Patent ID: 8157072

Claim:
A transfer case comprising: a first output shaft; a second output shaft; a clutch assembly disposed at the second output shaft, the clutch assembly including inner and outer drum members, the outer drum member having an open end and a partially closed end, the inner drum member coupled with the second output shaft and the outer drum member rotatable in association with rotation of the first output shaft, the clutch assembly further including a plurality of frictional clutch plates, the frictional clutch plates having at least one frictional clutch plate coupled with the inner drum member and at least one frictional clutch plate coupled with the outer drum member; an actuator shaft rotatably coupled with an electric actuator, the actuator shaft disposed in parallel relation with the second output shaft; and a pivot lever, a first end of the pivot lever coupled with the actuator shaft for pivotally moving the pivot lever in association with rotation the actuator shaft, a second end of the pivot lever configured to apply axial force to the frictional clutch plates to transmit a drive torque of the first output shaft to the second output shaft, wherein the transfer case further comprises a thrust bearing of annular shape which is slidably placed between the second end of the pivot lever and the clutch assembly, the thrust bearing having a central opening to which the second output shaft is received, wherein the second end of the pivot lever is bifurcated for pressing two diametrically opposite portions of the thrust bearing, wherein the pivot lever and the connection between the pivot lever and the actuator shaft are configured to magnify a drive torque of the actuator and press the thrust bearing with magnified axial force, wherein the clutch assembly further includes a pressure plate disposed at a lateral side of the frictional clutch plates, a snap member affixed to the open end of the outer drum member, and a plurality of clutch levers placed between the snap member and the pressure plate, an inner portion of each clutch lever configured to abut the thrust bearing and an outer portion of each clutch lever configured to abut the snap member, each clutch lever having a bent contact portion at an outer location of the clutch lever with the bent contact portion generally abutting the outer surface of the pressure plate such that said axial force of the pivot lever for applying the frictional clutch plates is further magnified by lever action of the clutch levers.