Abstract: A damped isolation pulley having a hub, a pulley disposed concentrically about the hub, an isolation spring, an inertia ring and an electro-adhesive clutch. The hub is configured to be mounted to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The isolation spring is formed of an elastomeric material and couples the pulley to the hub. The inertia ring is resiliently coupled to the hub and is rotationally de-coupled from the pulley. The electro-adhesive clutch has a clutch input member that is coupled to the pulley and can be operated to form an alternate torque path between the pulley and the hub that does not include the isolation spring.

Abstract: An electric drive module that includes an electric motor, a differential assembly, and a transmission that transmits rotary power between the electric motor and the differential assembly. The transmission has first and second reductions. The first reduction has a drive gear, which is rotatable about a first axis, and a pair of first reduction gears that are each meshingly engaged to the drive gear rotatable about a respective second axis. The second axes are spaced apart from one another and are parallel to the first axis. The second reduction has a driven gear and a pair of second reduction gears. The driven gear is rotatable about a third axis that is parallel to the first axis. Each of the second reduction gears is being meshingly engaged to the driven gear and non-rotatably coupled to an associated one of the first reduction gears.

Abstract: A vehicle drive unit that provides improved power transfer to a differential input member of a differential assembly. The vehicle drive unit is configured with an interlock system that is configured to inhibit the supply of electrical power from a source of electrical power if certain predetermined conditions are not met.

Abstract: A vehicle driveline component with a ball-ramp mechanism that includes a first ball-ramp ring, a second ball-ramp ring and a plurality of balls. Each of the first and second ball-ramp rings have a plurality of ball supports that define ball tracks that receive the balls. Each of the ball supports has a first radial width at a first location and a second radial width at a second location. The first and second widths are different to minimize the amount of material that forms the first and second ball-ramp rings.

Abstract: A vehicle driveline component that includes a tubular body, a relief valve, a vent cover and a pin. The tubular body has a first and second axial ends and defines an interior circumferential surface. The relief valve is mounted in the tubular body between the first and second axial ends. The vent cover is mounted to the tubular body and covers the second axial end. The pin is mounted to the tubular body at a location between the first axial end and the relief valve. The pin extends through the interior circumferential surface into a hollow interior of the tubular body.

Abstract: A motor drive system with a rotor assembly having an insert, which is received into a blind hollow rotor space in a rotor shaft. The insert is unitarily and integrally formed and defines a central hole, which is disposed along a rotational axis of the rotor assembly, and a plurality of slots that extend through an outer circumferential surface of the insert. The insert is disposed in the rotor shaft such that the outer circumferential surface of the insert is engaged to the inside circumferential surface of the rotor shaft. The central hole forms a first fluid passage through the insert, while the slots form a plurality of second fluid passages through the insert.

Abstract: A helical sector gear having a body and a gear segment having a plurality of helical teeth. The gear segment has a toothed sector, on which all of the helical teeth are formed, and spacing segments on the opposite circumferential ends of the toothed sector. Each of the spacing segments has a circumferential surface, which is longer than a pitch of the helical teeth, and a radial surface that is formed in a helical manner that conforms to the helix angle of helical teeth. A die set for forming the helical sector gear and a related method are also provided.

Abstract: An electric drive unit having a stator, a rotor received in the stator and rotatable about a central longitudinal axis, and an inverter assembly that includes a plurality of power semiconductors, a plurality of heat sinks and an end plate. The power semiconductors are thermally coupled to the heat sinks. Each of the heat sinks has a plurality of fins that extend into a flow channel that is coaxial with the plurality of sets of field windings. The end plate is coupled to the power semiconductors and has a projection, which is sealingly coupled to the stator and which and partly defines an annular cavity, and a coolant port that is coupled in fluid communication with the annular cavity. The flow channel is in fluid communication with and disposed in a flow path between the annular cavity and the cooling channels in the stator body.

Abstract: An electric drive unit having a multi-phase electric motor and an inverter with a plurality of power semiconductors, an inverter mount, and a plurality of busbars. The power semiconductors are mounted to the base of the inverter mount in an annular arrangement and with the terminals of the power semiconductors extending through the base. Each of the busbars has a first busbar portion, which includes a first body and a set of first fingers that are fixedly coupled to the first body, and a second busbar portion that includes a second body and a set of second fingers that are fixedly coupled to the second body. Associated fingers in the first and second sets of fingers of each bus bar are mechanically and electrically coupled to opposite sides of a corresponding one of the terminals.

Abstract: An electric drive unit having an electric motor, a differential assembly, a transmission, which transmits rotary power between the electric motor and the differential assembly, a pair of axle shafts, which are drivingly coupled to output members of the differential assembly, and a housing assembly in which the electric motor, the differential assembly, the transmission, and the axle shafts are housed. The electric motor includes a stator, a rotor and a motor housing that houses the stator and the rotor. The motor housing is fixedly coupled the housing assembly. Bending loads transmitted through the motor housing are not transmitted through the electric motor.

Abstract: A connecting rod includes an elongated body having a first connection end and a second connection end and an intermediate portion extending between the first connection end and the second connection end. The first connection end includes a cylindrical opening configured to receive a bushing and a link pin. The first connection end includes a first side face and a second side face each raised relative to the intermediate portion, the first side face includes a recessed slot that communicates with the cylindrical opening and an outer edge of the first side face. The slots can optionally be provided on the second side face, giving the connecting rod one or more slots on each side, which lubricate the link pin with splash oil.

Abstract: A method includes determining a vector state of an alternating current (AC) electrical machine. The method includes, when the vector state is a zero-vector state, obtaining a plurality of phase current samples of the AC electrical machine, determining a decay time constant based on the plurality of phase current samples, and determining a resistance of a winding of the AC electrical machine based on the decay time constant. The method further includes selectively activating a plurality of switches of an inverter configured to provide power to the AC electrical machine based at least on the resistance of the winding of the AC electrical machine.

Abstract: An isolated drive assembly that includes a drive member, which is rotatable about a rotational axis, a drive member hub, which is rotatable about the rotational axis relative to the drive member, an isolator assembly, which has an elastomeric element that transmits rotary power between the drive member and the drive member hub, and a torque limiter. The torque limiter has first and second sets of engagable limiter elements that limit rotation of the drive member relative to the drive member hub in opposite rotational directions to limit a magnitude of a moment that is transmitted through the elastomeric element.

Abstract: A piston assembly that includes a pair of piston members that are formed of compacted powdered metal. The piston members have sets of locking features that include alternating projections and recesses that are spaced circumferentially about and intersect a rod aperture that extends through the piston member. Each projection is formed along a projection axis, which extends radially from a center axis along which the rod aperture is formed, and has a pair of opposite side walls and an end wall that connects the side walls to one another on a side of the projection that is opposite the rod aperture. The recesses on each piston member are configured to matingly and frictionally receive the projections on the other piston member.

Abstract: An actuator includes a first ball-ramp plate, a second ball-ramp plate, and a plurality of balls. The first ball-ramp plate is formed of compressed powdered metal with ramps having a higher density than at least part of a remainder of the ball-ramp component. A method of manufacturing the actuator includes compacting a metal powder to form a blank of the first ball-ramp plate including an annular body disposed about an axis and a plurality of ramps fixedly coupled to the annular body and spaced circumferentially about the axis, and locally densifying the ramps of the blank by applying force to a ramped surface of each ramp.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An electric drive unit that includes an electric motor having a rotor with a rotor shaft and a heat exchanger that is received in the rotor shaft. The heat exchanger has a plurality of heat exchanger plates, each of which having a hub, a rim member, and disc spring portion that interconnects the hub and the rib member. Each disk spring portion defines a plurality of coolant apertures. The heat exchanger plates are press-fit to the rotor shaft such that each disc spring portion is deflected from a pre-installation state, and each rim member is engaged to an interior surface of the rotor shaft while being spaced apart from adjacent rim members along a rotational axis of the rotor. A first coolant passage is disposed through the hubs of the plates. The coolant apertures in the heat exchanger plates cooperate to form a plurality of second coolant passages.

Abstract: An electrically-operated electric drive module for use in a vehicle framework that is configured for a powertrain that includes an internal combustion engine. The electrically-operated electric drive module permits the vehicle to be converted to an electrically propelled vehicle in a manner that is cost-effective and which is relatively low in weight.

Abstract: An electric drive unit that includes an electric motor having a rotor with a rotor shaft and a heat exchanger that is received in the rotor shaft. The heat exchanger has a plurality of heat exchanger plates, each of which having a hub, a rim member, and disc spring portion that interconnects the hub and the rib member. Each disk spring portion defines a plurality of coolant apertures. The heat exchanger plates are press-fit to the rotor shaft such that each disc spring portion is deflected from a pre-installation state, and each rim member is engaged to an interior surface of the rotor shaft while being spaced apart from adjacent rim members along a rotational axis of the rotor. A first coolant passage is disposed through the hubs of the plates. The coolant apertures in the heat exchanger plates cooperate to form a plurality of second coolant passages.

Abstract: A method is used to manufacture a tube having a hollow interior for housing an axle shaft. The tube is formed in a single machine having a fixed base and a single press structure movable toward the fixed base. The single machine includes first and second die assemblies coupled to the fixed base and first and second mandrels coupled to the single press structure. The method includes the steps of placing a billet into the first die assembly, pressing the billet into the first die assembly with the first mandrel to producing a pre-formed billet, and moving the pre-formed billet from the first die assembly to the second die assembly. THE method further includes the steps of pressing the pre-formed billet into the second die assembly with the second mandrel to elongate the pre-formed billet and form a hollow interior therein to produce an extruded tube.