Driving apparatus for vehicle

Inventors: Atsushi Tabata (Okazaki, JP); Koichi Okuda (Toyota, JP); Yohei Habata (Susono, JP); Yuuki Makino (Aichi-gun, JP)

Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

B60K17/3462 B60K6/52 F16H48/36 B60K6/365 B60Y2200/92 F16H48/10 F16H48/22 F16H2048/364 Y02T10/62

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12661980
App. No.: 18/332,116
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A vehicle driving apparatus includes: (a) a power distribution device for distributing a power between a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels; (b) a differential device for distributing the power between right and left wheels that constitute one of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels; and (c) a propeller shaft for transmitting the power to the other of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels. The power distribution device includes a first rotary element connected to a rotating machine, a second rotary element connected to the differential device and a third rotary element connected to the propeller shaft. The third rotary element and the propeller shaft are both connected to a power transmission member between the power distribution device and one of the right and left wheels in an axial direction of the power distribution device.

Claims (38)

1 . A driving apparatus for a vehicle that includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, the driving apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a power distribution device configured to distribute a power of the power source between the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

a differential device configured to distribute the power between right and left wheels that constitute one of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

a pair of drive shafts configured to transmit the power to the respective right and left wheels; and

a propeller shaft configured to transmit the power to the other of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

wherein the power distribution device is provided with a rotating machine and a differential mechanism that includes a first rotary element connected to the rotating machine, a second rotary element connected to the differential device and a third rotary element connected to the propeller shaft, and

wherein the power distribution device is disposed to be coaxial with the pair of drive shafts,

the driving apparatus further comprising:

a power transmission member which is disposed to be coaxial with the pair of drive shafts, and which is configured to transmit the power of the power source to the third rotary element, and

an engagement device configured to selectively connect between the third rotary element and the propeller shaft, and between the third rotary element and the power transmission member,

wherein the third rotary element and the propeller shaft are both connected to the power transmission member in an area located between the power distribution device and one of the right and left wheels in an axial direction of the power distribution device.

2 . A driving apparatus for a vehicle that includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels,

the driving apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a power distribution device configured to distribute a power of the power source between the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

a differential device configured to distribute the power between right and left wheels that cooperate to constitute one of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

a pair of drive shafts configured to transmit the power to the respective right and left wheels; and

a propeller shaft configured to transmit the power to the other of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

wherein the power distribution device is disposed to be coaxial with the pair of drive shafts,

the driving apparatus further comprising:

a power transmission member which is disposed to be coaxial with the pair of drive shafts, and which is configured to transmit the power of the power source to the second rotary element, and

an engagement device configured to selectively connect between the second rotary element and the differential device, and between the second rotary element and the power transmission member,

wherein the second rotary element and the differential device are both connected to the power transmission member in an area located between the power distribution device and one of the right and left wheels in an axial direction of the power distribution device.

3 . A driving apparatus for a vehicle that includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels,

the driving apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a power distribution device configured to distribute a power of the power source between the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

a differential device configured to distribute the power between right and left wheels that cooperate to constitute one of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels:

a pair of drive shafts configured to transmit the power to the respective right and left wheels; and

a propeller shaft configured to transmit the power to the other of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;

wherein the power distribution device is disposed to be coaxial with the pair of drive shafts,

the driving apparatus further comprising:

a power transmission member which is disposed to be coaxial with the pair of drive shafts, and which is configured to transmit the power of the power source to the second rotary element, and

an engagement device configured to selectively connect between the third rotary element and the propeller shaft,