Vehicle differential disconnect assembly
AssigneeGKN Driveline North America, Inc.
InventorBrent Peura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle differential disconnect assembly can include a differential case, a differential gear set, and a torque distribution device. The differential gear set is carried within the differential case. The torque distribution device transfers torque between the differential gear set and side shafts of the accompanying vehicle driveline. The torque distribution device can include a clutch pack and an actuator assembly. The clutch pack is located at a first side of the differential case relative to the differential gear set, and the actuator assembly is located at a second side of the differential case relative to the differential gear set. The actuator assembly has a mover that transmits movement to the clutch pack when the actuator assembly actuates and deactuates the clutch pack.
Claims21
A vehicle differential disconnect assembly, comprising:
- a differential case;
- a differential gear set carried within said differential case and including a pin having an axis and a pair of differential gears arranged on the pin for rotation about the pin axis;
- and
- a torque distribution device transferring torque between said differential gear set and a side shaft of the vehicle, said torque distribution device including a clutch pack and an actuator assembly including an actuator member that is driven relative to the clutch pack to selectively actuate the clutch pack, said clutch pack located at a first side of said differential case relative to said pin axis, said actuator member of said actuator assembly located at a second side of said differential case relative to said pin axis, said actuator assembly having a mover that is driven by the actuator member to selectively actuate, said mover having a body that extends from said first side of said differential case to said second side of said differential case to transfer movement of the actuator member to said clutch pack, and wherein said torque distribution device includes a return spring facilitating deactuation of said clutch pack, said return spring seated in a circumferential gap located radially outwardly of said clutch pack.
A vehicle differential disconnect assembly, comprising:
- a differential case having a first side and a second side;
- a differential gear set including a pin located between the first side and the second side, a pair of differential gears arranged on the pin for rotation about an axis of the pin and a pair of side shaft gears meshed with the differential gears for rotation about a rotational axis different from the axis of the pin;
- and
- a torque distribution device including a clutch pack and an actuator assembly, said clutch pack located on said first side of said differential case, said actuator assembly having an actuator plate located on said second side of said differential case, said actuator plate being movable relative to the clutch pack and said actuator assembly having a mover, said mover being driven by movement of the actuator plate to selectively actuate said clutch pack, said mover having a first end directly engaged by the actuator plate, said mover having a second end engaging said clutch pack upon actuation of said clutch pack, said mover having a portion arranged at the first side of the differential case and a portion arranged at the second side of the differential case wherein said differential case has a wall adjacent said clutch pack with at least one opening defined therein, said mover has at least one projection constituting said second end, said at least one projection moves through said at least one opening and engages said clutch pack upon actuation of said clutch pack.
A vehicle differential disconnect assembly, comprising:
- a differential case;
- a differential gear set including a pin, a pair of differential gears arranged on the pin for rotation about an axis of the pin, and a pair of side shaft gears meshed with the differential gears for rotation about a rotational axis, wherein the axis of the pin and the rotational axis of the side shaft gears intersect within the differential case;
- and
- a torque distribution device transferring torque between said differential gear set and a side shaft of the vehicle, said torque distribution device including a clutch pack and an actuator assembly, said clutch pack located at a first side of said differential case relative to said pin axis, said actuator assembly having at least a portion located at a second side of said differential case relative to said pin axis, said actuator assembly having a mover that is driven by the actuator assembly to selectively actuate said clutch pack, said mover having a body that engages the clutch pack and which extends from said first side of said differential case to said second side of said differential case to transfer movement of the actuator assembly to said clutch pack, wherein a portion of the mover body is located outside of the differential case and overlaps both the pin and opening from outside of the differential case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.