American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

Douglas J Chemelli

Joseph S Balenda, Ii

Cory J Padfield

Toby V Padfield

Robert C Gorski

Steven T Richards

James Preston Downs

Paul Joseph Valente

Jeffrey Lee Kincaid

Gregory Joseph Hilker

William Gordon Hunt

Gregory E Woodside

Shawn S Proctor

Stephen C Doud

Moshe Rothstein

Peter Barta

Ryan Ettenhofer

Derek C Remillong

Ramanand R Shetty

Steven C Smith

A vehicle driveline component includes a case defining lever apertures, a coupling having a movable member that is movable along a movement axis between a first and a second position, a linear having a motor output member movable along the movement axis, and a plurality of levers. Each lever is disposed in an associated lever aperture and coupled to the case for pivoting motion about a respective lever pivot axis. The levers urge the movable member in a first direction along the movement axis from one of the first and second positions to the other one of the first and second positions in response to pivoting motion of the levers about the lever pivot axes caused by contact between the levers and the motor output member when the motor output member is driven in a second direction along the movement axis that is opposite the first direction.

Vehicle driveline component having a direction-reversing mechanism for moving a movable element to change an operational mode of the vehicle driveline component

A differential assembly includes a differential, a collar, and a coupling. The differential has a differential input and differential gearing. The differential input is rotatable about a differential axis. The differential gearing has first and second differential output gears that are rotatable relative to the differential input about the differential axis. The differential gearing transmits rotary power between the differential input and the first and second differential output gears. The collar is rotatable about the differential axis. The coupling has first and second coupling members. The first coupling member is fixedly coupled to the first side gear. The second coupling member is fixedly coupled to the collar. The coupling is operable in a disengaged mode, in which the collar is rotationally decoupled from the first differential output gear, and an engaged mode in which the collar is rotatably coupled to the first differential output gear.

Axle assembly with disconnecting differential component

A vehicle driveline component with a differential case, a cross-pin, a differential gearset, and a retaining member. The differential case is rotatable about a first axis and has an annular wall member that defines a differential cavity. The cross-pin is received in a cross-pin aperture formed through a first side of the annular wall member. The cross-pin extends through the differential cavity along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The differential gearset is received in the differential cavity and includes a pair of side gears, which are rotatable about the first axis, and a pair of pinion gears that are journally supported by the cross-pin and meshingly engaged with the side gears. The retaining member is welded to the annular wall member and limits movement of the cross-pin relative to the differential case along the second axis in a direction toward the retaining member.

Driveline component having differential assembly with retaining member welded to differential case to retain cross-pin

A driveline power transmitting component with a differential assembly having a differential input, first and second differential outputs, which are driven by the differential input, a first friction clutch, a first biasing spring and a second friction clutch. The first friction clutch has a friction plate that is non-rotatably but axially slidably coupled to the differential input. The first biasing spring urges the first friction clutch into an engaged condition in which the friction plate of the first friction clutch is frictionally engaged to the first differential output. The second friction clutch has a plurality of first clutch plates, which are axially slidably but non-rotatably coupled to the differential input, and a plurality of second clutch plates that interleaved with the first clutch plates and axially slidably but non-rotatably coupled to the first differential output.

Power transmitting component with limited slip differential assembly having preloaded friction clutch

A driveline power transmitting device that includes a limited slip differential having a differential case, a cross-pin, a pair of pressure rings, a pair of clutch packs, a pair of preload springs, and a pair of preload control mechanisms. The pressure rings are non-rotatably coupled to the differential case and are disposed on opposite sides of the cross-pin. The preload springs bias the pressure rings toward the clutch packs and thereby preload the clutch packs. The pressure rings are urged axially away from the cross-pin to further compress the clutch packs in response to rotation of the cross-pin relative to the differential case. The preload control mechanisms are employed to decrease the preload force on the clutch packs in certain situations.

Driveline power transmitting component with a plate clutch-type limited slip differential assembly having preload disconnect capabilities

A vehicle driveline component with a differential mechanism and a lubrication device for lubricating the differential mechanism. The differential mechanism has a differential input member, which is rotatable about a differential axis, and a pair of differential outputs that are driven by the differential input member. The lubrication device includes at least one discharge port that is disposed in a volume within the differential input member and along the differential axis between the differential outputs.

Driveline component with differential assembly and differential lubrication device

A driveline component with a differential having a differential gearset mounted in a differential case. The differential gearset has first and second side gears and one or more pinion gears that are meshed with the first and second side gears. The differential gearset is configured to limit inboard thrusting of the first and second side gears so that backlash will be always be present between the pinion gears and each of first and second side gears.

Driveline component having differential assembly with differential gearset configured to limit inboard thrust of side gears

A vehicle driveline component having a limited slip differential with a differential gearset and a pair of clutch packs received in a differential case. The differential gearset employs side gears that are meshed with first differential pinions, which are mounted about a first pin axis, and second differential pinions, which are mounted about a second pin axis that is not perpendicular to the first pin axis. The teeth of the first differential pinions are formed with drive side having a first pressure angle. The teeth of the second differential pinions are formed with a coast side having a second pressure angle that is different from the first pressure angle. The teeth of the side gears are asymmetric and have a first side, which is formed with the first pressure angle, and a second side that is formed with the second pressure angle.

Vehicle driveline component having a differential with asymmetric differential gearing

A disconnecting differential assembly includes a first dog, a second dog, and an actuator. The first dog can include first engagement features fixedly coupled to a first side gear and disposed within the differential case. The second dog can include second engagement features and an annular body. The second engagement features can be radially outward of the annular body and fixedly coupled thereto. The annular body and second engagement features can be disposed within the differential case. The second dog can be rotatable relative to the differential case and the actuator can axially move the second dog between a first position wherein the first and second engagement features are disengaged, and a second position wherein the first and second engagement features are engaged to selectively non-rotatably couple the first and second dogs. The annular body can be adapted to be non-rotatably coupled to an output shaft.

Axle assembly with disconnecting differential output

A bearing assembly and a related power transmitting component. The bearing assembly includes a first bearing, which is an angular contact bearing, and a second bearing, which is a tapered roller bearing. The first bearing has a first inner bearing race, a first outer bearing race and a plurality of spherical bearing balls disposed between the first inner bearing race and the first outer bearing race. The second bearing assembly has a second inner bearing race, a second outer bearing race and a plurality of tapered bearing rolls disposed between the second inner bearing race and the second outer bearing race. One of the first inner and first outer bearing races is fixedly coupled to one of the second inner and second outer bearing races for axial and rotational movement therewith. The first and second bearings are configured to handle thrust in a common axial direction.

Bearing assembly configured to handle axial and radial loads

A power transmitting component that includes a housing, a differential case, a ring gear coupled to the differential case for rotation therewith, a pinion gear meshed with the ring gear, a bearing mount, a differential bearing and a retaining ring. The housing has a bearing mounting aperture and a retaining ring groove. The bearing mount is received in the bearing mounting aperture. The differential bearing disposed is between the differential case and the bearing mount. The retaining ring is received into the retaining ring groove and is sized in thickness a) to control a pattern of mesh between the ring gear and the pinion gear, b) to maintain a predetermined preload on the differential bearings, or c) to control the pattern of mesh between the ring gear and the pinion gear, and to maintain the predetermined preload on the differential bearings.

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Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Douglas J Chemelli