Appeal 2006-1399
Application 10/666,712
The claims are directed to a transfer case assembly. Claims 15 and 26
are illustrative:
15. A transfer case assembly comprising:
an input shaft adapted to be coupled to a power source;
a first axle output shaft driven by said input shaft;
a second axle output shaft selectively driven by said input
shaft;
a clutch mechanism for coupling said second axle output shaft
to said first axle output shaft; and
a controller for controlling activation of said clutch mechanism
wherein said controller compares rotational speeds of said first and
second axle output shafts to each other, generates a control signal to
bring said rotational speeds of said first and second axle output shafts
within a common rotational speed range if rotational speeds of said
first and second axle output shafts differ from each other by a
predetermined amount, and activates said clutch mechanism to couple
said first and second axle output shafts together during a wheel
slippage condition when rotational speeds of said first and second axle
output shafts are within said common rotational speed range.
26. A method for coupling a transfer case to a drive axle during
wheel slippage comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an input shaft adapted to be coupled to a
power source, a first axle output shaft driven by the input shaft, a
second axle output shaft selectively driven by the input shaft, and a
clutch mechanism for coupling the second axle output shaft to the first
axle output shaft;
(b) comparing rotational speeds of the first and second axle
output shafts to each other;
(c) generating a control signal to bring the rotational speeds
of the first and second axle output shafts within a common rotational
2
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