| 摘要 |
A limited slip differential includes a rotatably mounted differential casing with a pair of side gears rotatably mounted therein. One of the side gears includes an annular clutch plate having a frusto-conical clutch surface. A clutch ring is generally mounted for rotation with the differential casing and is capable of axial movement between a biased non-engaged position and an engaged position against biasing wherein a mating surface thereon is brought into contact with the frusto-conical clutch surface of the clutch plate. An inertial ring is mounted for rotation with the differential casing but is capable of circumferential movement relative thereto between a neutral position and an actuated position. When either of the side gears experiences a slipped condition, it rapidly accelerates to cause the differential casing to exceed a predetermined rate of acceleration. The inertial ring has sufficient mass to resist the acceleration of the differential casing to cause it to be moved from the neutral to the actuated position. A thrust pin is aligned with a cam surface on the inertial ring to cause it to be moved axially when the inertial ring is in the actuated position so that the other end of the thrust pin will move the clutch ring to the engaged position. When the clutch ring is in the engaged position, frictional contact between the clutch ring and the clutch plate will cause the clutch ring to be rotated with the side gear. As the clutch ring tries to rotate with the side gear, camming surfaces on the clutch ring and the differential casing are brought into contact to prevent further relative rotation between the differential casing and the side gear until the force generated between the differential casing and the clutch ring is released.
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