Drivetrain For Independent Suspension System

摘要

Disclosed herein is a report on a drivetrain specifically designed to operate in conjunction with the Extreme-Travel Independent Suspension System. In a prior disclosure, we introduced a drivetrain concept derived from the unique configuration of the suspension system. The concept defines several elements, one element is a gearbox that is fabricated into the frame, the gearbox being called the reverse power coupler. Other elements of the concept include a differential mounted offset power coupler and differential housing assemblies. The drivetrain cooperates with the suspension configuration of upper and lower leading and trailing links thereby retaining the suspension system's fundamental properties--handling quality like a double A-arm independent suspension system and travel and articulation capabilities similar to Ford's Twin I-Beam front suspension system. This report integrates the elements introduced in the prior disclosure with novel mechanistic features of the drivetrain. The features concentrate on the means by which power is transmitted from a differential housing to the wheels. Included in the features are the operations of the elements and the association of the elements with short and long axle shafts. The axle shafts serve as the principle conduits for transmitting power from one element to another.

主权项

1. A drivetrain for use with a vehicle having a frame, powertrain, and front and rear suspension systems, the drivetrain comprising:
front driver and passenger reverse power couplers and rear driver and passenger reverse power couplers, each reverse power coupler is a gearbox comprised of internal and external components, the external components include an input shaft and an output shaft; an offset power coupler, the offset power coupler is a gearbox comprised of internal and external components, the external components include an input shaft and an output shaft; front and rear differential housing assemblies, the front or rear differential housing assembly includes a front or rear differential housing, driver and passenger differential housing mounting brackets, and driver and passenger constant velocity (CV)-joint flanges, respectively; wherein each differential housing has a pinion shaft and driver and passenger sides, the driver and passenger sides are attached to the driver and passenger differential housing mounting brackets and driver and passenger CV-joint flanges, respectively; wherein the pinion shaft for the front differential housing has a shaft end; front driver and passenger short axle shafts, front driver and passenger long axle shafts, rear driver and passenger short axle shafts, and rear driver and passenger long axle shafts; wherein the frame comprises a driver frame side and a passenger frame side, the frame and each frame side having a front end, rear end, and middle; wherein the powertrain includes an engine, transmission, transfer case, and front and rear drive shafts; wherein the transfer case comprises an input shaft and first and second output shafts; wherein each driver or passenger frame side has one and a second apertures, one aperture is located at the front end of each frame side while the second aperture is located at the rear end of each frame side; wherein each aperture is an open space that is fabricated into each frame side, each aperture has a rectangular shape comprised of three straight edges, a horizontal edge and one and a second vertical edges, the horizontal edge is positioned at a top of the aperture between one and the second vertical edges, the one vertical edge being closer to the front or rear end of each frame side than is the second vertical edge; wherein the front and rear suspension systems each possess driver upper and lower leading links, passenger upper and lower leading links, driver upper and lower trailing links, and passenger upper and lower trailing links, each link has a first end and a second end.