# US 10,369,885 B2 · Axle assembly having a gear reduction unit and an interaxle differential unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,885 B2 - Document ID: US10369885B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/785,515 - Filed: 2017-10-17 - Published: 2019-04-18 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-17 - Assignees: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Applicants: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Inventors: Christopher Keeney; Dale Eschenburg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369885B2 ## CPC - B60K 17/3467: {combined with a change speed gearing, e.g. range gear} - B60K 17/36: for driving tandem wheels - F16H 3/089: all of the meshing gears being supported by a pair of parallel shafts, one being the input shaft and the other the output shaft, there being no countershaft involved - F16H 37/0813: {with only one input shaft} - F16H 48/08: comprising bevel gears - F16H 57/0457: {Splash lubrication} - F16H 57/0483: {Axle or inter-axle differentials} - F16H 2048/366: {using additional non-orbital gears in combination with clutches or brakes} - F16H 2048/368: {using additional orbital gears in combination with clutches or brakes} - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract An axle assembly having a gear reduction unit and an interaxle differential unit. The gear reduction unit may be operatively connected to an input shaft and may selectively provide gear reduction to a differential assembly and the interaxle differential unit. The interaxle differential unit may operatively connect the gear reduction unit to the output shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An axle assembly comprising: a housing assembly; a case that is received in the housing assembly and is rotatable about a first axis with respect to the housing assembly; an input gear that is rotatable about the first axis; an input shaft that is received in the input gear and is rotatable about the first axis; a gear reduction unit that is received in the case and that operatively connects the input shaft to the input gear; a first coupling that is moveable between a first position in which the first coupling prevents rotation of the input gear about the first axis and the input shaft is rotatable with respect to the input gear and a second position in which the first coupling couples the input gear to the case such that the input gear, input shaft, and the case are rotatable together about the first axis; and an interaxle differential unit that is at least partially received in the case. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein torque is not transmitted from the input shaft to the case when the first coupling is in a neutral position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the first coupling couples the input gear to the housing assembly when in the first position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the first coupling is axially positioned between the housing assembly and the case. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the input gear is partially received in the case. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the gear reduction unit and the interaxle differential unit each include a spider that is received in and is fixedly disposed on the case. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the case includes a divider wall that is disposed inside the case between the gear reduction unit and the interaxle differential unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a drive pinion that is rotatable about the first axis and is operatively connected to the interaxle differential unit, wherein the drive pinion provides torque to a differential assembly that is adapted to provide torque to an axle shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The axle assembly of claim 8 further comprising an output shaft that is received in the drive pinion and is rotatable about the first axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The axle assembly of claim 9 wherein the interaxle differential unit operatively connects the gear reduction unit to the drive pinion and the output shaft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The axle assembly of claim 9 wherein the gear reduction unit provides gear reduction from the input shaft to the output shaft and the drive pinion when the first coupling is in the first position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The axle assembly of claim 11 wherein the gear reduction unit does not provide gear reduction from the input shaft to the output shaft and the drive pinion when the first coupling is in the second position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The axle assembly of claim 9 wherein the drive pinion is rotatable with the output shaft when the interaxle differential unit is locked and the drive pinion is rotatable with respect to the output shaft when the interaxle differential unit is unlocked. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The axle assembly of claim 9 wherein the gear reduction unit includes a spider that is rotatable with respect to the input shaft and through which the input shaft extends, wherein the spider does not rotate with respect to the case. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The axle assembly of claim 9 wherein the interaxle differential unit includes a spider that is rotatable with respect to the output shaft and through which the output shaft extends, wherein the spider does not rotate with respect to the case. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a drive pinion that is rotatable about a third axis and is operatively connected to the interaxle differential unit, wherein the drive pinion provides torque to a differential assembly that is adapted to provide torque to an axle shaft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The axle assembly of claim 16 further comprising a drive gear that is rotatable about the first axis and is operatively connected to the interaxle differential unit and a driven gear that meshes with the drive gear and transmits torque to the drive pinion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The axle assembly of claim 17 further comprising an output shaft that extends through the drive gear and is rotatable with respect to the drive gear about the first axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The axle assembly of claim 18 further comprising a clutch collar that is rotatable about the first axis with the output shaft, wherein the clutch collar is moveable between an unlocked position in which the clutch collar does not couple the drive gear to the output shaft and a locked position in which the clutch collar couples the drive gear to the output shaft such that the drive gear is rotatable about the first axis with the output shaft. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The axle assembly of claim 19 wherein the clutch collar is disposed outside of the case and the drive gear is partially received inside the case.