Curvilinear flexible vehicle drive structure and method

Abstract

Structure for and method of driving a motor vehicle including one or more curvilinear drive shafts including a multistrand flexible cable providing primary two wheel drive or permanent or selectively actuable four wheel drive with front or rear mounted power packs oriented North/South or East/West. Torque limiters and clutches are provided between the power pack, drive shafts and wheels and may be selectively actuated in desired sequence. The torque limiters provide torque differentiation between vehicle wheels rather than rotational differentiation and may be utilized for this feature with rigid drive shafts. In different embodiments of the invention, the rear wheels may be driven directly from two separate front to rear drive shafts which may cross each other and the transverse drive shaft may be eliminated. Also, a single curvilinear drive shaft extending over, under or through a vehicle gas tank may be provided between a vehicle power pack and a pinion, ring gear and differential rear axle assembly. The constant spring loaded torque limiter principle may apply to a front wheel drive vehicle, when interfaced in one of the driving front wheel half shafts, thus eliminating the conventional revolution differential action between the front wheels and allowing a selected traction on one wheel while the other wheel slips on low coefficient of friction pavement.