Compact full-traction differential

In a full-traction differential that transfers rotational forces from an external power source to a pair of side-gear worms in a gear complex supported in a housing rotationally driven by said external power source, said side-gear worms rotating about a first axis and each side-gear worm being fixed to a respective one of two output axles received in said housing;

• said gear complex having, in addition to said side-gear worms, at least two sets of paired combination gears, each combination gear of each pair being mounted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to said first axis, and each combination gear having a spur gear portion spaced apart from a worm-wheel portion and being in mating engagement with the other combination gear of said pair through said spur gear portion and in mating engagement with a respective one of said side-gear worms through said worm-wheel portion, the improvement wherein:
• said gear complex comprises at least one of:
• (a) a mounting with a plurality of pairs of hubs for supporting said combination gears, the individual hubs of each said pair extending, respectively, into mating shallow journal holes formed axially in each end of an otherwise solid body of each combination gear;
• and
• (b) each said side-gear worm having inverse-involute teeth with closed ends, and each worm-wheel portion of each said combination gear having involute teeth.

A gear complex for use in a full-traction differential for transferring rotational forces from an external power source to a pair of output axles, said differential having a housing that receives one end of each respective axle and is rotationally driven by said external power source;

• said gear complex, being supported within and rotating with said housing, comprising:
• a pair of side-gear worms, each side gear:
• (a) being fixed to a respective one of said output axles;
• and
• (b) having inverse-involute teeth with closed ends;
• at least two sets of paired combination gears, each combination gear of each pair having:
• (a) a solid gear body with only a shallow journal hole formed axially a predetermined distance into each end thereof,
• (b) a first gear portion spaced apart from a worm-wheel portion, said first gear portions of said combination gear pair being in mating engagement with each other, and said worm-wheel portions of said combination gear pair being in mating engagement, respectively, with a respective one of said side-gear worms;
• and
• (c) said worm-wheel portion having involute teeth so that, when in meshing engagement with said inverse-involute worm teeth of said side-gear worms, said worm teeth and worm-wheel teeth share a supra-enveloping contact pattern;
• a mounting for supporting said sets of paired combination gears, said mounting having:
• (a) a plurality of sets of paired hubs fixed to said mounting and positioned, respectively, to extend axially into said shallow journal holes formed in the ends of each paired combination gear;
• and
• (b) a thrust plate maintained in a fixed position between the inner ends of said pair of side-gear worms.