Patent ID: 7201692

Claim:
A coupling device for eventual installation within an axle housing containing a reservoir of fluid, said coupling device including a housing and being adapted to drive at least one axle shaft defining an axis of rotation, said housing defining a central axis, disposed perpendicular to said axis of rotation, and further defining a gear chamber surrounding said central axis, and further defining a clutch cavity; differential gearing disposed in said gear chamber including at least one input gear and at least one output gear adapted to drive the axle shaft, said housing defining at least one window extending from the exterior of said housing through to the interior of said housing in the region of said gear chamber; a clutch assembly disposed in said clutch cavity, and a clutch apply member operably associated with said clutch assembly, said clutch assembly including a first clutch member fixed to rotate with said housing and second clutch member fixed to rotate with said output gear; said first clutch member including a plurality N of ears operably associated with said housing to limit rotation of said first clutch member relative thereto; characterized by: (a) said housing defining a plurality M of fluid passages extending generally axially from said window defined by said housing to said clutch cavity; (b) said housing, in the region bounding said clutch cavity, defining a plurality N of axially-extending recesses, each of which receives therein one of said plurality N of said ears; and (c) each of said plurality M of said fluid passages being in open fluid communication with one of said plurality N of said axially extending recesses.