Planetary gear transmission systems or components – Differential planetary gearing – Spur gear differential
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2001-10-30
Wright, Dirk (Department: 3681)
Planetary gear transmission systems or components
Differential planetary gearing
Spur gear differential
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309321
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a torque-proportioning differential of the helical pinion type that includes locking means that are operable either automatically or by the operator of the vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Torque-proportioning differential of the helical gear type are well known in the prior art, as evidenced by the prior patents to Myers U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,239, Dissett U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,625,585, 4,365,524, 4,625,585, 4,677,876, and 4,751,853, among others. Through the use of this type of differential over the years, it has become apparent that the need exists for locking means that are operable either automatically or by the vehicle operator to fully lock the driven axle shafts to each other, for example, upon the occurrence of a spin-out condition of one of the driving wheels. This can be achieved by locking one side gear to the case, or by locking one axle to the case (as is generally done with manual locking systems).
It is also known in the shaft coupling art to provide spiral type one-way clutches including raceway and roller means are arranged in the annular space between a pair of concentrically spaced annular coupling members. Examples of such coupling clutch means are presented by the Kerr U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,341,294 and 5,638,931.
The present invention was developed to provide an improved fully-locking torque-responsive differential that is operated between fully locked and unlocked conditions, respectively, either automatically or by an operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a fully-locking torque-responsive differential including automatic or manually operable coupling means for locking and unlocking a given side gear to the rotary casing of the differential.
According to a more specific object of the invention, annular coupling means are arranged concentrically between a tubular axially-extending hub portion of a given first side gear and the cylindrical wall portion of the bore of the carrier in which the one side gear is rotatably mounted. Non-rotatable operating means mounted on the differential housing within which the carrier rotates serve to operate the coupling means between locked engaged and unlocked disengaged conditions, respectively. The operating means includes an operating trigger pin that is axially displaceable between first and second positions relative to the carrier to disengage and engage the coupling means, respectively. Spring means bias the trigger pin toward the first position, whereby the coupling means are normally in the disengaged condition.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the coupling means includes a radially-slit inner annular member that is normally biased radially inwardly toward an engaged condition in frictional engagement with the outer periphery of the hub portion of the one side gear. In this case, the trigger pin is normally biased axially in a direction to effect insertion of the end of the trigger pin into a keyed opening contained between the adjacent surfaces of the inner and outer coupling members, thereby to prevent relative angular displacement of the coupling members. The coupling rollers are in a loose condition, whereupon the inner coupling member rotates freely upon the associated side gear. When the trigger pin is axially displaced in the opposite direction to withdraw the pin from the keyed opening, the coupling members are relatively slightly angularly displaced to cause the rollers to ride up their associated coupling ramps, whereupon the split inner coupling member is compressed radially inwardly into locking engagement with the associated side gear, thereby to lock the side gear with the housing. According to a second embodiment of the invention, the outer coupling member is split and is resiliently biased radially outwardly toward frictional engagement with the wall of the bore formed in the housing. As before, the trigger pin is biased axially into the key hole between the coupling members, thereby to prevent relative angular displacement of the coupling members from the unlocked position to the locked position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3706239 (1972-12-01), Myers
patent: 4341294 (1982-07-01), Kerr
patent: 4365524 (1982-12-01), Dissett et al.
patent: 4625585 (1986-12-01), Dissett
patent: 4677876 (1987-07-01), Dissett
patent: 4751853 (1988-06-01), Dissett
patent: 5638931 (1997-06-01), Kerr
patent: 99/28645 (1997-11-01), None
Laubscher & Laubscher
Tractech INC
Wright Dirk
LandOfFree
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