US3845671A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Full time slip controlled four wheel drive
Assignee: New Venture Gear Inc
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Filing: 1973-02-12
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Granted: 1974-11-05
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Expires: 1993-02-12
Abstract
Abstract Four wheel drive train including a transfer case adapted to provide full time four wheel drive. A differential is provided in the transfer case which is electronically controlled to be locked up to prevent differentiation when the slip between the input and output shafts exceed a predetermined tolerance.
Inventors
- 👤 E Sharp
- 👤 C Dolan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:05
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H48/00; F16H48/20; F16H48/30; B; B60; B60K; B60K17/00; B60K17/34; B60K17/344; B60K17/346; B60K17/3467; B60K23/00; B60K23/08; B60K23/0808; F16H48/24; F16H48/34; F16H2048/204; F16H2048/346
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
483 words
In a transfer case for power drive systems having a housing, an input shaft, a rear wheel output shaft and a front wheel output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, a differential carrier, means connecting said input shaft to said differential carrier in a driving relationship, a pinion carried by said differential carrier, first and second side gears in mesh with said pinion on opposite sides thereof to permit rotation of said side gears at different speeds, said means for connecting said input shaft to said differential carrier includes a first drive gear connected to said input shaft, a gear cluster having a second drive gear in constant mesh with said first drive gear and a third drive gear, a fourth drive gear, an intermediate shaft mounting said fourth drive gear for rotation relative thereto, said third drive gear being in constant mesh with said fourth drive gear, means connecting said intermediate shaft to said differential carrier, clutch means movable to three positions in one of which said first drive gear is coupled directly to said intermediate shaft, in a second of which said fourth drive gear is coupled to said intermediate shaft and in a third of which said input shaft is not drivingly connected to said intermediate shaft, bearing means rotatably supporting said input shaft in said intermediate shaft, and lubricating means on said cluster gear for supplying lubricant to said bearing means when said clutch means is in said second and third positions, means drivingly connecting said first side gear to said front wheel output shaft, said second side gear being connected to said rear wheel output shaft, locking means drivingly connected to one of said side gears adapted to be moved between a first position out of engagement with said differential carrier and in which said differential carrier may rotate relative to said side gears and a second position in engagement with said differential carrier for locking it to said one side gear for locking said differential carrier, pinions and side gears together, an input sensor coupled to said input shaft and responsive to the rotation thereof for generating a plurality of electrical signals, an input counter responsive to said electrical signals from said input sensor for developing a sampling signal at a predetermined coUnt, an output sensor coupled to said output shaft and responsive to the rotation thereof for generating a plurality of electrical signals, an output counter responsive to said electrical signals from output sensor for developing a range signal between a pair of predetermined count values, a logic comparison network comprising a plurality of interconnected NAND gates for comparing said sampling signal and said range signal and generating a control signal when said sampling signal occurs in the absence of said range signal, and a solenoid connected to said locking means and responsive to said control signal to move said locking means to said second position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
483 words
In a transfer case for power drive systems having a housing, an input shaft, a rear wheel output shaft and a front wheel output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, a differential carrier, means connecting said input shaft to said differential carrier in a driving relationship, a pinion carried by said differential carrier, first and second side gears in mesh with said pinion on opposite sides thereof to permit rotation of said side gears at different speeds, said means for connecting said input shaft to said differential carrier includes a first drive gear connected to said input shaft, a gear cluster having a second drive gear in constant mesh with said first drive gear and a third drive gear, a fourth drive gear, an intermediate shaft mounting said fourth drive gear for rotation relative thereto, said third drive gear being in constant mesh with said fourth drive gear, means connecting said intermediate shaft to said differential carrier, clutch means movable to three positions in one of which said first drive gear is coupled directly to said intermediate shaft, in a second of which said fourth drive gear is coupled to said intermediate shaft and in a third of which said input shaft is not drivingly connected to said intermediate shaft, bearing means rotatably supporting said input shaft in said intermediate shaft, and lubricating means on said cluster gear for supplying lubricant to said bearing means when said clutch means is in said second and third positions, means drivingly connecting said first side gear to said front wheel output shaft, said second side gear being connected to said rear wheel output shaft, locking means drivingly connected to one of said side gears adapted to be moved between a first position out of engagement with said differential carrier and in which said differential carrier may rotate relative to said side gears and a second position in engagement with said differential carrier for locking it to said one side gear for locking said differential carrier, pinions and side gears together, an input sensor coupled to said input shaft and responsive to the rotation thereof for generating a plurality of electrical signals, an input counter responsive to said electrical signals from said input sensor for developing a sampling signal at a predetermined coUnt, an output sensor coupled to said output shaft and responsive to the rotation thereof for generating a plurality of electrical signals, an output counter responsive to said electrical signals from output sensor for developing a range signal between a pair of predetermined count values, a logic comparison network comprising a plurality of interconnected NAND gates for comparing said sampling signal and said range signal and generating a control signal when said sampling signal occurs in the absence of said range signal, and a solenoid connected to said locking means and responsive to said control signal to move said locking means to said second position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
139 words
A transfer case as set forth in claim 1 further including a speed control network comprising a multivibrator responsive to said input sensor for generating a first counter reset signal when the interval between adjacent signals from said first sensor is greater than the period of said multivibrator, a second multivibrator responsive to said input counter for generating an output signal having a predetermined period and a NAND gate electrically connected to said second multivibrator for comparing said output signal with a predetermined count of said input counter to generate a second count reset signal when said count and said output signal are coincident whereby said first counter reset signal indicates said input shaft is rotating slower than a predetermined speed and said second counter reset signal indicating said input shaft is rotating faster than a second predetermined speed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
295 words
In a power drive system comprising an input shaft, a pair of output shafts, a differential including a carrier and side gears, said side gears being coupled to said input and output shafts, a first toothed timing wheel connected to said differential for rotation therewith, a second toothed timing wheel connected to said rear wheel side gear member for rotation therewith, a first electro magnetic sensing means responsive to the relative rotation of the teeth on said first timing wheel thereby for generating a first electrical signal, a second electro magnetic sensing means responsive to the relative rotation of the teeth on said second timing wheel thereby for generating a second electrical signal, and control means including an actuating device, a locking member and a logic network responsive to said first and second electrical signals for generating an electrical control signal actuating said device for moving said locking member locking out said differential when the relative rotation between said timing wheels exceeds a predetermined value, said differential carrier having a set of teeth formed annularly thereon, said locking member comprising a hub, said hub having an annular set of clutching teeth thereon, said hub being movable toward and away from said differential carrier, to move said clutch teeth into and out of engagement with the teeth on said differential carrier, one side gear having a tubular extension thereon, means drivingly connecting said first side gear to one of said output shafts including said tubular extension, a sprocket splined to said tubular extension, said locking means including splines connecting said hub to said tubular extension, waid teeth on said differential carrier and said hub being adapted to be engaged upon movement of said hub in one direction to connect said differential carrier to said tubular extension.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
295 words
In a power drive system comprising an input shaft, a pair of output shafts, a differential including a carrier and side gears, said side gears being coupled to said input and output shafts, a first toothed timing wheel connected to said differential for rotation therewith, a second toothed timing wheel connected to said rear wheel side gear member for rotation therewith, a first electro magnetic sensing means responsive to the relative rotation of the teeth on said first timing wheel thereby for generating a first electrical signal, a second electro magnetic sensing means responsive to the relative rotation of the teeth on said second timing wheel thereby for generating a second electrical signal, and control means including an actuating device, a locking member and a logic network responsive to said first and second electrical signals for generating an electrical control signal actuating said device for moving said locking member locking out said differential when the relative rotation between said timing wheels exceeds a predetermined value, said differential carrier having a set of teeth formed annularly thereon, said locking member comprising a hub, said hub having an annular set of clutching teeth thereon, said hub being movable toward and away from said differential carrier, to move said clutch teeth into and out of engagement with the teeth on said differential carrier, one side gear having a tubular extension thereon, means drivingly connecting said first side gear to one of said output shafts including said tubular extension, a sprocket splined to said tubular extension, said locking means including splines connecting said hub to said tubular extension, waid teeth on said differential carrier and said hub being adapted to be engaged upon movement of said hub in one direction to connect said differential carrier to said tubular extension.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
281 words
In a transfer case for power drive systems having a housing, an input shaft, a rear wheel output shaft and a front wheel output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, a differential carrier, means connecting said input shaft to said carrier in a driving relationship, a first side gear drivingly connected to said front wheel output shaft, and a second side gear connected to said rear wheel output shaft, said means for connecting said input shaft to said differential carrier includes a first drive gear connected to said input shaft, a gear cluster having a second drive gear in conStant mesh with said first drive gear and a third drive gear, a fourth drive gear, an intermediate shaft mounting said fourth drive gear for rotation relative thereto, said third drive gear being in constant mesh with said fourth drive gear, means connecting said intermediate shaft to said differential carrier, clutch means movable to three positions in one of which said first drive gear is coupled directly to said intermediate shaft, in a second of which said fourth drive gear is coupled to said intermediate shaft and in a third of which said input shaft is not drivingly connected to said intermediate shaft, bearing means rotatably supporting said input shaft in said intermediate shaft, and lubricating means on said cluster gear for supplying lubricant to said bearing means when said clutch means is in said second and third positions, and means normally permitting said side gears to rotate relative to one another when the difference in rotational speeds thereof is below a predetermined difference and operative for drivingly connecting said side gear when the difference in rotational speeds is a predetermined difference.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
281 words
In a transfer case for power drive systems having a housing, an input shaft, a rear wheel output shaft and a front wheel output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, a differential carrier, means connecting said input shaft to said carrier in a driving relationship, a first side gear drivingly connected to said front wheel output shaft, and a second side gear connected to said rear wheel output shaft, said means for connecting said input shaft to said differential carrier includes a first drive gear connected to said input shaft, a gear cluster having a second drive gear in conStant mesh with said first drive gear and a third drive gear, a fourth drive gear, an intermediate shaft mounting said fourth drive gear for rotation relative thereto, said third drive gear being in constant mesh with said fourth drive gear, means connecting said intermediate shaft to said differential carrier, clutch means movable to three positions in one of which said first drive gear is coupled directly to said intermediate shaft, in a second of which said fourth drive gear is coupled to said intermediate shaft and in a third of which said input shaft is not drivingly connected to said intermediate shaft, bearing means rotatably supporting said input shaft in said intermediate shaft, and lubricating means on said cluster gear for supplying lubricant to said bearing means when said clutch means is in said second and third positions, and means normally permitting said side gears to rotate relative to one another when the difference in rotational speeds thereof is below a predetermined difference and operative for drivingly connecting said side gear when the difference in rotational speeds is a predetermined difference.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-04 | 1978-05-06 | 1978-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-04 | 1982-05-06 | 1982-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-04 | 1986-05-06 | 1986-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |