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US 5,314,039 AGranted
Drive assembly for a four wheel drive vehicle, having a disconnectable viscous coupling
AssigneeViscodrive GmbH
InventorMichael Hock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive assembly for a four wheel drive vehicle, which drive assembly, during forward driving, automatically assumes a freewheeling position if the speed of the dependent wheel axle is higher than that of the permanently driven axle, with the four wheel drive function otherwise being maintained with a reduced driving torque, even during reversing, the drive assembly providing the freewheeling unit with a second viscous coupling which is connected in parallel and whose torque transmitting capacity is smaller than, or equal to, that of the first viscous coupling.
Claims1
A drive assembly for a four wheel vehicle, comprising:
- a front axle with wheels which are driven permanently;
- a rear axle with wheels which are driven by a viscous coupling arranged in a longitudinal driveline;
- a freewheeling unit connected along the driveline in series with a viscous coupling so that during forward driving the freewheeling unit allows the rear wheels to rotate faster than the front wheels;
- a second viscous coupling connected along the driveline in parallel with the freewheeling unit, said second viscous coupling having a torque transmitting capacity no greater than that of the first viscous coupling;
- and a housing, the first and second viscous couplings, together with the freewheeling unit, being accommodated in the housing.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.