Drive train components with actuator springs

Abstract

The drive train assembly includes a housing, a first rotating member, a second rotating member, an actuator, and a biasing member. The actuator includes a main body coupled to the first rotating member, the actuator driving the main body relative to the second rotating member, and the main body is movable between a first position in which the main body is not coupled to the second rotating member and a second position in which the main body is coupled to the second rotating member. The biasing member includes a retainer and a spring. The retainer contacts a stop surface that limits movement of the retainer. The spring is fixed to the retainer on one side and contacts the main body during at least a portion of the main body's movement to provide a biasing force on the main body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to driveline components having actuators, such as clutches, with springs. Background Art

[0002] A vehicle's drivetrain transmits motive power to the wheels. Various drivetrain components are known. For example, a power transfer unit is commonly used in all-wheel drive systems based on front-wheel drive. The power transfer unit may include a disconnect mechanism, allowing power to be delivered only to the front wheels under certain vehicle operating conditions, while being delivered to more wheels, or even all wheels, under other vehicle operating conditions.

[0003] A vehicle drivetrain may also include a differential that allows the wheels to rotate at different rates while still transmitting torque to the wheels. While this solution may be satisfactory in certain driving conditions, it may not be satisfactory in situations where one of the driven wheels encounters a surface with a significantly lower coefficient of friction than the surface engaged by the other wheels. This situation may prevent torque from being applied to the wheel with greater traction, resulting in undesirable vehicle performance. A locking mechanism may be provided to lock the differential and, at least in certain circumstances, prevent differential wheel speeds and evenly transmit torque between the two wheels. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In at least some embodiments, a drive train component includes a housing, a first rotating component, a second rotating component, an actuator, and a biasing component. The actuator includes a body coupled to the first rotating component, the actuator drives the body relative to the second rotating component, and the body is movable between a first position in which the body is not coupled to the second rotating component and a second position in which the body is coupled to the second rotating component. The biasing component includes a retainer and a spring, the retainer contacting a stop surface that limits the movement of the retainer, the spring being fixed to the retainer on one side and contacting the body during at least a portion of the movement of the body to provide a biasing force on the body.

[0005] In at least some embodiments, the actuator drives the body from the first position to the second position and the spring provides a force on the body tending to move the body from the second position to the first position. Of course, other arrangements can be used.

[0006] In at least some embodiments, the spring is annular and has a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, and wherein the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface do not contact other components of the drive train. This can avoid interfering with the movement and operation of the spring.

[0007] In at least some embodiments, a housing is provided and the body and biasing member are received within the housing, and the housing includes a stop surface that contacts the retainer to maintain the position of the biasing member. In at least some embodiments, the stop surface defines a portion of a groove in which the periphery of the retainer is received. In at least some embodiments, the retainer is C-shaped and includes a gap between spaced ends, and the retainer is flexible to reduce the diameter of the retainer and wherein the retainer is resilient to expand when installed so that a portion of the retainer is radially overlapped by the stop surface. In at least some embodiments, the retainer includes a rear face that is flat and arranged to contact the stop surface. In at least some embodiments, the retainer includes a front face to which the spring is fixed to prevent the spring from moving relative to the retainer at one or more fixed points.

[0008] In at least some embodiments, the first rotating component is a differential housing and the second rotating component is a gear of the differential. The gear is then selectively coupled to the housing to selectively provide a locked differential. In at least some embodiments, the differential housing includes a stop surface and wherein the body and biasing member are received within an interior of the differential housing.

[0009] In at least some embodiments, the first rotating component is a first shaft and the second rotating component is a second shaft, wherein the second shaft does not rotate with the first shaft when the body is in the first position, and rotates with the first shaft when the body is in the second position. This can allow a different number of wheels of the vehicle to be driven in one mode than in another mode. In at least some embodiments, at least a portion of the first shaft and at least a portion of the second shaft are received within a housing, and wherein the body and the biasing member are received within the housing.

[0010] In at least some embodiments, the main body includes teeth and the second rotatable member includes complementary teeth that mesh with the teeth of the main body when the main body is in the second position. As used herein, teeth can refer to an arrangement of spaced-apart protrusions such as teeth on a gear, splines, or similar elements that can be driven to couple or mesh together.

[0011] In at least some embodiments, the actuator includes a solenoid coil and a plunger driven by the force generated by the coil, wherein the plunger engages a first side of the body and the spring engages an opposing second side of the body. When energized, the coil generates a magnetic field that drives the plunger in one direction, and when the magnetic field weakens or ceases, the spring drives the plunger in an opposite second direction.

[0012] In at least some embodiments, a drive train component includes a first rotating component and a second rotating component; a body coupled to the first rotating component; a coil configured to generate a magnetic field; a plunger that is moved from a first position to a second position by the magnetic field, wherein movement of the plunger from the first position to the second position causes the body to move relative to the second rotating component from a first position in which the body is not coupled to the second rotating component to a second position in which the body is coupled to the second rotating component; and a biasing component. The biasing component has a retainer and a spring, the retainer contacting a stop surface to limit movement of the retainer, and the spring being fixed to the retainer on one side of the spring and contacting the body during at least a portion of movement of the body to provide a biasing force on the body in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0013] In at least some embodiments, the first rotating component is a differential case, the second rotating component is a gear, the spring is annular and has a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, and wherein the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface do not contact the differential case or the gear.

[0014] In at least some embodiments, the first rotating component is a first shaft, a portion of which is located within the housing, and the second rotating component is a second shaft, a portion of which is located within the housing, wherein the second shaft does not rotate with the first shaft when the body is in the first position, and when the body is in the second position, the second shaft rotates with the first shaft. In at least some embodiments, the spring is annular and has a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, and wherein the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface do not contact the housing or the second shaft.

[0015] According to the following description, various features and components can be combined together unless they exclude each other, and the description is intended to illustrate the various features rather than to limit the invention described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The preferred embodiments and the best mode are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle driveline assembly;

[0018] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a differential having an electrically actuated clutch, wherein the differential is shown in a disengaged position;

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of;

[0020] Figure 4 is a side view of a biasing member including a retainer and a spring;

[0021] Figure 5 is similar to Figure 3 , showing different biasing members with different types of springs; and

[0022] Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of a disconnect assembly in a power transfer unit showing a first shaft, a second shaft, a portion of a coupling body, and an actuator driving the coupling body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] With reference to the accompanying drawings in more detail, Figure 1 A vehicle driveline 12 is shown providing power from an engine 14 to a plurality of wheels, including front wheels 15 and rear wheels 16. The engine 14 supplies torque via a transmission 17 and a power transfer unit 18 providing an output shaft 20. The output shaft 20 is coupled to a first propeller shaft 21, which is coupled to a rear drive unit 22, which may include a differential assembly 23. The power transfer unit 18 or other device may have an output shaft 24 coupled to a front drive unit 25 (which may include a differential assembly 26) via a second propeller shaft 27. A front left side axle 28 and a front right side axle 29 are coupled to the drive units / differentials 25, 26, allowing relative rotation between the sideshafts 28, 29 and the front wheels 15. A rear left side axle 30 and a rear right side axle 32 are connected to the rear drive units / differentials 22, 23, which allow relative rotation between the sideshafts 30, 32 and the rear wheels 16. The power transfer unit 18 may include a disconnect assembly that, when in a connected state, transfers torque to the second propeller shaft 27 to drive the front wheels 15. When connected or disconnected, the power transfer unit 18 may provide torque to the first propeller shaft 21 to drive the rear wheels 16. Thus, depending on the state of the disconnect assembly, the driveline 12 may provide torque to only the rear wheels 16 or to all four wheels 15, 16.

[0024] Of course, other drivetrain configurations and drivetrain components may be used as desired. For example, while shown in a rear-wheel drive-based drivetrain, the locking differential may also be used in a front-wheel-based all-wheel drive system, or even in a two-wheel drive front-engine / front-wheel drive or front-engine / rear-wheel drive drivetrain, as well as in an E-Axle (an electric motor driven final drive).

[0025] Now refer to Figure 2 The first rear shaft 30 is connected to a first side gear 34 within the differential 23. Similarly, the second rear shaft 32 is connected to a second side gear 36 within the differential 23. The side gears 34, 36 are carried within a housing 37 of the differential 23 (which may be referred to as a differential housing or device housing). The differential also includes pinion gears 38, 40, which mesh with the side gears 34, 36, respectively, and are mounted on pinion shafts 42 within the housing 37.

[0026] To selectively lock and unlock the differential 23, a clutch assembly 46 is provided. The clutch assembly 46 can have an actuated and a deactuated state, and in one state, the clutch assembly couples one of the sideshafts (e.g., 32) to the differential housing 37, causing the coupled sideshaft to rotate with the housing. This, in turn, causes the other sideshaft 30 to rotate in unison with the housing 37 and the sideshaft 32 coupled to the housing, causing both sideshafts 30, 32 to rotate at the same speed.

[0027] In at least some embodiments, the clutch assembly 46 is electrically actuated and includes an actuator having a solenoid 48 with an annular coil 49 and a drive member, which may include an armature or plunger 54, which is at least partially received radially inward of and axially overlaps the coil. In at least some embodiments, the plunger 54 is also annular, coaxially arranged with the coil 49 and carried by the housing 37 for rotation therewith, and a sideshaft (here, the second sideshaft 32) extends coaxially through a portion of the housing 37 that extends through the coil and plunger. Power is supplied to the coil 49 via a power line 50 to generate a magnetic field that causes the plunger 54 to move from a first, or retracted, position to a second, or advanced, position relative to the coil and the differential housing 37. When power is not supplied to the coil 49, a biasing member, such as a spring 55, may act on the plunger 54, or on a component engaged with the plunger, as described below, to facilitate the return of the plunger 54 from the second position to the first position. In at least some embodiments, the clutch assembly 46 is actuated when the plunger 54 is in the second position and the clutch assembly is deactivated when the plunger is in the first position. Although in the illustrated example, the plunger 54 is in its second position when power is supplied to the coil 49 and moves to the first position when power is not supplied to the coil, vice versa is possible if desired (e.g., the clutch assembly 46 can be moved to the actuated position by the biasing member 55 and deactivated by supplying power to the coil).

[0028] In at least some embodiments, the clutch assembly 46 may also include or be associated with a coupling body or clutch member (referred to herein as a clutch ring 56) adapted to be driven by the plunger 54 and engage the side gear 34, as described below. The clutch ring 56 may be annular in shape, and a portion of the second side gear 36 and / or the shaft 32 may extend through the clutch ring. The clutch ring 56 may include a rear face 57 engageable by the plunger 54 and a front face 59 having at least one engagement feature 58, such as a gear or clutch tooth 58 (e.g., a dog clutch tooth), configured to engage a corresponding engagement feature 60 (e.g., a gear or dog clutch tooth) formed on the rear face of the first side gear 34. When the coil 49 is not energized, a spring 55 may act on the clutch ring 56 to urge the clutch ring into the plunger 54 and move the plunger to its first position, as described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the plunger 54 is located adjacent to one side of a housing wall 62, and the clutch ring 56 is located adjacent to the other side of the wall 62. The wall 62 includes an aperture 64, and the plunger 54 and clutch ring 56 include axially extending feet 66, 68, respectively, which extend into or through the aperture 64 in the wall so that the plunger and clutch ring engage each other across or through the wall. Like the coil 49 and plunger 54, the clutch ring 56 is also carried by the housing 37 and rotates therewith.

[0029] Figure 2 The differential 23 shown in FIG is shown in a disconnected mode or position. In the illustrated embodiment, in the disconnected position of the differential, the coil 49 is not energized, the plunger 54 is in its first position, and the clutch ring 56 is not engaged with the side gears 34, allowing the side gears to rotate relative to the clutch ring 56 and the housing 37. In the disconnected position, the sideshafts 30, 32 can rotate at different speeds than one another. However, certain driving conditions may make it desirable for the sideshafts 30, 32 to rotate in unison so that torque is applied to both wheels.

[0030] In the locked position, coil 49 is energized, advancing plunger 54 to its second position, which drives clutch ring 56 into engagement with side gear 34 (i.e., teeth 58 engage and mesh with teeth 60). Consequently, side gear 34 is coupled to housing 37 such that the side gear rotates with the housing but not relative to it. In effect, second sideshaft 32 is locked to housing 37 and rotates with it, which in turn forces first and second sideshafts 30, 32 to rotate in unison.

[0031] like Figure 2 、 3, 5 and 6, plunger 54 can be formed from a variety of materials, including a material that is magnetically responsive to the magnetic field generated by coil 49, and at least one other material that may or may not be responsive to the magnetic field. Thus, when coil 49 generates a magnetic field, plunger 54 can be driven from one position to another (e.g., from a retracted position to an advanced position). As used herein, a material is responsive to a magnetic field if a magnetic field of a magnitude generated by solenoid 48, such as the type used in the applications described herein, can cause a component formed from or including such material to be displaced.

[0032] In at least some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the plunger 54 includes a body having a central axis 73, which can be defined by a first body 74 and a second body 76 that are connected together and move as a unit or component and do not separate during use. The first body 74 can be formed of a magnetically responsive material and can be received near the coil 49 and radially inside the coil 49 with a small air gap between them. The second body 76 can have at least a portion radially inward of at least a portion of the first body 74. The second body 76 can be annular and can radially overlap with a portion of the first body 74 in at least some embodiments. The second body 76 can be conveniently overmolded onto the first body 74 to facilitate forming the second body and connecting the first and second bodies together, however other forming processes such as, but not limited to, casting, stamping, or extrusion can be used. If desired, the second body 76 can define a portion or all of the foot 66 of the plunger 54, which can extend axially beyond the first body 74. The second body 76 can be formed from a non-magnetically responsive material (e.g., plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, etc.) and can provide a magnetic flux shield of sorts that improves the strength of the magnetic field on or in the area of ​​the first body 74 to ensure proper response of the plunger 54 when the coil 49 is energized. In this way, the magnetic field is more concentrated or stronger in the area of ​​the first body 74 to increase the magnetic flux at or in the first body and improve the response of the plunger 54 to the generated magnetic field.

[0033] like Figure 2 and 3 As shown, the second body 76 can have an inner surface 78 that is received adjacent to or about a surface 79 of the differential housing 37. The inner surface 78 can define a pilot diameter for receiving the plunger 54 on the annular surface 79 of the differential housing 37 for guided linear axial movement of the plunger relative to the differential housing.

[0034] refer to Figure 2The clutch ring 56 has a body 80 having a central axis that may be coaxial with the axis 73 of the plunger 54, a radially outer surface 84 extending axially between the rear face 57 and the front face 59, and a radially inner surface 86 that may have a smaller axial extent than the outer surface 84. The inner surface 86 of the clutch ring 56 may be received around the surface of the side gear 34. The legs 68 of the clutch ring 56 define a portion of the rear face 57 and are circumferentially spaced from and extend axially from the remainder of the rear face 57. The teeth 58 are located on the front face 59. The clutch ring 56 may be made of a metal, such as alloy steel, chrome steel, chrome-molybdenum steel, nickel steel, nickel-chrome-molybdenum steel, medium / high carbon steel, etc.

[0035] When the differential 23 is in use, the bearings 88 are mounted on the outer surface of the tubular portion 90 of the housing 37. Figure 2 In FIG, the bearing 88 is shown diagrammatically as a dashed polygon and may include an inner ring having an inner surface on the tubular outer surface of the tubular portion, and an outer ring received over the inner ring. Suitable bearings are known in the art. Figure 2 As shown, in use, as the plunger 54 slides, the bearing 88 extends radially beyond the surface 79. The plunger 54 can be prevented from sliding out of the housing 37 by engaging the bearing 88.

[0036] like Figure 3 and 4 As shown, spring 55 is part of a biasing member 92, which includes a retainer 94 and spring 55. Spring 55 may be of any desired type suitable for use in a differential or other device. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The wave spring 55 is shown in the figure. Figure 5 The biasing member 92' is shown having a coil spring 96 secured to a retainer 94', although any annular spring may be used, including but not limited to a leaf spring (having multiple fingers or leaves cantilevered to a body), a coil spring, a disc spring, and a diaphragm spring. The spring 55 is annular, having a central axis 97 and having a plurality of elements with a radially inner surface 98 and a radially outer surface 100. While the elements of the wave spring 55 have waves in each turn, the elements of the coil spring 96 are individual coils or turns. In the example shown, the springs 55, 96 are housed between the radially outer surface of the side gear 34 and the inner surface 102 of the differential housing 37, which defines a portion of the interior of the housing 37 within which the gears and other components are housed. The remainder of this description will primarily be discussed with respect to the spring 55, but is also applicable to the coil spring 96 or other springs.

[0037] In at least some embodiments, the inner surface 98 of the spring element is spaced from the side gear 34 and the outer surface 100 of the spring element is spaced from the adjacent inner surface 102 of the housing 37. This prevents the spring 55 from binding on the surface or other interference that could inhibit or impair the operation of the spring. To maintain the position of the spring 55, the spring is connected to the retainer 94.

[0038] The retainer 94 may also be annular, although the retainer 94 may be c-shaped, such as Figure 4 The retainer 94 may be shown as a spool, or comprised of discrete sections, each of which is connected to the spring 55 and thus held as a unit. In at least some embodiments, the retainer 94 includes a flat rear face 104 and an opposing front face 106, to which the first or inner side or first or inner end of the spring 55 is connected. In the case of a wave spring, the spring 55 may contact and be secured to the front face 106 of the retainer 94 at one or more crests in the first coil of the spring 55. In the case of a coil spring 96, a portion or all of the first coil of the coil may contact and be secured to the front face 106 of the retainer 94. The spring 55 may be secured to the retainer 94 at one or more points or areas to prevent movement of the spring 55 relative to the retainer 94 at one or more fixed points. The spring 55 may be secured to the retainer 94 by welding, fasteners, adhesives, rivets, crimping, or riveting, among others. In at least some embodiments, the spring may be integrally formed with the retainer 94, such that they are distinct features or portions of the same piece of material. When connected or formed as one piece, the spring 55 does not separate from the retainer 94, and in at least some embodiments, the entire spring 55 does not move relative to the retainer 94. The biasing member 92 is a single, unitary component having two connected parts (the retainer 94 and the spring 55) that are mounted together rather than separately into a driveline component (e.g., a differential or power transfer unit). The retainer 94 may have a radially outer surface 110 ( Figure 4 ) and radial inner surface 112 ( Figure 3 The inner surface 112 may be sized to be received around the side gear 34 or other components with clearance between the components and the inner surface 112 .

[0039] The retainer 94 contacts another component, such as the differential case 37, thereby maintaining the position of the retainer 94 and, therefore, the position of the spring 55 secured to the retainer 94. In at least some embodiments, the case 37 includes a groove 114 extending radially outward into the inner surface 102 of the case 37. The axial width of the groove 114 is sufficient to accommodate an edge portion of the retainer 94, and the outer diameter of the retainer 94 (at the outer surface 110) is greater than the inner diameter of the case 37 in which the groove 114 is formed. Figure 4The illustrated C-shaped retainer 94 provides a gap 116 between the spaced ends 118, 120 of the retainer, and is formed from a material or materials that are at least somewhat flexible and resilient, such as a metal, polymer, or composite material. The gap 116 allows the retainer 94 to be compressed to be received within the inner surface 102, and when the retainer 94 is aligned with the groove 114, the retainer elastically returns to its uncompressed state and a portion of the retainer's outer edge is received within the groove. The retainer 94 engages the sidewalls 122 of the groove 114, which serve as stop surfaces to limit axial movement of the retainer and, therefore, of the spring 55 connected to the retainer 94. The axially outermost turns, coils, or portions of the spring 55 can define the axially outer end of the spring, which is thereby positioned relative to the clutch ring 56 (or other component to be contacted and biased by the spring) as desired.

[0040] In such Figure 3 and 5 In the illustrated embodiment, at least when the clutch ring 56 is engaged with the side gears 34, the axially outer side or end of the spring 55 contacts the front face 59 of the clutch ring 56 and provides a force tending to push the clutch ring 56 away from the side gears 34. Thus, when the clutch ring 56 moves to engage the side gears 34, the spring 55 is compressed. When compressed, the spring 55 provides a force tending to move the clutch ring 56 away from the side gears 34 and toward the plunger 54, and this force can move the plunger 54 back to its first position when the solenoid coil 49 is not energized. Of course, other embodiments are possible, including those in which the spring 55 acts on the clutch ring 56 to move the clutch ring 56 toward the side gears (to the engaged position) or to lock the differential, or in which the spring 55 acts on the plunger 54 to move the plunger to its first or second position, and in which the solenoid is used to move the plunger in a direction opposite to the spring. Thus, the spring 55 can be a compression spring (providing increased force when compressed) or an extension spring (providing increased force when extended).

[0041] Figure 6 An embodiment is shown in which a biasing member 92 including a retainer 94 and a spring 55 is used within a disconnect assembly 130 of a driveline component, such as a power transfer unit 132. As a non-limiting example, the disconnect device and driveline components may be similar to those shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 10,118,486, which is incorporated herein by reference. The biasing member 92 may be as described above with respect to the differential 23, including all options described for the biasing member. Therefore, the details of the biasing member 92 will not be discussed again, and the description will focus on the driveline components and the use of the biasing member 92 therein.

[0042] The power transfer unit 132 can include a first shaft 134, a second shaft 136, a coupling body referred to herein as a clutch ring 138, and an actuator 140 for moving the clutch ring 138 relative to the shafts 134, 136. The actuator 140 can include the coil 49 and the plunger 54, as described above, arranged to axially move the clutch ring 138 relative to the first and second shafts 134, 136. The first shaft 136 can include splines or teeth 142, and the clutch ring 56 can have cooperating, complementary first splines or teeth 144, such that the clutch ring 138 rotates with the first shaft 134 about an axis 146 and the clutch ring 138 can slide axially relative to the first shaft 134. In at least some embodiments, the clutch ring splines or teeth 144 are disposed on a radially inner surface 148 of the clutch ring 56, and the first shaft splines 142 are disposed on a radially outer surface 150 of the first shaft 134.

[0043] The clutch ring 138 may include a second set of splines or teeth 152 that are arranged to selectively engage with complementary splines or teeth 154 on the second shaft 136. When the second set of splines 152 engages the second shaft splines 154, the second shaft 136 is rotatably coupled to the first shaft 134 and the clutch ring 138 and rotates therewith. As a non-limiting example, one or more (e.g., two) wheels of a vehicle may be coupled to the first shaft 134 and driven to rotate when the first shaft 134 rotates. One or more (e.g., two) wheels of the vehicle may be coupled to the second shaft 136 and driven to rotate when the second shaft 136 rotates. In this arrangement, when the clutch ring 138 is in a first position (where the clutch ring 138 is not connected to the second shaft 136), the vehicle may operate in a first mode, and when the clutch ring 138 is in a second position (where the clutch ring is coupled to the second shaft 136), the vehicle may operate in a second mode. In the first mode, fewer wheels are actively driven in the second mode. For example, the first mode may be a two-wheel drive mode and the second mode may be a four-wheel or all-wheel drive mode.

[0044] The biasing member 92 can be mounted in the housing 156 of the driveline component 132 in the same manner as described above with respect to the differential housing 37. Additionally, the spring 55 can act on the clutch ring 138 in a similar manner as described above with respect to the clutch ring 56, the plunger 54 moving the clutch ring 138 from one position to the other, and the spring 55 moving the clutch ring 138 in the opposite direction. In the example shown, the coil 49 drives the plunger 54 to move the clutch ring 138 to the second position, and the spring 55 acts on the clutch ring 138 to move the clutch ring 138 to the first position.

[0045] The spring 55 can be housed between an outer surface 158 of a portion of the second shaft 136 (shown as a radially outwardly extending flange 160 including the teeth 154) and an inner surface 162 of the housing 156. The spring 55 can be spaced apart from both surfaces 158, 162 as desired and arranged so that, during use, the spring 55 does not engage either surface 158, 162. Furthermore, the spring 55 can be arranged to act on the clutch ring 138 closer to the radially outer surface 164 of the clutch ring 138 than to the radially inner surface 148 of the clutch ring 138.

[0046] Because the spring 55 is carried by (e.g., fixed to) the retainer 94, the spring 55 can be positioned radially between components without engaging those components, such as described above. This enables the spring 55 to contact only the retainer 94 and the components being biased / acted upon by the spring, which in the illustrated example are the clutch ring 56 and the clutch ring 138, although other embodiments may be used. Without the retainer 94, at least one of the radially inner or outer surfaces of the spring 55 would engage a surface of an adjacent component, and the corresponding engaging surfaces of the component would need to be appropriately sized and smooth to prevent the spring 55 from binding or otherwise interfering during use. Furthermore, some springs expand when compressed, and this expansion may be interfered with by the components, and / or binding may be more prevalent as the spring expands.

[0047] Furthermore, by having retainer 94 attached to one side or end of spring 55, which may be referred to as the inner side of the spring, proper orientation of the spring is ensured because the retainer provides an easy way to observe and determine the orientation of the assembly. During the shipping and handling of many springs, some springs may overlap or become entangled with another spring, and the appearance of the second spring may be difficult to determine, resulting in incorrect installation of two springs in a single device. However, by having retainer 94 attached to one spring 55, the assembly 92 including retainer 94 and spring 55 is easy to visually determine, and it is easy to determine whether there are multiple retainer and spring combinations, thereby improving installation accuracy. Similarly, some springs are orientation-dependent, and the presence of retainer 94 ensures that spring 55 is properly oriented (and does not flip) relative to clutch ring 56, 138, or other components biased by the spring.

[0048] In some prior art embodiments, a separate retaining ring from the spring, a separate washer from the spring, or both are positioned between the spring and the backing surface, respectively, to axially position the spring at a desired location within the housing 37. Handling and installing multiple components increases the cost and complexity of building a differential or power transfer unit (for example), increases the likelihood that the multiple components will be improperly installed, and may not radially position the spring as desired (e.g., radially spaced from adjacent components).

[0049] Furthermore, in at least some embodiments, the spring 55 is positioned radially outward of the side gear 34 or the second shaft 136, rather than between the side gear 34 or the second shaft 136 and the clutch ring 56, 138. This allows the clutch ring 56, 138 and the side gear 34 or the second shaft 136 to be formed without a groove to receive the spring therebetween. This makes these components stronger and able to handle greater forces during use. In at least some embodiments, the spring 55 acts on the clutch ring 56, 138 (or other biased component) closer to the radially outer surface than the radially inner surface.

[0050] Thus, the actuator can drive a coupling, such as the clutch rings 56, 138 described above, in a first direction, and the springs 55, 96 of the biasing members 92, 92' can drive the coupling in an opposite, second direction. In this way, the coupling can reliably move back and forth between at least two positions. In at least some embodiments, the actuator includes a coil 49 and a plunger 54 driven by the electromagnetic field generated by the coil 49. Other actuators can be used, including motors, or pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, for example. For the biasing member 92, the actuator only needs to drive the member in one direction, while the springs 55, 96 can reliably drive the member in the opposite direction.

[0051] In at least some embodiments, the housing 37 of the differential 23 is the first rotating component and the gear 34 of the differential 23 is the second rotating component. The coupling body 56 and the biasing member 92 are received within the housing 37 and interact with the housing 37 and the differential gear 34 within the housing (e.g., within the interior of the housing). In at least some embodiments, the first rotating component is the first shaft 134 of the power transfer unit 132 and the second rotating component 136 is the second shaft of the power transfer unit. Portions of the first and second shafts 134, 136 are received within the housing 156, and the coupling body 138 and the biasing member 92 are received within the housing 156 and interact with portions of the shafts 134, 136 within the housing 156.

[0052] Although the forms of the invention disclosed herein constitute currently preferred embodiments, many other forms are also possible. It is not intended herein to mention all possible equivalent forms or ramifications of the present invention. It should be understood that the terms used herein are merely descriptive, not restrictive, and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

[0053] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as "a," "the," and "said" should be understood to recite one or more of the specified elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.

Claims

1. A transmission system component comprising: case; a first rotating member and a second rotating member; an actuator having a body coupled to the housing and a coil configured to generate a magnetic field, the actuator driving the body relative to the first rotating member, and the body being movable between a first position in which the body is not coupled to the first rotating member and a second position in which the body is coupled to the first rotating member, and a biasing member having a retainer and a spring, the retainer contacting a stop surface that limits movement of the retainer, the spring being fixed to the retainer on one side of the spring and contacting the body during at least a portion of the movement of the body to provide a biasing force on the body, and wherein the spring is annular and has a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, and wherein the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface do not contact other components of the drive train, and the body and biasing member are contained within the housing, and the housing includes a stop surface that contacts the retainer to maintain the position of the biasing member.

2. The powertrain component according to claim 1, wherein: The actuator drives the body from a first position to a second position, and wherein the spring provides a force on the body tending to move the body from the second position to the first position.

3. The powertrain component of claim 1 , wherein: The stop surface defines a portion of a groove in which an edge of the retainer is received.

4. The powertrain component of claim 1 , wherein: The retainer is C-shaped and includes a gap between spaced apart ends, wherein the retainer is flexible to reduce a diameter of the retainer and wherein the retainer is resilient to expand when installed such that a portion of the retainer radially overlaps a stop surface.

5. The powertrain component of claim 1 , wherein: The retainer includes a rear face that is flat and arranged to contact the stop surface.

6. The powertrain component of claim 5, wherein: The retainer includes a front face to which the spring is secured to prevent movement of the spring relative to the retainer at one or more fixed points.

7. The powertrain component of claim 1, wherein: The first rotating component is a gear of a differential, and the main body is a clutch ring that rotates together with the housing.

8. The powertrain component of claim 1, wherein: The body includes teeth, and the first rotatable member includes complementary teeth that mesh with the teeth of the body when the body is in the second position.

9. The powertrain component of claim 1 , wherein: The actuator includes a solenoid coil and a plunger driven by a force generated by the coil, and wherein the plunger engages a first face of the body and the spring engages an opposing second face of the body.

10. A transmission system component comprising: a first rotating member and a second rotating member; a main body coupled to the first rotating member; a coil carried by the housing and configured to generate a magnetic field; a plunger that is moved from a first position to a second position by a magnetic field, wherein movement of the plunger from the first position to the second position causes the body to move relative to the second rotating member from a first position in which the body is not coupled to the second rotating member to a second position in which the body is coupled to the second rotating member, and A biasing member having a retainer and a spring, the retainer contacting the stop surface to limit movement of the retainer, and the spring fixed to the retainer on one side of the spring and contacting the body during at least a portion of the body's movement to provide a biasing force on the body.

11. The powertrain component of claim 10, wherein: The first rotating component is a differential case, the second rotating component is a gear, and wherein the spring is annular and has a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, and wherein the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface do not contact the differential case or the gear.

12. The powertrain component of claim 10, further comprising a housing, and wherein: The first rotating component is a first shaft at least partially received within the housing, and the second rotating component is a second shaft at least partially received within the housing, wherein the second shaft does not rotate with the first shaft when the body is in the first position and rotates with the first shaft when the body is in the second position.

13. The powertrain component of claim 12, wherein the spring is annular and has a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, and wherein the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface do not contact the housing or the second shaft.

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