Differential with bidirectional overrunning clutch

A differential comprising:

• a housing;
• a cover coupled to the housing;
• a first side hub;
• a second side hub, the first and second side hubs received within the housing;
• a ring gear received within the housing;
• a pinion gear in operational engagement with the ring gear, the pinion gear configured to couple torque between the ring gear and a transmission;
• a roller cage assembly including rollers that engage a first roller engaging outer surface portion of the first side hub and a second roller engaging outer surface portion of the second side hub;
• a clutch cam housing received around the roller cage assembly, the clutch cam housing operationally engaged with the ring gear, the clutch cam housing further having an internal surface with cam features, the rollers of the roller cage assembly positioned to engage the cam features in an interior surface of the clutch cam housing to selectively couple torque between the ring gear and the first and second side hubs;
• a centering spring positioned to provide a centering force between the roller cage assembly and the clutch cam housing to center the rollers of the roller cage assembly in associated cam features in the interior surface of the clutch cam housing;
• a first plain bearing end cap having an interior surface forming a plain bearing interface with a first end cap engaging outer surface portion of the first side hub, the first plain bearing end cap further having a first outer surface portion that engages a first end portion of the roller cage assembly;
• a second plain bearing end cap having an interior surface forming a plain bearing interface with a second end cap engaging outer surface portion of the second side hub, the second plain bearing end cap further having a first outer surface portion that engages a second end portion of the roller cage assembly, wherein the first and second plain bearing end caps support a positional location of the roller cage assembly;
• and
• an always actuated overrunning clutch (ORC) configured to engage the roller cage assembly during an ORC condition to provide a torsion force to overcome the centering force provided by the centering spring therein allowing the rollers of the roller cage assembly to selectively couple torque between the ring gear and at least one of the first and second side hubs.

A vehicle comprising:

• an engine to generate torque;
• a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in operational engagement with the engine;
• and
• a differential in operational communication with the CVT, the differential including,
• a housing,
• a cover coupled to the housing;
• a first side hub,
• a second side hub, the first and second side hubs received within the housing;
• a ring gear received within the housing,
• a pinion gear in operational engagement with the ring gear, the pinion gear configured to couple torque between the ring gear and a transmission;
• a roller cage assembly including rollers that engage a first roller engaging outer surface portion of the first side hub and a second roller engaging outer surface portion of the second side hub,
• a clutch cam housing received around the roller cage assembly, the clutch cam housing operationally coupled to the ring gear, the clutch cam housing further having an internal surface with cam features, the rollers of the roller cage assembly positioned to engage the cam features in an interior surface of the clutch cam housing to selectively couple torque between the ring gear and the first and second side hubs,
• a centering spring positioned to provide a centering force between the roller cage assembly and the clutch cam housing to center the rollers of the roller cage assembly in associated cam features in the interior surface of the clutch cam housing, and
• an always actuated overrunning clutch (ORC) configured to engage the roller cage assembly during an ORC condition to provide a torsion force to overcome the centering force provided by the centering spring therein allowing the rollers of the roller cage assembly to selectively couple torque between the ring gear and at least one of the first and second side hubs.