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US 6,484,600 B1Granted
Pneumatic three-position shift mechanism with fewer components
AssigneeMeritor Heavy Vehicle Technology, LLC
InventorsJohn L. Bennett, Herbert A. Larsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved transfer case has fewer parts than the prior art to achieve the pneumatic three-position function. In the prior art the pneumatic cylinders were provided by bolt-on housings which required additional components to achieve a fluid tight connection. The present invention incorporates its fluid cylinders within bores formed into the transfer case housings. In this way, the required number of housing components is greatly reduced compared to the prior art.
Claims11
A vehicle transfer case comprising:
- a shift collar movable with a shift rod between three positions, with said shift collar selectively engaging a low speed gear and a high speed gear in two positions and being in a neutral position in a third position;
- a housing for housing said shift rod, and said high speed and low speed gear, said housing comprising two housing halves;
- and
- a fluid shift mechanism for driving said shift rod between three positions corresponding to said low speed, said high speed and said neutral position, said shift rod being driven by pistons at a first end of said shift rod, and moving with said shift rod within fluid chambers, and there being pressurized fluid supplies for selectively directing pressurized fluid to said chambers, and at least a portion of said chambers being formed by an open bore within a first of said housing halves.
1 more element
A vehicle transfer case comprising:
- a shift collar movable with a shift rod between three positions, with said shift collar selectively engaging a low speed gear and a high speed gear in two positions and being in a neutral position in a third position;
- a housing for housing said shift rod, and said high speed and low speed gear, said housing comprising two housing halves;
- and
- a fluid shift mechanism for driving said shift rod between three positions corresponding to said low speed, said high speed and said neutral position, said shift rod being driven by pistons to a first end of said shift rod, and moving with said shift rod within fluid chambers, and there being pressurized fluid supplies for selectively directing pressurized fluid to said chambers, and at least a portion of said chambers being formed by an open bore within a first of said housing halves, a blind bore within a second of said housing halves receiving a second end of said shift rod, with a pair of pistons movable with said shift rod, one of said pistons being movable relative to said shift rod in one direction, and a second of said pistons being fixed to move with said shift rod, said second of said pistons moving only within said open bore in said housing between said three positions.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.