Differential assembly with clutch
AssigneeShaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorBrian Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A differential assembly includes a side gear configured to receive torque and a wedge clutch. The wedge clutch includes a hub configured to connect with a shaft and a wedge element radially disposed between the hub and the side gear. The wedge element has an inner surface seated on the hub and an outer surface engageable with the side gear. The wedge element is radially expandable and has a rested state in which the side gear and the hub are rotatable relative to each other and an expanded state in which the side gear and hub are rotationally locked to each other.
Claims20
A differential assembly comprising:
- a carrier supporting a pair of opposing first and second side gears and a pair of opposing spider gears meshing between the first and second sides gears, wherein the first side gear includes an inner surface defining a plurality of circular grooves;
- and
- a wedge clutch disposed in the carrier and including:
- a hub defining an inner surface configured to receive a shaft and an outer surface, and
- a wedge element radially disposed between the hub and the first side gear and having an inner surface seated on the hub and an outer surface defining a plurality of raised rings received in the grooves, wherein the wedge element is configured to radially expand to lock the hub with the first side gear when the clutch is engaged.
A differential assembly comprising:
- a side gear configured to receive torque;
- and
- a wedge clutch including:
- a hub configured to connect with a shaft, and
- a wedge element radially disposed between the hub and the side gear and having an inner surface seated on the hub and an outer surface engageable with the side gear, wherein the wedge element is radially expandable and includes a rested state in which the side gear and the hub are rotatable relative to each other and an expanded state in which the side gear and hub are rotationally locked to each other.
A differential assembly comprising:
- a carrier configured to receive torque;
- a side gear supported by the carrier;
- and
- a wedge clutch including:
- an axially movable hub configured to connect with a shaft and having a tapered portion defining a first cammed profile, and
- a wedge element radially disposed between the hub and the side gear and having an inner surface seated on the tapered portion and defining a second cammed profile that cooperates with the first cammed profile to radially expand wedge element in response to relative rotation between the hub and the wedge element, and further having an outer surface engageable with the side gear;
- wherein
- the wedge clutch includes an engaged state in which the wedge element is expanded to lock the side gear and the hub due to cooperation of the first and second cammed profiles and a disengaged state in which the wedge element is in a rested position to allow relative rotation between the side gear and the hub, and
- the wedge clutch is switched between the engage and disengaged states by axially moving hub towards and away from the wedge element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.