Direct acting electronic locking differential

An electronically actuated locking differential comprising:

• a gear case having a first end and an opposite bell end, the gear case defining a gear chamber between the first end and the opposite bell end;
• a differential gear set disposed in the gear case, the differential gear set including a first side gear and a second side gear;
• a lock plate disposed at the gear case first end and configured to selectively engage the differential gear set;
• an electronic actuator disposed at the gear case bell end and coupled to the lock plate via at least one rod, the electronic actuator including a stator and an armature, the stator having an electromagnetic coil that, when energized, causes the armature and the at least one rod to move toward the stator, wherein the at least one rod includes a larger diameter first end coupled to the lock plate and an opposite second end coupled to the armature;
• and
• a biasing mechanism disposed in the gear chamber between the first side gear and the lock plate, the biasing mechanism comprising a wave spring disposed exclusively inboard of the at least one rod and configured to bias the lock plate out of engagement with the first side gear;
• wherein the electronic actuator is operable between an unlocked first mode where the lock plate does not lockingly engage the differential gear set, and a locked second mode where the electronic actuator pulls the at least one rod to thereby pull the lock plate into locking engagement with the differential gear set to thereby lock a pair of axle shafts, the lock plate configured to selectively lockingly engage the first side gear in the locked second mode.