All-wheel drive with active dry disconnect system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059201-B2
Application number	US-201514948978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 9, 2009
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle drive train for transferring torque to first and second sets of wheels includes a first driveline adapted to transfer torque to the first set of wheels and a first power disconnection device. A second driveline is adapted to transfer torque to the second set of wheels and includes a second power disconnection device. A hypoid gearset is positioned within one of the first driveline and the second driveline in a power path between the first and second power disconnection devices. The hypoid gearset is selectively disconnected from being driven by the first driveline and the second driveline when the first and second power disconnection devices are operated in a disconnected, non-torque transferring, mode. At least one of the first and second disconnection devices includes an active dry friction clutch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle drive train for transferring drive torque from a source of power to first and second sets of wheels, the drive train comprising:
a first driveline being adapted to transfer drive torque to the first set of wheels and including a power take-off unit, the power take-off unit including a first hypoid gearset and a first power disconnection device operable in a connected, torque transferring mode to drivingly connect the first hypoid gearset to the power source and operable in a disconnected, non-torque transferring mode to cease the transfer of drive torque from the power source to the first hypoid gearset;
a second driveline being adapted to transfer drive torque to the second set of wheels and including a second hypoid gearset drivingly coupled to the first hypoid gearset and a second disconnection device operable in a connected, torque transferring mode to drivingly connect the second hypoid gearset to the second set of wheels and operable in a disconnected, non-torque transferring mode to cease the transfer of drive torque from the second hypoid gearset to the second set of wheels; and
wherein the first and second hypoid gearsets are not driven when the first and second disconnection devices are operated in their respective disconnected, non-torque transferring modes, and wherein power take-off unit includes a drive shaft rotatable relative to an input shaft and positioned coaxial with and about the input shaft along at least a majority of the length of the drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is driven by the power source, wherein the first power disconnection device includes a first clutch having a first clutch member fixed for rotation with the input shaft, a second clutch member fixed for rotation with the drive shaft and coaxial with the input shaft, and a clutch engagement mechanism for selectively coupling the second clutch member to the first clutch member to establish the connected, torque transferring mode, and wherein the drive shaft is drivingly connected to the first hypoid gearset.

2. The vehicle drive train of claim 1 wherein the second disconnection device includes a second clutch, and wherein the second clutches is an adaptively-controlled multi-plate friction clutch.

3. The vehicle drive train of claim 2 wherein the adaptively-controlled multi-plate friction clutch is a dry clutch.

4. The vehicle drive train of claim 2 wherein the first driveline further includes a first differential gearset having a first differential input driven by the power source and a pair of first differential outputs driving the first set of wheels, and wherein the first clutch is configured to selectively couple the first differential input and the first hypoid gearset.

5. The vehicle drive train of claim 4 wherein the second driveline further includes a second differential gearset having a second differential input driven by the second hypoid gearset and a pair of second differential outputs driving the second set of wheels, wherein the second clutch is operably disposed between one of the second differential outputs and the corresponding one of the second set of wheels.

6. The vehicle drive train of claim 5 wherein the second driveline further includes a third power disconnection device having a third clutch operably disposed between the other one of the second differential outputs and the corresponding other one of the second set of wheels.

7. The vehicle drive train of claim 1 wherein the drive shaft is positioned about the input shaft along the entire length of the drive shaft.

8. The vehicle drive train of claim 1 wherein the clutch engagement mechanism is coaxial with the input shaft.

9. The vehicle drive train of claim 1 wherein the clutch engagement mechanism is a clutch sleeve being axially slideable between a connected position and a disconnected position, wherein the clutch sleeve rotationally fixes the first clutch member to the second clutch member in the connected position to drivingly couple the drive gear to the input shaft, and wherein the clutch sleeve is axially spaced from the second clutch member in the disconnected position to allow the drive gear to rotate relative to the input shaft.

10. A vehicle drive train for transferring torque from a power source to a first pair and a second pair of wheels, the drive train comprising:
a first power transmission device adapted to transfer torque from the power source to the first pair of wheels, the first power transmission device including a first power disconnection device selectively ceasing the transfer of torque to a first hypoid gearset; and
a second power transmission device in receipt of torque from the first power transmission device, the second power transmission device transferring torque to the second pair of wheels via a second hypoid gearset rotatably connected to the first hypoid gearset with a propeller shaft and including a second power disconnection device selectively interrupting a transfer of torque from one of the second wheels to the second hypoid gearset, and a third power disconnection device selectively interrupting a transfer of torque from the other of the second wheels to the second hypoid gearset, wherein the first power transmission device includes an input shaft, wherein the first power disconnection device includes a first rotatable clutch member fixed for rotation with the input shaft, a drive shaft fixed for rotation with the first hypoid gearset and rotatable relative to the input shaft, a second rotatable clutch member fixed for rotation with the drive shaft and coaxial with the input shaft, and a clutch actuation mechanism for selectively coupling the second rotatable clutch member for rotation with the first rotatable clutch member;
wherein one of wheels of the second pair of wheels is rotatably connected to a first rear axle and shaft and wherein the other of the wheels of the second pair of wheels is rotatably connected to a second rear axle;
wherein the second hypoid gearset includes a ring gear being rotatable with the propeller shaft;
wherein the second power disconnection device includes a first drum fixed for rotation with the first rear axle shaft, a plurality of first outer clutch plates fixed for rotation with the first drum, a first shaft fixed to the ring gear, a plurality of first inner clutch plates fixed for rotation with the shaft, the first inner clutch plates being interleaved with the first outer clutch plates, a first actuator selectively operable to apply an actuation force to the inner and outer clutch plates to cause torque to be transferred from the ring gear to the first rear axle shaft;
wherein the third power disconnection device includes a second drum fixed for rotation with the second rear axle shaft, a carrier fixed for rotation with the ring gear of the second hypoid gear set, a hub fixed for rotation with the carrier, a plurality of second inner clutch plates axially moveable relative to and fixed for rotation with the hub, a plurality of second outer clutch plates interleaved with the second inner clutch plates and fixed for rotation with the second drum, and a second actuator selectively operable to apply an actuation force to cause torque to be transferred from the ring gear to the second rear axle shaft.

11. The vehicle drive train of claim 10 wherein the first power disconnection device includes a first set of clutch plates fixed for rotation with the first clutch member, a second set of clutch plates fixed for rotation with the second clutch member, and an electric motor driven actuator for applying an actuation force to the first and second set of clutch plates.

12. The vehicle drive train of claim 11 wherein the s

Assignees

• Magna Powertrain Usa Inc

Inventors

• Ekonen Todd
• Quehenberger Johannes

Classifications

• F16H57/0409

  characterised by increasing efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses · CPC title

• F16H48/22

  using friction clutches or brakes · CPC title

• Y02T10/52

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B60K17/35 Primary

  including arrangements for suppressing or influencing the power transfer, e.g. viscous clutches · CPC title

• B60K17/346 Primary

  the transfer gear being a differential gear · CPC title