Patent ID: 7549941

Claim:
A vehicle differential assembly comprising: a differential driven by an input and adapted to allow differing rotational speed between a pair of outputs, the differential including a gear assembly connected to the outputs and one or more hydraulically-actuated clutches for selectively and variably coupling the outputs; a hydraulic pump adapted to generate hydraulic fluid pressure for engagement of the one or more hydraulically-actuated clutches; a variable-engagement clutch operatively connected to the input and the hydraulic pump such that the input selectively drives the hydraulic pump during engagement of the variable-engagement clutch to provide hydraulic fluid pressure to the one or more hydraulically-actuated clutches; and a valve operatively connected to the hydraulic pump and the one or more hydraulically-actuated clutches to selectively or variably provide fluid pressure from the hydraulic pump to the one or more hydraulically-actuated clutches.