Transfer case with planetary gear range shifting

A transfer case, comprising:

• an input shaft;
• a clutch collar moveably disposed on the input shaft, the clutch collar having a face gear provided on an end surface and a spline provided along a circumference of the clutch collar;
• a planetary gear set having a sun gear operatively coupled to a planet gear carrier via a plurality of planet gears, the sun gear having a face gear and the planet gear carrier having a spline;
• and
• an actuator that includes an actuator shaft that is operatively coupled to the clutch collar and that has first and second pistons that are disposed in first and second cavities that are disposed proximate opposite ends of the actuator shaft, respectively, wherein the first cavity has a first port, the second cavity has second and third ports, and wherein pressurized fluid is provided to the first cavity via the first port to actuate the clutch collar to a high range speed position and pressurized fluid is provided to the second cavity via the third port to actuate the clutch collar to a low range speed position, wherein a stop is disposed between the second piston and the second port that limits movement of the second piston toward the first piston;
• wherein the face gear on the clutch collar engages the face gear on the sun gear when the clutch collar is in the high speed range position;
• and
• wherein the spline on the clutch collar engages the spline on the planet gear carrier when the clutch collar is in the low speed range position.

A transfer case for a vehicle, comprising:

• an input shaft;
• a clutch collar disposed on the input shaft, the clutch collar being configured to move between a first position in which a first gear ratio is engaged and a second position in which a second gear ratio is engaged;
• an actuator that includes:
• a first piston disposed in a first cavity having a first port;
• a second piston disposed in a second cavity having second and third ports;
• and
• an actuator shaft configured to engage the first and second pistons;
• and
• a shift fork that couples the actuator shaft and the clutch collar;
• wherein pressurized fluid is provided to the first cavity via the first port to actuate the clutch collar to the first position and pressurized fluid is provided to the second cavity via the second and third ports to actuate the clutch collar to the second position.