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:
Mar. 17, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 24, 1996
Paul J Valente, Berkely, MI (US);
Dyneer Corporation, Warren, MI (US);
Abstract
A locking differential includes annular friction pack clutch assemblies for normally connecting the drive shaft of a vehicle to a pair of axially aligned driven axle shafts. A pair of clutch members are biased apart by a plurality of spring assemblies exch including a locking pin colinearly arranged relative to a helical spring. At one end, the locking pin is slidably mounted in a corresponding pin bore contained in one face of a first clutch member, the other end of the locking pin extending within an oversized spring bore contained in the opposing face of a second clutch member. The helical spring is mounted in the bottom of the oversized bore and is compressed by the pin when the pin is releasably retained in an extended operable position by a removable fastener member, thereby to compress the friction packs between the clutch members and the adjacent casing internal wall surfaces. When one driver shaft overruns the other by a given amount, the associated friction clutch is disengaged to disconnect the overrunning shaft from the differential.