New Venture Gear, Inc.

Magna Powertrain Usa, Inc.

Nancy Mintonye

Sankar K Mohan

Richard E Eastman

David Brown

Randolph C Williams

John D Zalewski

Aaron Ronk

Matt Phalen

Christopher J Decker

A transfer case includes an input shaft and first and second output shafts. An overdrive unit is driven at an increased speed relative to the input shaft. A clutch is operable in a first position to establish a drive connection between the input shaft and the first output shaft. The clutch is further operable in a second position to establish a drive connection between the overdrive unit and the first output shaft. An actuator is driven by a motor for moving the clutch between its first and second positions. The actuator includes an axially movable fixed disk fixed for rotation with an output member of the overdrive unit. The shift engages an axially movable sleeve of the clutch.

Transfer case with overdrive mode

A full-time power transfer system is disclosed to include a transfer case having a clutch assembly arranged to control speed differentiation and torque biasing across an interaxle differential, sensors for detecting and generating sensor signals indicative of various dynamic and operational characteristics of the vehicle, and a controller for controlling actuation of the clutch assembly in response to the sensor signals. Upon the occurrence of traction loss, the clutch assembly is automatically actuated for limiting interaxle slip while transferring increased drive torque to the non-slipping driveline. Under a preferred adaptive control scheme, the actuated condition of the clutch assembly is controllably modulated between its non-actuated and fully-actuated limits for automatically varying the magnitude of speed differentiation and torque biasing across the interaxle differential in response to changes in the dynamic and operational characteristics of the vehicle.

Synchronized two-speed transfer case with lockable limited slip differential

On-demand transfer case with synchronized range shift and adaptive clutch control

A power transfer system includes a transfer case having a clutch assembly arranged across an interaxle differential, a hydraulic clutch actuation system operable to control actuation of the clutch assembly, sensors for detecting various dynamic and operational characteristics of the vehicle, and a controller for controlling the hydraulic clutch actuation system in response to the sensor signals. Upon the occurrence of traction loss, the clutch assembly is automatically actuated for limiting interaxle slip while transferring increased drive torque to the non-slipping driveline. The actuated condition of the clutch assembly is modulated between its non-actuated and fully-actuated limits for automatically varying the magnitude of speed differentiation and torque biasing across the interaxle differential in response to changes in the operational characteristics of the motor vehicle. The transfer case is also equipped with a gearset and a hydraulically-actuated range shift mechanism for permitting on-the-move shifting between high-range and low-range drive modes.

Transfer case with hydraulic range shift and adaptive clutch control

A power transfer system for a motor vehicle is disclosed to include a transfer case having a clutch assembly arranged to control speed differentiation and torque biasing across an interaxle differential, a hydraulic clutch actuation system operable to control actuation of the clutch assembly, sensors for detecting and generating sensor signals indicative of various dynamic and operational characteristics of the vehicle, and a controller for controlling the hydraulic clutch actuation system in response to the sensor signals. Upon the occurrence of traction loss, the clutch assembly is automatically actuated for limiting interaxle slip while transferring increased drive torque to the non-slipping driveline. Under a preferred control scheme, the actuated condition of the clutch assembly is controllably modulated between its non-actuated and fully-actuated limits for automatically varying the magnitude of speed differentiation and torque biasing across the interaxle differential in response to changes in the operational characteristics of the motor vehicle. As a further feature of the present invention, the transfer case can be equipped with a gearset and a hydraulically-actuated range shift mechanism for permitting on-the-move shifting between high-range and low-range drive modes.

Transfer case with synchronized range shift and adaptive clutch control

A transfer case for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a planetary gear assembly which integrates a gear reduction unit and an interaxle differential into a common assembly. A synchronized range clutch is operably associated with the input to the planetary gear assembly and can be selectively shifted on-the-fly for establishing high-range and low-range speed ratios. A synchronized mode clutch is operably associated with the output of the planetary gear assembly and can be selectively shifted on-the-fly for establishing two-wheel, full-time four-wheel and locked four-wheel drive modes.

Growing community of inventors

Kirkville, NY, United States of America

Nancy Mintonye