Differential apparatus

A differential apparatus comprising:

• a differential mechanism that allows a driving force inputted to an input member to be differentially distributed to a pair of output members;
• a differential case that accommodates the differential mechanism;
• and
• a clutch mechanism that transmits the driving force between the differential case and the input member of the differential mechanism, wherein
• the clutch mechanism includes a slide member arranged in a manner that allows the slide member to move relative to the differential mechanism inside the differential case in a central axial direction along a rotation axis of the differential case and that does not allow the slide member to rotate relative to the differential mechanism inside the differential case, the clutch mechanism further including an actuator for supplying the slide member with a moving force that moves the slide member in the central axial direction,
• the slide member includes a first meshable portion that is located at one end of the slide member in the central usual direction and that has a plurality of meshable teeth,
• the differential case includes a plurality of case members that are united to form the differential case, the plurality of case members including a first case member, the first case member including a second meshable portion having a plurality of meshable teeth facing the first meshable portion in the central axial direction, the first case member further including a joint portion that an input gear that rotates along with the differential case is joined to, and
• the differential apparatus switches between a coupled state and a decoupled state in accordance with whether the actuator is activated or deactivated, the coupled state causing the first meshable portion and the second meshable portion to mesh with each other in a circumferential direction so that the differential case and the slide member are coupled not to allow a relative rotation between the slide member and the differential case, the decoupled state decoupling the differential case and the slide member from each other to allow the relative rotation between the slide member and the differential case.