Eaton Corporation

Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Eaton Industrial Corporation

Matthew George Fox

Jeffrey A Oesch

Andrew Nathan Edler

Daniel Philip Fisher

Scott M Besemer

Christian Thomas Chimner

Stephen P Radzevich

Steven J Cochren

Sandeep Kumar

Paul N Herrmann

Steven A Rudko

Patrick John McMillan

John Allen Grogg

Gregory L Heatwole

Keith E Morgensai

Daniel Stanley Frazier

Allan S Ludwig

Curtis W Christensen

Patrick J Mcmillan

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 vent hole and first and second passageways. The hydraulic control unit housing has an accumulator housing portion that houses a biasing assembly and a piston. The accumulator housing portion forms an accumulator chamber with the piston. The vent hole is defined in the hydraulic control unit housing. The first passageway is defined in the hydraulic control unit housing. The second passageway is defined in the hydraulic control unit housing that intersects the vent hole and is oriented at a different angle than the first passageway. The vent hole is dual purpose permitting hydraulic fluid entry into the accumulator chamber through the second passageway while air is permitted to escape the hydraulic control unit housing through the vent hole.

Hydraulic control unit having fill port

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

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 differential includes a differential case; a side gear; a pinion configured for meshing engagement with the side gear; and a pinion housing configured to support the pinion. The pinion housing includes a first face; a second face opposing the first face; a first projection located on the first face; and a second projection located on the second face. The pinion housing also includes an aperture or hole extending radially inwardly from an outer radial surface of the generally annular ring; and a channel extending from the first face to the second face, wherein the channel is substantially radially aligned with the aperture or hole. In embodiments, the pinion housing includes one or more transfer formations configured to transfer torque from the differential case, and the pinion housing is configured to permit movement in an axial direction between a pair of side gears.

Limited slip differential using face gears and a pinion housing

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

A differential gear mechanism configured for use with a transaxle housing includes a limited-slip differential assembly including a differential casing defining first and second output shaft openings that receive respective first and second axle shafts. A piston is slidably disposed in the differential casing and configured to actuate a clutch assembly. A bolt-on plenum assembly is configured to bolt onto the transaxle housing and includes a plenum assembly housing, a hydraulic coupling and a motor. The plenum assembly housing defines an axle opening configured to receive one of the first and second axle shafts therethrough. The hydraulic coupling can be arranged on the plenum assembly housing at the axle opening. The motor can be mounted on the plenum assembly housing at the axle opening and be configured to pump hydraulic fluid from the bolt-on plenum assembly, through the hydraulic coupling and into the differential casing to act onto the piston.

Differential having externally mounted plenum

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.

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Ceresco, MI, United States of America

Matthew George Fox