Vehicle system

A mechanical differential assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• a housing having an interior surface;
• a pinion gear operable to both rotate relative to the interior surface of the housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing;
• a clutch portion fixed to the pinion gear;
• and
• wherein the clutch portion is configured to engage and lock the pinion gear to the housing when the mechanical differential assembly is in a locked configuration;
• wherein the clutch portion is a cap extending a distance from a toothed portion of the pinion gear;
• wherein a cap interior surface of the cap extends away from the toothed portion;
• wherein the cap interior surface forms a variable radius and forms a changing pressure angle relative to a locking member;
• wherein the cap interior surface reduces the pressure angle as the cap and the locking member move closer together, such that a curve of the cap interior surface decreases the pressure angle as the cap moves toward the locking member.

A mechanical differential assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• a housing having an interior surface;
• a pinion gear operable to both rotate relative to the interior surface of the housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing;
• a clutch portion fixed to the pinion gear;
• and
• wherein the clutch portion is configured to engage and lock the pinion gear to the housing when the mechanical differential assembly is in a locked configuration;
• wherein the clutch portion is a cap extending a distance from a toothed portion of the pinion gear;
• wherein the cap includes a cap interior surface that is configured to be engaged by a locking member;
• wherein the interior surface of the housing includes a first portion that is substantially spherical to engage a cap exterior surface.

A mechanical differential assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• a housing having an interior surface with a spherical portion;
• and
• a first pinion gear having a first clutch portion fixed to the first pinion gear, wherein the first pinion gear is operable to both rotate relative to the interior surface of the housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing, wherein the first clutch portion includes a first interior clutch surface and a first exterior clutch surface;
• a second pinion gear having a second clutch portion fixed to the second pinion gear, wherein the second pinion gear is operable to both rotate relative to the interior surface of the housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing, wherein the second clutch portion includes a second interior clutch surface and a second exterior clutch surface;
• and
• a locking member defining a cam surface configured to engage both of the first interior clutch surface and the second interior clutch surface and lock the at least one of the first pinion gear or the second pinion gear relative to the housing when the mechanical differential assembly is in a locked configuration;
• wherein a pressure angle is formed between the cam surface and the at least one of the first interior clutch surface or the second interior clutch surface.

A mechanical differential assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• a housing having an interior surface with a spherical portion;
• and
• a pinion gear having a toothed portion and a clutch portion fixed to the pinion gear and extending from the toothed portion, wherein the pinion gear is operable to both rotate relative to the interior surface of the housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing, wherein the clutch portion includes an interior clutch surface and an exterior clutch surface;
• a cam surface configured to engage the interior clutch surface and lock the pinion gear to the housing when the mechanical differential assembly is in a locked configuration such that the exterior clutch surface engages the interior surface of the housing;
• and
• a locking member defining the cam surface, wherein a pressure angle is formed between the cam surface and the interior clutch surface;
• wherein the interior clutch surface forms a variable radius and forms the pressure angle that is a changing pressure angle relative to the cam surface of the locking member;
• wherein the interior clutch surface reduces the pressure angle as the clutch portion and the locking member move closer together, such that a curve of the interior clutch surface decreases the pressure angle as the clutch portion moves toward the locking member.

A method of providing a mechanical differential assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• providing a first pinion gear having a first clutch portion fixed to the first pinion gear, wherein the first pinion gear is operable to both rotate relative to an interior surface of a housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing, wherein the first clutch portion includes a first interior clutch surface and a first exterior clutch surface;
• providing a second pinion gear having a second clutch portion fixed to the second pinion gear, wherein the second pinion gear is operable to both rotate relative to the interior surface of the housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing, wherein the second clutch portion includes a second interior clutch surface and a second exterior clutch surface;
• positioning a locking member having a cam surface configured to engage both of the first interior clutch surface and the second interior clutch surface and lock at least one of the first pinion gear or the second pinion gear relative to the housing when the mechanical differential assembly is in a locked configuration;
• and
• providing a pressure angle between the cam surface and at least one of the first interior clutch surface or the second interior clutch surface.

A method of providing a mechanical differential assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• positioning a pinion gear having a toothed portion and a clutch portion fixed to the pinion gear and extending from the toothed portion, wherein the pinion gear is operable to both rotate relative to an interior surface of a housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing, wherein the clutch portion includes an interior clutch surface and an exterior clutch surface;
• positioning a locking member having a cam surface configured to engage the interior clutch surface and lock the pinion gear to the housing when the mechanical differential assembly is in a locked configuration such that the exterior clutch surface engages the interior surface of the housing;
• forming a pressure angle between the cam surface and the interior clutch surface;
• and
• providing the interior clutch surface with a variable radius such that the formed pressure angle is a changing pressure angle relative to the cam surface of the locking member;
• wherein the interior clutch surface reduces the pressure angle as the clutch portion and the locking member move closer together, such that a curve of the interior clutch surface decreases the pressure angle as the clutch portion moves toward the locking member.