Patent ID: 11892067
Assignee: POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 17:
18. A mechanical differential assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:
a housing having an interior surface with a spherical portion; and
a pinion gear having a toothed portion and a clutch portion fixed to the pinion gear and extending from the toothed portion, wherein the pinion gear is operable to both rotate relative to the interior surface of the housing and be fixed relative to the interior surface of the housing, wherein the clutch portion includes an interior clutch surface and an exterior clutch surface;
a cam surface configured to engage the interior clutch surface and lock the pinion gear to the housing when the mechanical differential assembly is in a locked configuration such that the exterior clutch surface engages the interior surface of the housing; and
a locking member defining the cam surface, wherein a pressure angle is formed between the cam surface and the interior clutch surface;
wherein the interior clutch surface forms a variable radius and forms the pressure angle that is a changing pressure angle relative to the cam surface of the locking member;
wherein the interior clutch surface reduces the pressure angle as the clutch portion and the locking member move closer together, such that a curve of the interior clutch surface decreases the pressure angle as the clutch portion moves toward the locking member.