Drop Box for Powertrain

Abstract

An output transfer group, or drop box, can include a housing and a gear transfer train, rotatably supported within the housing, that includes an input gear adapted for enmeshing engagement with a transmission output shaft and a gear transfer output shaft that is rotatable upon rotation of the input gear. A coupler can be provided that includes a hub rotatively coupled with the gear transfer output shaft, a bearing carrier, a coupler output shaft rotatively coupled to the bearing carrier, and a coupling mechanism rotatively coupled to the bearing carrier. The coupling mechanism can be movable between an engaged position, wherein the coupling mechanism is rotatively coupled to the hub, and a disengaged position, wherein the coupling mechanism is disengaged from the hub. A solenoid can be arranged with the coupling mechanism to selectively move the coupling mechanism from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A controller for an output transfer gear group, the output transfer group operably connected to a transmission, the transmission having at least a neutral position, a forward drive position, and a park position, the output transfer gear group including first and second couplers associated with first and second drivelines, respectively, for selectively coupling the transmission to the first and second drivelines, said controller comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein for:
 a. receiving a signal from a user to engage the first coupler;   b. signaling the transmission to shift to the park position;   c. signaling the output transfer gear group to disengage the second coupler;   d. sensing the position of the second coupler to determine the second coupler is disengaged;   e. signaling the output transfer gear group to engage the first coupler;   f. sensing the position of the first coupler to determine the first coupler is engaged.   
     
     
         25 . The controller according to  claim 24 , wherein the computer readable program code further includes:
 g. allowing a predetermined amount of time to elapse from signaling the output transfer gear group to engage the first coupler;   h. signaling the output transfer gear group to disengage the first and second couplers if the first coupler is not engaged after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed;   i. signaling the transmission to shift to the forward drive position;   j. allowing a predetermined amount of time to elapse from signaling the transmission to shift to the forward drive position;   k. repeating steps b-g.