Patent ID: 6076429
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
In a differential mechanism for rotatably driving a pair of aligned axially-spaced output shafts from a rotatably driven input shaft and including a center driving member for the output shafts and a center cam having cam teeth for disengaging an overrunning output shaft from the center driving member, an improved clutch mechanism comprising:(a) an annular clutch member having an inner and an outer diameter and a pair of planar surfaces, one of said planar surfaces containing:(1) a plurality of spaced first clutch teeth arranged adjacent said outer diameter for engagement with corresponding clutch teeth on the center drive member of the differential; and(2) a plurality of spaced second cam teeth arranged adjacent to said inner diameter for engagement with corresponding cam teeth on the center cam of the ditferential, said second cam each having a trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration with a base portion being wider than a top portion thereof, whereby said second cam teeth engage the center cam teeth along a side surface thereof to reduce torque in said second teeth.