LINEAR ANSPRECHENDES RUTSCHBESCHRAENKENDES DIFFERENTIAL

摘要

A limited slip differential employs a combined differential gear mechanism with a viscous fluid coupling. A gear connection to a first portion of a drive train causes a limited slip differential housing to rotate. A bevel gear is rotatably attached in fixed position to the interior of the housing. Differential gear sleeves are rotatably attached to either end of the housing. Each of the differential gear sleeves has a differential gear which gearingly meshes with the bevel gear and receives an axle from a second and third portion of the drive train, respectively. One of the differential gear sleeves is translatably movable relative to the housing. A fluid chamber within the housing contains a high viscosity fluid as well as a set of annular plates attached to the housing and a set of annular plates attached to the differential gear sleeve which is translatably movable. The sets of annular plates are in interleaved relation to each other. A cover plate attached to the translatably movable differential gear sleeve, forms part of the chamber wall and is caused to bias toward the bevel gear when the fluid in the chamber heats due to nonsynchronous rotation of the differential gear sleeves. As a result of biasing of the translatably movable differential gear sleeve against the bevel gear, resistance to rotation of the bevel gear develops, causing resistance to differentiation between the differential gear sleeves, resulting in a linear transfer or torque therebetween.