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:
Jul. 04, 1995
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1993
John H Tanzer, Troy, MI (US);
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A free wheel mechanism for alternately engaging and disengaging a coupler (102) that driveably connects and release an axle shaft (92) to an intermediate shaft (78), which is driven by one output of a axial differential mechanism (30). A vacuum motor (116) moves an actuating shaft (118) substantially parallel to the axle shaft between engaged and disengaged positions of the actuator. A lever (124), connected to the actuating shaft for axial displacement, is pinned to a pivot shaft (126) supported rotatably on the differential housing. A shift fork (144), fixed to the pivot shaft for rotation with the pivot shaft, includes arms (146, 148) that extend radially and engage the sliding coupler (102), which is supported on spline teeth (94) at the end of the intermediate shaft for sliding engagement with spline teeth (98) formed on the outer surface of a connecting hub (96) fixed to the axle shaft. Axial displacement of the actuating shaft (118) turns the pivot shaft (126) and causes the shift fork ( 144) to slide the coupler (102) axially between the engaged and disengaged positions.