Control system for mutiple driving axle vehicle

Claim 2

In an automotive differential having three power transmitting shafts, means for biasing torque between two of said shafts, and control means driven by at least two of said power transmitting shafts and associated with said biasing means for sensing speed ratio between said two of said shafts and for activating said biasing means in response to said speed ratio being in excess of a pre-determined value.

Claim 3

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 1 in which one of said shafts is an input shaft, and the other of said shafts are output shafts, and said Control means includes means rotatable with said shaft and sensing the rotary speeds of the shafts and operative to energize said torque-biasing means upon sensing more than a predetermined speed difference between any two shafts.

Claim 4

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 1 wherein said torque-biasing means is a friction clutch.

Claim 5

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 1 wherein said torque-biasing means is a friction clutch, a hydraulic servomotor for operating said clutch, and a valve actuatable to supply pressure fluid to said servomotor, and said control means is operative to actuate said valve.

Claim 6

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 2 wherein said torque-biasing means includes a hydraulically operated friction clutch, a valve actuatable to supply pressure fluid to said clutch, and said control means senses the rotary speeds of the shafts and is operative, upon speed differences between the output shafts, to actuate the valve.

Claim 7

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve is connected to two of said shafts and is operable, upon relative rotation thereof, to an open position to direct pressure fluid to said friction clutch.

Claim 8

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve includes a fluid flow control member connected to said input shaft and rotatable relative thereto, by operation of said control means, to supply pressure fluid to said clutch.

Claim 9

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 4 in which one of said shafts is an input shaft, and the other of said shafts are output shafts, and wherein torque-transmitting means connect said input shaft to said output shafts, and said torque-biasing means includes a friction clutch; and wherein said control means is in spaced relation to said torque-transmitting means and is operative to actuate said clutch.

Claim 10

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 3 including differential gearing having components respectively connected to said three shafts for transmitting torque from said input shaft to said output shafts, and wherein said friction clutch includes engageable driving and driven members respectively connected to two of said components.

Claim 11

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 3, including a planetary gear set having a sun gear element, ring gear element, planetary carrier element respectively connected to said three shafts for transmitting torque between said shafts and wherein said friction clutch has engageable driving and driven members respectively connected to two of said elements.

Claim 12

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 4 in which said control means is operative to maintain said valve in closed position when said speed ratio is less than a predetermined value and to open said valve when said speed ratio exceeds said predetermined value.

Claim 13

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes a control shaft driven by one of said power-transmitting shafts, a control member rotatably supported on said control shaft and driven by a second of said power-transmitting shafts, one-way clutch means disposed between said control shaft and member allowing free relative rotation of said control shaft and member in one direction and coupling said control shaft and member when said control shaft and member rotate in a second direction to activate said torque-biasing means.

Claim 14

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 12 wherein said torque-biasing means includes a friction clutch, a hydraulic servomotor for operating said clutch, and a valve actuatable by said control means, upon coupling said control shaft and member, to an open position to supply pressure fluid to said clutch.

Claim 15

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 12 wherein said power-transmitting shafts include an input shaft and two output shafts, and torque-transmitting means connect said input shaft to said output shafts, and said one-way clutch meaNs is in spaced relation to said torque-transmitting means and incapable of transmitting torque between said input and output shafts.

Claim 16

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes a first control shaft driven by a first shaft of said power-transmitting shafts, a first control member rotatably supported on said control shaft, a second control member rotatably supported on said control shaft, said control members being driven by a second control shaft driven by a second shaft of said power transmitting shafts, a first one-way clutch means disposed between said first control shaft and said first control member and operable to couple said first control shaft and first control member upon overspeeding of said second control shaft, in one direction, relative to said first power transmitting shaft, and second one-way clutch means disposed between said first control shaft and said second control member and operable to couple said first control shaft and said second control member upon overspeeding of said second control shaft, in a second opposite direction, relative to said first control shaft.

Claim 17

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 15 wherein said first power-transmitting shaft is an input shaft, and the other two of said power-transmitting shafts are output shafts, and a gear set connects said input shaft to said output shafts and to said second control shaft.

Claim 18

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 15 in which said torque-biasing means includes a friction clutch, a hydraulic servomotor for operating said clutch, and a valve controlling pressure fluid to said servomotor, and coupling operation of said first and second one-way clutch means of said control means activating said valve to direct pressure fluid to said servomotor.

Claim 19

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 16 in which said gear set includes relatively rotatable members respectively connected to said output shafts, and said torque-biasing means includes a friction clutch having engageable driving and driven members respectively connected to said gear set members to restrict overspeeding, ovdr a predetermined amount, of either of said output shafts relative to said input shaft.

Claim 20

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 16 in which said gear set includes relatively rotatable members respectively connected to said output shafts, and said torque-biasing means includes a friction clutch having engageable driving and driven members respectively connected to said gear set members to restrict overspeeding, over a predetermined amount, of either of said output shafts relative to said input shafts, an hydraulic servomotor for engaging said clutch members and a valve controlling pressure fluid to said servomotor and having a valve member operably connected to and actuatable by said first control shaft, in response to movement of said first control shaft by said first and second one-way clutch means.

Claim 21

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 1 wherein said torque-biasing means includes a friction clutch, and said control means includes a pressure fluid-generating device having components relatively rotatable to provide pressure fluid to activate said clutch.

Claim 22

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 1 wherein said torque-biasing means includes a friction clutch, a hydraulic servomotor for engaging said clutch, and said control means includes a positive displacement pump having pumping members respectively connected to said two shafts and relatively rotatable thereby to provide fluid under pressure to said servomotor.

Claim 23

In an automotive differential as defined in claim 21 wherein said three power-transmitting shafts include an input shaft and two output shafts, said torque-biasing means includes a valve controlling pressure fluid from said pump to said servomotor, said valve being responsive to vehicle speed in a manner to minimize the effect of the vehicle speed on the relation between the spEed ratio of said output shafts to the biased torque between the output shafts.