US 7,571,784 B2
Flexible coupling and in-wheel motor system
Katsumi Tashiro, Kodaira (Japan); and Satoru Kawamata, Kodaira (Japan)
Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Bridgestone, Tokyo (Japan)
Appl. No. 11/662,624
PCT Filed Sep. 09, 2005, PCT No. PCT/JP2005/016660
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Mar. 13, 2007,
PCT Pub. No. WO2006/030715, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 23, 2006.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-266907 (JP), filed on Sep. 14, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2008/0000706 A1, Jan. 03, 2008
Int. Cl. B60K 1/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 180—65.51  [301/6.5] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flexible coupling for transmitting torque of an in-wheel motor installed to a wheel portion of a wheel or a hub comprising:
a drive-side plate which is installed to the in-wheel motor, has a same axis as the in-wheel motor and turns with the in-wheel motor;
a driven-side plate which is installed to the wheel or the hub, has a same axis as the wheel or the hub and turns with the wheel or the hub;
an intermediate plate which is interposed between the drive-side plate and a driven-side plate;
a pin member which is provided on the intermediate plate side of the drive side plate;
pin members respectively provided on the drive side plate side and the driven side plate side of the intermediate plate;
a pin member provided on the intermediate plate side of the driven plate;
a first connection member which connects the pin member provided on the drive side plate and the pin member provided on a surface of the intermediate plate opposed to the drive side plate;
a second connection member which connects the pin member provided on the surface of the intermediate plate opposed to the drive side plate and the pin member provided on the driven side plate;
wherein the first connection member and the second connection member are arranged perpendicular to each other and composed of members including at least an elastic member to enable the distance between the pin members to be extended.