A vehicle power transfer unit assembly comprises an input shaft, an intermediate shaft at least partially surrounding the input shaft, a central shaft adjacent the input shaft, a peripheral shaft at least partially surrounding the central shaft, a first shift collar, and a second shift collar. The first shift collar is operable between a first position where torque is transferred from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft and a second position where torque is not transferred from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft. The second shift collar is operable between a third position where torque is transferred from the input shaft to the peripheral shaft and a fourth position where torque is transferred from the input shaft to the central shaft.

A method performs shifts in a dog clutch element of a transmission system in a hybrid vehicle. The vehicle has an input shaft being connected to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, an output shaft being connected indirectly to driven wheels, an electric machine which is in engagement with the input shaft, and an automatic transmission connected between the input and output shafts. The transmission has a dog clutch element for the releasable coupling of two transmission elements. During a desired shifting of the dog clutch element, the torque of the input shaft is adapted via the electric machine, and therefore a reduced load prevails in the region of the dog clutch element and the latter can be disengaged, after which the internal combustion engine is set to a desired target rotational speed, and after which the dog clutch element is engaged when the target rotational speed is reached.

A vehicle includes a tandem axle system having an inter-axle differential and clutching assembly, a forward or first axle assembly, and a rear or second axle assembly. The inter-axle differential and clutching assembly includes a differential mechanism having first and second side gears and a clutch mechanism having a clutch member and an actuator assembly. At least one of the first axle assembly and the second axle assembly is in selective driving engagement with the inter-axle differential and clutching assembly.

A torque transmission apparatus having a shift collar and a drive component. The shift collar may have a collar gear that may have a collar tooth that may have a concave collar tooth side surface that may be centered about a transverse collar tooth plane. The drive component may have a tooth that may have a convex lateral side surface centered about a transverse tooth plane. The concave collar tooth side surface may cooperate with the convex lateral side surface to align the transverse collar tooth plane with the transverse tooth plane.

A system for selectively locking two coaxial axle shafts of an electric axle is provided. The system includes a first electric motor having a first rotor shaft configured to drive a first axle shaft. The system also includes a second electric motor having a second rotor shaft configured to drive a second axle shaft coaxial with the first axle shaft. An actuator is configured to selectively activate to operate in a safety mode. When operated to assume the safety mode, the actuator causes the first rotor shaft to lock to the second rotor shaft, such that the two shafts rotate in unison. This allows one of the two motors to drive both axle shafts in the event of a fault in one of the motors.

A transfer case with an actuator for operating a two-speed transmission (i.e., range mechanism) and a clutch (i.e., mode mechanism). The actuator employs a motor-driven cam structure that coordinates the movement of a first fork, which is associated with the range mechanism, and a second fork that is associated with the mode mechanism. A resilient coupling is employed to provide compliance between the motor and the cam structure in the event that tooth-on-tooth contact inhibits the range mechanism from changing from a high-range mode and a low range mode. Compliance is provided between the cam structure and the second fork in the event that tooth-on-tooth contact inhibits the mode mechanism from changing from a 2WD mode to a 4WD mode. A sensor system identifies the placement of the first and second forks in various positions and responsively generates associated sensor signals.

An axle assembly having a countershaft transmission. A rotor shaft may extend through a drive pinion and may operatively connect an electric motor to a countershaft transmission. The countershaft transmission may have a first countershaft subassembly that is rotatable about a first countershaft axis and a second countershaft subassembly that is rotatable about a second countershaft axis.

An axle assembly having a drop gear set and a countershaft transmission. The drop gear set may operatively connect a rotor of an electric motor to a countershaft. The countershaft transmission may operatively connect the countershaft to a drive pinion. The electric motor and the countershaft transmission may be positioned on opposite sides of a differential assembly.

An axle assembly having a countershaft transmission. A rotor shaft may extend through a drive pinion and may operatively connect an electric motor to a countershaft transmission. The countershaft transmission may have a first countershaft subassembly that is rotatable about a first countershaft axis and a second countershaft subassembly that is rotatable about a second countershaft axis.

A powertrain for a vehicle includes a housing, a motor generator unit, a torque converter, a first and second shafts, a first and second gear sets, and a torque transmitting mechanism. The motor generator unit includes an output member. The torque converter includes a pump and a turbine. The pump is connected for common rotation with the output member of the motor generator unit. The first shaft rotatably is supported by the powertrain housing and is connected for common rotation with the turbine of the torque converter. The second shaft is rotatably supported by the powertrain housing and disposed parallel to the first shaft. An output gear is connected for common rotation to the second shaft.