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:
Jun. 25, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 26, 2000
Peter Alfred Beesley, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Steven G. Goddard, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Spicer Technology, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Abstract
An integrated wheel end system for a vehicle including a clutch adapted to provide driving engagement/disengagement of a wheel to convert between driven and non-driven modes of wheel movement. A vehicle is provided with both 4×2 and 4×4 capabilities and, when 4×4 capability is required, a negative pressure is applied to a vacuum cavity thus causing a piston, shift fork and spline collar to move inboard. The spline collar is splined to the constant velocity joint and as it moves inboard it locks on the spline plate locking the wheelend to the axle shaft. The invention also provides a default 4×4 embodiment, the spline collar is splined to the joint and as the piston fork and spline collar move inboard, they unlock the wheelend from the axle shaft. A selectively activated actuator is provided for moving the clutch member between its driving and non-driving positions.