A differential with compound planetary gear sets having intermeshed planet gears

摘要

A torque biasing differential comprises a first planetary gear set 18 and a second planetary gear set 118 each having an inboard sun gear 30, 130, an outboard sun gear 32, 132, planet carrier shafts (34, 134, fig 2) coupled to rotate with a case 14 about their axes, and inboard and outboard planet gears 36, 136, 38, 138. The inboard sun gear 30, 130 is splined or otherwise fixed to rotate with an output shaft 22, 122 and meshed with the inboard planet gears 36, 136. The outboard planet gears 38, 138 are meshed with the outboard sun gear 32, 132 which is connected to a torque sink 26, 126, eg a clutch, hydraulic motor etc. The inboard planet gears 36 are intermeshed with the inboard planet gears 136 so that, by controlling the torque sinks 26, 126, different torques may be distributed to the output shafts 22, 122.