Patent ID: 8231494

Claim:
A coupling device ( 16 ) for use in a motor vehicle, the coupling device comprising: an input member ( 45 , 145 ), a first output member ( 46 ), and a second output member ( 47 ); a planetary gear set ( 54 , 56 , 58 , 62 ) having a ring gear ( 58 ), a sun gear ( 56 ) a planetary gear carrier ( 54 ) with a plurality of planet gears ( 62 ) rotatably mounted thereon, the planet gears meshing with both the sun gear ( 56 ) and the ring gear ( 58 ), each of the input member ( 45 ), the first output member ( 46 ), and the second output member ( 47 ) being coupled to one of the planetary gear carrier ( 54 ) the ring gear ( 58 ) and the sun gear ( 56 ) of the planetary gear set ( 54 , 56 , 58 , 62 ); and a modulating biasing clutch assembly ( 70 ) selectively coupling two of the input member ( 45 ), the first output member ( 46 ), and the second output member ( 47 ), the modulating biasing clutch assembly ( 70 ) including an electrical clutch operator ( 72 , 78 , 84 ), at least one first clutch plate ( 92 ) directly coupled to the ring gear and at least one second clutch plate ( 94 ) directly coupled to the sun gear ( 56 ), the at least one first clutch plate ( 92 ) being coupled to one of the input member ( 45 ), the first output member ( 46 ), and the second output member ( 47 ), and the at least one second clutch plate ( 94 ) being coupled to another of the input member ( 45 ), the first output member ( 46 ), and the second output member ( 47 ), the at least one first and second clutch plates ( 92 , 94 ) being disposed adjacent to each other.