US 4,782,721 A · Vehicle gear assembly for torque transfer to two or four wheels

Abstract

A gear assembly for selectively shifting the driving torque in an engine driven vehicle to either a 2 or 4-wheel high mode while in motion, or from a neutral position to a 4-wheel low mode and return. The assembly has five main gears including an input set of two and an output set of three constant mesh gears rotatably mounted in fixed positions and a synchronizer in between the two sets in selective driving association with the output gear set. Selective transfer of torque from the input drive to the assembly to either or both the front and rear output shafts is effected by operation of a single shift rod which in turn moves a single fork both for activation of the synchronizer and for shifting the assembly into its 2 and 4-wheel high, neutral and 4-wheel low drive positions through interconnecting gear clutch collars. In one embodiment a pair of coaxial collars are incorporated in the gear assembly. In a second embodiment which reduces need for concern for windup stress, three such collars are utilized, one being coaxial with two side-by-side slideable collars internal thereof. A poppet member arrangement in the form of poppet balls or slugs provide an interlocking connection between clutch collars for their positive positioning in the drive positions manually selected by way of the shift rod.

A gear assembly for selectively shifting a power driven vehicle to a two-wheel or a four-wheel drive mode comprising

a case for said gear assembly,
an input shaft for supply of driving power to said assembly,
a first output shaft for driving a first pair of wheels and a second output shaft for driving a second pair of wheels,
said input shaft and said first output shaft being arranged in abutting collinear relation with each other,
a gear set comprising three constant mesh gears including a first output gear mounted for free rotation on said first output shaft,
an intermediate gear in meshed relation with said first output gear and an intermediate shaft on which said intermediate gear is rotatably mounted and
a second output gear for said second wheels fixed to said second output shaft and having a meshed driven relation with said intermediate gear,
means for selectively connecting said input shaft in driving relation with said first output shaft to drive said first pair of wheels,
a synchronizer mounted for rotation concentrically with said first output shaft and for frictional engagement with the input shaft side of said freely rotatable first output gear,
means for selectively activating said synchronizer to establish such frictional engagement of the synchronizer with said first output gear to effect matching of rotational speeds between said first output gear and first output shaft,
means for positive connection of said first output gear and first output shaft for rotation in unison upon such matching of speeds and
shift control means for operating said means for selectively activating said synchronizer and for positive connection of said first output gear and first output shaft in said assembly corresponding to desired operating modes whereby the driving power of said input shaft can be selectively supplied to said first pair of wheels alone or to both of said pairs of wheels,
said means for connecting said input shaft directly with said first output shaft comprising an annular collar having internal splines,
said input shaft and first output shaft being axially aligned and having matching external splines with which the internal splines of said collar are slidably mateable whereby said collar can be selectively moved onto one of said shafts and alternately in bridging connecting relation between said shafts,
said annular collar comprising an internal collar having external splines and a concentric outer collar having internal splines meshed with said external splines, said internal collar having a locking member within an aperture therein for locking said internal collar to said output shaft in its bridging relation between said shafts, said outer collar being laterally moveable over said internal collar to hold said locking member in position to effect the locked relation between said shafts, said outer collar having an interior recess for receipt of said locking member to release said locked relation between shafts when said outer collar is moved to a position with said recess over said locking member.

12 more elements

Facts

Application

06/913,332Filed 29 Sep 1986 · continuation in part

Priority

6 Mar 1985

Granted

8 Nov 1988

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B60K 17/344
For driving both front and rear wheels, e.g. four wheel drive vehicles: having a transfer gear
B60K 17/3467
The transfer gear being a differential gear: combined with a change speed gearing, e.g. range gear
Y10T 74/19084
Parallel: spur
B60K
Arrangement or mounting of propulsion units or of transmissions in vehicles

Vehicle gear assembly for torque transfer to two or four wheels

Life of this patent

Vehicle gear assembly for torque transfer to two or four wheels

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14