Vehicle Clutch Sleeve Locking Structure Against Unintended Disengagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power transmission structures in vehicles with clutch mechanisms fail to reliably prevent unintended disengagement from the engaged state, particularly when the vehicle is stationary on a slope, leading to potential unintended movement due to high stationary torque from power sources like electric motors.
Innovation Solution
A power transmission structure featuring a clutch sleeve and lever member that uses meshing elements and a locking groove system to ensure reliable engagement or disengagement based on the lever member's swing direction, preventing unintended disengagement without driver intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a clutch mechanism is provided to enable or disable power transmission, then the vehicle can be moved with small force by towing even when stationary torque is high, but the clutch may unexpectedly disengage without driver operation, especially when the vehicle is stopped on a slope
Solution Approach 1:
The locking groove and locked section are designed to preemptively counteract forces that could cause unintended disengagement. The locked section engages with the locking groove to create a mechanical interlock that prevents the clutch sleeve from moving axially against the gear, thereby counteracting the high stationary torque and any external forces (such as gravity on a slope) before they can cause disengagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The clutch sleeve is pre-positioned in the engaged state with the meshing elements (convex section and concave section) already interlocked, and the locked section is pre-engaged with the locking groove. This preliminary engagement ensures that the clutch remains in the engaged state without requiring continuous active control, preventing unintended disengagement before it can occur.
2Ease of operation
If the clutch sleeve is made slidable in axial direction to enable engagement/disengagement, then clutch operation is enabled, but unintended axial movement may occur without driver input
Solution Approach 1:
The locking groove acts as an intermediary mechanical feature that mediates between the clutch sleeve and the fixed structure. The locked section of the lever member engages with this intermediary locking groove to prevent unintended axial movement of the clutch sleeve, while still allowing deliberate engagement and disengagement operations when the driver operates the clutch.
3Power
If meshing elements are provided between gear and clutch sleeve, then power transmission is enabled, but unintended disengagement may occur under high torque conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges two engagement mechanisms: the meshing elements (convex section and concave section) for power transmission and the locking groove with locked section for engagement stability. This combination ensures that both power transmission and engagement reliability are achieved simultaneously, as the locking mechanism works together with the meshing elements to prevent unintended disengagement under high torque conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
[Problem] To provide a power transmission structure for a vehicle capable of further reliably preventing switching from a clutch engaged state to a clutch disengaged state. [Solution] The power transmission structure includes: a gear fitted to an axle in a relatively rotatable manner; a clutch sleeve fitted to the axle in a manner not to rotate relative thereto and be freely slidable in an axial direction; and a lever member that moves the clutch sleeve, and switches to enable or disable power transmission between the gear and the axle by movement of the clutch sleeve. The lever member is rotatable about a first rotation axis and has a locking lever and a locked section provided to the locking lever and locked to a locking groove of the clutch sleeve. A reference imaginary plane that includes an axle parallel line starting from the first rotation axis is defined. When the lever member swings in a first direction about the first rotation axis, a position, which is closest to a wall surface on the gear side of the locking groove, in the locked section is made to be located away from the reference imaginary plane in the first direction, thereby resulting in the clutch engaged state.