The description is directed broadly to a locking differential, comprising; a pair of rotating bevel gears engaged with one another via at least one pinion gear rotatably supported within a carrier; a locking member disposed within the carrier and engagable with each of the bevel gears, the locking member being movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, such that in the unlocked configuration the locking member allows free rotation of the bevel gears in engagement with the at least one pinion gear to equalise torque between a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear of the pair, and in the locked configuration the locking member locks the first bevel gear to the carrier and locks the second bevel gear to the carrier, simultaneously, to prevent relative movement therebetween.

A method of distributing power within a gas turbine engine is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes driving a high pressure turbine having a first stage and a second stage with an exhaust stream from a combustor, the first stage connected to a high pressure turbine first stage spool and the second stage connected to a high pressure turbine second stage spool; driving a high pressure compressor connected to a high pressure compressor spool via a differential system, the differential system having a first stage input gear connected to the high pressure turbine first stage spool, a second stage input gear connected to the high pressure turbine second stage spool and an output gear assembly connected to the high pressure compressor spool; and selectively applying an auxiliary input power into at least one of the high pressure compressor spool and the high pressure turbine.

The present disclosure discloses a locking structure of a differential. The locking structure comprises a bi-stable electromagnetic clutch sleeved on an output axle shaft on one side of the differential. The bi-stable electromagnetic clutch comprises a movable locking disc and a fixed locking disc; the fixed locking disc is fixedly connected to a differential housing or integrated with differential housing, and the movable locking disc and the fixed locking disc have face teeth that can engage with each other. The movable locking disc is sleeved on the output axle shaft, the bi-stable electromagnetic clutch drives the movable locking disc to move axially after being energized, the output axle shaft and the differential housing are locked when the movable face teeth engaged with the fixed face teeth so that the output axle shaft on either side of the differential and the differential housing have a same rotational speed and output torque. The locking structure has the advantages of bi-stable or bi-state, controllability, and a long service life.

An electronic locking differential that includes a movable electromagnet to selectively operate a dog clutch for locking a side gear to a carrier. The dog clutch includes a dog member having a plurality of legs that extend through leg apertures in the carrier. A cam mechanism is employed on the legs and the carrier to generate and apply a force to the dog member to maintain the dog member in an engaged position when torque is transmitted through the cam mechanism. The carrier is configured with an annular rib that surrounds a pocket. The annular rib has a frustoconical shape that matches that of a pole piece on the electromagnet. The electromagnet is received into the pocket when the electromagnet is operated and the dog member is in its engaged position.

An electronic locking differential that includes a movable electromagnet to selectively operate a dog clutch for locking a side gear to a carrier. The dog clutch includes a dog member having a plurality of legs that extend through leg apertures in the carrier. A cam mechanism is employed on the legs and the carrier to generate and apply a force to the dog member to maintain the dog member in an engaged position when torque is transmitted through the cam mechanism. The carrier is configured with an annular rib that surrounds a pocket. The annular rib has a frustoconical shape that matches that of a pole piece on the electromagnet. The electromagnet is received into the pocket when the electromagnet is operated and the dog member is in its engaged position.

In one example, a hybrid drive unit comprises an electric motor, an axle differential for connection with a further motor, a first axle half shaft and a second axle half shaft connected to the axle differential, a first clutching device and a second clutching device. The electric motor is selectively drivingly engagable with the first axle half shaft via the first clutching device and with the second axle half shaft via the second clutching device.

An electronically actuated locking differential includes a gear case having opposite first and second ends, a differential gear set disposed in the gear case, a lock plate disposed at the gear case first end and configured to selectively engage the differential gear set, and an electronic actuator disposed at the gear case second end and coupled to the lock plate via at least one rod. The electronic actuator is operable between an unlocked first mode where the lock plate does not lockingly engage the differential gear set, and a locked second mode where the electronic actuator pulls the at least one rod to thereby pull the lock plate into locking engagement with the differential gear set to thereby lock a pair of axle shafts.

An electronically actuated locking differential includes a gear case having opposite first and second ends, a differential gear set disposed in the gear case, a lock plate disposed at the gear case first end and configured to selectively engage the differential gear set, and an electronic actuator disposed at the gear case second end and coupled to the lock plate via at least one rod. The electronic actuator is operable between an unlocked first mode where the lock plate does not lockingly engage the differential gear set, and a locked second mode where the electronic actuator pulls the at least one rod to thereby pull the lock plate into locking engagement with the differential gear set to thereby lock a pair of axle shafts.

The present disclosure discloses a locking structure of a differential. The locking structure comprises a bi-stable electromagnetic clutch sleeved on an output axle shaft on one side of the differential. The bi-stable electromagnetic clutch comprises a movable locking disc and a fixed locking disc; the fixed locking disc is fixedly connected to a differential housing, and the movable locking disc and the fixed locking disc have face teeth that can engage with each other. The movable locking disc is sleeved on the output axle shaft, the bi-stable electromagnetic clutch drives the movable locking disc to move axially after being energized, the output axle shaft and the differential housing are locked when the movable face teeth engaged with the fixed face teeth so that the output axle shaft on either side of the differential and the differential housing have a same rotational speed and output torque.

Proposed is a disconnector apparatus including: a support ring provided in a differential casing and configured to support a pinion gear mounted therein; a clutch ring configured to be coupled to or decoupled from the support ring in the differential casing; an actuator including an armature provided at an outer side of the differential casing opposite to the clutch ring, the actuator being configured to couple the clutch ring and the support ring by pulling, with an electromagnetic force, the armature connected to the clutch ring by an application rod; and an elastic member coupled to a portion of the application rod in the differential casing and having one end in contact with the differential casing and the other end in contact with the clutch ring to elastically support the clutch ring.