Patent ID: 6390221
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: B60K

Abstract:
An integrated wheel end assembly for a vehicle adapted to provide driving engagement/disengagement of a wheel to convert between driven and non-driven modes of wheel movement, the wheel end assembly receiving drive torque from a half shaft through a constant velocity (â€œCVâ€ ) joint, said assembly comprising:a knuckle adapted to be coupled to the vehicle, said knuckle integrally housing a hub lock actuator assembly; a bearing assembly mounted to the knuckle; a cylindrical wheel hub mounted on the bearing assembly for relatively free rotation about a central axis of the hub, said wheel hub having a flange for mounting the wheel at an outboard end thereof and a drive flange at an inboard end thereof, an outer circumference of the drive flange having a plurality of drive flange teeth spaced evenly therearound; a stub shaft, and outboard end thereof rotatingly supported in the wheel hub, and an inboard end thereof defining a CV housing for the CV joint, the outside of the CV housing having a plurality of CV housing teeth identical in size and number to the teeth on the drive flange, the CV housing and drive flange being positioned axially adjacent to each other; a clutch member having clutch member teeth sized and adapted for engaging the teeth on the CV housing and the drive flange, the clutch member being slidable axially between a first position in which the clutch member teeth engage only the CV housing teeth and no drive torque is transferred from the half shaft to the wheel hub and a second position in which the clutch teeth engage both the CV housing teeth and the drive flange teeth and drive torque is transferred from the half shaft to the wheel hub through the engagement; wherein the hub lock actuator assembly moves the clutch member selectively between the first and second positions; at least one biaser biasing the clutch member in an inboard direction to the first position an annular groove formed on an inboard face of the knuckle, the groove having a bottom surface and inner and outer side surfaces; and a clutch member actuator communicated to the clutch member, the clutch member actuator having an annular sealing ring affixed thereto, the sealing ring sealingly seated in the annular groove to define a vacuum pocket, such that pressure changes in the vacuum pocket cause expansion or contraction of the pocket, resulting in axial movement of the clutch member actuator to selectively shift the clutch member between the respective positions.