Differential with extended planet gears having multiple meshing portions
AssigneeZexel Torsen Inc.
InventorWard E. Bowerman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A parallel-axis gear differential includes one or more pairs of planet gears (68 and 70) for interconnecting two side gears (34 and 36). The planet gears (68 and 70) include at least three meshing portions (82, 84, and 88 and 94, 96, and 98). One of the meshing portions (82 or 96) of each planet gear (68 or 70) engages one of the side gears (34 or 36), and the other two meshing portions (84 and 88) of one planet gear (68) engage respective meshing portions (94 and 98) of its paired planet gear (70). The two planet-to-planet meshes (84/94 and 88/98) straddle one of the side gears (36), and the two side gears (34 and 36) straddle one of the planet-to-planet gear meshes (84/94). A spacer block (46) is positioned between the side gears (34 and 36 ).
Claims30
A parallel-axis differential gear assembly comprising:
- a housing rotatable about a pair of drive shafts sharing a common axis of rotation;
- a pair of first and second side gears positioned in said housing for receiving ends of the respective drive shafts for rotation therewith about the common axis;
- at least one pair of first and second planet gears positioned in said housing for rotation about respective axes that extend parallel to the common axis;
- each of said planet gears including a first meshing portion in engagement with one of said side gears and second and third meshing portions in engagement with respective meshing portions of its paired planet gear;
- said engaged second and third meshing portions of the planet gears straddling said second side gear along the common axis;
- and
- said first and second side gears straddling the engaged second meshing portions of the planet gears along the common axis.
A differential comprising:
- a housing rotatable about a pair of drive shafts sharing a common axis of rotation;
- a pair of first and second side gears positioned in said housing for receiving ends of the respective drive shafts for rotation therewith about the common axis;
- at least one pair of first and second planet gears positioned in said housing for rotation about respective axes and operatively connecting said side gears for opposite directions of relative rotation;
- each of said planet gears including a first meshing portion in engagement with one of said side gears and second, third, and fourth meshing portions in engagement with the respective meshing portions of its paired planet gear;
- and
- said second, third, and fourth meshing portions being separated from each other along the respective axes of planet gear rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.