Drive unit and transmission device

A drive unit comprising:

• an electric motor;
• a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear, a planet gear, a ring gear, and a planet carrier;
• an input member coupling the electric motor and one of the ring gear and the sun gear therethrough to each other;
• an output member coupled to the planet carrier;
• a first clutch coupling the input member and the output member therethrough to each other in a manner capable of decoupling the input member and the output member therethrough from each other, the first clutch being a centrifugal clutch;
• a stationary member disposed to be non-rotatable;
• and
• a selectable one-way clutch disposed between the stationary member and the other of the ring gear and the sun gear, wherein
• the selectable one-way clutch operates in a first operating mode and a second operating mode,
• the selectable one-way clutch is configured to allow the other of the ring gear and the sun gear to rotate in a forward moving rotational direction but prevent the other of the ring gear and the sun gear from rotating in a rearward moving rotational direction when operating in the first operating mode, the selectable one-way clutch configured to prevent the other of the ring gear and the sun gear from rotating in the forward moving rotational direction when operating in the second operating mode,
• the input member is disposed radially outside the output member, and
• the first clutch includes
• a centrifugal element rotated unitarily with the output member, the centrifugal element disposed to be radially movable with respect to the output member, and
• an engaged groove provided on an inner peripheral surface of the input member, the engaged groove configured to be engaged with the centrifugal element.

A transmission device configured to change a rotational speed of a mechanical power transmitted thereto from an electric motor, the transmission device comprising:

• a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear, a planet gear, a ring gear, and a planet carrier;
• an input member coupling the electric motor and one of the ring gear and the sun gear therethrough to each other;
• an output member coupled to the planet carrier;
• a first clutch coupling the input member and the output member therethrough to each other in a manner capable of decoupling the input member and the output member therethrough from each other;
• a stationary member disposed to be non-rotatable;
• a selectable one-way clutch disposed between the stationary member and the other of the ring gear and the sun gear;
• and
• a controller executing a forward traveling mode and a rearward traveling mode, wherein
• the selectable one-way clutch operates in a first operating mode and a second operating mode,
• the selectable one-way clutch is configured to allow the other of the ring gear and the sun gear to rotate in a forward moving rotational direction but prevent the other of the ring gear and the sun gear from rotating in a rearward moving rotational direction when operating in the first operating mode, the selectable one-way clutch configured to prevent the other of the ring gear and the sun gear from rotating in the forward moving rotational direction when operating in the second operating mode,
• the controller causes the electric motor to rotate in the forward moving rotational direction and causes the selectable one-way clutch to operate in the first operating mode when executing the forward traveling mode, and
• the controller causes the electric motor to rotate in the rearward moving rotational direction and causes the selectable one-way clutch to operate in the second operating mode when executing the rearward traveling mode.