Disconnectable axle assembly having a planetary differential

1. An axle assembly comprising:

an housing assembly;

an input pinion mounted to the housing assembly for rotation about a first axis;

a ring gear mounted to the housing assembly for rotation about a second axis that is not parallel to the first axis;

a differential assembly having an internal gear, a planet carrier, a plurality of planet gears, and a sun gear, the internal gear being coupled to the ring gear for rotation therewith, the planet carrier having a carrier body and a plurality of carrier pins that are fixedly coupled to the carrier body, each of the planet gears being iournally mounted on a corresponding one of the carrier pins, at least a first portion of the planet gears being meshed with the internal gear, at least a second portion of the planet gears being meshed with the sun gear;

a first output member;

a second output member coupled to the sun gear for rotation therewith; and

a clutch that is operable for selectively coupling the first output member to the carrier body;

wherein the clutch comprises a coupling member that is axially slidably mounted on the first output member; and

wherein the carrier body has a first set of external teeth, wherein the first output member has a second set of external teeth, and wherein the coupling member has at least one set of internal teeth that are engageable to the first and second sets of external teeth.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is movable along the second axis between a first position, in which the at least one set of internal teeth are engaged to both the first and second sets of external teeth, and a second position in which the at least one set of internal teeth are disengaged from the first set of external teeth.

3. The axle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first and second sets of external teeth have respective pitch diameters that are larger than at least one of:

a) twice a distance between the center of any one of the carrier pins to the second axis;

b) twice a distance from the second axis to a center of a rolling bearing element of a bearing that supports the ring gear for rotation on the housing assembly;

c) a major diameter of the sun gear; and

d) a minimum diameter of the ring gear.

4. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of external teeth have respective pitch diameters that are sized so that circles defined by the pitch diameters are at least one of:

a) have at least one point that is closer to a first plane extending through the centers of each of a plurality of bearing balls of a first bearing that support the input pinion than to the second axis;

b) have at least one point that is farther from the second axis than any portion of a plurality of balls of a second bearing that supports the ring gear for rotation relative to the housing assembly;

c) have at least one point that is farther from the second axis than any portion of a third bearing that supports the input pinion on a side of a pinion gear that is opposite the first bearing; and

d) tangent to a second plane that is perpendicular to and intersects the first axis within a zone in which the teeth of the pinion gear mesh with the teeth of the ring gear.

5. The axle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one set of internal teeth is engaged to the second set of external teeth when the coupling member is in the second position.

6. The axle assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a spring that biases the coupling member toward the first position.

7. The axle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a linear actuator that is selectively operable for translating the coupling member in at least one direction along the second axis.

8. The axle assembly of claim 7 , wherein the linear motor comprises an electromagnet.

9. The axle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a thrust bearing disposed between and contacting the first output member and the carrier body.

10. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the input pinion and the ring gear is supported for rotation relative to the housing assembly via a four-point angular contact bearing.