Final Drive Side-Cover Layout for Easier Wiring and Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of compact final drives for vehicles poses challenges in wiring and verifying electric contact for internal devices, particularly when these devices are located far from the housing opening, complicating assembly and inspection due to complex layouts and limited access.
Innovation Solution
A compact final drive design featuring a housing with a side-cover configuration that positions the ring gear closer to the wall portion and the shaft closer to the center, allowing for easier access and installation of wiring, with the actuator and clutch disposed adjacent to the cover for simplified assembly and inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If the final drive is designed to be compact, then the vehicle weight is reduced and design freedom is increased, but the wiring and inspection of internal electric devices becomes complex and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a main body and a separable cover portion, allowing the cover to be removed for easy access to internal electric devices for wiring and inspection, while maintaining a compact overall structure when assembled
Solution Approach 2:
A wiring guide structure is provided that guides wires from the exterior through the housing wall to the interior, serving as an intermediary pathway that simplifies wiring operations without requiring disassembly of the compact housing
2Volume of moving object
If internal electric devices are placed far from the housing opening, then the compactness is improved, but the wiring and verification of electric contact becomes major problems
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented with a removable cover that provides access to internally mounted electric devices, allowing these devices to be positioned optimally for compactness while enabling easy wiring and inspection when the cover is removed
Solution Approach 2:
The wiring guide structure replaces complex manual wiring operations by providing a pre-formed pathway through the housing wall, guiding wires directly to internal devices regardless of their position, thus simplifying the wiring process
3Volume of moving object
If a side-cover type layout is used, then the compactness is advantageous, but the problems of wiring and inspection become more notable due to limited opening location
Solution Approach 1:
The side cover is designed as a separable component that can be removed to provide direct access to internal electric devices, maintaining the compact side-cover layout when assembled while enabling easy wiring and inspection during maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The wiring guide structure acts as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between the exterior wiring environment and the interior electric devices, providing a consistent wiring pathway regardless of the side-cover configuration
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
This configuration enables a laterally compact final drive that simplifies wiring and inspection, enhances assembly efficiency, and maintains the benefits of reduced vehicle weight and design flexibility while ensuring effective torque distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a ring gear coupled via gearing to the shaft to transmit the torque to the differential device about the second axis
Implementation Method 2
differentially distributes torque input into a shaft directed in a first axis via a differential device to a pair of axles directed in a second axis not parallel with the first axis
Data Source
AI summary
A final drive differentially for distributing torque input into a shaft via a differential device to a pair of axles is provided with a ring gear coupled via gearing to the shaft to transmit the torque to the differential device. A housing unitarily includes a main portion supporting the shaft and enclosing the differential device, and a wall portion including a first opening through which one of the axles passes and supporting a first end of the differential device. A cover included a second opening through which the other of the axles passes, and is combined with the housing to support a second end of the differential device, wherein the wall portion, the ring gear, and the shaft are arranged, from the wall portion toward the cover, in an order of the wall portion, the ring gear, and the shaft.