Patent ID: 11867270
Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 14:
15. A method of determining whether an electronically locking differential assembly is in an unlocked state or a locked state, the method comprising:
providing a differential case having a first plurality of teeth formed around an outer surface thereof;
providing a ramp plate having a second plurality of teeth formed around an outer surface thereof;
sensing a first position of at least one tooth of the first plurality of teeth; sensing a second position of at least one tooth of the second plurality of teeth;
determining, with a controller, whether the electronically locking differential assembly is in the unlocked state or the locked state based on whether a phase lag exists between a first reference peak and a second reference peak, the first reference peak corresponding to the first position and the second reference peak corresponding to the second position; and
outputting a signal, from the controller, based on the determination.