Eaton Corporation

Roush Enterprises, Inc.

Christopher Wayne Creager

Daniel Robert Ouwenga

Michael David Green

Charles Joseph Martin

Christopher Suhocki

Justin G Schroeder

William Nicholas Eybergen

Mark Harold Pratley

Steven J Cochren

Matthew James Fortini

Christopher Suhocky

Mark H Pratley

The muffler for a motorized vehicle includes a housing with an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, an exhaust inlet, and an exhaust outlet. The muffler includes a first channel with a first noise dampening amount that is within the housing interior, to fluidly connect the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. The muffler includes second channel with a second noise dampening amount that is within the housing interior between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. The first noise dampening amount is greater than the second noise dampening amount. A valve selectively fluidly connects the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber thorough the second channel, and is configured to variably obstruct the flow of exhaust gas through the second channel. In various embodiments, the muffler has more than one inlet chamber and more than one exhaust outlet.

Muffler with selected exhaust pathways

A supercharger includes a supercharger housing, a primary rotor having a primary rotor shaft fixed to rotate therewith. A ring gear with internal teeth is attached to a transmission housing portion of the supercharger housing. A sun gear is fixed to the primary rotor shaft. A planetary gear carrier has a plurality of planetary gear shafts. A plurality of planetary gears rotate about corresponding planetary gear shafts and are meshingly engaged with the sun gear and the ring gear and are substantially equally spaced about the sun gear. A rotatable input shaft is connectable to the planetary gear carrier. The input shaft is connectable to receive rotational motion and power from an engine.

Supercharger with sun gear and planetary gears

The present disclosure relates to a differential including a differential case adapted to be rotated about an axis of rotation, and a cross-shaft operatively coupled to the differential case such that the cross-shaft and the differential case rotate together about the axis of rotation. The differential includes left and right clutch actuators having opposing inboard sides between which the cross-shaft is positioned and left and right axle hubs positioned on opposite sides of the cross-shaft. The differential includes a left clutch pack that prevents relative rotation between the left clutch actuator and the left axle hub about the axis of rotation when a left clutch engagement pressure is applied to the left clutch pack and a right clutch pack that prevents relative rotation between the right clutch actuator and the right axle hub about the axis of rotation when a right clutch engagement pressure is applied to the right clutch pack. A rotation limiting arrangement at the inboard sides of the left and right clutch actuators is provided for limiting relative rotation between the left and right clutch actuators about the axis of rotation. The rotation limiting arrangement includes a rotation limiter captured between first and second stop surfaces which cooperate to define a limited range of relative rotational movement between the left and right clutch actuators. The rotation limiter has a first location that makes line contact with the first stop surface. The rotation limiter also has a second location that makes line contact with the second stop surface.

Inboard spring arrangement for a clutch actuated differential

Helical gear differential housing

A locking differential for a vehicle includes a rotatable housing and a differential mechanism supported in the housing. The differential mechanism includes a pair of clutch members wherein each of the clutch members presents an inwardly directed face. Each face includes a groove disposed in spacing relationship with respect to the other. A cross pin is received in each groove and is operatively connected for rotation with the housing. At least one biasing member is disposed between the clutch members and at least one wear pad is disposed at an end of the at least one biasing member to preload the at least one biasing member and to allow the at least one biasing member to be acted upon by only a single one of the clutch members.

Locking differential having preload spring wear pads

The present disclosure relates to a differential including a differential case adapted to be rotated about an axis of rotation. The differential also includes a cross-shaft operatively coupled to the differential case such that the cross-shaft and the differential case rotate together about the axis of rotation; left and right clutch actuators having opposing inboard sides between which the cross-shaft is positioned; and left and right axle hubs positioned on opposite sides of the cross-shaft. A left clutch pack prevents relative rotation between the left clutch actuator and the left axle hub about the axis of rotation when a left clutch engagement pressure is applied to the left clutch pack and a right clutch pack prevents relative rotation between the right clutch actuator and the right axle hub about the axis of rotation when a right clutch engagement pressure is applied to the right clutch pack. A clutch pre-load spring applies pressure to both the left and right clutch packs without applying pressure to the left and right clutch actuators. The clutch pre-load spring is positioned inboard of the left and right clutch packs. Contact between the cross-shaft and a ramp surface at the inboard side of the left clutch actuator causes the left clutch engagement pressure to be applied to the left clutch pack, and contact between the cross-shaft and a ramp surface at the inboard side of the right clutch actuator causes the right clutch engagement pressure to be applied to the right clutch pack.

A locking differential for a vehicle includes a rotatable housing and a differential mechanism supported in the housing. The differential mechanism includes a pair of clutch members wherein each of the clutch members presents an inwardly directed face. Each face includes a groove disposed in spacing relationship with respect to the other. A cross pin is received in the groove and is operatively connected for rotation with the housing. The clutch members are axially moveable within the housing so that they may engage respective clutch members coupled to a pair of axle half shafts. A plurality of springs apply a pre-load to only the clutch members, wherein contact is maintained between the clutch members and the cross pin.

Locking differential having combination preload springs for maintained contact

A collapsible clutching differential is for use in a drive train of a vehicle to control torque thereof. The drive train includes at least one rotating member defining an axis of rotation of the rotating member; a housing operatively supported in driven relationship with respect to a remainder of the drive train, adapted to rotate about the axis, and defining a cavity of the housing into which the rotating member extends; and at least one cross-pin mounted for rotation with the housing. The differential includes a pair of castellated side gears disposed in the cavity of the housing, supported for rotation about the axis relative to the housing, and having a torque-transmitting connection to the rotating member. The castellated side gears are adapted to be spaced from each other and collapse upon themselves such that the differential collapses upon itself.

Collapsible clutching differential

A locking differential for a vehicle includes a rotatable housing and a differential mechanism supported in the housing. The differential mechanism includes a pair of clutch members wherein each of the clutch members presents an inwardly directed face. Each face includes a groove disposed in spacing relationship with respect to the other. A cross pin is received in the groove and is operatively connected for rotation with the housing. A dampening communication spring is disposed over an outer circumference of the clutch members and cooperates with the cross pin to control interaction of the clutch members.

Locking differential having dampening communication spring

A rotational element coupling device in a supercharger includes a rotatable output shaft having tapered external splines and an output shaft axis of rotation. A coupling disk has a disk axis of rotation coaxial with the output shaft axis of rotation, a tapered internally splined bore coaxial with the disk axis of rotation to engage the tapered external splines, and a plurality of apertures defined in the coupling disk parallel to the disk axis of rotation. A plurality of pins each have a disk end and a timing gear end distal to the disk end. The plurality of pins matingly engages with the coupling disk at the disk end of the pins via the plurality of apertures. A timing gear is fixed to a supercharger rotor for rotation therewith. The timing gear has a plurality of apertures disposed therein to matingly engage with the timing gear end of the plurality of pins.

Supercharger coupling

A clutch assembly configured for use with a supercharger includes a first shaft supported for rotation within a clutch housing. A pulley is mounted on the first shaft. A clutch rotor is also mounted on the first shaft at a location that is axially spaced from the pulley. A clutch coil is supported within the clutch housing and positioned adjacent to a first face of the clutch rotor. A second shaft is supported for rotation relative to the first shaft and is coaxially aligned with the first shaft. A clutch armature is mounted on the second shaft and positioned adjacent to a second face of the clutch rotor. A supercharger system including the clutch assembly is also provided.

Integrated clutch supercharger

A clutch assembly configured for use with a supercharger having a first shaft having a longitudinal axis; a pulley connected to the first shaft; a clutch rotor mounted connected to the first shaft; a clutch armature mounted to a second shaft and unconnected to the first shaft; and a clutch coil spaced along the longitudinal axis from the pulley. The clutch rotor rotates around the longitudinal axis. The clutch armature also rotates around the longitudinal axis. The design diameter of the pulley is entirely independent of the diameters of the clutch rotor, the clutch armature, and the clutch coil. A supercharger including the clutch assembly is also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Christopher Wayne Creager