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US 10,946,696 B2Granted
Axle assembly including a wheel end and method of manufacture
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorsJames Levinson, Dale Kwasniewski, Randy Holland, James Gant, Timothy Mann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An axle housing assembly includes an axle housing that includes a center portion and a first arm portion that extends from the center portion. The axle housing assembly further includes a wheel end housing that includes a wheel end body that extends from the first arm portion and a spindle that extends from the wheel end body.
Claims19
A method of manufacturing an axle housing assembly comprising:
- providing an axle housing having a center portion and first and second arm portions extending in opposing directions from the center portion, the first arm portion including an end surface that faces away from the center portion;
- providing a wheel end housing that includes:
- a wheel end body having an inboard end surface and an outboard end surface disposed opposite the inboard end surface;
- a spindle having a first spindle end surface and a second spindle end surface disposed opposite the first spindle end surface, wherein the spindle is mounted to the wheel end body by engaging the first spindle end surface to the outboard end surface and welding the spindle to the wheel end body;
- and
- a mounting flange that is welded to the wheel end body and is spaced apart from the spindle;
- and
- mounting the wheel end housing to the axle housing by engaging the inboard end surface to the end surface and welding the wheel end housing to the axle housing, wherein the mounting flange is axially positioned closer to the axle housing than the spindle, the spindle is welded to the wheel end body before the wheel end body is welded to the axle housing, the spindle is attached to the wheel end body only by welding, and the wheel end body is attached to the axle housing only by welding.
5 more elements
A method of manufacturing an axle housing assembly comprising:
- providing an axle housing having a center portion and first and second arm portions that are disposed about a central axis and that extend in opposing directions from the center portion, the first arm portion including an end surface that faces away from the center portion;
- providing a wheel end housing that includes:
- a wheel end body having:
- an inboard end surface that is shaped as a ring having an outer circumferential surface;
- an outboard end surface disposed opposite the inboard end surface;
- a center body portion that is axially positioned between and is spaced apart from the inboard end surface and the outboard end surface, wherein the center body portion has a first cross-sectional shape, and the inboard end surface and the outboard end surface have a second cross-sectional shape that differs from the first cross-sectional shape;
- a first connecting portion that extends from the inboard end surface to the center body portion;
- and
- a second connecting portion that is disposed opposite the first connecting portion and that extends from the outboard end surface to the center body portion;
- and
- a spindle having a first spindle end surface and a second spindle end surface disposed opposite the first spindle end surface, wherein the spindle is mounted to the wheel end body by engaging the first spindle end surface to the outboard end surface and welding the spindle to the wheel end body;
- and
- mounting the wheel end housing to the axle housing by engaging the inboard end surface to the end surface and welding the wheel end housing to the axle housing.
10 more elements
A method of manufacturing an axle housing assembly comprising:
- providing an axle housing having a center portion and first and second arm portions extending in opposing directions from the center portion, the first arm portion including an end surface that faces away from the center portion;
- providing a wheel end housing that includes:
- a wheel end body having:
- an inboard end surface that is shaped as a ring having an outer circumferential surface;
- an outboard end surface disposed opposite the inboard end surface;
- a center body portion that is axially positioned between and is spaced apart from the inboard end surface and the outboard end surface, the center body portion having a first cross-sectional shape that differs from the shape of the inboard end surface;
- a first connecting portion that extends from the inboard end surface to the center body portion;
- and
- a second connecting portion that is disposed opposite the first connecting portion and that extends from the outboard end surface to the center body portion;
- and
- a spindle having a first spindle end surface and a second spindle end surface disposed opposite the first spindle end surface, wherein the spindle is mounted to the wheel end body by engaging the first spindle end surface to the outboard end surface and welding the spindle to the wheel end body;
- and
- mounting the wheel end housing to the axle housing by engaging the inboard end surface to the end surface and welding the wheel end housing to the axle housing, wherein the spindle is welded to the wheel end body before the wheel end housing is welded to the axle housing.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.