Differential gear unit with limited slip mechanism

A differential gear unit provided with a limited slip mechanism which comprises:

• a first annular cam element integral with one side gear of the gear unit,
• a second annular cam element axially slidably and rotatably mounted on a hub portion of said side gear and being engaged with said first annular cam element to be axially displaced by its cam action when rotated relatively to said first annular cam element, and
• a friction clutch mechanism including a first set of clutch discs slidably mounted on the hub portion of said side gear for rotation herewith and a second set of clutch discs axially slidably carried by a differential casea of the gear unit for rotation therewith and being interposed between the first set of clutch discs for frictional engagement therewith,
• wherein a clutch ring is axially slidably mounted within said differential case in surrounding relationship with said second annular cam element, said clutch ring being formed at an inner peiphery thereof with a conical surface for frictional engagement with a corresponding conicl surface formed on an outer periphery of said second cam element.
• wherein a shift mechanism is operatively connected to said clutch ring to shit said clutch ring between a disengaged position where it is disengaged from said second annularl cam element and an engaged position where it is engaged with said second annular cam element to effect relative rotation between said cam elements,
• wherein said clutch ring is carried by a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced slide rods which are axially slidably mounted within said differential case, and
• wherein said shift mechanism includes an axially movable shift rod arranged in parallel with said slide rods and operatively connected to said slide rods, and a actuator operatively connected to one end of said shift rod to be activated under control of a driver.