Patent ID: 6875146
Filing Date: 2005-04-05
Classification: B60K,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A transfer case comprising: an input shaft; a reduction unit driven by said input shaft and having an output member rotatably driven at a reduced speed relative to said input shaft; an output shaft; a range clutch moveable between a high-range position, a neutral position and a low-range position, said range clutch is operable in its high-range position to couple said output shaft for common rotation with said input shaft and is operable in its low-range position to couple said output shaft for common rotation with said output member of said reduction unit; a power-operated shift actuator for moving said range clutch between at least three shift intervals defined between its high-range and low-range positions, said shift actuator is operable to move said range clutch from said low-range position to said neutral position through said first shift interval at a first velocity, is operable to move said range clutch from said neutral position to a partially engaged position through said second interval at a second velocity, and is operable to move said range clutch from said partially engaged position to said high-range position through said third interval at a third velocity, wherein said first and third velocities are greater than said second velocity; and a controller for controlling actuation of said shift actuator.