Limited-slip type differential with adjusting means

Claim 2

A differential carrier rotatable about an axis of rotation and comprising: a cross disposed within the carrier and connected for rotation with the carrier, a planetary gear carried by said cross, a backing member connected to the carrier, a side gear disposed within the carrier and rotatable about the carrier axis of rotation, said side gear being disposed between said backing member and said cross and the teeth of said side gear engaging in the teeth of said planetary gear, a clutch for transmitting torque between the carrier and said side gear, said clutch being disposed between said backing member and said side gear and including a friction disc connected to the carrier and a friction disc connected to said side gear, and adjusting means for moving said backing member toward said side gear with a force selected to maintain said friction discs in frictional engagement during all modes of operation to compensate for wear of said discs and to maintain said side gear in a preselected position relative to sAid planetary gear, said adjusting means permitting the movement of said backing member only in a direction toward said side gear.

Claim 3

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 1 wherein said backing member is threadably connected to the carrier and said adjusting means includes means for biasing said backing member to turn in a direction which causes said backing member to threadably withdraw from engagement with the carrier toward said side gear.

Claim 4

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 2 wherein said biasing means is a torsional spring connected between the carrier and said backing member.

Claim 5

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 1 and including a spring washer disposed between said cross and said side gear, the free height of said washer being selected to set the engagement of said side gear teeth and said planetary gear teeth at a predetermined working depth and the spring force of said washer being selected to be greater than the force exerted by said backing member toward said side gear.

Claim 6

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 4 wherein said backing member is threadably connected to the carrier and said adjusting means includes a torsional spring connected between the carrier and said backing member, said spring biasing said backing member to turn in a direction which causes said backing member to threadably withdraw from engagement with the carrier toward said side gear.

Claim 7

A differential carrier rotatable about an axis of rotation and comprising: a cross disposed within the carrier and connected for rotation with the carrier, said cross having first and second opposite sides facing along the carrier axis and also being movable a selected distance along said axis, a planetary gear carried by said cross, a first side gear disposed within the carrier on said first side of said cross and rotatable about the carrier axis of rotation, the gear teeth of said first gear engaging in the teeth of said planetary gear, a second side gear disposed within the carrier on said second side of said cross and rotatable about the carrier axis of rotation, the gear teeth of said second gear engaging in the teeth of said planetary gear, a first backing member connected to said carrier on said first side of said cross, a second backing member connected to said carrier on said second side of said cross, a first clutch for transmitting torque between the carrier and said first gear, said first clutch being disposed between said first gear and said first backing member and including a first driving friction disc connected to the carrier and a first driven friction disc connected to said first gear, a second clutch for transmitting torque between the carrier and said second gear, said second clutch being disposed between said second gear and said second backing member and including a second driving friction disc connected to the carrier and a second driven friction disc connected to said second gear, and first adjusting means for exerting a selected force to move said first backing member toward said second backing member to thereby reduce the distance between said first and second backing members to compensate for wear of said discs, said adjusting means maintaining said first and second driving discs in respective frictional engagement with said first and second driven discs during all modes of operation and also maintaining said first and second gears in a preselected position relative to said planetary gear to thereby maintain a selected engagement between the teeth of each said gear and the teeth of said planetary gear, said first adjusting means permitting the movement of said first backing member only in a direction toward said second backing member.

Claim 8

A differential carrier rotatable about an axis of rotation and comprising: a cross disposed within the carrier and connected for rotation with the carrier, said cross having first and second opposite sides facing along the carrier axis and also being movable a selected distance along said axis, a planetary gear carried by said cross, a first side gear disposed within the carrier on said first side of said cross and rotatable about the carrier axis of rotation, the gear teeth of said first gear engaging in the teeth of said planetary gear, a second side gear disposed within the carrier on said second side of said cross and rotatable about the carrier axis of rotation, the gear teeth of said second gear engaging in the teeth of said planetary gear, a first backing member connected to said carrier on said first side of said cross, a second backing member connected to said carrier on said second side of said cross, a first clutch for transmitting torque between the carrier and said first gear, said first clutch being disposed between said first gear and said first backing member and including a first driving friction disc connected to the carrier and a first driven friction disc connected to said first gear, a second clutch for transmitting torque between the carrier and said second gear, said second clutch being disposed between said second gear and said second backing member and including a second driving friction disc connected to the carrier and a second driven friction disc connected to said second gear, and first adjusting means for exerting a selected force to move said first backing member toward said second backing member to thereby reduce the distance between said first and second backing members to compensate for wear of said discs, said adjusting means maintaining said first and second driving discs in respective frictional engagement with said first and second driven discs during all modes of operation and also maintaining said first and second gears in a preselected position relative to said planetary gear to thereby maintain a selected engagement between the teeth of each said gear and the teeth of said planetary gear, said first adjusting means permitting the movement of said first backing member only in a direction toward said second backing member.

Claim 9

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first backing member is threadably connected to the carrier and wherein said selected force exerted by said first adjusting means is supplied by a first torsional spring connected between the carrier and said first backing member, said First spring biasing said first backing member to turn in a direction which causes said first backing member to threadably withdraw from engagement with the carrier toward said second backing member.

Claim 10

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 6 and including second adjusting means for exerting a selected force to move said second backing member toward said first backing member to thereby reduce the distance between said second and first backing members to compensate for wear of said discs, said second adjusting means maintaining said first and second driving discs in respective frictional engagement with said first and second driven discs during all modes of operation and also maintaining said first and second gears in a preselected position relative to said planetary gear to thereby maintain a selected engagement between the teeth of each said gear and the teeth of said planetary gear, said second adjusting means permitting the movement of said second backing member only in a direction toward said first backing member.

Claim 11

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first and second backing members are threadably connected to the carrier and wherein said selected force exerted by said first and second adjusting means is supplied by first and second torsional springs respectively connected between said first and second backing members and the carrier, said first and second springs separately and respectively biasing said backing members to turn in a direction which causes said backing members to threadably withdraw from engagement with the carrier.

Claim 12

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 9 and including a first spring washer disposed between said cross and said first gear and a second spring washer disposed between said cross and said second gear, the free height of each said washer being selected to set the engagement of the teeth of said respective gear and the teeth of said planetary gear at a predetermined working depth and the spring force of each said washer being selected to be greater than said selected force exerted by either said first adjusting means or said second adjusting means.

Claim 13

A differential carrier rotatable about an axis of rotation and comprising: a cross disposed within the carrier and connected for rotation with the carrier, a planetary gear carried by said cross, a backing member connected to the carrier, a side gear disposed within the carrier and rotatable about the carrier axis of rotation, said side gear being disposed between said backing member and said cross and the teeth of said side gear engaging in the teeth of said planetary gear, a stop ring connected to the carrier and disposed between said side gear and said backing member, said stop ring abutting said side gear and maintaining said side gear in a selected position relative to said planetary gear, a clutch for transmitting torque between the carrier and said side gear, said clutch being disposed between said backing member and said stop ring and including a friction disc connected to the carrier and the friction disc connected to said side gear, and adjusting means for moving said backing member toward said stop ring with a force selected to maintain a constant frictional engagement between said friction discs during all modes of operation of compensate for wear of said discs, said adjusting means permitting the movement of said backing member only in a direction toward said side gear.

Claim 14

A differential carrier rotatable about an axis of rotation and comprising: a cross disposed within the carrier and connected for rotation with the carrier, a planetary gear carried by said cross, a backing member connected to the carrier, a side gear disposed within the carrier and rotatable about the carrier axis of rotation, said side gear being disposed between said backing member and said cross and the teeth of said side gear engaging in the teeth of said planetary gear, a stop ring connected to the carrier and disposed between said side gear and said backing member, said stop ring abutting said side gear and maintaining said side gear in a selected position relative to said planetary gear, a clutch for transmitting torque between the carrier and said side gear, said clutch being disposed between said backing member and said stop ring and including a friction disc connected to the carrier and the friction disc connected to said side gear, and adjusting means for moving said backing member toward said stop ring with a force selected to maintain a constant frictional engagement between said friction discs during all modes of operation of compensate for wear of said discs, said adjusting means permitting the movement of said backing member only in a direction toward said side gear.

Claim 15

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 11 wherein said backing member is threadably connected to said carrier and wherein said adjusting means includes means for biasing said backing member to turn in a direction to threadably withdraw from engagement with the carrier in a direction toward said stop ring.

Claim 16

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 12 wherein said biasing means is a torsional spring connected between the carrier and said backing member.

Claim 17

A differential carrier as set forth in claim 13 wherein said spring has a constant torsionaL spring rate.