Patent ID: 7632204

Claim:
A transfer case comprising: a housing and a housing cover; an input shaft providing power in the form of torque; a first output shaft and a second output shaft; a first planetary gearset having a sun gear, a carrier having a plurality of planetary gears, and a ring gear, wherein the sun gear is rotatably coupled to the input shaft and the carrier is coupled to the first output shaft; a second planetary gearset having a sun gear, a carrier having a plurality of planetary gears, and a ring gear, wherein the carrier is coupled to the second output shaft; an idler gear, wherein the idler gear is rotatably driven by a gear rotatably coupled to the input shaft and wherein the idler gear rotatably drives a gear that is attached to the sun gear of the second planetary gearset; a first brake band having a movable end and a fix end disposed within the housing adapted to selectively hold the ring gear of the first planetary gear set to cause the first output shaft to rotate in an underdrive condition with respect to the input shaft; a second brake band having a movable end and a fixed end disposed within the housing adapted to selectively hold the ring gear of the second planetary gear set to cause the second output shaft to rotate in an underdrive condition with respect to the input shaft; a first actuator assembly comprising: an first actuation shaft rotatably engaging the movable end of the first brake band adapted for applying tension to the brake band to selectively hold the ring gear of the first planetary gear set; a first lever connected to the first actuation shaft; and a first actuator selectively engaging the first lever to rotate the first actuation shaft; and a second actuator assembly comprising: a second actuation shaft rotatably engaging the movable end of the second brake band adapted for applying tension to the brake band to selectively hold the ring gear of the second planetary gear set; a second lever connected to the second actuation shaft; and a second actuator selectively engaging the second lever to rotate the second actuation shaft.