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US 11,441,657 B2Granted
Axle assembly and shift mechanism for a shift collar
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorsSupreeth Chandrashekar, David Zueski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjuster mechanism and an axle assembly that includes an adjuster mechanism. The adjuster mechanism may include a collar assembly that has a collar that may receive a shift collar, a follower, and an adjustment screw. Rotating the adjustment screw may move the collar assembly and the shift collar along an axis.
Claims20
A shift mechanism comprising:
- a shift collar;
- an actuator;
- and
- an adjuster mechanism that includes:
- a collar assembly that includes:
- a collar that defines a collar hole that receives the shift collar;
- and
- a shift block that is fixedly positioned with respect to the collar, the shift block defining an elongated slot and a first hole that extends from the elongated slot, wherein the shift block includes a locking screw hole that receives a locking screw;
- a follower that is partially received in the elongated slot and that is operatively connected to the actuator, the follower defining a threaded hole;
- and
- an adjustment screw that is received in the first hole and the threaded hole and that is rotatable about an adjustment screw axis, wherein the adjustment screw has a threaded portion that is received in the elongated slot and in the threaded hole in the follower, a head that is disposed adjacent to the first hole, and a first shank portion that extends from the head to the threaded portion and is received in the first hole, wherein rotating the adjustment screw moves the collar assembly and the shift collar along an axis, and wherein the locking screw inhibits rotation of the adjustment screw.
8 more elements
A shift mechanism comprising:
- a shift collar;
- an actuator;
- and
- an adjuster mechanism that includes:
- a collar assembly that includes:
- a collar that defines a collar hole that receives the shift collar;
- and
- a shift block that is fixedly positioned with respect to the collar, the shift block defining an elongated slot and a first hole that extends from the elongated slot;
- a follower that is partially received in the elongated slot and that is operatively connected to the actuator, the follower defining a threaded hole;
- and
- an adjustment screw that is received in the first hole and the threaded hole and that is rotatable about an adjustment screw axis, wherein the adjustment screw has a threaded portion that is received in the elongated slot and in the threaded hole in the follower, wherein rotating the adjustment screw moves the collar assembly and the shift collar along an axis, and wherein the adjustment screw has a second shank portion that extends from the threaded portion to an end of the adjustment screw that is disposed opposite the head, wherein the second shank portion is received in a second hole of the shift block.
8 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a drive pinion that is rotatable about an axis;
- a transmission that includes a set of drive pinion gears that are spaced apart from the drive pinion and are rotatable about the axis;
- and
- a shift mechanism that includes:
- a shift collar that is rotatable about the axis with the drive pinion and moveable along the axis with respect to the drive pinion;
- an actuator that is configured to move the shift collar along the axis to selectively connect a member of the set of drive pinion gears to the drive pinion;
- and
- an adjuster mechanism that connects the actuator to the shift collar, wherein the adjuster mechanism includes:
- a collar assembly that includes:
- a collar that defines a collar hole that receives the shift collar;
- and
- a shift block that is fixedly positioned with respect to the collar, the shift block defining an elongated slot and a first hole that extends from the elongated slot;
- a follower that is partially received in the elongated slot and that is operatively connected to the actuator, the follower defining a threaded hole;
- and
- an adjustment screw that is received in the first hole and the threaded hole and that is rotatable about an adjustment screw axis, wherein rotating the adjustment screw moves the collar assembly with respect to the follower, and rotating the adjustment screw moves the collar assembly and the shift collar along the axis independent of the actuator.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.