Vehicle Differential Lock Disengagement Bypass
AssigneeBrandt Road Rail Corporation
InventorJosh Dumalski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for bypassing a control valve that would otherwise disengage differential and/or inter-axle locking means. The bypass is achieved by a valve that can be actuated by a vehicle condition change.
Claims17
A method for selectively bypassing a disengagement system for differential locking means in a vehicle having a selectively lockable differential, the differential locking means disengageable by means of a control valve in communication with the differential locking means, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a bypass valve moveable between first and second positions;
- b. positioning the bypass valve between the control valve and the differential locking means;
- c. setting the bypass valve in the first position, thereby allowing unimpeded communication between the control valve and the differential locking means;
- and
- d. selectively actuating the bypass valve to move the bypass valve to the second position, thereby blocking communication between the control valve and the differential locking means and preventing disengagement of the differential locking means.
A bypass system for use with a disengagement system for differential locking means in a vehicle having a selectively lockable differential, the differential locking means powered by a power fluid selectively allowed by disengagement control means, the bypass system comprising:
- valve means for receiving a power fluid alternatively from the disengagement control means in a first position and a power fluid source in a second position;
- biasing means for biasing the valve means in the first position;
- actuation means for switching the valve means from the first position to the second position;
- and
- power fluid transfer means for supplying the disengagement control means and the valve means;
- such that in the first position, the valve means allows unimpeded power fluid flow between the disengagement control means and the differential locking means;
- and
- in the second position, the valve means blocks power fluid flow between the disengagement control means and the differential locking means and thereby prevents disengagement of the differential locking means by the disengagement control means while allowing power fluid flow directly from the power fluid source to the differential locking means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.