Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110190088 | SELF-CONTAINED HYDRAULIC TORQUE MODULATING DEVICE - A torque modulating coupling device for operatively linking two shafts has a clutch and a piston disposed in a case. The piston selectively applies force to the clutch in response to hydraulic pressure, and a keyed feature adapted to couple with a corresponding keyed feature associated with at least one of the shafts. The coupling device can be formed with two cases that form an enclosure for the clutch and the piston, trapping the piston forces between the cases. This embodiment allows the device to also act as an axle housing cover. In another embodiment, the case is designed to bolt directly to an axle housing cover, trapping piston forces between the case and the cover. | 08-04-2011 |
20120180596 | ELECTRONICALLY TRIGGERED LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL - An electronically triggered locking differential includes a differential case, at least one pinion gear and a pair of side gears. A clutch pack is disposed between one of the side gears and the differential case and retards relative rotation between the differential case and the side gear. A cam member is disposed adjacent the clutch pack so that the clutch pack engages when the cam member ramps up. An engagement shaft has one end engaged with the cam member and an opposite end extending through the differential case and engaged with a sprocket. A magnetic coil and flux conductor magnetically couple the sprocket to the differential case when the coil is energized. This coupling retards rotation of the engagement shaft and the cam member relative to the gear case, initiating engagement of the clutch pack to lock the differential. | 07-19-2012 |
20130130860 | LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL USING FACE GEARS AND A PINION HOUSING - A differential includes a differential case; a side gear; a pinion configured for meshing engagement with the side gear; and a pinion housing configured to support the pinion. The pinion housing includes a first face; a second face opposing the first face; a first projection located on the first face; and a second projection located on the second face. The pinion housing also includes an aperture or hole extending radially inwardly from an outer radial surface of the generally annular ring; and a channel extending from the first face to the second face, wherein the channel is substantially radially aligned with the aperture or hole. In embodiments, the pinion housing includes one or more transfer formations configured to transfer torque from the differential case, and the pinion housing is configured to permit movement in an axial direction between a pair of side gears. | 05-23-2013 |
20140141921 | DIFFERENTIAL CASE HAVING LOCK PINS IN-LINE WITH CLUTCH EAR GUIDES - A differential gear mechanism constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure can include a differential case, a clutch pack and a plurality of lock pins. The differential case can include a first differential case portion that defines a first output shaft opening and includes a plurality of clutch ear guides and a plurality of lock pin engaging surfaces. The clutch pack can include a plurality of annular plates that are interleaved between a plurality of annular friction disks. At least one of the annular plates and annular friction disks can include a plurality of radially extending plate ears that are received by the corresponding plurality of clutch ear guides. The plurality of lock pins can be received by the plurality of first lock pin engaging surfaces of the first differential case at locations in-line with the clutch ear guides. | 05-22-2014 |
20140179481 | DIFFERENTIAL HAVING TWO-PIECE CASE SPLIT THROUGH PLANETARY CARRIER WALL - A differential gear mechanism constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure can include a planetary gear assembly having a plurality of planetary gears rotatably mounted on a corresponding plurality of planetary gear shafts. A first differential case portion can have a plurality of first planetary gear shaft mounting surfaces. A second differential case portion, separately formed from the first differential case portion can have a plurality of second planetary gear shaft mounting surfaces. A differential gear assembly can be arranged in at least one of the first and second differential case portions. The first and second plurality of gear shaft mounting surfaces can cooperate to mount the corresponding plurality of planetary gear shafts in an assembled position. | 06-26-2014 |
20140179484 | DIFFERENTIAL HAVING EXTERNALLY MOUNTED PLENUM - A differential gear mechanism can include a differential casing, a piston and an externally mounted plenum assembly. The differential casing can have a differential gear set configured to selectively rotate a first axle shaft and a second axle shaft. The piston can be slidably disposed in the differential casing and configured to actuate a clutch assembly. The externally mounted plenum assembly can include a plenum assembly housing, a hydraulic coupling and a motor mounted on the plenum assembly housing. The plenum assembly housing can define an axle opening configured to receive one of the first and second axle shafts therethrough. The hydraulic coupling can be arranged on the plenum assembly housing at the axle opening. The motor can be configured to pump hydraulic fluid from the externally mounted plenum assembly, through the hydraulic coupling and into the differential casing to act onto the piston. | 06-26-2014 |
20140179485 | LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL - A limited slip differential assembly includes a planetary gear assembly, a differential case, a differential gear assembly and a hydraulic clutch assembly. The differential case is coupled for rotation with a portion of the planetary gear assembly. The differential gear assembly is arranged within the differential case and includes a first side gear and a second side gear for coupling with first and second drive wheels of a vehicle, respectively. The hydraulic clutch assembly includes a clutch pack and a clutch actuator. Pressurized hydraulic fluid from a transmission pump is selectively provided to the clutch pack to actuate the clutch pack between an open configuration, in which the side gears rotate independently, and a fully closed configuration, in which the side gears rotate together such that the first and second drive wheels rotate at a same speed. | 06-26-2014 |
20150031490 | DIFFERENTIAL HAVING STEEL HYDRAULIC TRANSFER BUSHING - A differential gear mechanism constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure can include a differential casing defining first and second output shaft openings. The differential casing can have a case housing portion that defines fluid porting therein. The case housing portion including a hub extending therefrom. The hub can have an inner hub portion and an outer hub portion. The outer hub portion can be stepped down from the inner hub portion. The hub can include a stepped annular face at a transition between the inner and the outer hub portions. A hydraulic transfer bushing can be received by the outer hub of the case housing portion. The hydraulic transfer bushing can define fluid porting therein. The hydraulic transfer bushing can be disposed on the outer hub at a location where the fluid communication porting is fluidly connected to the fluid porting of the case housing portion. | 01-29-2015 |
20150038278 | COMPACT DIFFERENTIAL GEAR MECHANISM HAVING A DENSELY PACKED PINION BEVEL GEAR ARRAY - A compact bevel differential gear mechanism with pinion bevel gears arranged in a tightly packed array is disclosed. The compact bevel differential gear mechanism includes first and second side bevel gears that are co-axially aligned along an axis of rotation. The compact bevel differential gear mechanism also includes an array of pinion bevel gears mounted between the first and second side bevel gears. The pinion bevel gears intermesh with the first and second side bevel gears to form a torque transfer arrangement configured for transferring torque between the pinion bevel gears and the first and second side bevel gears and for allowing the first and second side bevel gears to rotate at different rotational speeds with respect to one another. Each of the pinion bevel gears has an actual gear face angle value that is within +/−10 percent of a target gear face angle value. The target gear face angle value is equal to 360 degrees divided by twice the total number of pinion bevel gears provided in the array of pinion bevel gears. | 02-05-2015 |