Differential mechanism of the holdout ring type

Claim 2

In a differential mechanism including a pair of colinearly arranged output shafts (12, 14); an annular central driving member (2) arranged in concentrically spaced relation about the adjacent ends of said output shafts; clutch means normally effecting a driving connection betweeN said driving member and said output shafts, respectively, said clutch means including a pair of annular side gears (8, 10) non-rotatably mounted on the adjacent ends of said output shafts, respectively, a pair of driven clutch members (4, 6) mounted on said side gears for axial displacement on opposite sides of said driving member, respectively, and spring means (16, 18) biasing said driven clutch members inwardly in the clutch-engaging direction toward said driving member; means including an annular central cam member (20) operable when one of said output shafts overruns the other for disengaging from said driving member the driven clutch member associated with said overrunning shaft; and holdout ring means (30, 32) for maintaining said associated driven clutch member in the disengaged condition as long as said one output shaft overruns the other shaft, said holdout ring means including a pair of generally annular axially split resilient holdout rings arranged colinearly between said central cam member and said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said holdout rings being rotatably connected with and extending within annular recesses (4c, 6c) contained in the adjacent faces of said driven clutch members, respectively, the adjacent ends of said holdout rings having axially extending holdout teeth adjacent said central cam member, respectively; the improvement wherein a. each of said holdout rings is resiliently biased radially outwardly into continuous frictional engagement with the outermost side wall of the annular recess contained in the corresponding driven clutch member, respectively, each of said holdout rings including on its outer periphery a circumferential external flange (30a, 32a) that extends within a corresponding annular groove contained in the corresponding outer recess wall, thereby preventing axial movement of said holdout rings relative to said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition, from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, said central cam member including on its outer periphery an external central flange (20d), said central cam member being positioned coaxially within said central drive member and said holdout rings being positioned in axially spaced relation on opposite sides of said central flange in the annular spaces between the remote ends of said central cam and said central driving members, respectively; and b. further including pilot means contained solely within said central driving member for piloting the adjacent ends of said side gears.

Claim 3

In a differential mechanism including a pair of colinearly arranged output shafts (12, 14); an annular central driving member (2) arranged in concentrically spaced relation about the adjacent ends of said output shafts; clutch means normally effecting a driving connection between said driving member and said output shafts, respectively, said clutch means including a pair of annular side gears (8, 10) non-rotatably mounted on the adjacent ends of said output shafts, respectively, a pair of driven clutch members (4, 6) mounted on said side gears for axial displacement on opposite sides of said driving member, respectively, and spring means (16, 18) biasing said driven clutch members inwardly in the clutch-engaging direction toward said driving member; means including an annular central cam member (20) operable when one of said output shafts overruns the Other for disengaging from said driving member the driven clutch member associated with said overrunning shaft; and holdout ring means (30, 32) for maintaining said associated driven clutch member in the disengaged condition as long as said one output shaft overruns the other shaft, said holdout ring means including a pair of generally annular axially split resilient hold-out rings arranged colinearly between said central cam member and said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said holdout rings being rotatably connected with and extending within annular recesses (4c, 6c) contained in the adjacent faces of said driven clutch members, respectively, the adjacent ends of said holdout rings having axially extending holdout teeth adjacent said central cam member, respectively; the improvement a. wherein each of said holdout rings is resiliently biased radially outwardly into continuous frictional engagement with the outermost side wall of the annular recess contained in the corresponding driven clutch member, respectively, each of said holdout rings including on its outer periphery a circumferential external flange (30a, 32a) that extends within a corresponding annular groove contained in the corresponding outer recess wall, thereby preventing axial movement of said holdout rings relative to said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition, from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, said central cam member including on its outer periphery an external central flange (20d); said central cam member being positioned coaxially within said central drive member and said holdout rings being positioned in axially spaced relation on opposite sides of said central flange in the annular spaces between the remote ends of said central cam and central driving members, respectively; b. and further including pilot means contained solely within said central driving member for journalling the adjacent ends of said side gears within said central cam member; c. said spring means being arranged externally of said driven clutch means.

Claim 4

In a differential mechanism including a pair of colinearly arranged output shafts (12, 14); an annular central driving member (2) arranged in concentrically spaced relation about the adjacent ends of said output shafts; clutch means normally effecting a driving connection between said driving member and said output shafts, respectively, said clutch means including a pair of annular side gears (8, 10) non-rotatably mounted on the adjacent ends of said output shafts, respectively, a pair of driven clutch members (4, 6) mounted on said side gears for axial displacement on opposite sides of said driving member, respectively, and spring means (16, 18) biasing said driven clutch members inwardly in the clutch-engaging direction toward said driving member; means including an annular central cam member (20) operable when one of said output shafts overruns the Other for disengaging from said driving member the driven clutch member associated with said overrunning shaft; and holdout ring means (30, 32) for maintaining said associated driven clutch member in the disengaged condition as long as said one output shaft overruns the other shaft, said holdout ring means including a pair of generally annular axially split resilient hold-out rings arranged colinearly between said central cam member and said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said holdout rings being rotatably connected with and extending within annular recesses (4c, 6c) contained in the adjacent faces of said driven clutch members, respectively, the adjacent ends of said holdout rings having axially extending holdout teeth adjacent said central cam member, respectively; the improvement a. wherein each of said holdout rings is resiliently biased radially outwardly into continuous frictional engagement with the outermost side wall of the annular recess contained in the corresponding driven clutch member, respectively, each of said holdout rings including on its outer periphery a circumferential external flange (30a, 32a) that extends within a corresponding annular groove contained in the corresponding outer recess wall, thereby preventing axial movement of said holdout rings relative to said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition, from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, said central cam member including on its outer periphery an external central flange (20d); said central cam member being positioned coaxially within said central drive member and said holdout rings being positioned in axially spaced relation on opposite sides of said central flange in the annular spaces between the remote ends of said central cam and central driving members, respectively; b. and further including pilot means contained solely within said central driving member for journalling the adjacent ends of said side gears within said central cam member; c. said spring means being arranged externally of said driven clutch means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said side gears include retainer flange means positioned on opposite sides of and axially spaced from the remote ends of said driven clutch members, respectively, and further wherein said spring means comprises a pair of coil springs (16, 18) positioned concentrically about said driven clutch members and said retainer flange means, respectively.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said coil springs has a generally frustoconical configuration, those ends of said springs of larger diameter being adjacent said driven clutch members, respectively, the final coil at the end of smaller diameter of each spring being radially overlapped relative to the next active coil.

Claim 7

In a differential mechanism including a pair of colinearly arranged output shafts (12, 14); an annular central driving member (2) arranged in concentrically spaced relation about the adjacent ends of said output shafts; clutch means normally effecting a driving connection between said driving member and said output shafts, respectively, said clutch means including a pair of annular side gears (8, 10) non-rotatably mounted on the adjacent ends of said output shafts, respectively, a pair of driven clutch members (4, 6) mounted on said side gears for axial displacement on opposite sides of said driving mEmber, respectively, and spring means (16, 18) biasing said driven clutch members inwardly in the clutch-engaging direction toward said driving member; means including an annular control cam member (20) operable when one of said output shafts overruns the other for disengaging from said driving member the driven clutch member associated with said overrunning shaft; and holdout ring means (30, 32) for maintaining said associated driven clutch member in the disengaged condition as long as said one output shaft overruns the other shaft, said holdout ring means including a pair of generally annular axially split resilient holdout rings arranged colinearly between said central cam member and said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said holdout rings being rotatably connected with and extending within annular recesses (4c, 6c) contained in the adjacent faces of said driven clutch members, respectively, the adjacent ends of said holdout rings having axially extending holdout teeth adjacent said central cam member, respectively; the improvement a. wherein each of said holdout rings is resiliently biased radially outwardly into continuous frictional engagement with the outermost side wall of the annular recess contained in the corresponding driven clutch member, respectively, each of said holdout rings including on its outer periphery a circumferential external flange (30a, 32a) that extends within a corresponding annular groove contained in the corresponding outer recess wall, thereby preventing axial movement of said holdout rings relative to said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition, from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, said central cam member including on its outer periphery an external central flange (20d); said central cam member being positioned coaxially within said central drive member and said holdout rings being positioned in axially spaced relation on opposite sides of said central flange in the annular spaces between the remote ends of said central cam and central driving members, respectively; b. and further including pilot means contained solely within said central driving member for journalling the adjacent ends of said side gears within said central cam member; c. said spring means comprising a pair of coil springs (116, 118) at least partially positioned concentrically within said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said coil springs being contained within corresponding annular recesses (108d, 110d) contained in the adjacent faces of said side gears, respectively, the opposite ends of said central cam member containing counterbore grooves (120a, 120b) opposite said annular recesses, respectively, said driven clutch members including radially inwardly directed spring retainer means (140, 142) that extend within said counterbore recesses for engagement with the other ends of said coil springs, respectively.

Claim 8

In a differential mechanism including a pair of colinearly arranged output shafts (12, 14); an annular central driving member (2) arranged in concentrically spaced relation about the adjacent ends of said output shafts; clutch means normally effecting a driving connection between said driving member and said output shafts, respectively, said clutch means including a pair of annular side gears (8, 10) non-rotatably mounted on the adjacent ends of said output shafts, respectively, a pair of driven clutch members (4, 6) mounted on said side gears for axial displacement on opposite sides of said driving mEmber, respectively, and spring means (16, 18) biasing said driven clutch members inwardly in the clutch-engaging direction toward said driving member; means including an annular control cam member (20) operable when one of said output shafts overruns the other for disengaging from said driving member the driven clutch member associated with said overrunning shaft; and holdout ring means (30, 32) for maintaining said associated driven clutch member in the disengaged condition as long as said one output shaft overruns the other shaft, said holdout ring means including a pair of generally annular axially split resilient holdout rings arranged colinearly between said central cam member and said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said holdout rings being rotatably connected with and extending within annular recesses (4c, 6c) contained in the adjacent faces of said driven clutch members, respectively, the adjacent ends of said holdout rings having axially extending holdout teeth adjacent said central cam member, respectively; the improvement a. wherein each of said holdout rings is resiliently biased radially outwardly into continuous frictional engagement with the outermost side wall of the annular recess contained in the corresponding driven clutch member, respectively, each of said holdout rings including on its outer periphery a circumferential external flange (30a, 32a) that extends within a corresponding annular groove contained in the corresponding outer recess wall, thereby preventing axial movement of said holdout rings relative to said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition, from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, said central cam member including on its outer periphery an external central flange (20d); said central cam member being positioned coaxially within said central drive member and said holdout rings being positioned in axially spaced relation on opposite sides of said central flange in the annular spaces between the remote ends of said central cam and central driving members, respectively; b. and further including pilot means contained solely within said central driving member for journalling the adjacent ends of said side gears within said central cam member; c. said spring means comprising a pair of coil springs (116, 118) at least partially positioned concentrically within said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said coil springs being contained within corresponding annular recesses (108d, 110d) contained in the adjacent faces of said side gears, respectively, the opposite ends of said central cam member containing counterbore grooves (120a, 120b) opposite said annular recesses, respectively, said driven clutch members including radially inwardly directed spring retainer means (140, 142) that extend within said counterbore recesses for engagement with the other ends of said coil springs, respectively.

Claim 9

In a differential mechanism including a pair of colinearly arranged output shafts (12, 14); an annular central driving member (2) arranged in concentrically spaced relation about the adjacent ends of said output shafts; clutch means normally effecting a driving connection between said driving member and said output shafts, respectively, said clutch means including a pair of annular side gears (8, 10) non-rotatably mounted on the adjacent ends of said output shafts, respectively, a pair of driven clutch members (4, 6) mounted on said side gears for axial displacement on opposite sides of said driving member, respectively, and spring means (16, 18) biasing said driven clutch members inwardly in the clutch-engaging direction toward said driving member; means including an annular central cam member (20) operable when one of said output shafts overruns the other for disengaging from said driving member the driven clutch member associated with said overrunning shaft; and holdout ring means (30, 32) for maintaining said associated driven clutch member in the disengaged condition as long as said one output shaft overruns the other shaft, said holdout ring means including a pair of generally annular axially split resilient holdout rings arranged colinearly between said central cam member and said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said holdout rings being rotatably connected with and extending within annular recesses (4c, 6c) contained in the adjacent faces of said driven clutch members, respectively, the adjacent ends of said holdout rings having axially extending holdout teeth adjacent said central cam member, respectively; the improvement a. wherein each of said holdout rings is resiliently biased radially outwardly into continuous frictional engagement with the outermost side wall of the annular recess contained in the corresponding driven clutch member, respectively, each of said holdout rings including on its outer periphery a circumferential external flange (30a, 32a) that extends within a corresponding annular groove contained in the corresponding outer recess wall, thereby preventing axial movement of said holdout rings relative to said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition, from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, said central cam member including on its outer periphery an external central flange (20d); said central cam member being positioned coaxially within said central drive member and said holdout rings being positioned in axially spaced relation on opposite sides of said central flange in the annular spaces between the remote ends of said central cam and central driving members, respectively; b. and further including pilot means contained solely within said central driving member for piloting the adjacent ends of said side gears, said pilot means comprising means telescopically journalling within an internal bore (208g) contained in one end of one of said side gears an end portion (210e) of the other side gear.

Claim 10

In a differential mechanism including a pair of colinearly arranged output shafts (12, 14); an annular central driving member (2) arranged in concentrically spaced relation about the adjacent ends of said output shafts; clutch means normally effecting a driving connection between said driving member and said output shafts, respectively, said clutch means including a pair of annular side gears (8, 10) non-rotatably mounted on the adjacent ends of said output shafts, respectively, a pair of driven clutch members (4, 6) mounted on said side gears for axial displacement on opposite sides of said driving member, respectively, and spring means (16, 18) biasing said driven clutch members inwardly in the clutch-engaging direction toward said driving member; means including an annular central cam member (20) operable when one of said output shafts overruns the other for disengaging from said driving member the driven clutch member associated with said overrunning shaft; and holdout ring means (30, 32) for maintaining said associated driven clutch member in the disengaged condition as long as said one output shaft overruns the other shaft, said holdout ring means including a pair of generally annular axially split resilient holdout rings arranged colinearly between said central cam member and said driven clutch members, respectively, the remote ends of said holdout rings being rotatably connected with and extending within annular recesses (4c, 6c) contained in the adjacent faces of said driven clutch members, respectively, the adjacent ends of said holdout rings having axially extending holdout teeth adjacent said central cam member, respectively; the improvement a. wherein each of said holdout rings is resiliently biased radially outwardly into continuous frictional engagement with the outermost side wall of the annular recess contained in the corresponding driven clutch member, respectively, each of said holdout rings including on its outer periphery a circumferential external flange (30a, 32a) that extends within a corresponding annular groove contained in the corresponding outer recess wall, thereby preventing axial movement of said holdout rings relative to said driven clutch members, respectively, each of said holdout rings being angularly adjustable, when the corresponding driven clutch member is in a disengaged condition, from an inoperative first position relative to said central cam member toward an operative second position in which the holdout ring teeth cooperate with said central cam member to maintain the driven clutch member in the disengaged condition, whereby as the rotational speed of the differential mechanism increases, the holdout ring is retained against radial expansion by the outermost recess wall, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between said holdout rings and said driven clutch members, respectively, said central cam member including on its outer periphery an external central flange (20d); said central cam member being positioned coaxially within said central drive member and said holdout rings being positioned in axially spaced relation on opposite sides of said central flange in the annular spaces between the remote ends of said central cam and central driving members, respectively; b. and further including pilot means contained solely within said central driving member for piloting the adjacent ends of said side gears, said pilot means comprising means telescopically journalling within an internal bore (208g) contained in one end of one of said side gears an end portion (210e) of the other side gear.