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. 05, 2016
Filed:
Sep. 26, 2014
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Lucas Michael Vanderpool, Detroit, MI (US);
Jacob Martin Povirk, Franklin, MI (US);
Jihong Guo, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Patrick Meloche, Northville, MI (US);
Brian Carl, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A locking differential includes a dog clutch configured to selectively couple a carrier to an axle shaft in response to magnetic forces generated by electrical current in a coil. A method of operating the differential is adapted to avoid failed engagement attempts that could potentially damage the dog clutch. If a driver commands engagement of the locking feature while a differential speed, a controller waits to command engagement of the dog clutch until the differential speed decreases below a threshold. The controller measures or infers a temperature of the differential fluid and adjusts the threshold to higher values when the temperature is cold.