Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC

Dana Corporation

Torque-traction Technologies, Inc.

Spicer Technology Inc.

Randy L Sommer

Ralph Woodward Baxter, Jr

Kenneth E Cooper

Thomas L Nahrwold

William Gordon Hunt

Peter Alfred Beesley

Michael Z Creech

James A Krisher

Benjamin J Passino

Ralph W Baxter

Anne M Mitzel

Stephen Garlick

Gordon W Hunt

Peter A Beesley

Gerald L Kinsey

An electromagnetic connect/disconnect system with an electromagnet including a coil and a coil housing. The system also includes a rotatable and axially slideable slide ring located between the coil housing and a sliding collar. The slide ring has a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface. The sliding collar has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is located radially inward from the slide ring and defines a first set of axially extending teeth. The second portion is located radially inward from the first portion. A return spring is located adjacent the sliding collar. An output gear is also included which has a second set of axially extending teeth for selective engagement with the sliding collar.

Electromagnetic connect/disconnect system for a vehicle

An axle assembly for a vehicle including a differential carrier having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion including a first engagement surface coupled with a second engagement surface of the second portion. The differential carrier defines a differential area and a clutch area substantially separated by a partition. The differential carrier first engagement surface defines a lubricant channel fluidly connecting the differential area with the clutch area, and at least partially located above the clutch area and at least partially located in an outer wall of the differential carrier. The axle assembly further includes a bearing retainer disposed through the outer wall of the differential carrier. The bearing retainer includes an aperture therethrough, fluidly connecting the lubricant channel with a clutch assembly.

Differential clutch carrier lubrication and cooling system

An electromagnetic connect/disconnect system with an electromagnet including a coil and a coil housing. The system also including a slide ring located between the coil housing and a sliding collar. The slide ring has a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface. The sliding collar has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is located radially inward from the slide ring and defines a first set of axially extending teeth. The second portion is located radially inward from the first portion. A return spring groove is located radially inward from the sliding collar first portion and houses a return spring. An output gear is also included which has a second set of axially extending teeth for selective engagement with the first set of teeth.

A coupling assembly comprises an input shaft driven by a prime mover, at least one output shaft drivingly coupled to the input shaft, a fluid pump selectively driven by the input shaft through an auxiliary clutch, a friction clutch for selectively frictionally coupling the input shaft with the at least one output shaft, and a fluid clutch actuator for operating the friction clutch between a disengaged condition and an engaged condition. The fluid pump selectively communicates with the fluid clutch actuator for setting the friction clutch assembly in the engaged condition. The fluid pump is mounted to the input shaft.

Coupling assembly

A drive system designed to use a vehicle's existing hydraulic system to operate a controllable limited slip differential assembly. The limited slip differential assembly may be associated with the front axle, the rear axle, or the driveline between the front and rear axles. The differential assembly may also be used in combination that includes front, rear, or intermediate differential assemblies. The drive system further includes a friction clutch assembly for selectively engaging and disengaging an input member with an output member of the differential assembly, a fluid clutch actuator for selectively frictionally and variably loading the clutch assembly, and a fluid pump that is a common source of pressurized fluid for the fluid clutch actuator and the existing hydraulic system of the motor vehicle other than the fluid clutch actuator of the drive system. The fluid clutch actuator is actuated by fluid pressure generated by the fluid pump.

Drive system for motor vehicle

A fluid pump assembly comprises a pump housing and a fluid pump disposed within the pump housing. The fluid pump has axially opposite first and second side faces and includes cooperating impeller and rotor members. The fluid pump assembly further comprises inlet and outlet ports disposed adjacent to the first side face, a pressure chamber formed within the pump housing adjacent to the second side face, and an end plate disposed within the pressure chamber and movable relative to the pump between a first position and a second position. The end plate has axially opposite inner and outer end surfaces oriented so that the inner end surface faces the fluid pump, while the outer end surface faces away from the pump. An area of the outer end surface of the end plate is greater than the area of the inner end surface thereof.

Fluid pump assembly

An active differential assembly provides speed control of an associated output shaft. A differential case is rotatably mounted within a housing to drive a pair of output shafts extending from the differential case in opposite directions for distributing driving force from the engine to wheels. A pair of planetary gear sets are one each disposed about a corresponding output shaft and includes a planetary ring gear, a sun gear fixed to the output shaft, and a planetary carrier rotatably supporting a plurality of planet gears operatively coupling the planetary ring gear with the sun gear. A brake mechanism is disposed between the planetary ring gear and the housing for selectively braking the planetary ring gear to thereby cause an associated increase in speed of the axle shaft.

Active differential assembly

A limited slip differential having a modified clutch pack mechanism located outside of the differential case. The mechanism include a planetary gear assembly disposed between a side gear and the clutch pack to facilitate the application of greater torque. A rotatable collar and cup-shape member together with a pair of planetary gear sets establish a driving connection through the differential case between the side gear and the clutch pack. Clutch plates are alternatively splined on the cup-shaped member and differential case to facilitate selectively coupling therebetween. The incorporation of the external clutch pack and planetary gear set facilitate the use of a greater diameter clutch plates resulting in greater torque capability.

Differential assembly with modified limited slip clutch arrangement

A vacuum operated speed range shifting mechanism for use in a drivetrain subassembly having input and output shafts, each being rotatably mounted within a support structure. The shifting mechanism comprises an annular shift sleeve surrounding and splined to the output shaft for rotation therewith, with the sleeve being axially moveable between first and second axial positions corresponding to low and high speed modes of operation of the drivetrain subassembly. The mechanism further includes a stationary annular housing disposed coaxially about the shift sleeve within the support structure. The housing is axially restrained by the support structure and defines an interior chamber. A flexible annular diaphragm is attached to the housing and disposed within the housing so as to divide the interior chamber into first and second annular cavities which are substantially hermetically sealed. A shift collar assembly is attached to the diaphragm and is disposed in surrounding relationship with the shift sleeve. In the preferred embodiment, evacuation of one of the first and second cavities and simultaneous venting of the other cavity to the atmosphere exerts a generally axial force on the shift collar assembly thereby forcing the shift sleeve to be disposed in one of the first and second axial positions to cause shifting to a desired drive mode.

Vacuum operated speed range shifting mechanism

The invention is directed to a four-wheel drive system for a vehicle having front and rear drive wheels driven by an engine and transmission assembly, and including a transfer case having a torque input shaft for receiving output torque from the vehicle engine and transmission assembly. A transfer gear assembly of the transfer case provides low and high speed power paths, and a shift mechanism is provided to shift between the low and high speed power paths. The system further includes an engine control module for controlling the engine fuel system and shifting of the transmission assembly between a plurality of vehicle gear ratios. A transfer case control module controls the shift mechanism for shifting between the low and high speed power paths. The transfer case control module is connected to the engine control module, and controls shifting between the low and high speed power paths by selectively controlling the engine fuel system to modify torque supplied to the transfer case, and/or shifting of the transmission assembly. The transfer case control module will thereafter shift the transfer case to a selected high or low speed power path when the output speed of the transmission assembly matches the output speed of the transfer case. The system allows the transfer case to be shifted from low range to high range or vice versa on-the-fly, while the vehicle is still moving and under power. The invention also provides a method of shifting a four-wheel drive system between low range and high range drive modes on-the-fly.

Growing community of inventors

Monroeville, IN, United States of America

Randy L Sommer