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. 17, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 25, 1998
Robert Leeper, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Auburn Gear, Inc., Auburn, IN (US);
Abstract
A speed sensitive limited slip differential having a sealed, self contained clutch actuator which expands and retracts as required to frictionally seat a clutch element against a surface of the differential casing. The clutch actuator comprises a housing portion and a piston portion which define two fluid chambers and a gerotor pump assembly contained therein for transferring fluid between the two fluid chambers. The gerotor pump assembly is splined to an output element to transfer fluid between the two chambers when sufficient differential rotation between the output element and the casing exists. The transfer of fluid between the two chambers results in the axial expansion of the actuator housing and the actuator piston to provide an axial force on a side gear to thereby frictionally seat the clutch element against a surface of the differential casing. The sealed, self contained feature allows the present limited slip differential to operate in a simple, reliable manner.