The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 29, 1989
Filed:
Aug. 25, 1987
Wesley M Dick, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
David C Reuter, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Dana Corporation, Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
A four wheel drive transfer case transmits power from the output of a vehicle transmission to front and rear differential assemblies. The transfer case includes an input shaft coupled to the output shaft of the vehicle transmission, and an interaxle planetary gear differential for dividing power between a rear output shaft connected to the vehicle rear differential and a front output shaft connected to the vehicle front differential. An electromagnetic friction clutch is located in the transfer case and is adapted to selectively lock the planetary gear differential to prevent slip between the front and rear output shafts. An electronic control is operative to selectively engage the electromagnetic clutch to lock the differential for a predetermined time period when a predetermined amount of slip is detected between the front and rear output shafts. In accordance with the present invention, a cross-axised gearing arrangement is utilized to provide an angled front output shaft which has a rotational axis oriented in non-parallel, non-intersecting relationship with the rotational axis of the rear output shaft. This arrangement provides a substantially straight line connection between the transfer case and the vehicle rear differential, and between the transfer case and the vehicle front differential. Also, a unique lubrication system is provided for supplying lubricating oil to the upper components of the transfer case.