Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Diana Barbara Placha

Norman Jerry Bird

Gregory Dean Gardner

Xiaoyong Lu

Megan Mackenzie Gould

Thomas Russell McBride

Thomas Eugene Kathman, Jr

A wheel disconnect clutch includes a housing attachable to a knuckle and a clutch sleeve slidably supported for axial movement within the housing and having first teeth configured to couple with a wheel hub and second teeth configured to couple with a half shaft. The clutch sleeve is slidable between an engaged position in which the first teeth are coupled to the wheel hub and a disengaged position in which the first teeth are decoupled from the wheel hub. A drive ring is connected to the clutch sleeve and supported within the housing to be axially slidable and rotationally fixed relative to the housing. An actuator ring is disposed adjacent to the drive ring, supported for rotation within the housing, and axially fixed relative to the housing. The driver ring moves the clutch sleeve between engaged and disengaged positions.

Wheel disconnect clutch

Methods and system are provided for locking a half shaft to a wheel hub to engage four wheel drive are disclosed. In one example, a wheel hub is locked to a half shaft via a radially expanding engagement mechanism. The radially expanding engagement mechanism is without grease and without springs.

Wheel end disconnect system and method

An automatic transmission includes: a torque converter; a stator in the torque converter; and a thrust washer adjacent the stator. The thrust washer includes a circulation circuit formed in the washer to facilitate fluid movement from one side of the washer to another side of the washer.

Growing community of inventors

Westland, MI, United States of America

Diana Barbara Placha