Limited slip inter-axle differential

An inter-axle differential assembly, comprising:

• a cylindrical housing extending along a central axis and rotatable along the axis, including an outer radial surface;
• an annular axial end surface connected to the cylindrical housing, wherein the annular axial end surface includes an opening for receiving an input shaft;
• an end cover plate adjacent to the cylindrical housing on the axial opposite end than the annular axial end surface, wherein the end cover plate includes an opening for receiving an output shaft;
• a unitary gear set extending continuously in the radial direction from the outer radial surface of the cylindrical housing having helical teeth;
• wherein the cylindrical housing, annular axial end surface and end cover plate define a hollow chamber housing a planetary differential gear assembly comprising an input side gear mounted on the input shaft, an output side gear mounted on the output shaft and at least one input pinion and at least one output pinion;
• and
• wherein the unitary gear set is axially aligned with the input side gear;
• wherein the at least one input pinion comprises a first gear and a second gear separated from the first gear by a shaft and the least one output pinion comprises a first gear and a second gear separated from the first gear by a shaft;
• wherein the output pinion first gear is meshed with the input pinion second gear and the output pinion second gear is meshed with the input pinion first gear;
• wherein the input pinion first gear is meshed with the input side gear and the output pinion first gear is meshed with the output side gear;
• and
• the unitary gear set axially aligned with the input pinion first gear.

An inter-axle differential assembly, comprising;

• a differential case including a cylindrical housing extending along a central axis and rotatable along the axis and having an outer radial surface, an annular axial end surface connected to the cylindrical housing, the annular axial end surface including
• an opening for receiving an input shaft, an end cover plate adjacent to the cylindrical housing on the axial opposite end than the annular axial end surface, the end cover plate including an opening for receiving an output shaft,
• wherein the cylindrical housing, the annular axial end surface and the end cover plate define a hollow chamber, the chamber housing a differential gear assembly, an input pinion and an output pinion;
• wherein a unitary gear set extending continuously in the radial direction from the outer radial surface of the housing having helical teeth;
• wherein a toothed pinion shaft which engages the unitary gear set, wherein the tooth pinion shaft is parallel to, but axially offset from the input and output shafts and the pinion shaft has a pinion gear;
• wherein the one input pinion comprises a first gear and a second gear separated from the first gear portion by a shaft and the output pinion comprises a first gear and a second gear separated from the first gear by a shaft;
• wherein the output pinion first gear is meshed with the input pinion second gear and the output pinion second gear is meshed with the input pinion first gear;
• wherein the input pinion first gear is meshed with the input side gear and the output pinion first gear is meshed with the output side gear;
• and
• the unitary gear set is axially aligned with the input pinion first gear and an input side gear.