other side of the shift fork. The shift fork enters the interior of the half-section housing through the sliding groove and engages with the annular groove on the surface of the engagement sleeve.

[0008] In some implementations, the control component includes a hydraulic cylinder fixedly connected to one side of the differential lock seat, the top of the hydraulic cylinder having an oil inlet, the inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder having a matching piston, and a push rod fixedly connected between the piston and the shift fork.

[0009] In some implementations, when oil flows into the cylinder through the oil inlet, the shift fork drives the engagement sleeve to engage with one side of the driven bevel gear.

[0010] In some implementations, when the oil flows out of the cylinder through the oil inlet, the shift fork causes the engagement sleeve to separate from one side of the driven bevel gear.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, this application has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0012] The three-section structure, consisting of two independent half-section housings and an independent middle section housing, not only facilitates the installation of the differential lock engagement sleeve and solves the layout problem of the traditional integrated structure, but also ensures the strength and stability of the drive axle, leaving flexible space for component layout and facilitating disassembly and maintenance.

[0013] When the shift fork drives the engagement sleeve to mesh with one side of the driven bevel gear, the purpose is to lock the differential in complex and harsh road conditions, so that the two half shafts are rigidly connected together. This causes the wheels mounted on the two half housings to form a rigid connection and rotate together. In other words, the power is no longer distributed by the planetary gears in the differential, but is directly and equally transmitted to both half shafts. This design helps to prevent the vehicle from slipping on one side of the wheel and being unable to move forward, significantly improving the vehicle's ability to get out of trouble and driving stability.

[0014] When the shift fork drives the engagement sleeve to slide in the opposite direction along the half shaft and separate from the driven bevel gear, its function is to allow the planetary gears in the differential to rotate freely under normal road conditions, allowing the left and right wheels to rotate at different speeds, thereby achieving normal differential function and meeting the needs of smooth turning and stable driving of the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the related technologies or the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the related technologies or the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort:

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a three-section integral vehicle drive axle with a differential lock device provided in this application embodiment;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the connection structure between the middle shift fork and the engagement sleeve.

[0018] The labels in the above figures are as follows: 1. Half housing; 11. Half shaft; 2. Middle housing; 21. Differential; 22. Driving bevel gear; 23. Driven bevel gear; 3. Engaging sleeve; 31. Differential lock seat; 32. Sliding groove; 33. Shift fork; 34. Spring; 4. Hydraulic cylinder; 41. Oil inlet; 42. Piston; 43. Push rod. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Reference Figures 1-2 A three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock includes two independent half-section housings 1 and a middle section housing 2 connected between the two half-section housings 1. Half-shafts 11 are rotatably mounted on the half-section housings 1. A differential 21 located inside the middle section housing 2 is connected between the two half-shafts 11. The other ends of the two half-shafts 11 are connected to wheels. A drive bevel gear 22 is installed inside the middle section housing 2. The drive bevel gear 22 is rotatably connected to the middle section housing 2 via a main drive shaft. A driven bevel gear 23 adapted to the drive bevel gear 22 is mounted on the differential 21. A meshing sleeve 3 is slidably fitted on one of the half-shafts 11 to lock or unlock the driven bevel gear 23.

[0020] The two half-section housings 1 are identical in shape and size. The middle housing 2 is connected between the two half-section housings 1 by bolts, forming a three-section structure. This structure not only ensures the overall strength and stability of the drive axle, but also provides flexible space for the installation and layout of various components. Compared with the problems faced by the traditional integrated structure when arranging the differential lock, this design creates favorable conditions for the installation of differential lock-related components.

[0021] To achieve the locking or unlocking function of the engagement sleeve 3 to the driven bevel gear 23, a differential lock seat 31 is fixedly connected to one of the half-section housings 1. A sliding groove 32 is provided between the top of the half-section housing 1 and the differential lock seat 31. A shift fork 33 is provided inside the differential lock seat 31, which can slide along the axial direction of the half-section housing 1 in the sliding groove 32. A spring 34 is fixedly connected between one side of the shift fork 33 and the inner wall of the differential lock seat 31. A control component is provided between one side of the differential lock seat 31 and the other side of the shift fork 33. The shift fork 33 enters the interior of the half-section housing 1 through the sliding groove 32 and engages with the annular groove on the surface of the engagement sleeve 3. The control component includes a hydraulic cylinder 4 fixedly connected to one side of the differential lock seat 31. An oil inlet hole 41 is provided at the top of the hydraulic cylinder 4. A matching piston 42 is fitted to the inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder 4. A push rod 43 is fixedly connected between the piston 42 and the shift fork 33.

[0022] When the vehicle is traveling on complex and harsh road conditions, such as mud, snow, or when one wheel slips, oil is injected into the cylinder 4 through the oil inlet 41 via an external oil control device. The oil pressure inside the cylinder 4 pushes the piston 42 to slide along the inner wall of the cylinder 4. Subsequently, the push rod 43 connected to one side of the cylinder 4 drives the shift fork 33 to compress the spring 34, and at the same time drives the engagement sleeve 3 to slide along the spline on the half shaft 11 until the engagement sleeve 3 engages with one side of the driven bevel gear 23. At this time, under the locking action of the engagement sleeve 3, the two half shafts 11 are rigidly connected together, thereby making the wheels mounted on the two half housings 1 rigidly connected and rotating together. In this way, the situation where the vehicle cannot move forward due to one wheel slipping is effectively avoided, and the vehicle's ability to get out of trouble and its driving stability under complex road conditions are greatly improved.

[0023] When the vehicle is driving under normal road conditions, the differential 21 needs to work normally to ensure that the vehicle can turn smoothly and drive stably. At this time, the external oil control device will allow the oil to flow out of the oil cylinder 4 through the oil inlet 41. The pressure in the oil cylinder 4 will drop, and the spring 34 will push the shift fork 33 to reset. This will cause the engagement sleeve 3 to slide in the opposite direction along the spline on the half shaft 11, and finally separate from the driven bevel gear 23. This action will allow the differential 21 to switch from the locked state back to the normal differential state. At this time, the driving bevel gear 22 can transmit power to the differential 21 through the driven bevel gear 23. The planetary gears in the differential 21 can rotate freely, allowing the left and right wheels to rotate at different speeds, realizing the normal differential function, thereby meeting the driving needs of the vehicle under normal road conditions.

[0024] It should be noted that the several embodiments shown above in this application are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. It should also be noted that in the textual description of this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply such an actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements may include not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus; and, without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0025] Furthermore, those skilled in the art can implement or use this application by practicing the several embodiments shown above. Various modifications to the embodiments shown above will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments not shown without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the several embodiments shown above, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device, characterized in that, include: Two independent half-shells (1) and a middle shell (2) connecting the two half-shells (1); A half-shaft (11) is rotatably mounted on the half-shaft housing (1). A differential (21) located inside the middle section housing (2) is connected between the two half-shafts (11). A driving bevel gear (22) is installed inside the middle section housing (2). A driven bevel gear (23) adapted to the driving bevel gear (22) is installed on the differential (21). A meshing sleeve (3) is slidably mounted on one of the half-shafts (11) to lock or unlock the driven bevel gear (23).

2. The three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two half-shells (1) are identical in shape and size, and the middle shell (2) is detachably connected between the two half-shells (1).

3. The three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A differential lock seat (31) is fixedly connected to one of the half-section housings (1). A sliding groove (32) is provided between the top of the half-section housing (1) and the differential lock seat (31). A shift fork (33) is provided in the differential lock seat (31) and can slide along the axial direction of the half-section housing (1) in the sliding groove (32). A spring (34) is fixedly connected between one side of the shift fork (33) and the inner wall of the differential lock seat (31). A control component is provided between one side of the differential lock seat (31) and the other side of the shift fork (33). The shift fork (33) enters the interior of the half-section housing (1) through the sliding groove (32) and engages with the annular groove on the surface of the engagement sleeve (3).

4. The three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control assembly includes a hydraulic cylinder (4) fixedly connected to one side of the differential lock seat (31). The top of the hydraulic cylinder (4) is provided with an oil inlet hole (41). A matching piston (42) is fitted to the inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder (4). A push rod (43) is fixedly connected between the piston (42) and the shift fork (33).

5. The three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the oil flows into the oil cylinder (4) through the oil inlet (41), the shift fork (33) drives the meshing sleeve (3) to engage with one side of the driven bevel gear (23).

6. The three-section automotive drive axle with a differential lock device according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the oil flows out of the oil cylinder (4) through the oil inlet (41), the shift fork (33) drives the meshing sleeve (3) to separate from one side of the driven bevel gear (23).

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