VEHICLE POWER TRANSFER UNIT (PTU) DISCONNECT ASSEMBLY
First Claim
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1. A vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) disconnect assembly, comprising:
- a first shaft having a first set of splines, a second set of splines, and a first non-splined section separating said first and second sets of splines;
a second shaft having a third set of splines; and
a collar having a fourth set of splines, a fifth set of splines, and a second non-splined section separating said fourth and fifth sets of splines;
wherein, in a first shifted position of said collar, said first set of splines of said first shaft are mated with said fourth set of splines of said collar, and said second set of splines of said first shaft and said third set of splines of said second shaft are mated with said fifth set of splines of said collar, in the first shifted position the vehicle PTU disconnect assembly is in a connected state and rotation is transmitted from said first shaft to said second shaft, and wherein, in a second shifted position of said collar, said fourth set of splines of said collar is situated at said first non-splined section of said first shaft, and said second set of splines of said first shaft is situated at said second non-splined section of said collar, in the second shifted position the vehicle PTU disconnect assembly is in a disconnected state and rotation is not transmitted from said first shaft to said second shaft.
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Abstract
A vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) disconnect assembly can include a first shaft, a second shaft, and a collar assembly. The first shaft has a first split-spline at its exterior surface. The second shaft is telescoped over the first shaft and has a set of splines at its exterior surface. A helical gear is carried by the second shaft. The collar assembly is situated around both of the first and second shafts. The collar assembly has a second split-spline at its interior surface.
7 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) disconnect assembly, comprising:
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a first shaft having a first set of splines, a second set of splines, and a first non-splined section separating said first and second sets of splines; a second shaft having a third set of splines; and a collar having a fourth set of splines, a fifth set of splines, and a second non-splined section separating said fourth and fifth sets of splines; wherein, in a first shifted position of said collar, said first set of splines of said first shaft are mated with said fourth set of splines of said collar, and said second set of splines of said first shaft and said third set of splines of said second shaft are mated with said fifth set of splines of said collar, in the first shifted position the vehicle PTU disconnect assembly is in a connected state and rotation is transmitted from said first shaft to said second shaft, and wherein, in a second shifted position of said collar, said fourth set of splines of said collar is situated at said first non-splined section of said first shaft, and said second set of splines of said first shaft is situated at said second non-splined section of said collar, in the second shifted position the vehicle PTU disconnect assembly is in a disconnected state and rotation is not transmitted from said first shaft to said second shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) disconnect assembly, comprising:
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a first shaft having a first split-spline at an exterior surface of said first shaft; a second shaft situated at least partly around said first shaft, said second shaft having a set of splines at an exterior surface of said second shaft, said second shaft carrying a helical gear at a location spaced away from said set of splines; a collar assembly situated partly around said first shaft and partly around said second shaft, said collar assembly including a cage, a collar, and a secondary spring, said collar and said secondary spring held by said cage, said collar having a second split-spline at an interior surface of said collar; and an actuator assembly engaging said collar assembly to move said collar assembly from a first shifted position to a second shifted position, wherein, in the first shifted position, said first split-spline is mated with said second split-spline, and said second split-spline is mated with said set of splines, and wherein, in the second shifted position, said first split-spline is unmated with said second split-spline, wherein, if a torque-lock condition is being experienced when said actuator assembly engages said collar assembly, said secondary spring yields and said cage moves relative to said collar. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) disconnect assembly, comprising:
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a first shaft having a first split-spline at an exterior surface of said first shaft; a second shaft having a set of splines at an exterior surface of said second shaft; a collar having a second split-spline at an interior surface of said collar; and a cam assembly including a rotary cam and a cam follower, rotation of said rotary cam causes linear movement of said cam follower, said cam follower engaging said collar to move said collar from a first shifted position to a second shifted position, wherein, in the first shifted position, said first split-spline is mated with said second split-spline, and said second split-spline is mated with said set of splines, and wherein, in the second shifted position, said first split-spline is unmated with said second split-spline. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification