Transmission

Abstract

[Problem] To reduce the time during which both a rotational torque and an actuator thrust act on a bearing. [Solution] This transmission device comprises: a first planetary gear mechanism; a second planetary gear mechanism; a first fastening mechanism; a second fastening mechanism; and a third fastening mechanism. The third fastening mechanism includes: a pressing part that fastens a fastening element; a spring that biases the pressing part in a fastening direction; an actuator that generates thrust in a release direction and that releases the fastening element by using the thrust to displace the pressing part in the release direction; and a bearing that, when the fastening element is to be released, receives the load of the spring compressed by the thrust. In a first speed-changing step, the transmission device fastens the first fastening mechanism and releases the second fastening mechanism and the third fastening mechanism, and in a second speed-changing step, the transmission device fastens the second fastening mechanism and releases the first fastening mechanism and the third fastening mechanism. The first speed-changing step is selected during emergency travel, which requires a larger driving force than during a normal start.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transmission. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a transmission. The transmission changes the speed of rotation input from a motor via an input shaft and outputs the rotation to a differential mechanism via an output shaft. The transmission includes multiple planetary gear mechanisms, multiple planetary gear mechanisms, and multiple engagement elements. The transmission can achieve multiple gear stages by switching between engagement and disengagement of the multiple engagement elements to switch the rotation transmission path in the multiple planetary gear mechanisms. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 107178585 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The fastening element may be, for example, a normally closed clutch. In a normally closed clutch, a piston that presses against a friction plate is biased in the fastening direction by a spring. When the clutch is to be released, a thrust force in the release direction is applied by an actuator, displacing the piston in the release direction. The rotating element of the clutch is rotatably supported on a fixed element via, for example, a bearing. The bearing receives rotational torque from the rotating element and is also subjected to thrust from an actuator when the clutch is released. If the time during which both the rotational torque and the thrust force of the actuator act on the bearing becomes long, friction increases, which may affect the durability of the bearing.

[0005] In a transmission, there is a demand to reduce the time during which both the rotational torque and the thrust force of the actuator act on the bearing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, a transmission device comprises: a first planetary gear mechanism including a first sun gear connected to the input shaft, a first carrier connected to the output shaft, and a first ring gear; a second planetary gear mechanism including a second sun gear connected to the input shaft, a second carrier connected to the first ring gear, and a second ring gear; a first fastening mechanism capable of fastening the first ring gear and the second carrier to a first fixed element; a second fastening mechanism capable of fastening the second ring gear to a second fixed element; a third fastening mechanism capable of fastening the second ring gear to the input shaft, The third fastening mechanism is a fastening element connected to the second ring gear and the input shaft; a pressing portion that presses the fastening element in a fastening direction toward one end side in the axial direction of the input shaft, thereby fastening the fastening element; a spring that biases the pressing portion in the fastening direction; an actuator that generates a thrust in a release direction on the other end side of the input shaft in the axial direction, and displaces the pressing portion in the release direction by the thrust, thereby releasing the fastening element; a bearing that supports a rotation element of the third fastening mechanism and receives the load of the spring compressed by the thrust when the fastening element is released, A first gear position, a second gear position, and a third gear position are achieved by switching between engagement and disengagement of the first fastening mechanism, the second fastening mechanism, and the third fastening mechanism, In the first gear position, the first engagement mechanism is engaged, and the second and third engagement mechanisms are disengaged, In the second gear position, the second engagement mechanism is engaged, and the first engagement mechanism and the third engagement mechanism are disengaged, In the third gear position, the third engagement mechanism is engaged, and the first and second engagement mechanisms are disengaged, The second gear is selected during normal starting and low-speed driving, The third speed is selected when traveling at medium speeds and high speeds, The first speed change stage is selected during emergency running, which requires a driving force greater than that required during normal starting. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the time during which both the rotational torque and the thrust force of the actuator act on the bearing in the transmission. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a skeleton diagram showing a power transmission device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the clutch. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing the clutch in a released state, and is a collinear diagram showing the rotational speed (rotational speed) of each element of the gear mechanism in first to third gears. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating a cam mechanism. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating the cam mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an engagement table for 1st to 3rd gears. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a collinear diagram showing the rotational speed (rotational speed) of each element of the transmission in first to third gears. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a power transmission path in first speed. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the power transmission path in second speed. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the power transmission path in third gear. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In the following description, an example will be described in which a transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a power transmission device mounted on a vehicle. The power transmission device is a device that includes a motor, which is a rotating electric machine, and a power transmission mechanism that transmits the power of the motor to drive wheels. The power transmission mechanism includes, for example, a gear mechanism and / or a differential mechanism (differential gear mechanism).

[0010] In the following description, when a second element (component, part, etc.) is connected to a first element (component, part, etc.), a second element (component, part, etc.) is connected downstream of a first element (component, part, etc.), or a second element (component, part, etc.) is connected upstream of a first element (component, part, etc.), it means that the first element and the second element are connected so that power can be transmitted. The power input side is upstream, and the power output side is downstream. The first element and the second element may also be connected via another element (clutch, other gear mechanism, etc.).

[0011] "Overlapping when viewed from a predetermined direction" means that multiple elements are lined up in a predetermined direction, and is synonymous with "overlapping in a predetermined direction." Examples of the "predetermined direction" include the axial direction, radial direction, gravity direction, and vehicle travel direction (forward and backward directions). When a drawing shows multiple elements (components, parts, etc.) arranged in a specific direction, it may be assumed that the description in the specification contains a sentence explaining that they overlap when viewed from the specific direction.

[0012] "Not overlapping when viewed from a predetermined direction" and "offset when viewed from a predetermined direction" mean that multiple elements are not lined up in a predetermined direction, and are synonymous with "not overlapping in a predetermined direction" and "offset in a predetermined direction." Examples of the "predetermined direction" include the axial direction, radial direction, gravity direction, and vehicle travel direction (vehicle forward direction, vehicle backward direction). If a drawing shows that multiple elements (components, parts, etc.) are not aligned in a specified direction, it may be assumed that the description in the specification contains a sentence explaining that they do not overlap when viewed from a specified direction.

[0013] "When viewed from a predetermined direction, a first element (component, part, etc.) is located between a second element (component, part, etc.) and a third element (component, part, etc.)" means that when observed from a predetermined direction, it can be observed that the first element is located between the second element and the third element. "Predetermined direction" refers to an axial direction, a radial direction, the direction of gravity, the vehicle traveling direction (the vehicle forward direction, the vehicle backward direction), etc. For example, if the second element, the first element, and the third element are arranged in that order along the axial direction, the first element can be said to be located between the second element and the third element when viewed from the radial direction. If the drawings show that the first element is located between the second element and the third element when viewed from a predetermined direction, it can be considered that the description in the specification contains a sentence explaining that the first element is located between the second element and the third element when viewed from the predetermined direction.

[0014] When two elements (parts, sections, etc.) overlap when viewed in an axial direction, the two elements are coaxial.

[0015] "Axial direction" refers to the axial direction of the rotation axis of a component that constitutes the device. "Radial direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of a component that constitutes the device. The component may be, for example, a motor, a gear mechanism, a differential gear mechanism, etc.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a skeleton diagram showing a power transmission device 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the power transmission device 1 has a motor 2 (rotating electric machine) that is a power source for driving a vehicle. The power transmission device 1 includes an input shaft 31, a transmission 4, an output shaft 32, a differential mechanism 9, and a drive shaft D as a power transmission mechanism for transmitting the output rotation of the motor 2.

[0017] The input shaft 31, the transmission 4, and the output shaft 32 are arranged coaxially with the rotation axis X of the motor 2. In other words, the "direction of the rotation axis X" corresponds to the "axial direction of the input shaft 31," and the "radial direction of the rotation axis X" corresponds to the "radial direction of the input shaft 31." The motor 2 is arranged at one end side (right side in the drawing) of the power transmission device 1 in the direction of the rotation axis X, and the transmission 4 is arranged at the other end side (left side in the drawing) in the direction of the rotation axis X. The motor 2 is connected to the transmission 4 via the input shaft 31. The transmission 4 is connected to the differential mechanism 9 via the output shaft 32. The rotation axis X extends along the vehicle width direction. In the following description, "one end side in the direction of the rotation axis X" may be considered to be the right side in the drawing, and "the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X" may be considered to be the left side in the drawing.

[0018] The output shaft 32 is connected to the differential mechanism 9 via a reduction gear, a counter gear, etc. (not shown). The reduction gear, counter gear, etc. are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart in the vehicle front-rear direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis X. The differential mechanism 9 is connected to left and right drive wheels K, K of the vehicle via a drive shaft D. The drive shaft D extends along an axis X5 parallel to the rotation axis X.

[0019] The motor 2 has a rotor core 21 that rotates integrally with the input shaft 31, and a stator core 25 that surrounds the outer periphery of the rotor core 21 with a gap therebetween. When the motor 2 is driven and the rotor core 21 rotates around the rotation axis X, the input shaft 31 rotates integrally with the rotor core 21. The rotation of the input shaft 31 is changed in speed by the transmission 4 and output to the output shaft 32. The rotation output to the output shaft 32 is reduced in speed by a reduction gear, a counter gear, etc. (not shown) and transmitted to the differential mechanism 9. The rotation transmitted to the differential mechanism 9 is transmitted to the left and right drive wheels K, K of the vehicle via the drive shaft D.

[0020] The transmission 4 is located downstream of the motor 2 in a power transmission path that transmits the rotational force of the motor 2. The differential mechanism 9 is located downstream of the transmission 4 in the power transmission path.

[0021] The output shaft 32 may be, for example, hollow and cylindrical. The input shaft 31 extends from the motor 2 in the direction of the rotation axis X, penetrating the inside of the output shaft 32 and connecting to the transmission 4. The input shaft 31 and the output shaft 32 are provided so as to be relatively rotatable about the rotation axis X. When viewed from the radial direction of the rotation axis X, a portion of the input shaft 31 overlaps with the output shaft 32. In other words, the power transmission device 1 has a structure in which the input shaft 31 extends from the motor 2 toward the transmission 4, and the output shaft 32 folds back from the transmission 4 toward the motor 2.

[0022] With this folded structure, the output shaft 32 is disposed between the motor 2 located at one end of the power transmission device 1 in the direction of the rotation axis X and the transmission 4 located at the other end. In other words, the output shaft 32 is disposed in the center of the power transmission device 1. Furthermore, the differential mechanism 9, which is connected to the output shaft 32 via a reduction gear, a counter gear, etc. (not shown), is disposed in the center of the drive shaft D in the direction of the axis X5 (vehicle width direction).

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the power transmission device 1 includes a motor case 11, a gear case 12, and a clutch case 13. The motor case 11 houses the motor 2. The gear case 12 and the clutch case 13 house the transmission 4. The gear case 12 is disposed at the other end of the motor case 11 in the direction of the rotation axis X and is joined to the motor case 11. The clutch case 13 is disposed at the other end of the gear case 12 in the direction of the rotation axis X and is joined to the gear case 12. The motor case 11, the gear case 12, and the clutch case 13 are arranged side by side in the direction of the rotation axis X and form an integrated housing. The input shaft 31 and the output shaft 32 pass through the inside of the housing and are supported by the housing via bearings B. Although not shown, the differential mechanism 9 is housed in, for example, an axle case that is separate from the housing.

[0024] The transmission 4 can include multiple gear mechanisms with different gear ratios and multiple fastening mechanisms. The transmission 4 switches the rotation transmission path in the multiple gear mechanisms by operating the fastening and disengagement of the multiple fastening mechanisms, thereby achieving multiple gear stages with different gear ratios.

[0025] The transmission 4 has, as multiple gear mechanisms, for example, a first planetary gear mechanism 40 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "first gear mechanism 40") and a second planetary gear mechanism 50 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "second gear mechanism 50"). The first gear mechanism 40 and the second gear mechanism 50 are arranged side by side on the rotation axis X. The first gear mechanism 40 is arranged between the motor 2 and the second gear mechanism 50 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The first gear mechanism 40 and the second gear mechanism 50 overlap with the motor 2 when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0026] The first gear mechanism 40 has a first sun gear 41, a pinion gear 43 that meshes with the outer periphery of the first sun gear 41, a first carrier 45 that supports the pinion gear 43, and a first ring gear 42 whose inner periphery the pinion gear 43 meshes with. The first sun gear 41 is fixed to the outer periphery of the input shaft 31 . The first carrier 45 has a pinion shaft 45a that rotatably supports the pinion gear 43, and a carrier plate 45b that supports the pinion shaft 45a. The inner peripheral side of the carrier plate 45b is connected to the output shaft 32. The first ring gear 42 is connected to the second carrier 55 via a carrier plate 55b (described later). The first ring gear 42 is rotatable integrally with the second carrier 55. Thus, in the first gear mechanism 40, the first sun gear 41 fixed to the input shaft 32 is the input element, and the first carrier 45 connected to the output shaft 32 is the output element.

[0027] The second gear mechanism 50 has a second sun gear 51, a pinion gear 53 meshing with the outer periphery of the second sun gear 51, a second carrier 55 supporting the pinion gear 53, and a second ring gear 52 with the inner periphery meshing with the pinion gear 53. The second sun gear 51 is fixed to the outer periphery of the input shaft 31. In other words, the input shaft 31 is provided to penetrate the inner peripheries of the first sun gear 41 and the second sun gear 51 in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0028] The second carrier 55 has a pinion shaft 55a that rotatably supports the pinion gear 53, and a carrier plate 55b that supports the pinion shaft 55a. The second carrier 55 is connected to the first ring gear 42 of the first gear mechanism 40 via the carrier plate 55b. The second ring gear 52 is connected to a clutch drum 75 of the clutch 70 (described later) via a connecting portion 52a. Thus, in the second gear mechanism 50, the second sun gear 51 fixed to the input shaft 31 is the input element, and the second carrier 55 connected to the first ring gear 42 of the first gear mechanism 40 is the output element.

[0029] The transmission 4 is equipped with a selectable one-way clutch 61 (first engagement mechanism) and a selectable one-way clutch 62 (second engagement mechanism) as engagement mechanisms. The selectable one-way clutch 61 will hereinafter also be referred to as "SOWC 61." The selectable one-way clutch 62 will hereinafter also be referred to as "SOWC 62." The SOWC 61 and SOWC 62 are attached to the gear case 12. The SOWC 61 and SOWC 62 engage the elements of the gear mechanism to which they are connected, to the gear case 12 (first fixed element, second fixed element).

[0030] The SOWC 61 is interposed between the first ring gear 42 and the gear case 12. The area of ​​the gear case 12 that supports the first ring gear 42 constitutes the first fixed element. As described above, the first ring gear 42 is connected to the second carrier 55 via the carrier plate 55b. Therefore, the first ring gear 42 and the second carrier 55 are supported by the gear case 12 (first fixed element) via the SOWC 61.

[0031] The SOWC 61 has three operating states (an engaged state, a released state, and an engaged state) and the operating states of the SOWC 61 are switched among the engaged state, the released state, and the engaged state by an actuator (not shown). When the SOWC 61 is in the fastened state, the first ring gear 42 is fixed to the gear case 12 via the SOWC 61. Therefore, the first ring gear 42 and the second carrier 55 are fixed to the gear case 12, and the rotation of each is restricted. When the SOWC 61 is in the released state, the first ring gear 42 and the second carrier 55 are able to rotate in either one or the other circumferential direction around the rotation axis X. When the SOWC 61 is in an engaged state, the first ring gear 42 and the second carrier 55 can rotate in only one direction.

[0032] The SOWC 62 is interposed between the second ring gear 52 and the gear case 12. The area of ​​the gear case 12 that supports the second ring gear 52 constitutes a second fixed element. The SOWC 62 also has three operating states (an engaged state, a released state, and an engaged state). The operating states of the SOWC 62 are switched among the engaged state, the released state, and the engaged state by an actuator (not shown). When the SOWC 62 is in the fastened state, the second ring gear 52 is fixed to the gear case 12 via the SOWC 62. Therefore, the second ring gear 52 is fixed to the gear case 12, and the rotation of the second ring gear 52 is restricted. When the SOWC 62 is in the released state, the second ring gear 52 is able to rotate in either one or the other circumferential direction around the rotation axis X. When the SOWC 62 is in an engaged state, the second ring gear 52 is allowed to rotate in only one direction.

[0033] The SOWCs 61 and 62 may be provided with a waiting mechanism, such as a spring, that accumulates thrust applied by an actuator. The waiting mechanism allows the SOWCs 61 and 62 to quickly switch between a released state, a fastened state, and an engaged state.

[0034] The transmission 4 includes a clutch 70 as a third engagement mechanism. The clutch 70 is a direct-coupled clutch that directly couples the second ring gear 52 to the input shaft 31. When the second ring gear 52 is directly coupled to the input shaft 31, the first sun gear 41 and the second sun gear 51 fixed to the input shaft 31 rotate integrally with the second ring gear 52. As will be described in detail later, the clutch 70 functions as a direct-coupled clutch that matches the rotational speeds of the input shaft 31 and the output shaft 32.

[0035] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the clutch 70. Fig. 2 shows the clutch 70 in an engaged state. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the clutch 70 in a disengaged state. As shown in FIG. 2, the clutch 70 is housed in a clutch case 13. The clutch case 13 has a peripheral wall 131 that surrounds the rotation axis X. One end (right side in the drawing) of the peripheral wall 131 in the direction of the rotation axis X of the clutch case 13 is fitted into the gear case 12. A cover member 14 is fitted into the other end (left side in the drawing). An opening on the other end (left side in the drawing) of the clutch case 13 is closed by the cover member 14. The one end of the peripheral wall 131 is formed to be thicker on the inner diameter side than the other end. Therefore, a stepped surface 131a extending toward the inner diameter side is formed on the inner peripheral side of the peripheral wall 131. A ring-shaped plate member 15, which will be described later, is attached to the stepped surface 131a from the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0036] The clutch case 13 has a wall portion 132 located in a region fitted inside the gear case 12. The wall portion 132 extends from a region of the peripheral wall portion 131 fitted inside the gear case 12 toward the inner diameter side of the peripheral wall portion 131. The wall portion 132 is a partition wall that separates the space inside the gear case 12 from the space inside the clutch case 13 in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0037] 2, the second gear mechanism 50 is located on the right side of the wall portion 132. The clutch 70 is located on the left side of the wall portion 132. The clutch 70 and the second gear mechanism 50 are adjacent to each other with the wall portion 132 sandwiched therebetween. An opening 133 is provided in the wall portion 132 in a region that intersects with the rotation axis X. The opening 133 has a diameter that allows the input shaft 31 and a connecting portion 753 on the clutch 70 side to be inserted therethrough. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 753 on the clutch 70 side is supported by the wall portion 132 via a bearing B2. The connecting portion 753 crosses the opening 133 from the clutch case 13 side to the gear case 12 side. The connecting portion 753 is connected to the connecting portion 52a of the second ring gear 52 (see FIG. 1) of the second gear mechanism 50 inside the gear case 12 so as not to rotate relative to the connecting portion 52a.

[0038] The clutch 70 has a clutch hub 74 that rotates integrally with the input shaft 31, a clutch drum 75 that rotates integrally with the second ring gear 52 of the second gear mechanism 50, and a plurality of friction plates 71 that serve as fastening elements. The clutch 70 also has a piston 76 biased by a disc spring 77 and an electric actuator 80 as a mechanism for switching between fastening and disengaging the plurality of friction plates 71.

[0039] The clutch hub 74 is disposed on the outer periphery of the input shaft 31. The clutch hub 74 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 741, a bottom portion 742 extending radially inward from one end of the peripheral wall portion 741 in the direction of the rotation axis X, and a connecting portion 743 with the input shaft 31. The connecting portion 743 is a cylindrical portion that is fitted onto the input shaft 31. The connecting portion 743 is spline-fitted onto the outer periphery of the input shaft 31, and rotates integrally with the input shaft 31. A bottom portion 742 extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the connecting portion 743 on the wall portion 132 side.

[0040] The peripheral wall portion 741 is a cylindrical portion that surrounds the rotation axis X. The inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 741 and the outer periphery of the input shaft 31 face each other with a gap in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. A drive plate 72 that constitutes the friction plate 71 is spline-fitted to the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion 741. The drive plate 72 is displaceable in the direction of the rotation axis X (left and right direction in the figure) while its relative rotation with respect to the peripheral wall portion 741 is restricted.

[0041] A peripheral wall portion 751 of the clutch drum 75 is located on the outer diameter side of the peripheral wall portion 741 . The clutch drum 75 includes a peripheral wall portion 751 that surrounds the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion 741 with a gap therebetween, and a bottom portion 752 extending radially inward from one end of the peripheral wall portion 751 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The clutch drum 75 is connected to the connecting portion 753 at the end of the bottom portion 752 on the radially inward side. A driven plate 73 constituting the friction plate 71 is spline-fitted to the inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 751. The driven plate 73 is displaceable in the direction of the rotation axis X (left and right direction in the figure) while its relative rotation with respect to the peripheral wall portion 751 is restricted. The driven plates 73 and the drive plates 72 are arranged alternately in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0042] When viewed from the friction plate 71, the piston 76 is located on the opposite side (left side in the drawing) from the bottom 752 of the clutch drum 75. The piston 76 has a cylindrical base portion 761. A pressing portion 762 is provided at one end of the base portion 761 in the direction of the rotation axis X. When viewed in the direction of the rotation axis X, the pressing portion 762 has a disk shape and extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the base portion 761. The outer periphery of the pressing portion 762 is spline-fitted to the inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 751 on the clutch drum 75 side. The piston 76 is supported so as to be movable in the direction of the rotation axis X while its relative rotation with respect to the clutch drum 75 is restricted. A disk-shaped opposing portion 763 is fitted and fixed to the other end of the base portion 761 in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0043] In the clutch drum 75, a retainer 78 is provided on the inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 751. The retainer 78 includes a ring-shaped holding portion 781 whose outer periphery is spline-fitted to the peripheral wall portion 751 of the clutch drum 75, and a tubular portion 782 connected to the inner periphery of the holding portion 781. Movement of the holding portion 781 in the direction of the rotation axis X is restricted by a snap ring or the like.

[0044] The cylindrical portion 782 extends from the outer diameter side of the base portion 761 of the piston 76 toward the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X (left side in the figure). The cylindrical portion 782 is inserted into the opening 151 of the plate member 15 from the direction of the rotation axis X. The outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 782 is supported by the plate member 15 via a bearing B1. A bushing Bs is interposed between the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 782 and the outer periphery of the base portion 761 of the piston 76. The piston 76 is capable of relative movement in the direction of the rotation axis X and relative displacement in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X with respect to the retainer 78. Note that a bearing may be interposed instead of the bushing Bs.

[0045] A disc spring 77 is disposed between the holding portion 781 of the retainer 78 and the pressing portion 762 of the piston 76 . The disc spring 77 is ring-shaped when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis X, and has a conical shape when viewed in a cross section along the direction of the rotation axis X. The disc spring 77 is extrapolated to the base portion 761 of the piston 76. In the direction of the rotation axis X, the disc spring 77 is disposed so that its outer diameter side contacts the pressing portion 762 and its inner diameter side contacts the holding portion 781 of the retainer 78.

[0046] The disc spring 77 is held in a pre-compressed state between the holding portion 781 on the retainer 78 side and the pressing portion 762 on the piston 76 side. As described above, the movement of the retainer 78 in the direction of the rotation axis X is restricted. Therefore, the piston 76 is biased toward the friction plate 71 by the elastic force of the disc spring 77.

[0047] In this embodiment, the piston 76 is pressed against the friction plate 71 in the direction of the rotation axis X by the biasing force of the disc spring 77. In this state, the driven plate 73 and the drive plate 72 are compressed in the direction of the rotation axis X, and are fastened together so as not to rotate relative to each other. When the driven plate 73 and the drive plate 72 are fastened together so as to be unable to rotate relative to each other, the clutch hub 74 on the drive plate 72 side and the clutch drum 75 on the driven plate 73 side are connected together so as to be unable to rotate relative to each other.

[0048] In this embodiment, the driving force of the electric actuator 80, which will be described later, displaces the piston 76 to the side away from the wall portion 132 (to the left in the drawing). Therefore, while the driving force of the electric actuator 80 is not acting, the piston 76 restricts the relative rotation between the driven plate 73 and the drive plate 72 by the biasing force acting from the disc spring 77 (spring). That is, the clutch 70 is a so-called normally closed type clutch 70, and is configured to maintain the engaged state when the electric actuator 80 is not operated.

[0049] As described above, in the clutch 70, the clutch hub 74 is connected to the input shaft 31 so as not to rotate relative to it, and the clutch drum 75 is connected to the connecting portion 52a of the second ring gear 52 via the connecting portion 753 so as not to rotate relative to it. Therefore, when the clutch hub 74 and the clutch drum 75 are connected so as not to rotate relative to each other, the input shaft 31 and the second ring gear 52 are connected so as to be able to transmit rotation. Therefore, the rotation of the input shaft 31 is input to the second ring gear 52 via the clutch 70.

[0050] 3, when the driving force of the electric actuator 80 (described later) is used to release the pressure applied by the piston 76 to the multiple friction plates 71, the drive plate 72 and the driven plate 73 are released from the fastened state, allowing them to rotate relative to each other. This also allows the clutch hub 74 and the clutch drum 75 to rotate relative to each other, and the transmission of rotation from the input shaft 31 to the second ring gear 52 via the clutch 70 is interrupted.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 2, the electric actuator 80 includes an actuator motor 81, a shaft 82, a drive gear 83, a first driven gear 84, and a second driven gear 85 (driven gears). The actuator motor 81 is provided outside the clutch case 13. The actuator motor 81 is attached, for example, to a cover member 14 that closes the clutch case 13. An output shaft 81a of the actuator motor 81 rotates around an axis X1 parallel to the rotation axis X by a driving force supplied from a driving source (not shown). The actuator motor 81 can switch the rotation direction of the output shaft 81a between one direction and the other direction around the axis X1.

[0052] A shaft 82 is fitted onto the output shaft 81a of the actuator motor 81. The shaft 82 is connected to the output shaft 81a via a hollow set H so as to be non-rotatable relative to the output shaft 81a. Therefore, the rotation of the actuator motor 81 is output from the output shaft 81a to the shaft 82. The shaft 82 extends along the direction of the axis X1, passing through the cover member 14 and extending into the interior of the clutch case 13. The shaft 82 is rotatably supported by the plate member 15 via a bearing B3 at the end of the shaft 82 opposite the actuator motor 81 in the direction of the axis X1. A drive gear 83 is formed integrally with the shaft 82. The drive gear 83 is located between the cover member 14 and the plate member 15 in the direction of the axis X1. The drive gear 83 is provided at a position overlapping the base portion 761 and the opposing portion 763 of the piston 76 in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. Gear teeth Gt are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the drive gear 83. A first driven gear 84 and a second driven gear 85 mesh with the gear teeth Gt of the drive gear 83.

[0053] The first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are ring-shaped when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis X, and are extrapolated to the base portion 761 of the piston 76. The first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are located between the base portion 761 of the piston 76 and the drive gear 83 in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. The first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are located between the opposing portion 763 of the piston 76 and the plate member 15 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are arranged side by side in the direction of the rotation axis X. The first driven gear 84 is located on one end side of the second driven gear 85 in the direction of the rotation axis X. Gear teeth are formed on the outer peripheries of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85, and mesh with the gear teeth Gt of the drive gear 83. As a result, the rotation of the drive gear 83 is transmitted to the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85, and the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 rotate in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X. Here, the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are formed to have different numbers of teeth, so that when the rotation of the drive gear 83 is transmitted, a phase difference occurs between the rotations of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 3, cylindrical connecting portions 841 and 851 are provided on the inner peripheries of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85, respectively. The connecting portions 841 and 851 each protrude from one end in the direction of the rotation axis X. The connecting portion 851 is located on the inner diameter side of the connecting portion 841. The connecting portions 841 and 851 face each other in the radial direction of the rotation axis X, and a bushing Bs is interposed between the connecting portions 841 and 851. The base 761 of the piston 76 is located on the inner diameter side of the connecting portion 851. A bearing B4 is interposed between the connecting portion 851 and the base 761 of the piston 76. That is, the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are supported by the base 761 of the piston 76 via the bearing B4 so as to be rotatable relative to each other.

[0055] The first driven gear 84 faces the plate member 15 at one end side in the direction of the rotation axis X. A needle bearing NB is interposed between the first driven gear 84 and the plate member 15, and the first driven gear 84 is rotatable relative to the plate member 15. The second driven gear 85 faces an opposing portion 763 of the piston 76 at the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X. A needle bearing NB is interposed between the second driven gear 85 and the opposing portion 763. This allows the second driven gear 85 to rotate relatively to the opposing portion 763.

[0056] 3, the surface of the first driven gear 84 on the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X serves as an opposing surface 842 with respect to the second driven gear 85. The surface of the second driven gear 85 on one end side in the direction of the rotation axis X serves as an opposing surface 852 with respect to the first driven gear 84. The opposing surfaces 842 and 852 are provided with cam grooves 843 and 853, respectively. The cam grooves 843 and 853 are recessed in directions away from each other in the direction of the rotation axis X. The cam grooves 843, 853 are formed within a predetermined angular range along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X. Although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of cam grooves 843, 853 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in the opposing surfaces 842, 852. As an example, three cam grooves 843, 853 can be provided in the opposing surfaces 842, 852 at intervals of 120° in the circumferential direction. The cam grooves 843, 853 of the opposing surfaces 842, 852 are formed at equal distances in the radial direction from the rotation axis X, and are provided at positions facing each other in the direction of the rotation axis X. Although not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, rolling elements are held between the cam grooves 843, 853 of the opposing surfaces 842, 852. As will be described in detail later, the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are displaced in the direction of the rotation axis X as the rolling elements move within the cam grooves 843, 853. In other words, a cam mechanism is formed by the cam grooves 843, 853 of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 and the rolling elements.

[0057] The cam mechanism of this embodiment converts the rotational motion input from the actuator motor 81 into linear motion along the direction of the rotation axis X via the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85. In other words, the electric actuator 80, the first driven gear 84, and the second driven gear 85 constitute one linear actuator. 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams illustrating the cam mechanism, in which Fig. 4A shows a state in which the rolling element Rb is held between the locking portions Ca and Ca, and Fig. 4B shows a state in which the rolling element Rb is held between the locking portions Cb and Cb. 4A and 4B show the cam grooves 843, 853 of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 cut along the circumferential direction about the rotation axis X and viewed from the radial direction of the rotation axis X. Note that although the rolling elements Rb are shown as spherical balls in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the rolling elements Rb may also be cylindrical or conical rollers.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 4A, the cam groove 843 of the first driven gear 84 is formed by recessing the opposing surface 842 toward one end in the direction of the rotation axis X. The cam groove 843 is composed of an inclined surface Is on which the rolling element Rb can roll, and locking portions Ca and Cb that lock the rolling element Rb. The locking portion Ca is provided on one circumferential side (the lower side in the figure) of the inclined surface Is, and the locking portion Cb is provided on the other circumferential side (the upper side in the figure). The locking portions Ca and Cb are hemispherical recesses having a radius of curvature that matches the outer periphery of the rolling element Rb. The locking portion Ca has a depth Da in the direction of the rotation axis X that matches the radius r of the rolling element Rb (Da ≒ r). The locking portion Cb has a depth Db in the direction of the rotation axis X that is shallower than the locking portion Ca (Db <Da)。 The inclined surface Is of the cam groove 843 is inclined from one end side to the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X as it moves from the locking portion Ca to the locking portion Cb. In other words, the cam groove 843 is formed so that the groove becomes gradually shallower as it moves from the locking portion Ca to the locking portion Cb.

[0059] The cam groove 853 of the second driven gear 85 is formed by recessing the opposing surface 852 toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X. The cam groove 853 has a shape obtained by inverting the shape of the cam groove 843 in the direction of the rotation axis X and the circumferential direction. The cam groove 853 is composed of an inclined surface Is on which the rolling element Rb can roll and locking portions Cb and Ca that lock the rolling element Rb. The locking portion Cb is provided on one side (the lower side in the figure) of the inclined surface Is in the circumferential direction, and the locking portion Ca is provided on the other side (the upper side in the figure). The inclined surface Is of the cam groove 853 is inclined so as to be located from the other end toward one end in the direction of the rotation axis X as it moves from the locking portion Ca toward the locking portion Cb. In other words, the cam groove 853 is formed so that the groove gradually becomes shallower as it moves from the locking portion Ca toward the locking portion Cb.

[0060] When the actuator motor 81 (see FIG. 2) is driven to rotate the drive gear 83 around the axis X1, the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 meshing with the drive gear 83 rotate in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X. Here, as described above, the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 have different numbers of teeth, so a phase difference occurs between the rotations of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85. In this embodiment, the number of teeth of the first driven gear 84 is greater than the number of teeth of the second driven gear 85. Therefore, when the drive gear 83 rotates, the first driven gear 84 rotates faster than the second driven gear 85. 4A shows a state in which the actuator motor 81 is not driven and the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are not rotating (no phase difference occurs). When no phase difference occurs, the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are arranged such that the locking portion Ca of the cam groove 843 and the locking portion Ca of the cam groove 853 face each other in the direction of the rotation axis X. The rolling element Rb is held between the locking portions Ca and Ca.

[0061] The locking portions Ca, Ca have depths Da from the surfaces of the opposing surfaces 842, 852, respectively. The depth Da of the locking portion Ca is set to a size that matches the radius r of the rolling element Rb. As shown in FIG. 4A, when the locking portions Ca, Ca face each other in the direction of the rotation axis X, a space with a depth 2Da, which corresponds to the diameter 2r of the rolling element Rb, is formed between the two locking portions Ca, Ca. In other words, when the rolling element Rb is held between the locking portions Ca, Ca, the entire rolling element Rb is accommodated between the locking portions Ca, Ca. As a result, the opposing surface 842 of the first driven gear 84 and the opposing surface 852 of the second driven gear 85 are in contact with each other (the state shown in FIG. 2).

[0062] When the actuator motor 81 is driven to rotate the drive gear 83 about the axis X1, a phase difference occurs between the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85. Specifically, because the number of teeth of the first driven gear 84 is greater than the number of teeth of the second driven gear 85, the first driven gear 84 rotates faster than the second driven gear 85. This causes a phase difference between the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85. The cam grooves 843, 853 of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 move relatively to one side and the other side in the circumferential direction by the amount of the phase difference that occurs. 4B, in this embodiment, the first driven gear 84 rotates faster than the second driven gear 85. Therefore, the cam groove 843 of the first driven gear 84 shifts to one side in the circumferential direction (indicated by the hatched arrow in the figure) relative to the cam groove 853 of the second driven gear 85. As the cam groove 843 shifts to one side in the circumferential direction, the rolling element Rb disengages from the locking portions Ca of the cam grooves 843 and 853, and rolls on the inclined surface Is toward the locking portion Cb.

[0063] 3, since the plate member 15 is located at one end of the first driven gear 84 in the direction of the rotation axis X, movement of the first driven gear 84 toward the one end is restricted. The opposing portion 763 supporting the second driven gear 85 is allowed to move in the direction of the rotation axis X together with the piston 76. 4B, the inclined surface Is of the cam groove 843 is inclined from the locking portion Ca toward the locking portion Cb so as to be located from one end side to the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X. Therefore, the rolling element Rb moves to the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X while rolling on the inclined surface Is. As a result, the second driven gear 85, which holds the rolling element Rb by the cam groove 853 on the other end side, is pushed by the rolling element Rb and moves to the other end side (indicated by the hollow arrow in the figure). Furthermore, the inclined surface Is of the cam groove 853 is inclined so as to be located from the other end side to one end side from the locking portion Ca in the direction of the rotation axis X. Therefore, as the rolling element Rb rolls in the cam groove 853 from the locking portion Ca toward the locking portion Cb, the amount by which the rolling element Rb presses the second driven gear 85 toward the other end side increases. When the rolling element Rb rolls on the inclined surfaces Is of the cam grooves 843 and 853 and reaches the locking portions Cb, Cb, it is held between the locking portions Cb, Cb as shown in FIG. 4B.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 4A, the depth Db of the locking portion Cb is set to be smaller than the depth Da of the locking portion Ca. That is, the depth Db of the locking portion Cb is smaller than the radius r of the rolling element Rb. That is, when the rolling element Rb is held between the locking portions Cb, Cb, the rolling element Rb cannot be completely contained between the locking portions Cb, Cb, and a portion of the rolling element Rb protrudes from the locking portions Cb, Cb. That is, when the rolling element Rb is held between the locking portions Cb, Cb, the opposing surface 842 of the first driven gear 84 and the opposing surface 852 of the second driven gear 85 are spaced apart (the state shown in FIG. 3). Here, the distance between the opposing surface 842 of the first driven gear 84 and the opposing surface 852 of the second driven gear 85 is (2r - 2Db), which corresponds to the difference between the radius of the rolling element Rb and the depth Db of the locking portion Cb. This difference can be set appropriately depending on the amount of displacement required for the piston 76 when releasing the friction plate 71 .

[0065] 3, when the second driven gear 85 moves toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X due to the driving of the actuator motor 81, the second driven gear 85 presses the opposing portion 763 of the piston 76. As a result, a thrust toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X (releasing direction) acts on the entire piston 76. In other words, the thrust from the electric actuator 80 moves the piston 76 toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X (releasing direction) against the biasing force of the disc spring 77. The pressing portion 762 of the piston 76, which had been fastening the friction plate 71, moves toward the other end, thereby releasing the clutch 70. 3, the pressing portion 762 of the piston 76 moves toward the other end while pressing the outer diameter side of the disc spring 77. Here, a retainer 78 that supports the inner diameter side of the disc spring 77 is supported by the plate member 15 via a bearing B1, and is spline-fitted to the inner periphery of the clutch drum 75 in a state where movement in the direction of the rotation axis X is restricted. That is, the movement of the retainer 78 toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X is restricted. Therefore, when a thrust is applied from the electric actuator 80 toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X, the outer diameter side of the disc spring 77 supported by the pressing portion 762 approaches the inner diameter side supported by the retainer 78. As a result, the disc spring 77 is compressed further than when the clutch 70 is in the released state. The load caused by the compression of the disc spring 77 acts on the bearing B1 via the retainer 78, and also acts on the bearing B2 via the retainer 78 and the clutch drum 75. In other words, when the clutch 70 is switched from engagement to disengagement, the thrust force of the electric actuator 80 acts as the load of the compressed disc spring 77 on the bearings B1 and B2 as well.

[0066] When the clutch 70 is re-engaged, the actuator motor 81 and the drive gear 83 are rotated in the opposite direction to that when the clutch 70 was released. In this case, the first driven gear 84 rotates in the opposite direction faster than the second driven gear 85, so a phase difference occurs between the rotations of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85. As a result, the cam groove 843 of the first driven gear 84 shifts relative to the cam groove 853 of the second driven gear 85 toward the other circumferential side (upward in FIG. 4B ). As a result, the rolling element Rb disengages from the locking portions Cb, Cb (see FIG. 4B) of the cam grooves 843, 853, rolls along the inclined surfaces Is, Is, and returns to between the locking portions Ca, Ca (see FIG. 4A). At this time, the second driven gear 85 moves toward one end in the direction of the rotation axis X together with the piston 76 due to the restoring force of the disc spring 77 (see FIG. 3), and again comes into contact with the first driven gear 84. The pressing portion 762 of the piston 76 again presses the friction plate 71 toward one end in the direction of the rotation axis X (the engaging direction) due to the biasing force of the disc spring 77. As a result, the clutch 70 is again engaged.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 1, the transmission 4 includes a control unit CU that controls gear shifting by operating multiple engagement mechanisms (SOWCs 61, 62 and a clutch 70). The control unit CU can be realized, for example, as one function of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that comprehensively controls the operation of the vehicle. The control unit CU determines whether a gear shift is necessary based on, for example, a preset gear shift map, the vehicle speed, the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal, and the like, and operates the SOWCs 61, 62 and the clutch 70 based on the result of the determination.

[0068] As described above, the transmission 4 includes a plurality of gear mechanisms (first gear mechanism 40, second gear mechanism 50) with different gear ratios. In the transmission 4 of this embodiment, the gear ratio of the first gear mechanism 40 is set to be greater than the gear ratio of the second gear mechanism 50, for example. In a planetary gear mechanism, the smaller the value (λ value) obtained by dividing the number of teeth of the sun gear by the number of teeth of the ring gear, the larger the gear ratio. In other words, the λ value of the first gear mechanism 40 (number of teeth of the first sun gear 41 / number of teeth of the first ring gear 42) is set to be smaller than the λ value of the second gear mechanism 50 (number of teeth of the second sun gear 51 / number of teeth of the second ring gear 52).

[0069] The transmission 4 has three gears with different gear ratios (output rotation speed / input rotation speed), namely, a first gear, a second gear, and a third gear. The first gear is selected as a so-called emergency low gear during emergency running, which requires a greater driving force than normal starting. "Emergency running" includes starting the vehicle and running after starting. Examples of emergency running include starting on a steep slope, starting with a heavy load, and running on rough roads such as muddy ground. The second gear is selected during normal starting and low-speed driving. Normal starting includes starting on a flat road, starting without a heavy load, and driving on a well-paved road. The third gear is selected during medium and high-speed driving. In other words, the transmission 4 exclusively selects the second and third gears, and the first gear in emergency low is selected for a significantly shorter time than the second and third gears.

[0070] Here, medium-speed driving means a speed faster than low-speed driving, and high-speed driving means a speed faster than medium-speed driving. Low-speed driving, medium-speed driving, and high-speed driving are not limited to a specific speed range, but are set appropriately depending on the vehicle specifications, driving environment, etc. In the following description, the "first gear", "second gear" and "third gear" will also be simply referred to as "first speed", "second speed" and "third speed".

[0071] FIG. 5 is an engagement table for 1st to 3rd gears. In Figure 5, the columns for elements in the engaged state are marked with a black circle, and the columns for elements in the released state are left blank. 6 is a nomographic diagram showing the rotational speed (rotational velocity) of each element of the transmission 4 in first to third gears. The 0 on each vertical axis represents a rotational speed of 0. The area above 0 represents rotation in one direction DA, which will be described later, and the area below 0 represents rotation in the other direction DB, which will be described later. For ease of explanation, the rotational speed of the input shaft 31 is assumed to be the same in first to third gears. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a power transmission path in first speed. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the power transmission path in second speed. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the power transmission path in third gear. 7 to 9, the power transmission paths are indicated by thick lines. Furthermore, among the SOWCs 61 and 62 and the clutch 70, elements in an engaged state are indicated by hatching. Furthermore, among the first gear mechanism 40 and the second gear mechanism 50, elements that are fixed so as not to rotate are indicated by hatching.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 6, the rotation speeds of the first sun gear 41 and the second sun gear 51 correspond to the input rotation speed (IN) from the input shaft 31 to the transmission 4. The rotation speed of the first carrier 45 corresponds to the output rotation speed (OUT) from the transmission 4 to the output shaft 32. In the transmission 4, the gear ratio (OUT / IN) of first gear is set to the smallest, and the gear ratio of third gear is set to the largest. The gear ratio of second gear is set to be larger than that of first gear and smaller than that of third gear. Third gear is set to a gear ratio of 1, where the input rotation speed and the output rotation speed are the same.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 5, in first speed, the SOWC 61 is in the engaged state, the SOWC 62 is in the released state, and the clutch 70 is in the released state. As shown in FIG. 7, the input shaft 31 rotates in one direction DA around the rotation axis X when driven by the motor 2 (see FIG. 1). The one direction DA refers to the rotation direction when the vehicle is traveling forward. The one direction DA can be, for example, a counterclockwise direction. The other direction DB is a clockwise direction when the one direction DA is counterclockwise.

[0074] By fastening the SOWC 61, the first ring gear 42 of the first gear mechanism 40 and the second carrier 55 of the second gear mechanism 50 connected to the first ring gear 42 are fixed to the gear case 12 so as not to rotate. Therefore, the pinion gear 53 held by the second carrier 55 does not revolve but rotates in the other direction DB. Note that in Figures 7 to 9, arrows indicate only the direction of revolution of the pinion gears 43, 53, and the direction of rotation is not shown. The second ring gear 52 rotates idle in the other direction DB due to the rotation of the pinion gear 53.

[0075] In this way, in first gear, the second carrier 55 and the first ring gear 42 are fixed, so that the rotation input to the second sun gear 51 of the second gear mechanism 50 is not output to the first gear mechanism 40.

[0076] In the first gear mechanism 40, the first sun gear 41 rotates in one direction DA, and the first ring gear 42 is fixed so as not to rotate. The pinion gear 43 meshing with the first sun gear 41 and the first ring gear 42 revolves in one direction DA while rotating on its axis in the other direction DB. The revolution of the pinion gear 43 causes the first carrier 45 to rotate in the one direction DA. The rotation of the first carrier 45 is output to the output shaft 32.

[0077] As shown in Fig. 6, in first gear, the first ring gear 42 is fixed and the rotation speed is 0, so the gear ratio (OUT / IN) is small. As a result, in first gear, the rotation input by the first sun gear 41 is significantly reduced, and the output rotation speed is the lowest among first to third gears.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 5, in second speed, the SOWC 61 is in a disengaged state, the SOWC 62 is in an engaged state, and the clutch 70 is in a disengaged state. As shown in FIG. 8, the first sun gear 41 of the first gear mechanism 40 and the second sun gear 51 of the second gear mechanism 50 rotate integrally with the input shaft 31 in one direction DA. By bringing the SOWC 62 into the engaged state, the second ring gear 52 of the second gear mechanism 50 is fixed to the gear case 12 so as not to be rotatable. The second sun gear 51 rotates in one direction DA, and the pinion gear 53 meshes with the fixed second ring gear 52. The second sun gear 51 rotates in one direction DA while revolving in the other direction DB. The second carrier 55 rotates in the one direction DA due to the revolution of the pinion gear 53. The first ring gear 42 of the first gear mechanism 40, which is connected to the second carrier 55, also rotates in the one direction DA. In other words, the rotation output from the second carrier 55 of the second gear mechanism 50 is input to the first ring gear 42 of the first gear mechanism 40.

[0079] The rotation input to the first ring gear 42 is changed at a smaller gear ratio by the second gear mechanism 50. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the rotation speed of the first ring gear 42 is lower than the rotation speed of the first sun gear 41.

[0080] 8, due to the difference in rotational speed between first sun gear 41 and first ring gear 42, pinion gear 43 revolves in one direction DA while rotating in the other direction DB. The revolution of pinion gear 43 causes first carrier 45 to rotate in one direction DA. The rotation of first carrier 45 is output to output shaft 32.

[0081] In this way, in second gear, the rotation reduced by the second gear mechanism 50 is input to the first ring gear 42 of the first gear mechanism 40 via the second carrier 55, so that the first ring gear 42 rotates at a speed lower than the input rotation speed. As a result, as shown in Fig. 3, the gear ratio (OUT / IN) is larger in second gear than in first gear, in which the first ring gear 42 is fixed and does not rotate. The output rotation speed in second gear is higher than the output rotation speed in first gear, and lower than the output rotation speed which is the same as the input rotation speed in third gear. In second gear, the SOWC 61 may be engaged instead of disengaged, in which case the second carrier 55 and the first ring gear 42 are only capable of rotating in one direction, DA.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 5, in third speed, the SOWC 61 and SOWC 62 are in a released state, and the clutch 70 is in an engaged state. As shown in FIG. 9, the first sun gear 41 of the first gear mechanism 40 and the second sun gear 51 of the second gear mechanism 50 rotate integrally with the input shaft 31 in one direction DA. As shown in FIG. 2, when the clutch hub 74 and clutch drum 75 of the clutch 70 are fastened together, the second ring gear 52 connected to the clutch drum 75 is directly connected to the input shaft 31 connected to the clutch hub 74.

[0083] As the second sun gear 51 and the second ring gear 52 rotate in one direction DA at the same rotational speed, the pinion gear 53 rotates in one direction DA without rotating on its axis. The second carrier 55 and the first ring gear 42 connected to the second carrier 55 rotate in one direction DA at the same rotational speed as the input shaft 31 due to the revolution of the pinion gear 53. That is, the first sun gear 41 and the first ring gear 42 of the first gear mechanism 40 rotate in one direction DA at the same rotational speed as the input shaft 31. The pinion gear 43 meshing with the first sun gear 41 and the first ring gear 42 revolves in the one direction DA without rotating on its axis. The revolution of the pinion gear 43 causes the first carrier 45 to rotate in the one direction DA at the same rotational speed as the input shaft 31. The rotation of the first carrier 45 is output to the output shaft 32. In this way, that is, in third gear, all six elements of the first gear mechanism 40 and the second gear mechanism 50 rotate at the same rotational speed as the input shaft 31 .

[0084] In this way, the clutch 70 functions as a direct-coupled clutch that equalizes the rotational speeds of the input shaft 31 and the output shaft 32. As shown in Fig. 6, in third gear, the first ring gear 42 rotates at the same speed as the input shaft 31, so the gear ratio is the largest, 1. The output rotational speed of third gear, which matches the input rotational speed, is the highest of the first to third gears.

[0085] In third gear, the SOWCs 61 and 62 may be engaged instead of disengaged. In this case, the second carrier 55 and the second ring gear 52 are only rotatable in one direction, DA.

[0086] A large torque is required when starting and accelerating a vehicle. In particular, a large torque is required when the vehicle is running in an emergency. The torque can be increased by increasing the output of motor 2, but this may affect the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. Here, the greater the reduction ratio (input rotation speed / output rotation speed) in the transmission 4, the greater the output torque. As described above, in first gear, the first ring gear 42 is fixed and the rotation speed is zero, so the reduction ratio is the greatest among first to third gears. In other words, in the transmission 4, the reduction ratio is increased to increase torque, so that the large torque required during emergency running can be obtained while reducing the output of the motor 2.

[0087] On the other hand, when cruising the vehicle at high speeds, a large torque is not required, but it is desirable to reduce gear meshing loss in the transmission 4. For this reason, in third gear, the clutch 70 is engaged to set a gear ratio of 1, in which all elements of the first gear mechanism 40 and the second gear mechanism 50 rotate at the same rotational speed.

[0088] As described above, the clutch 70 is a normally closed type clutch, and when the electric actuator 80 is not operated, the clutch 70 is in an engaged state by the biasing force of the disc spring 77 (see FIG. 2). When the clutch 70 is changed to a released state, the thrust force of the electric actuator 80 acts as the load of the compressed disc spring 77 on the bearing B1 that supports the retainer 78 and the bearing B2 that supports the clutch drum 75. Here, if both the thrust force of the electric actuator 80 and the torque due to the circumferential rotation around the rotation axis X act on the bearings B1 and B2, the friction of the bearings B1 and B2 increases, which may affect the power consumption of the electric actuator 80 to maintain the disengaged state of the clutch 70. Furthermore, the longer the time that both the thrust force and rotational torque of the electric actuator 80 act on them, the more likely it is that the durability of the bearings B1 and B2 will be affected. As shown in Figure 7, in first gear, the clutch 70 is in a disengaged state. The clutch drum 75 connected to the second ring gear 52 rotates in the other direction DB. The retainer 78 spline-fitted to the clutch drum 75 also rotates in the other direction DB. That is, in first gear, both the thrust force and rotational torque from the electric actuator 80 act simultaneously on the bearings B1 and B2.

[0089] As shown in Figure 8, in second gear, the clutch 70 is in a disengaged state. Because the SOWC 62 is engaged, the second ring gear 52 is fixed so as not to rotate. Therefore, the clutch drum 75 connected to the second ring gear 52 and the retainer 78 spline-fitted to the clutch drum 75 do not rotate. That is, in second gear, only the thrust force from the electric actuator 80 acts on the bearings B1 and B2, and no rotational torque acts on them.

[0090] As shown in Figure 9, in third gear, the clutch 70 is in an engaged state. The clutch drum 75 connected to the second ring gear 52 rotates in one direction DA, and the retainer 78 spline-fitted to the clutch drum 75 also rotates in the same direction DA. That is, in third gear, only rotational torque acts on the bearings B1 and B2, and no thrust from the electric actuator 80 acts on them.

[0091] In this way, in the transmission 4, only in first gear do both the thrust and rotational torque from the electric actuator 80 act on the bearings B1 and B2. In this embodiment, first gear is set to emergency low and is not selected during normal driving. In other words, in the transmission 4 of this embodiment, the gears are set so that the time during which both the thrust and rotational torque from the electric actuator 80 act on the bearings B1 and B2 is shortened. Here, the clutch 70 can also be provided so as to directly connect the second carrier 55 and the input shaft 31. In this case, however, the clutch 70 is not connected to the second bearing, which is unable to rotate in second gear, so that in second gear, both thrust and rotational torque act on the bearings B1 and B2. That is, the transmission 4 of this embodiment can reduce the time during which both the thrust and rotational torque of the electric actuator 80 act on the bearings B1 and B2 by arranging the clutch 70 and setting the gear position. This reduces the friction of the bearings B1 and B2 and reduces the power consumption of the electric actuator 80. It can also reduce the impact on the durability of the bearings B1 and B2.

[0092] Examples of the transmission 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention are listed below. (1) The transmission 4 includes a first planetary gear mechanism 40, a second planetary gear mechanism 50, a SOWC 61 (first engagement mechanism), a SOWC 62 (second engagement mechanism), and a clutch 70 (third engagement mechanism). The first planetary gear mechanism 40 has a first sun gear 41 connected to the input shaft 31, a first carrier 45 connected to the output shaft 32, and a first ring gear . The second planetary gear mechanism 50 has a second sun gear 51 connected to the input shaft 31, a second carrier 55 connected to the first ring gear 42, and a second ring gear 52. The SOWC 61 is capable of fastening the first ring gear 42 and the second carrier 55 to the gear case 12 (first fixed element). The SOWC 62 is capable of fastening the second ring gear 52 to the gear case 12 (second fixed element). The clutch 70 is capable of connecting the second ring gear 52 to the input shaft 31 . The clutch 70 includes a friction plate 71 (fastening element), a pressing portion 762, a disc spring 77 (spring), an electric actuator 80 (actuator), and bearings B1 and B2 (bearings). The friction plate 71 is connected to the second ring gear 52 and the input shaft 31. Specifically, the friction plate 71 has a drive plate 72 and a driven plate 73. The drive plate 72 is connected to the input shaft 31, and the driven plate 73 is connected to the second ring gear 52. The pressing portion 762 presses the friction plates 71 in a fastening direction, which is one end side in the direction of the rotation axis X (the axial direction of the input shaft 31), thereby fastening the friction plates 71. The disc spring 77 biases the pressing portion 762 in the fastening direction. The electric actuator 80 generates a thrust in the release direction, which is the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X, and displaces the pressing portion 762 in the release direction with the thrust, thereby releasing the friction plate 71. The bearings B1 and B2 support the retainer 78 and clutch drum 75, which are rotating elements of the clutch 70, and receive the load of the disc spring 77 compressed by the thrust when the friction plate 71 is released. In the transmission 4, the first gear position, the second gear position, and the third gear position are achieved by switching between engagement and release of the SOWC 61, the SOWC 62, and the clutch 70. In the first gear, the SOWC 61 is engaged, and the SOWC 62 and the clutch 70 are disengaged. In the second gear, the SOWC 62 is engaged, and the SOWC 61 and the clutch 70 are disengaged. In the third gear, the clutch 70 is engaged and the SOWC 61 and SOWC 62 are disengaged. The second gear is selected during normal starting and low speed driving. The third gear is selected when driving at medium and high speeds. The first gear is selected during emergency running, which requires a greater driving force than during normal starting.

[0093] The friction plate 71 of the clutch 70 is fastened by being pressed by a pressing portion 762 that is biased in the fastening direction by a disc spring 77. To release the clutch 70, the pressing portion 762 is displaced in the release direction by the thrust of the actuator, thereby releasing the clutch 70. The bearings B1 and B2 support the retainer 78 and clutch drum 75, which are rotating elements of the clutch 70. Therefore, when these rotating elements rotate, a rotational torque is input to the bearings B1 and B2. Furthermore, when the clutch 70 is released, the coned disc spring 77 is compressed by the thrust of the electric actuator 80, and the bearings B1 and B2 receive the load of the compressed coned disc spring 77. In other words, when the clutch 70 is released, the thrust of the electric actuator 80 acts on the bearings B1 and B2 as the load of the coned disc spring 77.

[0094] When both the rotational torque and the thrust of the electric actuator 80 act on the bearings B1 and B2, the friction of the bearings B1 and B2 increases. In other words, the longer the time that both the rotational torque and the thrust of the electric actuator 80 act on each other, the more likely it is that the durability of the bearings B1 and B2 will be affected. In this embodiment, the clutch 70 is a direct-coupled clutch that directly couples the second ring gear 52 and the input shaft 31. The clutch 70 is disengaged in the first and second gears and engaged in the third gear. In the second gear, the SOWC 62 is engaged, so that the second ring gear 52 is fixed so as not to rotate. That is, in this embodiment, both the rotational torque and the electric actuator 80 act on the bearings B1 and B2 of the clutch 70 only in the first gear position. In this embodiment, the first gear is set as an emergency low gear, which is selected only during emergency driving. This reduces the time during which both the rotational torque and the electric actuator 80 act on the bearings B1 and B2, compared to when the first gear is used during normal starting and low-speed driving. In other words, the time during which large friction occurs in the bearings B1 and B2 is reduced, and the deterioration of the durability of the bearings B1 and B2 can be alleviated.

[0095] (2) The clutch 70 includes a piston 76 and a retainer 78 . The piston 76 includes a pressing portion 762. The pressing portion 762 is disposed opposite the other end of the friction plate 71 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The retainer 78 is disposed opposite the other end of the pressing portion 762 in the direction of the rotation axis X, and holds the disc spring 77 between itself and the pressing portion 762 . The clutch 70 includes a bearing B1 (first bearing) that supports a retainer 78, which is a rotating element, on the clutch case 13 (third fixed element). The actuator is an electric actuator 80 that displaces the piston 76 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The electric actuator 80 has a portion that overlaps with the piston 76 when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0096] The retainer 78, which is a rotating element, holds the disc spring 77 between itself and the pressing portion 762. Therefore, the bearing B1 that supports the retainer 78 is subjected to rotational torque due to the rotation of the retainer 78 and thrust from the electric actuator 80. As described above, in this embodiment, the time during which both the thrust and rotational torque of the electric actuator 80 act simultaneously on the bearing B1 is reduced. This reduces the impact on the durability of the bearing B1. The actuator that displaces the piston 76 can also be, for example, a hydraulic actuator. A hydraulic actuator has an oil chamber provided between the clutch drum 75 and the piston 76, and supplies hydraulic pressure to the oil chamber to displace the piston 76. Therefore, when a hydraulic actuator is used, it is necessary to provide a hydraulic pressure supply circuit in the transmission 4. Also, since the oil chamber needs to be large to supply sufficient hydraulic pressure to displace the piston 76, the clutch drum 75 and the piston 76 tend to be large in size. In this embodiment, an electric actuator 80 is used as the actuator. Therefore, there is no need to provide a hydraulic supply circuit in the transmission 4. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide an oil chamber, the size of the clutch drum 75 and piston 76 can be reduced. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric actuator 80 is arranged to have a portion that overlaps with the piston 76 when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis X. In other words, the electric actuator 80 is arranged to be aligned with the friction plate 71 and the piston 76 in the direction of the rotation axis X. This makes it possible to reduce the increase in size of the transmission 4 in the radial direction of the rotation axis X.

[0097] (3) The clutch 70 has a clutch hub 74 and a clutch drum 75 as rotating elements. The clutch hub 74 is connected to the input shaft 31 . The clutch drum 75 is disposed on the outer periphery of the clutch hub 74 and is connected to the second ring gear 52 . The friction plate 71 is a drive plate 72 (first friction plate) disposed between the clutch hub 74 and the clutch drum 75 in the radial direction of the rotation axis X (the radial direction of the input shaft 31) and engaging with the clutch hub 74; The clutch hub 74 is disposed between the clutch drum 75 and the clutch hub 74 in the radial direction of the rotation axis X, and includes a driven plate 73 (second friction plate) that engages with the clutch drum 75. The pressing portion 762 of the piston 76 and the retainer 78 engage with the inner periphery of the clutch drum 75 and are disposed opposite the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X of the drive plate 72 and the driven plate 73 . The bearing includes a bearing B2 (second bearing) that supports the clutch drum 75 on the clutch case 13.

[0098] In the clutch 70 of this embodiment, a clutch hub 74 is housed on the inner periphery of a clutch drum 75, and a drive plate 72 and a driven plate 73 are arranged side by side between the clutch drum 75 and the clutch hub 74. In other words, the clutch drum 75, which is a rotating element connected to the second ring gear 52, and the clutch hub 74, which is a rotating element connected to the input shaft 31, are arranged to overlap in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. This makes it possible to reduce the expansion of the size of the transmission 4 in the direction of the rotation axis X. A retainer 78 that holds a disc spring 77 and a piston 76 are engaged with the clutch drum 75, which is a rotating element. Therefore, the rotational torque due to the rotation of the clutch drum 75 and the thrust force of the electric actuator 80 act on the bearing B2 that supports the clutch drum 75. As described above, in this embodiment, the time during which both the thrust force and the rotational torque of the electric actuator 80 act simultaneously on the bearing B2 is reduced. Therefore, the impact on the durability of the bearing B2 can be reduced.

[0099] (4) The transmission 4 is connected to the clutch case 13 and has the plate member 15 located on the other end side of the retainer 78 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The retainer 78 has a holding portion 781 and a tubular portion 782. The holding portion 781 is located between the pressing portion 762 and the plate member 15 in the direction of the rotation axis X, and holds the disc spring 77 between the holding portion 781 and the pressing portion 762. The tubular portion 782 is provided on the inner periphery of the holding portion 781 and extends toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X. The piston 76 has a base portion 761 connected to the inner diameter side of the pressing portion 762 and extending along the rotation axis X direction. The inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 782 is fitted onto the base portion 761 of the piston 76 so as to be relatively rotatable, and the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 782 is supported by the plate member 15 via a bearing B1 (first bearing). When viewed from the radial direction of the rotation axis X, the bearing B1 is provided at a position where it overlaps with the cylindrical portion 782 of the retainer 78 and the base portion 761 of the piston .

[0100] The piston 76 and the retainer 78 are disposed along the direction of the rotation axis X. If the piston 76 and the retainer 78 are tilted with respect to the direction of the rotation axis X, there is a possibility that the piston 76 will come into contact with the friction plate 71 when the clutch 70 is in a disengaged state. In this case, a drag torque will be generated in the friction plate 71, which may increase the power consumption of the motor 2. In this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 782 of the retainer 78 and the base 761 of the piston 76 are disposed so as to overlap the bearing B1 when viewed from the radial direction of the rotation axis X. In other words, both the cylindrical portion 782 of the retainer 78 and the base 761 of the piston 76 are supported by the bearing B1. This makes it possible to reduce the tilt of the piston 76 and the retainer 78 with respect to the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0101] (5) The electric actuator 80 has a drive gear 83, a first driven gear 84 and a second driven gear 85 (driven gears), and a cam mechanism. Specifically, the cam mechanism is composed of cam grooves 843 and 853 of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85, and a rolling element Rb held between the cam grooves 843 and 853. The drive gear 83 is disposed on the outer periphery of the base portion 761 of the piston 76, and rotates around an axis X1 along the direction of the rotation axis X. The first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are disposed between the drive gear 83 and the base 761 of the piston 76 in the radial direction of the rotation axis X, and mesh with the drive gear 83. The cam mechanism converts the rotational motion input from the drive gear 83 to the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 into linear motion, thereby moving the second driven gear 85 along the direction of the rotation axis X. The piston 76 extends radially outward from the base portion 761 and has a facing portion 763 that faces the second driven gear 85 on the other end side in the direction of the rotation axis X. The second driven gear 85 is disposed between the plate member 15 and the opposing portion 763 of the piston 76 . The second driven gear 85 moves toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X and presses the opposing portion 763 of the piston 76, thereby displacing the piston 76 toward the other end in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0102] By using a linear actuator that converts the rotational motion of the drive gear 83 into the linear motion of the driven gear as the electric actuator 80, the electric actuator 80 can be made smaller. In this embodiment, the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85 are disposed between the opposing portion 763 of the piston 76 and the plate member 15, and the drive gear 83 is disposed on the outer diameter side of the first driven gear 84 and the second driven gear 85. This makes it possible to reduce an increase in size of the transmission 4 in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0103] (i) The input shaft 31 is connected to the motor 2 (drive source). The output shaft 32 is connected to the differential mechanism 9 . The output shaft 32 has a portion that overlaps with the input shaft 31 in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. The differential mechanism 9 is disposed between the motor 2 and the first and second planetary gear mechanisms 40 and 50 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The clutch 70 is located on the opposite side of the differential mechanism 9 in the direction of the rotation axis X with respect to the first planetary gear mechanism 40 and the second planetary gear mechanism 50.

[0104] This configuration of the power transmission device 1 can reduce an increase in size in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. In particular, in a structure in which the output shaft 32 is folded back toward the input shaft 31, space is likely to be created on the side of the power transmission device 1 opposite the input shaft 31 and the output shaft 32 in the direction of the rotation axis X. For example, by arranging the clutch 70 or the electric actuator 80 in this space, the space can be used effectively, which is advantageous for layout. Additionally, an element connecting to the differential mechanism 9 is disposed between the first planetary gear mechanism 40 or the second planetary gear mechanism 50 and the motor 2, sandwiched in the direction of the rotation axis X. With this configuration, the motor 2 and the transmission 4 are disposed on either side of the differential mechanism 9, thereby improving the weight balance of the entire device.

[0105] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, an example in which the SOWC 61 (first fastening mechanism) is connected to the first ring gear 42 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The SOWC 61 may be connected to the carrier plate 55b of the second carrier 55. The first ring gear 42 is connected to the carrier plate 55b. Therefore, by connecting the SOWC 61 to the carrier plate 55b of the second carrier 55 and putting the SOWC 61 into a fastened state, the first ring gear 42 can be fixed so as not to rotate.

[0106] In this embodiment, an example in which a device according to an aspect of the present invention is applied to a power transmission device 1 mounted on a vehicle is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. A device according to an aspect of the present invention can also be applied to devices other than vehicles. Furthermore, when multiple examples and modified examples are described in this embodiment, these may be combined in any desired manner.

[0107] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment merely shows one application example of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific configuration of the above embodiment. Appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1 Power transmission device 4. Transmission 12 Gear case (first fixed element, second fixed element) 13 Clutch case (third fixed element) 15 Plate member 31 Input shaft 32 Output shaft 40 First planetary gear mechanism (first gear mechanism) 41 First Sun Gear 42 First ring gear 45 First Career 50 Second planetary gear mechanism (second gear mechanism) 51 Second Sun Gear 52 Second ring gear 55 Second Career 61 Selectable One-Way Clutch (SOWC) (First Engagement Mechanism) 62 Selectable One-Way Clutch (SOWC) (Second Engagement Mechanism) 70 Clutch (third fastening mechanism) 71 Friction plate (fastening element) 72 Drive plate (first friction plate) 73 Driven plate (second friction plate) 74 Clutch hub (rotating element) 75 Clutch drum (rotating element) 76 Piston 761 Base 762 Pressing part 763 Opposite part 77 Disc spring (spring) 78 Retainer (rotating element) 781 Holding part 782 Cylinder part 80 Electric Actuator (Actuator) 83 Drive Gear 84 1st driven gear (driven gear) 85 Second driven gear (driven gear) 843, 853 Cam groove (cam mechanism) B1, B2 bearings Rb Rolling element (cam mechanism) X rotation axis X1 axis

Claims

1. a first planetary gear mechanism including a first sun gear connected to the input shaft, a first carrier connected to the output shaft, and a first ring gear; a second planetary gear mechanism including a second sun gear connected to the input shaft, a second carrier connected to the first ring gear, and a second ring gear; a first fastening mechanism capable of fastening the first ring gear and the second carrier to a first fixed element; a second fastening mechanism capable of fastening the second ring gear to a second fixed element; a third fastening mechanism capable of fastening the second ring gear to the input shaft, The third fastening mechanism is a fastening element connected to the second ring gear and the input shaft; a pressing portion that presses the fastening element in a fastening direction toward one end side in the axial direction of the input shaft, thereby fastening the fastening element; a spring that biases the pressing portion in the fastening direction; an actuator that generates a thrust in a release direction on the other end side of the input shaft in the axial direction, and displaces the pressing portion in the release direction by the thrust, thereby releasing the fastening element; a bearing that supports a rotation element of the third fastening mechanism and receives the load of the spring compressed by the thrust when the fastening element is released, A first gear position, a second gear position, and a third gear position are achieved by switching between engagement and disengagement of the first fastening mechanism, the second fastening mechanism, and the third fastening mechanism, In the first gear position, the first engagement mechanism is engaged, and the second and third engagement mechanisms are disengaged, In the second gear position, the second engagement mechanism is engaged, and the first and third engagement mechanisms are disengaged, In the third gear position, the third engagement mechanism is engaged, and the first and second engagement mechanisms are disengaged, The second gear is selected during normal starting and low-speed driving, The third speed is selected when traveling at medium speed and high speed, The first gear stage is selected during emergency running that requires a driving force greater than that required during normal starting, the third fastening mechanism is a direct-coupled clutch that directly couples the second ring gear to the input shaft, A transmission device wherein, in the third gear position, the rotational speed of the input shaft and the rotational speed of the output shaft are the same.

2. the third fastening mechanism includes a piston that is disposed opposite the other end side of the fastening element in the axial direction and that includes the pressing portion; a retainer that is disposed opposite the other end side of the pressing portion in the axial direction and that holds the spring between the pressing portion and the retainer, the bearing includes a first bearing that supports the retainer, which is the rotating element, on a third fixed element; 2. The transmission according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is an electric actuator that displaces the piston in the axial direction, and the electric actuator has a portion that overlaps with the piston when viewed in the axial direction.

3. The third fastening mechanism includes, as the rotating element, a clutch hub connected to the input shaft; a clutch drum disposed on an outer periphery of the clutch hub and connected to the second ring gear, The fastening element is a first friction plate disposed between the clutch hub and the clutch drum in the radial direction of the input shaft and engaged with the clutch hub; a second friction plate disposed between the clutch hub and the clutch drum in the radial direction of the input shaft and engaging with the clutch drum, the pressing portion of the piston and the retainer engage with an inner periphery of the clutch drum and are disposed opposite the other end side of the first friction plate and the second friction plate in the axial direction, 3. The transmission according to claim 2, wherein said bearing comprises a second bearing supporting said clutch drum on said third fixed element.

4. a plate member connected to the third fixing element and located on the other end side of the retainer in the axial direction; the retainer has a holding portion located between the pressing portion and the plate member in the axial direction and holding the spring between the pressing portion and the holding portion, and a tubular portion provided on an inner periphery of the holding portion and extending toward the other end in the axial direction, the piston has a base portion connected to an inner diameter side of the pressing portion and extending along the axial direction, an inner periphery of the cylindrical portion of the retainer is fitted onto the base portion of the piston so as to be rotatable relative to the base portion of the piston, and an outer periphery of the cylindrical portion is supported by the plate member via the first bearing; 4. The transmission according to claim 2, wherein the first bearing is provided at a position overlapping the cylindrical portion and the base portion when viewed in a radial direction of the input shaft.

5. The electric actuator is a drive gear disposed on an outer periphery of a base portion of the piston and rotating about an axis along the axial direction; a driven gear disposed between the drive gear and a base of the piston in a radial direction of the input shaft and meshing with the drive gear; a cam mechanism that converts rotational motion input from the drive gear to the driven gear into linear motion, thereby moving the driven gear along the axial direction, the piston has a facing portion that extends radially outward from the base portion and faces the driven gear at the other end in the axial direction, the driven gear is disposed between the plate member and the opposing portion of the piston, The transmission according to claim 4 , wherein the driven gear moves toward the other end in the axial direction and presses against an opposing portion of the piston, thereby displacing the piston toward the other end in the axial direction.

6. a first planetary gear mechanism including a first sun gear connected to the input shaft, a first carrier connected to the output shaft, and a first ring gear; a second planetary gear mechanism including a second sun gear connected to the input shaft, a second carrier connected to the first ring gear, and a second ring gear; a first fastening mechanism capable of fastening the first ring gear and the second carrier to a first fixed element; a second fastening mechanism capable of fastening the second ring gear to a second fixed element; a third fastening mechanism capable of fastening the second ring gear to the input shaft, The third fastening mechanism is a fastening element connected to the second ring gear and the input shaft; a pressing portion that presses the fastening element in a fastening direction toward one end side in the axial direction of the input shaft, thereby fastening the fastening element; a spring that biases the pressing portion in the fastening direction; an actuator that generates a thrust in a release direction on the other end side of the input shaft in the axial direction, and displaces the pressing portion in the release direction by the thrust, thereby releasing the fastening element; a bearing that supports a rotation element of the third fastening mechanism and receives the load of the spring compressed by the thrust when the fastening element is released, A first gear position, a second gear position, and a third gear position are achieved by switching between engagement and disengagement of the first fastening mechanism, the second fastening mechanism, and the third fastening mechanism, In the first gear position, the first engagement mechanism is engaged, and the second and third engagement mechanisms are disengaged, In the second gear position, the second engagement mechanism is engaged, and the first and third engagement mechanisms are disengaged, In the third gear position, the third engagement mechanism is engaged, and the first and second engagement mechanisms are disengaged, The second gear is selected during normal starting and low-speed driving, The third speed is selected when traveling at medium speed and high speed, The first gear stage is selected during emergency running that requires a driving force greater than that required during normal starting, the third fastening mechanism has a piston that is disposed opposite the other end side of the fastening element in the axial direction and that is equipped with the pressing portion, The actuator is an electric actuator that displaces the piston in the axial direction, and the electric actuator has a portion that overlaps with the piston when viewed from the axial direction.

Images