Drive unit with twin side shaft torque coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10408323-B2
Application number	US-201515326380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2015
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A drive unit with twin side shaft torque coupling has an intermediate shaft with a first end portion and a second end portion and a central portion with a ring gear. A first clutch drum is directly mounted on the first end portion of the intermediate shaft. The first clutch drum has a first plurality of clutch plates. A first clutch can is located radially inboard of the first clutch drum. The first clutch can supports selective axial movement of a second plurality of clutch plates. The first and second plates are interleaved with one another to form a clutch pack. The first clutch can is connected to one end portion of a first output shaft located radially inboard from said first clutch can. A first clutch actuator assembly selectively actuates the first clutch. The drive unit also comprises a second clutch drum, clutch can and clutch actuator assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive unit with twin side shaft torque coupling, comprising: a pinion shaft with a pinion gear; a ring gear meshed with said pinion gear;
an intermediate shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion and a central portion bounded by said first end portion and said second end portion;
wherein said ring gear is drivingly connected to said central portion of said intermediate shaft;
a first clutch drum is drivingly connected to said first end portion of said intermediate shaft;
wherein said first clutch drum supporting selective axial movement of a first plurality of clutch plates on an internal surface of said first clutch drum; a bearing mount extends axially outboard from a first side of a substantially vertical wall portion of said first clutch drum away from said ring gear;
wherein said bearing mount is integrally formed as part of said substantially vertical wall portion of said first clutch drum; a first clutch can is located radially inboard from said first clutch drum, wherein said first clutch can supporting selective axial movement of a second plurality of clutch plates on an external surface of said first clutch can;
wherein said first plurality of clutch plates of said first clutch drum are interleaved with said second plurality of clutch plates of said first clutch can to form a first clutch pack;
wherein at least a portion of said first clutch can is disposed radially outboard from at least a portion of said bearing mount of said first clutch drum;
wherein said first clutch can is drivingly connected to one end portion of a first output shaft located radially inboard from said first clutch can; a first clutch drum bearing located radially inboard from said first clutch can and said bearing mount of said first clutch drum;
wherein at least a portion of said first clutch drum bearing is in direct contact with at least a portion of said first output shaft and at least a portion of said bearing mount of said first clutch drum;
wherein said first clutch drum bearing rotationally supports said inboard end of said first output shaft;
a first clutch actuator assembly wherein said first clutch actuator assembly is selectively engagable to drivingly connect said first clutch drum to said first clutch can of said first clutch pack;
a second clutch drum drivingly connected to said second end portion of said intermediate shaft; wherein said second clutch drum supporting selective axial movement of a first plurality of clutch plates on an internal surface of said second clutch drum; a bearing mount extends axially outboard from a first side of a substantially vertical wall portion of said second clutch drum away from said ring gear;
wherein said bearing mount is integrally formed as part of said substantially vertical wall portion of said second clutch drum;
a second clutch can located radially inboard from said second clutch drum;
wherein said second clutch can supporting selective axial movement of a second plurality of clutch plates on an external surface of said second clutch can;
wherein said first plurality of clutch plates of said second clutch drum are interleaved with said second plurality of clutch plates of said second clutch can to form a second clutch pack;
wherein at least a portion of said second clutch can is disposed radially outboard from at least a portion of said bearing mount of said second clutch drum;
wherein said second clutch can is directly connected to one end portion of a second output shaft located radially inboard from said second clutch can;
a second clutch drum bearing located radially inboard from said second clutch can and said bearing mount of said second clutch drum;
wherein at least a portion of said second clutch drum bearing is in direct contact with at least a portion of said second output shaft and at least a portion of said bearing mount of said second clutch drum;
wherein said second clutch drum bearing rotationally supports said inboard end of said second output shaft;
a second clutch actuator assembly wherein said second clutch actuator assembly is selectively engagable to drivingly connect said second clutch drum to said second clutch can of said second clutch pack.

2. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein said first end portion and said second end portion of said intermediate shaft are mounted for rotation on at least two bearings axially inboard of said first clutch drum and second clutch drum.

3. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein said ring gear is not attached to a differential comprising side gears, differential pinion gears or a differential case.

4. A drive unit with twin side shaft torque coupling, comprising: a pinion shaft with a pinion gear; a ring gear meshed with said pinion gear;
an intermediate shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion and a central portion bounded by said first end portion and said second end portion;
wherein said ring gear is integrally formed as part of said central portion of said intermediate shaft;
a first clutch drum is drivingly connected to said first end portion of said intermediate shaft;
wherein said first clutch drum supporting selective axial movement of a first plurality of clutch plates on an internal surface of said first clutch drum; a bearing mount extends axially outboard from a first side of a substantially vertical wall portion of said first clutch drum away from said ring gear;
wherein said bearing mount is integrally formed as part of said substantially vertical wall portion of said first clutch drum; a first clutch can is located radially inboard from said first clutch drum, wherein said first clutch can supporting selective axial movement of a second plurality of clutch plates on an external surface of said first clutch can;
wherein said first plurality of clutch plates of said first clutch drum are interleaved with said second plurality of clutch plates of said first clutch can to form a first clutch pack;
wherein at least a portion of said first clutch can is disposed radially outboard from at least a portion of said bearing mount of said first clutch drum;
wherein said first clutch can is directly connected to one end portion of a first output shaft located radially inboard from said first clutch can; a first clutch drum bearing located radially inboard from said first clutch can and said bearing mount of said first clutch drum;
wherein at least a portion of said first clutch drum bearing is in direct contact with at least a portion of said first output shaft and at least a portion of said bearing mount of said first clutch drum;
wherein said first clutch drum bearing rotationally supports said inboard end of said first output shaft;
a first clutch actuator assembly wherein said second clutch actuator assembly is selectively engagable to drivingly connect said first clutch drum to said first clutch can of said first clutch pack;
a second clutch drum drivingly connected to said second end portion of said intermediate shaft;
wherein said second clutch drum supporting selective axial movement of a first plurality of clutch plates on an internal surface of said second clutch drum; a bearing mount extends axially outboard from a first side of a substantially vertical wall portion of said second clutch drum away from said ring gear;
wherein said bearing mount is integrally formed as part of said substantially vertical wall portion of said second clutch drum; a second clutch can located radially inboard of said second clutch drum;
wherein said second clutch can supporting selective axial movement of a second plurality of clutch plates on an external surface of said second clutch can;
wherein said first plurality of clutch plates of said second clutch drum are interleaved with said second plurality of clutch plates of said second clutch can to form a se

Assignees

• Dana Automotive Systems Group

Inventors

• Cooper Kenneth E

Classifications

• F16D23/12

  Mechanical clutch-actuating mechanisms arranged outside the clutch as such (specific for combined clutches F16D21/00; mechanisms specific for synchronisation F16D23/02) · CPC title

• F16H48/36

  characterised by intentionally generating speed difference between outputs · CPC title

• F16D28/00

  Electrically-actuated clutches (arrangements for synchronisation F16D23/02; clutches actuated directly by means of an electromagnet F16D27/00; automatic clutches F16D43/00 - F16D45/00; external control F16D48/00) · CPC title

• F16H48/22

  using friction clutches or brakes · CPC title

• F16D21/00

  Systems comprising a plurality of actuated clutches (for synchronisation F16D23/04) · CPC title