Importance

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Abstract

An improved wheel end assembly integrates into the steering knuckle a feature for providing driving engagement/disengagement of a wheel to convert between driven and non-driven modes of wheel movement. Such a wheel end assembly receives drive torque from a half shaft through a constant velocity ('CV') joint. The wheel end assembly has the steering knuckle, which is coupled to the vehicle and which integrally houses a hub lock actuator assembly. A bearing assembly mounted to the knuckle allows for free rotation of a cylindrical wheel hub mounted thereon about a central axis of the hub. The wheel hub has a flange for mounting the wheel at an outboard end thereof and a drive flange at an inboard end thereof, an outer circumference of the flange having a plurality of external teeth spaced evenly therearound. A stub shaft has an outboard end thereof rotatingly supported in the wheel hub and an inboard end thereof defining a housing for the CV joint, the housing having a plurality of external teeth identical in size and number to the teeth on the drive flange. The housing and the flange are axially adjacent to each other. A clutch member with internal teeth sized and adapted for engaging the external teeth on the housing and the drive flange is slidable axially between a first position in which the clutch member teeth engage only the CV housing teeth and no drive torque is transferred from the half shaft to the wheel hub and a second position in which the clutch teeth engage both the CV housing teeth and the drive flange teeth and drive torque is transferred from the half shaft to the wheel hub through the engagement. The hub lock actuator assembly moves the clutch member selectively between the first and second positions.

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First Claim