Non-chattering clutch for a limited slip differential mechanism

Claim 1

A limited slip differential mechanism including a rotatable casing, a pair of output members rotatably received in said casing and adapted to be driven thereby, a gear train comprising intermeshing gears rotatably carried in said casing and interconnecting said output members and said casing for rotation together such that rotation of said output members relative to one another causes rotation of said gear train relative to said casing, and clutch means for frictionally connecting two relatively rotatable parts of said differential mechanism so as to resist relative rotation of said output members, said clutch means including a plurality of frictionally engaged clutch elements arranged alternatively in two groups, the elements of one group being connected for rotation with one of said rotatable parts and the elements of the other group being connected for rotation with the other of said rotatable parts, at least one of said elements comprising a clutch plate having generally annular inner And outer members connected by a neck portion over a small portion of their circumferences, said neck portion being adapted to allow relative movement between said inner and outer annular members, said clutch plate being connected for rotation with one of said rotatable parts only through one of said annular members, said outer annular member having an indentation in the radially inner edge thereof diametrically opposite said neck portion and said inner member having a tab projecting radially outward therefrom into said indentation, said tab being adapted to abut one of the ends of said indentation upon relative movement of said inner and outer annular members to limit said relative movement.