Limited slip differential assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016178043-A1
Application number	US-201615058588-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2016
Priority date	Sep 17, 2013
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A limited slip differential assembly can include a sleeve, a support shaft, and a clutch assembly. The sleeve can have a sleeve aperture centered on and extending along an axis. The sleeve can also have a first set of splines projecting inwardly from the sleeve aperture. The sleeve can be operable to engage an axle through the first set of splines. The support shaft can have an outer surface, a support shaft aperture centered on and extending along the axis, and a second set of splines projecting from the outer surface. The support shaft can be adjacent to the sleeve along the axis and be operable to encircle and freely rotate relative to the axle. The clutch assembly can be operable to selectively interlock the sleeve and the support shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A limited slip differential assembly comprising:
a sleeve having a sleeve aperture centered on and extending along an axis, and also having a first set of splines projecting inwardly from the sleeve aperture, the sleeve operable to engage an axle through the first set of splines; a support shaft having an outer surface, a support shaft aperture centered on and extending along the axis, and a second set of splines projecting from the outer surface, the support shaft adjacent to the sleeve along the axis and operable to encircle and freely rotate relative to the axle; and a clutch assembly operable to selectively interlock the sleeve and the support shaft.

2 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a housing defining an interior cavity containing at least a portion of the clutch assembly, wherein the interior cavity is eccentric with respect to the sleeve aperture and the support shaft aperture.

3 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 1 wherein the clutch assembly further comprises:
a clutch basket fixed for rotation with the support shaft and at least partially encircling the sleeve.

4 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 3 wherein the clutch assembly further comprises:
a clutch pack including a first subset of plates fixed for rotation with the sleeve and a second subset of plates fixed for rotation with the clutch basket.

5 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 4 wherein the clutch assembly further comprises:
a piston positioned adjacent to a first end of the clutch pack; and
a fluid delivery system operable to direct fluid against the piston whereby the piston is urged to press the clutch pack against a portion of the clutch basket.

6 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 3 wherein the clutch basket and the support shaft are interconnected through a third set of splines defined by the clutch basket and a fourth set of splines defined by the support shaft.

7 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 6 wherein the second set of splines and the fourth set of splines of the support shaft are spaced from one another along the axis.

8 . A method of providing limited slip in a differential assembly comprising:
interconnecting an axle and a differential assembly through a first linkage being slippable; coupling the axle and the differential assembly through a second linkage being operable to selectively and positively lock the axle and a portion of the differential assembly together; and connecting the second linkage to the axle at a position spaced from the differential assembly.

9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
including a clutch assembly in the second linkage.

10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
positioning the first linkage within a first housing; and
positioning the clutch assembly outside of the first housing.

11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
positioning the clutch assembly within a second housing; and
linking the first housing and the second housing through a third housing.

12 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
positioning the first linkage within a housing; and
projecting less than all of the second linkage into the housing.

13 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
enclosing at least a portion of the second linkage in a housing; and
shaping the housing to be eccentric relative to the second linkage.

14 . The method of claim 8 wherein interconnecting the axle and the differential assembly through a first linkage further comprises:
driving the axle in rotation with a first housing of the differential assembly operable to be driven in rotation by a ring gear, a plurality of pinion gears of the differential assembly positioned in the first housing and driven in rotation by the first housing, and a side gear fixed to the axle and meshed with at least some of the pinion gears, wherein the axle is operable to slip relative to the first housing; and
enclosing the first housing, the plurality of pinion gears, and the side gear within a second housing, wherein the axle extends from a first end positioned within both of the first housing and the second housing to a second end positioned outside of both of the first housing and the second housing.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein coupling the axle and the differential assembly through a second linkage further comprises:
positioning a sleeve on the axle wherein the sleeve has a sleeve aperture centered on and extending along an axis and also has a first set of splines projecting inwardly from the sleeve aperture, wherein the first set of splines engage a second set of splines on the axle;
encircling the axle with a support shaft wherein the support shaft includes an outer surface, a support shaft aperture centered on and extending along the axis, and a third set of splines projecting from the outer surface; and
positioning a clutch assembly to selectively interlock the sleeve and the support shaft.

16 . A limited slip differential assembly comprising:
a differential assembly having a first housing operable to mesh with a ring gear for concurrent rotation, a plurality of pinion gears positioned in the first housing and driven in rotation by the first housing, at least one side gear meshed with at least some of the pinion gears, and at least one axle extending along the axis and fixed to the at least one side gear for concurrent rotation about the axis; a second housing enclosing the first housing, the plurality of pinion gears, and the at least one side gear, wherein the axle extends from a first end inside both of the first housing and the second housing to a second end spaced from an interior cavity of the second housing; a sleeve having a sleeve aperture centered on and extending along the axis, and also having a first set of splines projecting inwardly from the sleeve aperture and engaging the axle through a second set of splines projecting from the axle; a support shaft projecting into the second housing and having an outer surface, a support shaft aperture centered on and extending along the axis, and a third set of splines projecting from the outer surface, the support shaft adjacent to the sleeve along the axis and operable to encircle and freely rotate relative to the axle, the third set of splines engaging the first housing through a fourth set of splines projecting from the first housing; and a clutch assembly operable to selectively interlock the sleeve and the support shaft.

17 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 16 further comprising:
a third housing encircling at least a portion of the clutch assembly and eccentric with respect to the axis.

18 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 17 further comprising:
a fourth housing encircling at least a portion of the support shaft and interconnecting the second and third housings.

19 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 18 wherein the second housing further comprises a seal boss and the fourth housing includes a first portion that abuts the seal boss and a second portion that at least partially surrounds the seal boss.

20 . The limited slip differential assembly of claim 19 wherein the clutch assembly further comprises:
a clutch pack including a first subset of plates fixed for rotation with the sleeve and a second subset of plates fixed for rotation with the support shaft;
a piston; and
a fluid delivery syste

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Oesch Jeffrey A
• Fox Matthew G

Classifications

• F16H48/38

  Constructional details (the outer casing comprising the differential and supporting input and output shafts F16H57/037) · CPC title

• F16H48/08

  comprising bevel gears · CPC title

• F16H48/32

  using fluid pressure actuators · CPC title

• F16H48/22 Primary

  using friction clutches or brakes · CPC title

• F16H2048/382

  Methods for manufacturing differential gearings · CPC title