Vehicle including coupling device

A vehicle, comprising:

• a coupling device, wherein the coupling device comprises:
• an engagement clutch mechanism configured to couple an input side engagement member that is coupled to a drive power source of the vehicle in a power transmittable manner and an output side engagement member that is coupled to a drive wheel of the vehicle in a power transmittable manner such that the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member engage with each other;
• and
• a cam mechanism configured to assist the engagement of the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member, depending on a differential torque by which the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member are rotated differentially in a coupled state in which the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member are coupled to each other in the engagement clutch mechanism;
• a control device configured, when the engagement of the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member is to be released, to cause a braking force to be applied to one of the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member such that the differential torque is reduced;
• and
• a first differential device including a first differential case which is supported to be rotatable about a first rotation axis line, wherein:
• the input side engagement member is a first movable sleeve which is supported by the first differential case, such that the first movable sleeve is substantially unrotatable about the first rotation axis relative to the first differential case, and is movable in a direction of the first rotation axis line relative to the first differential case,
• the output side engagement member is one of a pair of first side gears which are held in the first differential case and are rotatable about the first rotation axis line,
• the engagement clutch mechanism includes:
• first output side engagement teeth which are formed in a back surface of the one of the pair of first side gears;
• first input side engagement teeth which are formed in the first movable sleeve and are to engage with the first output side engagement teeth;
• and
• a first actuator which is configured to move the first movable sleeve to a first engagement position in which the first input side engagement teeth engage with the first output side engagement teeth or a first nonengagement position in which the first input side engagement teeth do not engage with the first output side engagement teeth,
• when the first movable sleeve is moved to the first engagement position by the first actuator, the first differential case and the one of the pair of first side gears are coupled to each other,
• when the first movable sleeve is moved by the first actuator from the first engagement position to the first nonengagement position, a coupling of the first differential case and the one of the pair of first side gears is released,
• a left side drive wheel and a right side drive wheel of the vehicle are coupled to the pair of first side gears in a power transmittable manner, and
• when the first movable sleeve is to be moved by the first actuator from the first engagement position to the first nonengagement position so as to release the coupling of the first differential case and the one of the pair of first side gears, the control device is configured to cause the braking force to be applied to one of the left side drive wheel and the right side drive wheel, a rotation speed of the one of the left side drive wheel and the right side drive wheel being higher than a rotation speed of the other of the left side drive wheel and the right side drive wheel.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a coupling device, wherein the coupling device comprises:
• an engagement clutch mechanism configured to couple an input side engagement member that is coupled to a drive power source of the vehicle in a power transmittable manner and an output side engagement member that is coupled to a drive wheel of the vehicle in a power transmittable manner such that the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member engage with each other;
• and
• a cam mechanism configured to assist the engagement of the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member, depending on a differential torque by which the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member are rotated differentially in a coupled state in which the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member are coupled to each other in the engagement clutch mechanism;
• a control device configured, when the engagement of the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member is to be released, to cause a braking force to be applied to one of the input side engagement member and the output side engagement member such that the differential torque is reduced;
• and
• a differential device including:
• a differential case which stores a pair of side gears and which is supported to be rotatable about a rotation axis line;
• a pinion engaging with the pair of side gears;
• and
• an annular pinion support member which is stored within the differential case and is rotatable about the rotation axis line relative to the differential case, the annular pinion support member supporting the pinion through a pinion shaft, such that the pinion is rotatable, wherein:
• the input side engagement member is a movable sleeve which is supported by the differential case, such that the movable member is substantially unrotatable about the rotation axis relative to the differential case, and which is movable in a direction of the rotation axis line relative to the differential case,
• the output side engagement member is the annular pinion support member which is provided in the differential device,
• the engagement clutch mechanism includes:
• output side engagement teeth which are formed in one of axially opposite end surfaces of the annular pinion support member, the one of the axially opposite end surfaces being closer to the movable sleeve than the other of the axially opposite end surfaces;
• input side engagement teeth which are formed in the movable sleeve and are to engage with the output side engagement teeth;
• and
• an actuator which is configured to move the movable sleeve to an engagement position in which the input side engagement teeth engage with the output side engagement teeth or a nonengagement position in which the input side engagement teeth do not engage with the output side engagement teeth,
• when the movable sleeve is moved to the engagement position by the actuator, the differential case and the annular pinion support member are coupled to each other,
• when the movable sleeve is moved by the actuator from the engagement position to the nonengagement position, a coupling of the differential case and the annular pinion support member is released,
• a pair of left and right front wheel side drive wheels of the vehicle are coupled to the pair of side gears in a power transmittable manner,
• a pair of left and right rear wheel side drive wheels of the vehicle are coupled to the differential case through a differential device in a power transmittable manner, and
• when the movable sleeve is to be moved by the actuator from the engagement position to the nonengagement position so as to release the coupling of the differential case and the pinion support member, the control device is configured to cause the braking force to be applied to one of the pair of left and right front wheel side drive wheels and the pair of left and right rear wheel side drive wheels, an average rotation speed of the one of the pair of left and right front wheel side drive wheels and the pair of left and right rear wheel side drive wheels is higher than an average rotation speed of the other of the pair of left and right front wheel side drive wheels and the pair of left and right rear wheel side drive wheels.