Abstract: A method for forming a propshaft assembly includes: providing a tube having an annular wall member and an axial end face; providing a yoke having body and a pair of arms that extend from the body, the body defining an annular groove having sidewalls and an end face, the sidewalls being spaced apart to receive the annular wall member; spinning at least one of the tube and the yoke while engaging the axial end face to the end face of the annular groove to plasticize a portion of the yoke and a portion of the tube; and driving the yoke and the tube together to fuse the plasticized portion of the yoke and the plasticized portion of the tube together and thereby form a friction weld; wherein the tube is fused to the yoke over portions of the yoke that correspond to the sidewalls and the end face.

Abstract: An axle assembly can include a housing, differential assembly in the housing, drain plug, cover, and gasket. The housing can include a main flange having threaded bores. A bottom threaded bore can extend through the main flange to be in fluid communication with a housing interior. The plug can include a shaft and a head. The shaft can threadably engage the drain bore. The cover can include a cover flange. The head of the drain plug can overlap the cover flange. The gasket can include a seal portion in sealing contact with the flanges, a standoff, and a fastener seal member. The shaft can extend through the standoff. The standoff can be a rigid material disposed between the flanges and can extend radially outward of the drain bore. The fastener seal member can be a resilient material in sealing contact with the standoff and the drain plug.

Abstract: A clutched device can include a differential and first and second conduits. The differential can transmit differential power to first and second outputs. Clutch plates can rotate through a clutch cavity and transmit power between the second output and a third output. An outer carrier and an inner carrier can be coupled for rotation with the second and third outputs, respectively. The first conduit can be open to a first peripheral region of the clutch cavity and fluidly couples the first region to a cavity separate from the clutch cavity. The second conduit can be open to a second peripheral region that is circumferentially spaced apart from the first region. The second conduit can fluidly couple the second region to a central region of the clutch cavity. Rotation of the outer carrier in opposite rotational directions slings lubricant to the first and second conduits, respectively.

Abstract: An all-wheel drive vehicle driveline can include an input member, first intermediate member, output member, sleeve, ring gear, and pinion gear. The input member can be coupled to an input of a differential mechanism for common rotation. The output member can be coupled to an output of the differential mechanism for common rotation. The sleeve can be axially movable between a first position wherein the input, output, and first intermediate members are rotatable relative to each other, a second position wherein the sleeve couples the input member to the first intermediate member for common rotation, and a third position wherein the sleeve couples the input member to the output member for common rotation. The ring gear can receive rotary power from the first intermediate member. The pinion gear can be meshingly engaged to the ring gear.

Abstract: An actuator having a switched reluctance motor and a plunger assembly. The switched reluctance motor has a stator and a rotor. The stator has a plurality of stator poles and a plurality of stator windings. Each of the stator windings is wound about a corresponding one of the stator poles. The rotor is rotatable about an axis and has a plurality of rotor poles. The plunger assembly has a plunger and at least one spring. The plunger is co-axially received in the rotor and movable in an axial direction along the axis. The at least one spring is disposed in a force transmission path that includes the plunger and is configured to permit movement of the plunger along the axis in opposite axial directions. The plunger assembly is being driven by the rotor.

Abstract: An actuator can include a housing, core assembly, and first and second electromagnets. The housing can have a first pole piece, second pole piece, and central pole piece disposed between the first and second pole pieces. The central pole piece can have a central body and a bridge. The bridge can be between the first and second pole pieces and axially movable relative thereto. The core assembly can be received in the housing. The core assembly can be movable along a first axis between a first core position and a second core position. The core assembly can include a permanent magnet, a first core, and a second core. The first and second cores can be coupled to the permanent magnet for common axial movement. The first and second electromagnets can be spaced axially apart by the central body and can have opposite polarities.

Abstract: A method for forming an axle shaft that includes friction welding a tubular shaft to a shaft portion of a wheel flange. Portions of the joint members on the tubular shaft and the wheel flange are extruded into an annular weld cavity in the wheel flange during the formation of the friction weld. A related axle shaft is also provided.

Abstract: An AWD driveline includes first and second sleeves. The first sleeve is axially translatable between first, second, and third positions; the second sleeve is coupled for translation therewith. When the first sleeve is in the first position, the first sleeve couples an input of a differential to an intermediate member, and the second sleeve is rotatable relative to the first sleeve and couples first and second outputs members. The first output member can be an output of the differential. In the second position, the first sleeve is rotatable relative to the input or the intermediate member, and the second sleeve is rotatable relative to the first sleeve and couples the first and second output members. In the third position, the first sleeve is rotatable relative to the input or the intermediate member, and the second sleeve is rotatable relative to the first sleeve and the first or second output members.

Abstract: A propshaft with an universal joint, a first tubular member and a second tubular member. The universal joint has first and second yoke arms that are pivotally coupled to one another. The first tubular member is fixedly coupled to the first yoke arms and has a plurality of first teeth. The second tubular member slidably received over the first tubular member and includes a plurality of second teeth. The first and second teeth engage one another when the propshaft is in an extended condition. The second teeth engage the first yoke arms when the propshaft is in a retracted condition.

Abstract: A clutched device including an actuator and a clutch. The actuator can include a housing and a piston having a first, second, and third face. The first face and the housing can define a first chamber. The second face and the housing can define a second chamber. The second face can have a greater surface area than the first face. The third face and the housing can define a third chamber, isolated from the first and second chambers. A conduit can couple the first and second chambers. A vent can be coupled to the third chamber. A pump can pump fluid from a reservoir to the first chamber. A valve can selectively inhibit fluid communication between the second chamber and the reservoir. A shift element can be coupled to the piston for common translation and can move a clutch member between first and second positions.

Abstract: A limited slip electric drive system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The system uses an induction motor having a stator, and first and second rotors disposed for independent rotation within the stator. The rotors are each independently associated with one wheel of the vehicle and are able to slip when the vehicle goes around a turn. A traction inverter and control system monitors angular speeds of the rotors and determines which of the rotors is turning slower than the other, and controls the induction motor in accordance with the rotor having a lower speed so that a torque signal is generated in accordance with the rotor having the lower speed.

Abstract: An actuator device having a motor driven cam, a follower coupled to an output member and driven by the cam, and a controller for controlling operation of the motor. The cam has a first cam surface, a second cam surface and a lift portion between the first and second cam surfaces. The controller is configured to identify a predetermined point on the lift portion as the follower is moved relative to the cam along the lift portion toward the second cam surface. The controller identifies the predetermined point based on a rate of change in the position of the output member along an output member axis as a function of the rotational position of the cam about a cam axis. The controller controls operation of the motor based on the predetermined point to position the follower on the second cam surface.

Abstract: A vehicle axle assembly including an electric motor, an electric power source, a mode shift gearset, an actuator and a differential within a housing. The motor can include a first output member. The mode shift gearset can include a second output member and a shift member. The shift member can transmit torque between the first and second output members when the shift member is in a second position. The actuator can be coupled to the shift member to move the shift member between first and second positions. The differential can include a differential case and a differential gearset. The differential case can be drivingly coupled to the second output member to receive rotary power therefrom. The differential gearset can transmit rotary power between the differential case and first and second output shafts.

Abstract: A drive module that includes an electric motor, a differential assembly with a differential input member and a pair of differential output members, a multi-speed transmission assembly, which transmits rotary power between the electric motor and the differential input member, and a pair of axle shafts that are each coupled to an associated one of the differential output members for rotation therewith. The multi-speed transmission assembly and includes a housing, a two-speed planetary transmission stage, a plurality of clutches and a transmission output member that provides rotary power to the differential input member. The two-speed planetary transmission stage has an input sun gear, which is driven by the motor, and employs a set of planet gears having compound planet gears that provide a gear reduction between the sun gear and the transmission output member. The clutches are employed to control an overall reduction ratio.

Abstract: An all-wheel drive vehicle driveline that includes a housing assembly with a housing structure and a cover. In one form, components of the driveline can be assembled to the housing structure and cover in such a way that an intermediate shaft, which is assembled to the cover, and an input shaft, which can be rotatably mounted to the housing structure, can be slidably engaged to one another. In another form, the cover defines a reservoir that is configured to feed fluid to a pump that is mounted to the cover.

Abstract: A method for balancing a shaft assembly having a shaft member. The method can include providing a balance weight having a body portion that is formed of a material that permits transmission of ultra-violet (UV) light therethrough, the body portion having a perimeter; applying an UV light-curable adhesive to at least one of the balance weight and the shaft member; positioning the balance weight to the shaft member such that the UV light-curable adhesive is abutted to the balance weight and the shaft member; and transmitting UV light through the balance weight to cure at least a portion of the UV light-curable adhesive that is disposed inwardly of the perimeter of the body portion.

Abstract: A vehicle driveline component having a dual friction clutch differential assembly and a hydraulic circuit for operating the friction clutches. The hydraulic circuit includes a pair of normally open, solenoid operated valves that are selectively closed to control the fluid pressure that acts on the friction clutches. The hydraulic circuit provides a simplified and cost-effective means for providing disconnecting and/or torque vectoring capabilities to the vehicle driveline component.

Abstract: A shaft seal for an axle assembly can include a support body with a circumferentially-extending outer wall member and a radial wall member coupled to the outer wall member and extending radially inwardly therefrom. Sealant disposed on an outside circumferential surface of the outer wall member can form a seal with a surface of a housing bore. A lip can be coupled to the radial wall member and extend radially inward thereof. The lip can form a seal between the radial wall member and an outer surface of a shaft. An annular flange can be coupled to the outer wall member and extend radially outward of an intersection of the outer wall member and the radial wall member, while having a maximum diameter that is smaller than a maximum diameter of the outer wall member. The flange and outer wall member can cooperate to define an annular channel.

Abstract: An axle assembly that is configured with reduced weight and an internal configuration that is configured to reduce losses through, for example, higher efficiency gearing, low viscosity lubricant and reduced lubricant levels as compared with current production automotive axle assemblies that are configured with a similar overall gear ratio and capacity.

Abstract: A driveline component with a housing, which defines a sump, a power-transmitting device received in the housing, a reservoir coupled to the housing, and a reservoir level control device (RLCD). The reservoir has an inlet and outlet and defines a cavity. The RLCD has a skimmer and an outlet port flow control (OPFC). The skimmer is coupled to the housing for movement between a first position, in which the skimmer is positioned relative to a driven component of the power-transmitting device to skim the lubricant from the driven component, and a second position. The OPFC can be operated in a first condition, in which fluid flow from the outlet port is substantially blocked to thereby inhibit a flow of the lubricant in the cavity to the sump, and a second condition, in which fluid flow through the outlet port from the cavity to the sump is permitted.