Power transfer unit (PTU) assembly with cylinder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10112481-B2
Application number	US-201615139975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 28, 2015
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A power takeoff unit for an automotive vehicle being a normally front-wheel drive vehicle that is convertible to all wheel drive. The takeoff unit includes an input shaft supported in a housing, the input shaft is torsionally connected with a transmission of said vehicle. An output shaft concentric with the input shaft is provided, the output shaft is torsionally connected with the rear wheels of the vehicle. A shift collar to selectively connect said input shaft with said output shaft is provided. A shift fork is provided to translate the shift collar, the shift fork having a main body with a bore. A cylinder is connected with the housing. A piston is slidably mounted within said cylinder. A headed fastener is provided with a shank extending through the shift fork main body bore. The fastener head engages the shift fork, the fastener's shank being threadably engaged with the piston to capture the shift fork with the piston.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power takeoff unit for an automotive vehicle being a normally front-wheel drive vehicle and convertible to an all-wheel drive vehicle comprising:
an input shaft supported in a housing, said input shaft being torsionally connected with a transmission of said vehicle;
an output shaft concentric with said input shaft, said output shaft being torsionally connected with rear wheels of said vehicle;
a shift collar to selectively connect said input shaft with said output shaft;
a shift fork to translate said shift collar, said shift fork being slidably mounted in said housing and said shift fork having a main body with a bore generally parallel with said input shaft;
a cylinder connected with said housing;
a piston slidably mounted within said cylinder; and
a headed fastener with a shank extending through said shift fork main body bore, said fastener head engaging an end of said shift fork and said fastener shank being threadably engaged with said piston to capture said shift fork with said piston.

2. The power takeoff unit of claim 1 wherein a portion of said piston is non-rotatively connected with said shift fork.

3. The power takeoff unit of claim 1 wherein said piston is connected with a rod.

4. The power takeoff unit of claim 2 wherein a portion of said piston rod is inserted within said shift fork.

5. The power takeoff unit of claim 4 wherein a portion of said piston rod inserted within said shift fork has a flat matching an internal flat of the shift fork.

6. The power takeoff unit of claim 5 wherein a portion of said piston rod has multiple flats corresponding with multiple flats of said shift fork.

7. The power takeoff unit of claim 1 wherein a main body of said shift fork is mounted within a journal bearing in said housing.

8. The power takeoff unit of claim 1 wherein a main body of said shift fork is mounted within multiple axially aligned journal bearings in said housing.

9. The power takeoff unit of claim 1 wherein there is a bumper to limit travel of said shift fork.

10. The power takeoff unit of claim 4 wherein said shift fork bore has a shoulder to limit insertion of said piston rod.

11. The power takeoff unit of claim 3 wherein said shank of said threaded fastener is threadably engaged with a threaded bore of said piston rod.

12. The power takeoff unit of claim 11 wherein said shank of said threaded fastener is threadably engaged with a threaded bore of said piston rod to a point wherein said shank is within said cylinder.

13. The power takeoff unit of claim 3 wherein said shank of said threaded fastener is threadably engaged with a threaded bore of said piston rod to a point wherein said shank is within said cylinder and a plane perpendicular to an axis of a portion of said shank intersects said piston rod, said cylinder and said housing.

14. A power takeoff unit for an automotive vehicle being a normally front-wheel drive vehicle and convertible to an all-wheel drive vehicle comprising:
an input shaft supported in a housing, said input shaft being torsionally connected with a transmission of said vehicle;
an output shaft concentric with said input shaft, said output shaft being torsionally connected with rear wheels of said vehicle;
a shift collar to selectively connect said input shaft with said output shaft;
a shift fork to translate said shift collar, said shift fork having a main body, said shift fork main body being slidably mounted within said housing by axially aligned journal bearings mounted within said housing, and said shift fork main body having a bore generally parallel with said input shaft, said bore having a portion with opposing flats and a shoulder;
a cylinder connected with said housing;
a piston with a connected rod slidably mounted within said cylinder , said piston rod having opposing flats received with said shift fork bore flats and said piston rod being inserted within said shift fork having an end abutting said bore shoulder, and said piston rod having a threaded bore; and
a headed fastener with a shank extending through said shift fork main body bore, said fastener head engaging an end of said shift fork and said fastener shank being threadably engaged within said threaded bore of said piston rod bore to capture said shift fork with said piston.

15. A method of connecting a shift collar and a piston of power takeoff unit for an automotive vehicle being a normally front-wheel drive vehicle and convertible to an all-wheel drive vehicle comprising:
providing an input shaft supported in a housing, said input shaft being torsionally connected with a transmission of said vehicle;
providing an output shaft concentric with said input shaft, said output shaft being torsionally connected with rear wheels of said vehicle;
providing said shift collar to selectively connect said input shaft with said output shaft;
providing a shift fork to translate said shift collar, said shift fork being slidably mounted in said housing and said shift fork having a main body with a bore generally parallel with said input shaft;
providing a cylinder connected with said housing on a first side of said housing;
providing a piston slidably mounted within said cylinder;
providing a headed fastener from a second side of said housing generally opposite of said first side;
extending through said shift fork main body bore a shank of said fastener, said fastener; and
engaging an end of said shift fork with said fastener head and torqueing fastener shank thereby threadably engaging said fastener shank with said piston and thereby capturing said shift fork with said piston.

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Kowalsky Christopher J
• Cradit Jeremy L
• Rode John H

Classifications

• B60K17/344

  having a transfer gear · CPC title

• B60K23/08 Primary

  for changing number of driven wheels {, for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles (B60K17/3515 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60K2023/0833

  for adding torque to the rear wheels · CPC title

• B60K5/04

  with the engine main axis, e.g. crankshaft axis, transversely to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle · CPC title