New Venture Gear, Inc.

Keith L Snyder

David Sperduti

Robert J Wilson

Randy W Adler

Mario Charles DeSantis

William K Warwick

A manual transmission for use in motor vehicles is disclosed. The transmission includes an input shaft, an output shaft, and a plurality of constant-mesh gearsets that can be selectively engaged for establishing corresponding forward gears therebetween. In addition, a reverse gear assembly is provided for establishing the reverse gear. The reverse gear assembly includes an idler shaft non-rotatably mounted within a housing of the transmission and an idler gear journally supported on the idler shaft. The idler gear is linearly movable into engagement with a reverse input gear and a reverse speed gear. Each tooth of the reverse idler gear includes a pair of intersecting flank radii which intersect at the tooth centerline, creating an included angle therebetween. The teeth of the input and output gears are similarly formed to include a pair of flank radii and included angles. The reverse speed gear preferably includes a 'pointing step-back' design which allows a single idler gear tooth to control final engagement.

Reverse gear assembly of a transmission

The present invention is directed to an improved 'on-demand' power transfer system of the type having a transfer case incorporated into the driveline of a four-wheel drive vehicle. The transfer case is arranged to normally deliver drive torque to the driven wheels so as to establish a two-wheel drive mode of operation. In addition, the transfer mechanism is equipped with a clutch assembly for selectively delivering drive torque to the non-driven wheels for establishing an on-demand four-wheel drive mode of operation. The transfer mechanism is also equipped with a rotary actuator and a drive mechanism for actuating the clutch assembly. The power transfer system further includes sensors for detecting various dynamic and operational characteristics of the vehicle and generating sensor input signals indicative thereof. A controller is provided for processing the input signals and controlling actuation of the rotary actuator in response thereto. In one preferred construction, a shift mechanism is used in conjunction with the drive mechanism for selectively de-coupling the output shafts of the transfer case from its input shaft so as to establish a non-driven Neutral mode.

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North Syracuse, NY, United States of America

Keith L Snyder