Patent ID: 6935981

Claim:
An interaxle drive system for delivering power to front and rear drive axles of a vehicle comprising: a transfer case connecting an input drive shaft to concentric front and rear output drive shafts; the input drive shaft and the concentric front and rear output drive shafts being aligned with a common axis of rotation; the input drive shaft being arranged for connection to a source of power, the front output drive shaft being arranged for connection to the front axle, and the rear output drive shaft being arranged for connection to the rear axle; the transfer case having a housing that includes a front end through which the input drive shaft is received, a rear end through which the rear output drive shaft emerges, and a lateral extension between the front and rear ends through which a drive connection is made with the front output drive shaft; a planetary gear unit within the transfer case housing for delivering power from the input drive shaft to the front and rear output drive shafts at different speed ratios; a single-pinion differential gear unit within the transfer case for unequally dividing drive torque between the front and rear output drive shafts; the planetary gear unit including sun and ring gears interconnected by planet gears; the single-pinion differential gear unit including internal and external tooth side gears interconnected by individual pinion gears; a common carrier mounting both the planet gears of the planetary gear unit and the pinion gears of the single-pinion differential gear unit for rotation about their axes; and the common carrier being mounted for rotation on a bearing supported by the transfer case housing.