An efficient and systematic methodology for the topological synthesis of admissible fractionated geared differential mechanisms is presented. Based on the extension of the 2-dof automotive gear differential, it is shown that a fractionated geared differential mechanism can be decomposed into a main component and an input component. Characteristics of these two components are laid out, and the atlases of admissible input and main components are identified from the existing atlases of non-fractionated geared kinematic chains. With a systematic procedure to choose input and main components and select admissible connecting links, fractionated geared differential mechanisms with three and four input/output links are generated accordingly. [S1050-0472(00)00804-7]

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