Parallel-axis combination gear differential
AssigneeZexel-Gleason USA, Inc.
InventorGordon B. Tseng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the disclosed torque-proportioning type of automotive differential, a parallel-axis planetary gear arrangement is carried within a housing rotatable about a pair of drive axles. A pair of sun/side gears receive, respectively, the ends of the coaxial drive axles. The side gears are interconnected by at least one planetary pair of combination gears. Each combination gear of the pair is in mesh with a respective one of the side gears, and each shares two separate and distinct meshing portions with its paired combination gear. For each combination gear, the two meshing portions shared with its paired gear straddle the portion of the gear which meshes with its respective side gear. In the preferred embodiments, the shared mesh portions are located at the two axial outer ends of the combination gears.
Claims14
A differential assembly comprising:
- a differential housing;
- a pair of side gears positioned in said housing for receiving a pair of respective axle ends for rotation therewith about a common axis;
- at least one pair of combination gears supported in said housing, each respective combination gear in each said pair being in meshing engagement with both a respective one of said side gears and with its paired combination gear, the meshing engagement of said side and combination gears interconnecting said respective axle ends in a mutual driving relationship;
- said combination gears being supported in said housing with their respective axes aligned in parallel with the common axis of said side gears;
- and
- the combination gears of each said pair being in mesh with each other at two separated areas which straddle the position where each combination gear meshes with its respective side gear.
A gear differential having compound planetary gearing comprising:
- a housing that is rotatable about a pair of axle shafts which share a common axis;
- a pair of sun gears adapted to receive the respective ends of said axle shafts for rotation within said housing;
- at least one pair of planetary gears mounted for rotation within said housing on respective axes which are parallel to said common axis;
- and
- each planetary gear having a plurality of toothed portions for meshing engagement with its paired planetary gear and with a respective one of said sun gears,
- so that the planetary gears of each said pair mesh with each other at two separated areas which straddle the respective positions where each planetary gear meshes with its associated sun gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.