Vehicle Differential Gear Noise Isolation for Whine Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional differential gear devices in electric vehicles generate whine noise due to high-speed rotation and frictional forces between the side gear and pinion gear, leading to discomfort for occupants and reduced commercial quality.
Innovation Solution
A noise reduction unit is integrated between the cover and the side gear coupled to the drive shaft, featuring a catching groove, mount groove, and elastic member or spacer, which provides an elastic or reaction force to counteract frictional thrust, preventing the transmission of drive shaft thrust to the side gear and reducing backlash noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the disconnector actuator system operates to disconnect one drive shaft, then power consumption is reduced and travel distance is increased, but whine noise is generated between the pinion gear and side gear
Solution Approach 1:
A noise reduction unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the drive shaft and the side gear. This unit includes a noise reduction hole formed in the drive shaft and a noise reduction element positioned within it, which acts as a mediator to prevent the transmission of thrust and vibration from the drive shaft to the side gear, thereby eliminating the whine noise generated during disconnector actuator operation
2Speed
If the drive shaft rotates at high speed, then vehicle speed is maintained, but thrust is generated toward the differential gear device causing poor tooth contact
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful thrust generated by high-speed rotation is extracted and isolated from the differential gear mechanism. The noise reduction unit, including the noise reduction hole and element, captures and contains the thrust within the drive shaft structure, preventing it from being transmitted to the side gear and pinion gear, thereby maintaining proper tooth contact quality during high-speed operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The noise reduction unit effectively blocks the cause of whine noise by preventing thrust transmission, enhancing ride comfort, reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs, and improving marketability by eliminating whine noise during vehicle operation.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member mounted in the mount groove to provide an elastic force to the other side gear against the cover in a direction towards the drive shaft
Implementation Method 2
The generated thrust of the drive shaft is transmitted to the side gear by the frictional force acting between the drive shaft and the side gear
Data Source
AI summary
A differential gear device for a vehicle including a housing, a pinion shaft provided inside the housing, a pinion gear respectively mounted on both ends of the pinion shaft, and a pair of side gears respectively disposed on both sides of a width direction of a vehicle and engaged to the pinion gear. A disconnector actuator system is coupled to one side gear and a drive shaft is coupled to the other side gear among the pair of the side gears. The differential gear device for the vehicle includes a noise reduction unit provided between the cover to which the drive shaft is coupled and the other side gear to prevent a whine noise from being generated between the pinion gear and the other side gear during the operation of the disconnector actuator system.