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US 5,853,342 AGranted
Offset transfer case
AssigneeNew Venture Gear, Inc.
InventorsLarry A. Pritchard, Parvinder Ahluwalia, James S. Brissenden, John D. Zalewski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transfer case for use in a four-wheel drive vehicle. The transfer case has an input shaft supported for rotation about a first rotary axis, a first output shaft supported for rotation about a second rotary axis, a second output shaft supported for rotation about a third rotary axis, and a torque transfer arrangement for delivering drive torque from the input shaft to each of the first and second output shafts.
Claims38
A transfer case for transferring drive torque from a drivetrain to first and second drivelines of a motor vehicle, said transfer case comprising:
- an input shaft supported for rotation about a first rotary axis and adapted to be driven by the drivetrain;
- a first output shaft supported for rotation about a second rotary axis and adapted to be interconnected to the first driveline;
- a second output shaft supported for rotation about a third rotary axis which is offset from said first and second axes, said second output shaft adapted to be interconnected to the second driveline;
- a drive shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis and driven by said input shaft;
- an interaxle differential having an input, a first output coupled to said first output shaft, and a second output coupled to said second output shaft;
- and
- a drive mechanism for selectively coupling said input of said interaxle differential to said drive shaft.
4 more elements
A transfer case for transferring drive torque from a drivetrain to first and second drivelines of a motor vehicle, said transfer case comprising:
- an input shaft supported for rotation about a first rotary axis and adapted to be driven by the drivetrain;
- a first output shaft supported for rotation about a second rotary axis and adapted to be interconnected to the first driveline;
- a second output shaft supported for rotation about a third rotary axis which is offset from said first and second axes, said second output shaft adapted to be interconnected to the second driveline;
- a drive shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis;
- a first drive mechanism coupling said drive shaft to said input shaft;
- a transfer shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis;
- a second drive mechanism coupling said transfer shaft to said first output shaft;
- an interaxle differential having an input, a first output coupled to said first output shaft, and a second output coupled to said transfer shaft;
- and
- a clutch for selectively coupling said drive shaft to said input of said interaxle differential.
7 more elements
A transfer case for transferring drive torque from a drivetrain to first and second drivelines of a motor vehicle, said transfer case comprising:
- an input shaft supported for rotation about a first rotary axis and adapted to be driven by the drivetrain;
- a first output shaft supported for rotation about a second rotary axis and adapted to be interconnected to the first driveline;
- a second output shaft supported for rotation about a third rotary axis which is offset from said first and second axes, said second output shaft adapted to be interconnected to the second driveline;
- a drive shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis;
- a first drive mechanism coupling said drive shaft to said input shaft;
- a transfer shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis;
- a second drive mechanism coupling said transfer shaft to said first output shaft;
- an interaxle differential having an input, a first output coupled to said first output shaft, and a second output coupled to said transfer shaft;
- a clutch for selectively coupling said drive shaft to said input of said interaxle differential;
- and
- a torque transfer apparatus for limiting slip and biasing torque transfer between said first and second outputs of said interaxle differential.
8 more elements
A transfer case comprising:
- an input shaft supported for rotation about a first rotary axis;
- a first output shaft supported for rotation about a second rotary axis;
- a second output shaft supported for rotation about a third rotary axis which is offset from said first and second axes;
- a drive shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis and driven by said input shaft;
- and
- a torque transfer apparatus coupling said second output shaft for rotation with said drive shaft and operable for transferring drive torque from said drive shaft to said first output shaft in response to speed differentiation between said first and second output shafts.
3 more elements
A transfer case comprising:
- an input shaft supported for rotation about a first rotary axis;
- a first output shaft supported for rotation about a second rotary axis;
- a second output shaft supported for rotation about a third rotary axis which is offset from said first and second axes:
- a drive shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis;
- a first drive mechanism coupling said drive shaft to said input shaft;
- a transfer shaft supported for rotation about said third rotary axis;
- a second drive mechanism coupling said transfer shaft to said first output shaft;
- a quill shaft supported for rotation about said third axis;
- a clutch for selectively coupling said drive shaft to said quill shaft;
- and
- a torque transfer apparatus coupling said second output shaft for rotation with said quill shaft and operable for transferring drive torque from said quill shaft to said first output shaft in response to speed differentiation between said first and second output shafts.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.