Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Automotive Components Holdings, LLC

Richard Michael Krzesicki

Brian Christian Orr

Norman Szalony

John E Rutt

Dennis Cook

Gregory James Stout

Kevin Jerome Pavlov

Gerald Stephen Szczepanski

Robert Christian Lawson

Zhesheng Li

Clive McKenzie

James M Story

Zilai Zhao

Marj Phelan, Legal Representative

Stanley L Seely

Bhulabai S Narayanan

Timothy James Johnson

Dennis Cool

A planetary differential including a differential case rotatable about an axis and a method of manufacturing thereof. The differential case includes a cover, a housing, an annulus gear, and a ring gear. The differential case defines a differential cavity having a clutch cavity and a planet cavity separated by a retainer plate coupled to the housing. The modular nature of this system allows both open and torque biasing constructions in the same packaging space. The method of manufacturing the differential includes the steps of coupling a retainer plate to the housing between the clutch cavity and the axial opening, placing a planetary gear set in the planetary cavity, and fixing the housing to the annulus gear and ring gear.

Planetary differential

A drive assembly including an electric motor and frequency variable generator for use with a multi-axle vehicle. The vehicle generally includes an engine driving a first axle and a drive assembly with an electric motor driving a second drive axle. The drive assembly includes a frequency variable generator with an input shaft driven by the engine and the electric motor electrically communicates with the generator to receive output power from the generator. Other details of selected embodiments of the invention include the frequency variable generator having a rotor coupled to rotate with the engine output shaft and a stator electrically connected to the electric motor. An inverter is electrically connected to an electrical power source, such as a battery or the frequency variable generator, as well as to the rotor. A controller communicates with the inverter and is configured to control the magnitude and frequency of the power communicated from the inverter to the rotor winding.

Multi-axle vehicle drive system

A lightweight limited slip differential for a tubular or independent axle assembly. The differential biases the torque applied to the wheels through clutch rings engaged on the pinions. The pinions include a mating surface that engage a similar profile on the clutch rings. The clutch rings may be frictionally restrained or coupled together so that the pinion movement is restrained to bias the torque between the wheels.

Limited slip differential

A differential mechanism with offset, self-aligning spherical side gears and wider side gear separation to provide differential mechanism that is less expensive and easier to assemble. The differential mechanism includes a centerpoint of one surface or gear that is offset from a centerpoint of the chamber or casing along an axle centerline in a direction away from an opposing surface or gear.

Method and design of an automotive differential

Differential with bolt fastener assembly

A differential gear assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a differential housing. A first side gear and a second side gear are substantially axially aligned and spaced apart from one other, each of the side gears being supported by the differential housing for relative rotation therebetween and being adapted to engage an axle half-shaft. A clutch pack is mounted between and interconnects the differential housing and the first side gear. A ball screw assembly is adapted to selectively apply axial force to the clutch pack, thereby locking the first side gear to the differential housing and preventing relative rotational movement of the first side gear and the differential housing.

Selectively controlled limited slip differential

A transfer case for use in motor vehicles for transferring drive torque from a powertrain to first and second drivelines includes a first output shaft that is connected to the powertrain of the vehicle and is adapted to transmit drive torque from the powertrain to the first driveline. A second output shaft is adapted to transmit drive torque to the second driveline, and a transfer clutch is adapted to transfer drive torque from the first output shaft to the second output shaft. A ball screw assembly is adapted to actuate the transfer clutch.

Selectively actuated transfer case

A differential axle assembly includes an axle housing having a pair of opposed openings. A differential gear set includes a pair of side gears. Each of the side gears are supported within one of the opposed openings. A plurality of pinion gears engage the side gears. A hypoid ring gear is rotatably supported within the axle housing and a pinion shaft is supported by the hypoid ring gear. The pinion shaft supports the pinion gears in engagement with the side gears. The hypoid ring gear includes a cylindrical inner diameter having a pair of axially spaced inwardly facing annular surfaces and the axle housing includes a pair of axially spaced outwardly facing annular surfaces. The hypoid ring gear is rotatably supported within the axle housing by a pair of roller bearings positioned between the annular surfaces.

Compact differential housing assembly

An axle differential assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a differential housing and a central shaft rotatably mounted within the differential housing. The central shaft has opposing first and second ends, includes a ring gear mounted thereon, and defines a central axis of the axle differential assembly. A pair clutch packs are mounted to each end of the central shaft. Each of the clutch packs is adapted to connect to an end of an axle half shaft and is adapted to selectively transfer rotational motion from the central shaft, across the clutch packs, and to the axle half shafts. A pair of actuators are adapte to exert an axial force onto the clutch packs.

Axle differential assembly

A differential gear assembly including a differential housing and a ring gear mounted externally to the differential housing by a clamp. The differential housing and the ring gear each include an annular flange extending therefrom and the clamp includes a pocket which is adapted to receive the annular flanges therein. In another aspect, the flanges include opposing angled surfaces and the pocket includes opposing angled sides, whereby when the clamp is placed to the flanges, the angled surfaces of the flanges engage the angled sides of the clamp such that the clamp provides an axial clamping force to the flanges.

Differential assembly

A differential gear assembly including a differential housing, a pair of side gears substantially axially aligned and spaced apart from each other supported by the differential housing and engaging an axle half-shaft, and a plurality of pinion gears substantially axially aligned and spaced apart from each other. The pinion gears engage the side gears and include an outwardly facing first side and an inwardly facing second side. A ring gear is mounted externally to the differential housing and includes features which engage the first sides of the pinion gears to support the pinion gears within the differential gear assembly while allowing rotational movement of the pinion gears.

Differential gear assembly

A differential assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a differential housing and a differential gear assembly mounted within the differential housing. A connector plate is adapted to connect to a drive shaft of the vehicle and a clutch pack is mounted within the differential housing that interconnects the differential gear assembly and the connector plate. A ball screw assembly is adapted to selectively apply axial force to the clutch pack, thereby engaging the connector plate and the differential gear assembly such that rotational movement of the connector plate is transferred through the clutch pack to the differential gear assembly.

Selectively engageable differential

A direct drive differential containing a ring gear and a differential pin attached directly to the ring gear. This arrangement changes the load path through the differential case that allows for a new design to be created. The ring gear has a slot and the differential pin has a flat on the sides that mate together when assembled. The differential pin is round and the ring gear has a radius that mate together when assembled. The ring gear has a diameter machined into the inside ring diameter but allows a pin with slots to be assembled. The pin locks into place in the ring gear by rotating the pin during assembly. The ring gear has a through hole or is drilled and tapped and the differential pin has a hole therefore the two parts can be locked together in place.

Vehicular differential with ring gear directly loading the differential pin

A differential gear assembly for an automobile includes an annular ring gear, a differential case, a pair of side gears substantially axially aligned and spaced apart from each other and adapted to be supported by the differential case and to engage an axle shaft of the automobile, and a pair of differential pinion gears substantially axially aligned and spaced apart from each other, and adapted to engage the side gears. A differential pin is secured to and extends diametrically across the ring gear and is adapted to support the differential pinion gears in engagement with the side gears and to allow rotational movement of the differential pinion gears about the differential pin.

Differential gear retention system

A differential gear assembly including a differential housing. A pair of side gears substantially axially aligned and spaced apart from each other, wherein the side gears are adapted to be supported by the differential housing and to engage axle shafts. A pair of pinion gears substantially axially aligned and spaced apart from each other, wherein the pinion gears are adapted to engage the side gears. A ring gear is mounted externally to the differential housing and a pinion pin engages and extends diametrically across the ring gear. The ring gear includes features adapted to receive the ends of the pinion pin and to position the pinion pin relative to the ring gear such that a center of mass of the ring gear is aligned with a center of mass of the pinion pin.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Richard Michael Krzesicki