Patent ID: 9447859
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: F16H

Claim Text:
1. A locking differential apparatus comprising: an outer housing; a drive shaft disposed at least partially within the outer housing; a differential gear carrier disposed within the outer housing, the differential gear carrier configured to rotate in response to rotation of the drive shaft, the differential gear carrier comprising: a gear carrier housing; a first output shaft disposed at least partially within the gear carrier housing; a disc affixed perpendicular to the first output shaft to rotate synchronously with the first output shaft and disposed within the gear carrier housing, the disc having a recess configured to engage with a pin; a first internal gear disposed within the differential gear carrier, the first internal gear affixed to the first output shaft and rotating synchronously with the first output shaft on a same axis of rotation, wherein the first internal gear includes a flange that seals a side of the first internal gear adjacent an external wall of the gear carrier housing against the external wall; and a second output shaft disposed at least partially within the gear carrier housing; the first output shaft and the second output shaft being differentially linked by the differential gear carrier to maintain a constant relationship between a rotation rate of the drive shaft and the average rotation rate of the first output shaft and the second output shaft while the second output shaft rotates at a variable rate different from a rotation rate of the first output shaft; and a locking actuator assembly disposed within the outer housing and exterior to the gear carrier housing, the locking actuator assembly comprising the pin disposed in parallel with the first output shaft and passing through the gear carrier housing to selectively engage with the recess of the disc affixed perpendicular to the first output shaft to lock the first output shaft to the gear carrier housing and cause the first output shaft and the second output shaft to rotate synchronously.