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Title: Four-wheel vehicle drive system

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6719895

A four-wheel drive system is described for use in a vehicle including a first and second pair of road wheels, a power unit including an output shaft, and a power transmission gear unit including input and output shafts. The input shaft of the power transmission gear unit is selectively connected to the output shaft of the power unit. The output shaft of the power transmission gear unit selectively is in driving engagement with the input shaft of the power transmission gear unit. The four-wheel drive system comprises: an engagement member being rotatable about a rotational axis located in a lateral direction of the vehicle, the engagement member being held in driving engagement with the output shaft of the power transmission gear unit; a central differential gear assembly including a central input member fixed to and coaxially rotatable with the engagement member about the rotational axis of the engagement member and including a first central output member and a second central output member enclosed within the central input member. The first and second central output members are rotatable at different speeds about rotational axes substantially aligned with the rotational axis of the engagement member; and a first wheel differential gear assembly being enclosed within the central input member of the central differential gear assembly and including a first wheel input member being rotatable with the first central output member of the central differential gear assembly about the rotational axis of the engagement member and two first wheel output members.

Assignee:
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi
Patent Number(s):
US 4645029
OSTI ID:
6719895
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 5 Nov 1985
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English