Four-wheel drive vehicle
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsPaul Bausch, Hans-Peter Hemmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A four-wheel drive vehicle has a permanently driven axle. A planetary gear set and viscous clutch are located in the power train leading to the second axle. The annular gear of the planetary gear set is mounted rotatably and can be stopped by a brake band. When the brake band is tensioned, the four-wheel drive, which is running via the viscous clutch, is in the state of readiness, while it is ineffective when the brake band is released.
Claims17
A four-wheel drive vehicle in which the wheels of a first axle are continuously driven while the wheels of a second axle are continuously driven while the wheels of a second axle are driven by a viscous clutch which is located in a power train between the first and second axles and which operates automatically depending on driving conditions, and in which the power train includes a controllable auxiliary clutch which permits torque engagement and disengagement of drive torque for the wheels of the second axle, characterized in that the controllable auxiliary clutch comprises a planetary gear train located in the power train between the first and second axles and controllable means which act on the planetary gear train for locking a transmission member.
A four-wheel drive vehicle in which the wheels of a first axle are continuously driven while the wheels of a second axle can be driven by a viscous clutch which is located in a power train between the first and second axles and which operates automatically depending on driving conditions, and in which the power train includes a controllable auxiliary clutch which permits engagement and disengagement of drive torque in the power train, characterized in that;
- the controllable auxiliary clutch comprises a planetary gear train located in the power train between the first and second axles and controllable means which act on the planetary gear train for locking a transmission member,
- the planetary gear train has an annular gear which is mounted rotatably and which can be stopped by a brake forming part of the controllable means;
- the planetary gear train is driven via a planet carrier and the power is taken off via a central gear;
- and a brake band looped around the annular gear is provided as the brake.
A four-wheel drive vehicle in which the wheels of a first axle are continuously driven while the wheels of a second axle can be driven by a viscous clutch which is located in a power train between the first and second axles and which operates automatically depending on driving conditions, and in which the power train includes a controllable auxiliary clutch which permits engagement and disengagement of drive torque in the power train, characterized in that;
- the controllable auxiliary clutch comprises a planetary gear train located in the power train between the first and second axles and controllable means which act on the planetary gear train for locking a transmission member, and
- the planetary gear train has an annular member which is mounted rotatably and which can be stopped by a brake forming part of the controllable means so that power is taken off a gear of the planetary gear train to drive the viscous coupling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.