Eaton Corporation

Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Jeffrey A Oesch

Matthew George Fox

Andrew Nathan Edler

Daniel Philip Fisher

Scott M Besemer

Mark James Shewchuck

Randal James Graves

Jeremy Wudy

A differential assembly includes an outer differential carrier and a differential case disposed in the outer differential carrier. A ring gear is attached to the differential case using fasteners. An electronic actuation mechanism locks and unlocks the differential assembly. The electronic actuation mechanism includes a stator positioned in a stator housing and an armature. A wire harness is connected to the stator supplying electrical power to the stator. A wire guide is attached to the stator housing. The wire guide includes an attachment section attached to the stator housing and an anti-rotation section. The anti-rotation section contacts the outer differential carrier. The anti-rotation section includes a wire receiving portion positioning the wire harness in an area away from the ring gear and fasteners. A removable cover is attached to the differential assembly, the removable cover is positioned about the electronic actuation mechanism and wire harness.

Electronic locking differential assembly with wire guide and cover

A hydraulic control unit comprising a central accumulator, a flow path connected to the accumulator, a reservoir sharing a fluid space with the accumulator, a pump, and a controllable valve. The flow path is integrally formed to comprise a first flow path and a second flow path. The pump is connected to the accumulator via the first flow path on a first side of the accumulator. The pump is further connected to the reservoir via an inlet flow path on the first side of the accumulator. The controllable valve is connected to the accumulator via the second flow path on a second side of the accumulator.

Hydraulic control unit with externally mounted pump

A hydraulic control unit that delivers hydraulic fluid to a limited slip differential includes a hydraulic control unit housing, a motor and a pump. The hydraulic control unit housing has a manifold housing portion and an accumulator housing portion. The manifold housing portion defines a fluid pathway arrangement for communicating fluid along at least a first fluid pathway. The accumulator housing portion houses an accumulator assembly having a biasing assembly and a piston. The accumulator housing portion and manifold housing portion cooperate to form an accumulator chamber that houses the biasing assembly. The motor is disposed on the first side of the manifold housing portion. The pump is disposed on a second side of the manifold portion, opposite the first side. The pump is configured to pump fluid into the accumulator chamber of the accumulator housing portion.

Hydraulic control unit for limited slip differential

A method of providing limited slip in a differential assembly includes interconnecting an axle and a differential assembly through a first slippable linkage. The axle is driven in rotation with a first housing of the differential assembly operable to be driven in rotation by a ring gear. A plurality of pinion gears of the differential assembly are positioned in the first housing and are driven in rotation by the first housing. A side gear is fixed to the axle and is meshed with at least some of the pinion gears. The axle is operable to slip relative to the first housing. The first housing, the plurality of pinion gears and the side gear are enclosed within a second housing. The axle extends from a first end positioned within both of the first housing and the second housing to a second end positioned outside of both of the first housing and the second housing.

Method of providing limited slip in a differential assembly

An electronic limited slip coupling constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure includes a sleeve, a support shaft, a hydraulic control unit, a clutch assembly and a case. The sleeve has a first set of splines projecting inwardly and meshed for engagement with an axle. The support shaft has a second set of splines configured to mesh with a first housing of a differential assembly. The hydraulic control unit has an accumulator housing and a motor. The motor is configured to pump fluid into an accumulator chamber of the accumulator housing. The clutch assembly receives fluid from the hydraulic control unit. The clutch assembly has a clutch pack positioned between a clutch piston and a portion of a clutch basket. The clutch assembly is operable to selectively interlock the sleeve and the support shaft. The case supports the electronic limited slip coupling as an assembled unit.

Electronic limited slip coupling having bolt on configuration

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.

Differential having compact bevel cross shaft retention using internal retainers

A hydraulic control unit that delivers hydraulic fluid to a limited slip differential includes a hydraulic control unit housing, a sump and a motor. The hydraulic control unit housing has an accumulator housing portion that houses a biasing assembly and a piston. The sump is defined in the hydraulic control unit housing and at least partially occupies a common space with the accumulator housing portion. The motor is configured to pump fluid into an accumulator chamber of the accumulator housing portion. The fluid pumped into the accumulator housing portion at least partially collapses the biasing assembly and introduces a pre-charge into the hydraulic control unit. The biasing assembly is configured to expand and urge the piston in a first direction resulting in fluid being communicated from the hydraulic control unit and into the limited slip differential.

Hydraulic control unit for a limited slip differential

Plenum transport retainer clip with locking finger

A limited slip differential assembly can include a sleeve, a support shaft, and a clutch assembly. The sleeve can have a sleeve aperture centered on and extending along an axis. The sleeve can also have a first set of splines projecting inwardly from the sleeve aperture. The sleeve can be operable to engage an axle through the first set of splines. The support shaft can have an outer surface, a support shaft aperture centered on and extending along the axis, and a second set of splines projecting from the outer surface. The support shaft can be adjacent to the sleeve along the axis and be operable to encircle and freely rotate relative to the axle. The clutch assembly can be operable to selectively interlock the sleeve and the support shaft.

Limited slip differential assembly

Hydraulic power unit

A differential gear mechanism constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure can include a differential casing having a first case housing portion and a second case housing portion. The first and second case housing portions can be coupled together with fasteners. A first and a second side gear can be rotatably mounted within the differential casing. A plurality of pinion gears can be mounted between the first and second side gears. Each of the plurality of pinion gears can be rotatably mounted on a respective pinion gear shaft. Each pinion gear shaft can have first and second ends. The first end of each pinion gear shaft can be aligned with a fastener of the plurality of fasteners such that axial movement of the respective pinion gear shafts is inhibited by contact with a corresponding fastener of the plurality of fasteners.

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey A Oesch