Patent ID: 6565475
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: B60K,F16H

Abstract:
A transfer case comprising:an input shaft; first and second output shafts; a planetary gear assembly interconnecting said input shaft to said first and second output shafts and including first and second gearsets having a common carrier assembly, said first gearset including a first sun gear splined to said input shaft, a ring gear, and a first planet gear supported by said carrier assembly and meshed with said first sun gear and said ring gear, said second gearset including a second sun gear connected to said first output shaft, a third sun gear operably connected to said second output shaft, a second planet gear supported by said carrier assembly and meshed with said second sun gear, and a third planet gear supported by said carrier assembly and meshed with said third sun gear and said second planet gear; a coupling ring interconnecting said ring gear to said first sun gear to facilitate relative rotation therebetween and axial movement of said first sun gear on said input shaft in response to axial movement of said ring gear; a range clutch including a first clutch plate fixed to said carrier assembly, a second clutch plate fixed to a stationary member, and a range sleeve fixed to said ring gear and axially moveable between a high-range position and a low-range position to establish corresponding high-range and low-range drive connections between said input shaft and said carrier assembly, said range sleeve is operable in its high-range position to couple said first sun gear to said first clutch plate and release said ring gear from coupled engagement with said second clutch plate, and said range sleeve is operable in its low-range position to release said first sun gear from couple engagement with said first clutch plate and couple said ring gear to said second clutch plate; and a shift mechanism for moving said range sleeve between its high-range and low-range positions.