Auburn Gear, Inc.

James L Forrest

Robert Leeper

Dan M Metzger

Joseph A Beals

John T Fortman

Craig A Wisner

James P Scott

Steve M Juhasz

Don T Walters

Aaron J Binegar

A planetary gear assembly including an input sun gear; a first plurality of planetary gears driven by the input sun gear; a planet carrier coupled with the first plurality of planetary gears; and an output sun gear wherein rotation of the input sun gear drivingly rotates the planet carrier at a first rotational speed and the output sun gear at a different second rotational speed. An output shaft fixed to the planet carrier and the output sun gear are simultaneously rotated about a common longitudinal axis at the different speeds by rotation of the input sun gear. The output sun gear is accessible through a longitudinal passage in the output shaft. A PTO shaft is drivingly couplable with the output sun gear by inserting a first end of the PTO shaft into longitudinally extending passage or with the planet carrier by inserting the second end of the PTO shaft.

Planetary gear assembly with reversible PTO shaft

A multistage wheel drive includes primary and secondary planetary stages, in which the ring gear of the primary (i.e., input-side) planetary stage is formed from a single machined part which also includes the planet gear carrier of the secondary (i.e., output-side) planetary stage. This dual-function 'combination' component includes a splined exterior surface which interfaces with a correspondingly splined interior surface on the spindle in order to rotationally fix the combination component to the spindle. This arrangement ensures concentricity between the primary and secondary planetary stages, while allowing a desired amount of radial tolerance between the spindle, the combination component, and the hub of the wheel drive. In addition, the present arrangement can be produced efficiently and inexpensively.

Wheel drive transmission

Structural arrangements of wheel drive components facilitate the use of robust main roller bearings that are widely spaced apart from one another. This wide spacing minimizes the torque borne by the bearings for a given external load, because at least one bearing is placed closer to the expected load application point (e.g., the center of gravity of the wheel attached to the wheel hub of the drive unit). The present wheel drive bearings can support a heavy external load without expanding the overall size and configuration of a given wheel drive application.

Wheel drive transmission unit

A multispeed drive unit () comprising a rotary input () positioned to be driven by a power source and disposed at an input side of the drive unit (); a rotary output () positioned to drive a driven unit and disposed at an output side of the drive unit (), a transmission operably interposed between said rotary input () and said rotary output (), said transmission having a gear () moveable between a high-reduction configuration and a low-reduction configuration, a first friction clutch () operable to fix said gear () in said high-reduction configuration, whereby said transmission is operable to reduce a speed of said rotary output () relative to said rotary input () when said first friction clutch () is engaged, and a second friction clutch () operable to fix said gear () in said low-reduction configuration, whereby said transmission is not operable to reduce the speed of said rotary output () relative to said rotary input () when said second friction clutch () is engaged.

Multispeed drive unit

A selectively locked differential has a locked configuration in which both side gears are independently locked to the differential casing so that torque is not transmitted through the pinion gears. The locking of the side gears is accomplished by generally cylindrical, ring-shaped structures with castellations on one axial end surface of each structure. These castellations selectively interfit with rotatably fixed castellations of secondary structures fixed to the differential casing, such that the ring-shaped structures define a mechanically interconnected, zero-slip arrangement with respect to the rotationally fixed secondary structures when the differential is in the locked configuration.

Locking differential

A drive unit disconnect mechanism is operable to transmit or disconnect power from a vehicle power source to a driven unit, and can be disengaged by multiple methods depending on how much force is required to separate the internal components of the mechanism. In a first, relatively quicker method, a handle is pulled axially away from the hub to withdraw and internal gear from splined engagement with a corresponding driven gear. In a second, relatively slower method, the handle is rotated to threadably withdraw the entire disconnect mechanism from the hub, which in turn withdraws the internal gear from splined engagement with the driven gear. The quicker method is desirable in most instances, but the slower method allows disconnection of the driven unit from the vehicle power source when gear pressure prevents or impedes the quicker method.

Quick disconnect for a drive unit

A differential assembly including a rotatable casing having an axis of rotation, a selectively energized electromagnet proximal the casing, and a rotatable first clutch disposed within the casing, the first clutch placed in operative engagement with the casing in response to the electromagnet being energized. Relative rotation between the first clutch and the casing is slowed by their being in operative engagement. A rotatable clutch hub and a second clutch are disposed within the casing, and the casing and the clutch hub are rotatably coupled through engagement of the second clutch, which is operatively engaged in response to relative rotation between the first clutch and the casing being slowed. At least one rotatable pinion gear is disposed within the casing and revolves about the axis of rotation. At least one side gear engaged with the pinion gear and rotatable about the axis of rotation is disposed within the casing, and is rotatably coupled to the casing through the second clutch during engagement of the second clutch. Neither of the first clutch and the second clutch is appreciably engaged with the casing in response to gear separating forces exerted between the pinion gear and the side gear.

Electromagnetically locking differential

A differential assembly including a rotatable casing, first and second axially moveable side gears disposed within the casing, at least one pinion gear disposed within the casing and intermeshed with the side gears, a cone clutch operatively coupled to the first side gear, the cone clutch being frictionally coupled to the casing in response to being exposed to a magnetic field, and a disc clutch having at least one clutch disc operatively coupled to the second side gear in response to axial movement of the second side gear.

Electromagnetically-actuated limited slip differential

An electrically actuated limited slip axle assembly for transferring torque including a housing, a clutch, a casing and an electromagnet fixedly mounted to the housing. The casing is rotatably supported on bearings within the housing. The clutch is activated in response to energization of the electromagnet to transfer torque. In a first embodiment the electromagnet is coupled to a cup portion of the bearing, whereby the electromagnet is fixedly mounted to the housing via the bearing. In a second embodiment of the axle assembly includes a bearing spacer providing the fixed mount between the housing and the electromagnet.

Direct housing mount of electromagnet

A limited slip differential having at least one cone clutch element for frictionally engaging an interior surface of the rotatable differential casing. The cone clutch element has a plurality of clutch engagement surfaces which are disposed about the outside surface of the cone clutch element. Recessed areas are interposed between the clutch engagement surfaces. The total clutch engagement surface area is reduced to between 5% and 15% of the total engagement and recessed surface area of the clutch element to improve the performance of the differential at lower temperatures.

Cone clutch structure having recessed areas for use in a limited slip differential

A differential assembly including a casing which rotates about a first axis, the casing having an internal cavity; an elongate cylindrical cross pin which rotates with the casing about the first axis, the cross pin extending along a second axis through the cavity, the second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis; at least one pinion gear disposed within the cavity and about the cross pin, the pinion gear rotatable about the second axis; and a pair of side gears disposed within the cavity and in meshed engagement with the pinion gear, the side gears rotatable about the first axis. A cross pin retention element is disposed about the cross pin. The cross pin and the retention element are fixed against substantial relative movement therebetween along the second axis, and the retention element is disposed adjacent the pinion gear. The movement of the retention element relative to the casing along the second axis is restricted, whereby the cross pin is retained in the casing.

Differential cross pin retention

A limited slip differential having at least one cone clutch element for frictionally engaging an interior surface of the rotatable differential casing. The cone clutch element has a plurality of clutch engagement surfaces which are disposed about the outside surface of the cone clutch element. Recessed areas are interposed between the clutch engagement surfaces.

Conical clutch member having recessed areas for use in a limited slip

A controllable differential having a rotatable casing, differential gearing disposed within the rotatable casing and linking the casing with an output element disposed therein, a clutch disposed within the rotatable casing and clutch adapted to transfer torque between the rotatable casing and the output element, and an electromagnet arranged to generate a generally toroidal magnetic flux path encircling the electromagnet and magnetically forcing the clutch into engagement with the rotatable casing, the casing including a nonmagnetic portion adjacent the electromagnet, said flux path surrounding the nonmagnetic casing portion.

Electronically controllable limited slip differential having nonmagnetic

A controllable differential having a clutch mechanism which transfers a predetermined amount of torque between a rotatable differential casing and a side gear when an initiating force is applied by an electronic actuator. A pair of sensors provide inputs to the electronic actuator which, in turn, actuates an electromagnet. A clutch mechanism is actuated by the electromagnet and applies an initiating force to the clutch mechanism to initially actuate the clutch mechanism when a predetermined relative rotational condition of the side gears is sensed. The application of the initiating force in combination with the interaction between engagement surfaces and between camming portions fully engages a clutch mechanism to transfer a predetermined controllable amount of torque.

Electronically controllable limited slip differential

A hydraulically actuated limited slip differential which transfers a predetermined amount of clutch torque each time the clutch mechanism is triggered. The differential includes a hydraulic pump mechanism comprising a plurality of fluid supply passages disposed in a side gear and in fluid communication with a cavity defined by the side gear and the clutch mechanism. The hydraulic pump mechanism transfers fluid into the cavity in response to meshing rotation between the pinion gears and the side gears. Sufficiently high differentiation between the output shafts increases the pressure in the cavity to trigger the frictional clutch mechanism with the differential casing to provide braking action between the side gears and the differential casing. The clutch mechanism includes a cone clutch element having a frusto-conical engagement surface which frictionally engages an insert having a complementary frusto-conical engagement surface. The hydraulic trigger and cam separation produce a predetermined amount of axial movement by the cone clutch element and the insert to provide a predetermined amount of clutch torque.

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Ashley, IN, United States of America

James L Forrest