# US 11,111,998 B1 · Axle assembly having a variable lubricant restrictor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,998 B1 - Document ID: US11111998B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/088,017 - Filed: 2020-11-03 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-03 - Assignees: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Applicants: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Inventors: Andrew Bodary - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111998B1 ## CPC - F16H 57/0409: {characterised by increasing efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses} - F16H 57/037: Gearboxes for accommodating differential gearings (rotating cases for differential gearings F16H48/40) - F16H 57/0423: {Lubricant guiding means mounted or supported on the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes or pipes} - F16H 57/0445: {for supply of different gearbox casings or sections} - F16H 57/0457: {Splash lubrication} - F16H 57/0471: {Bearing} - F16H 57/0483: {Axle or inter-axle differentials} - F16H 57/082: {Planet carriers} - F16H 2057/02052: {Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive} - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract An axle assembly having a variable lubricant restrictor. The variable lubricant restrictor may be mounted to a differential carrier. Lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly may move the variable lubricant restrictor from a first position to a second position to reduce lubricant flow through a divider wall opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An axle assembly comprising: an axle housing; a differential carrier that is mounted to the axle housing such that the differential carrier and the axle housing cooperate to at least partially define a cavity that has a sump portion that receives lubricant, wherein the differential carrier supports a drive pinion that is rotatable about a drive pinion axis and includes a divider wall that at least partially defines a divider wall opening; a differential assembly that is received in the cavity and is rotatable about an axis; and a variable lubricant restrictor that is mounted to the divider wall proximate the divider wall opening, wherein lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly moves the variable lubricant restrictor from a first position to a second position to reduce lubricant flow through the variable lubricant restrictor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein lubricant is splashed by the differential assembly when the differential assembly rotates about the axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein an amount of lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly increases when a rotational speed of the differential assembly about the axis increases. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the variable lubricant restrictor moves from the second position toward the first position when an amount of lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly decreases. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein an amount of lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly decreases as a rotational speed of the differential assembly about the axis decreases. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the divider wall is disposed above the drive pinion axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the divider wall is disposed above the drive pinion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the variable lubricant restrictor is disposed on a side of the divider wall that faces toward the differential assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the differential carrier includes an exterior wall that extends around the drive pinion and at least partially defines an exterior of the differential carrier and a drive pinion bearing support that receives a first drive pinion bearing assembly that rotatably supports the drive pinion, wherein the divider wall extends from the exterior wall to the drive pinion bearing support. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The axle assembly of claim 9 wherein the variable lubricant restrictor inhibits lubricant from flowing to a chamber that is located between the first drive pinion bearing assembly and a second drive pinion bearing assembly that rotatably supports the drive pinion when in the second position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein a first drive pinion bearing assembly and a second drive pinion bearing assembly rotatably support the drive pinion, the first drive pinion bearing assembly is axially positioned closer to the differential assembly than the divider wall is positioned to the differential assembly, and the divider wall is axially positioned closer to the differential assembly than the second drive pinion bearing assembly is positioned to the differential assembly. ### Claim 12 An axle assembly comprising: an axle housing; a differential carrier that is mounted to the axle housing such that the differential carrier and the axle housing cooperate to at least partially define a cavity that has a sump portion that receives lubricant, wherein the differential carrier supports a drive pinion that is rotatable about a drive pinion axis and includes a divider wall that defines a divider wall opening; a differential assembly that is received in the cavity, supported by the differential carrier, and is rotatable about an axis; and a variable lubricant restrictor that is mounted to the divider wall proximate the divider wall opening, wherein the variable lubricant restrictor has a flap that is extendible toward the differential assembly and lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly moves the flap toward the divider wall to reduce lubricant flow through the divider wall opening. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The axle assembly of claim 12 wherein the drive pinion has a gear portion that meshes with a ring gear of the differential assembly and wherein the flap extends over the gear portion when the flap is in a first position and the flap does not extend over the gear portion when the flap is in a second position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The axle assembly of claim 12 wherein the flap has a hinge portion about which the flap is pivotable to move toward and away from the divider wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The axle assembly of claim 14 wherein the hinge portion is disposed proximate a bottom of the divider wall opening. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The axle assembly of claim 14 wherein the flap extends from the hinge portion in a direction that extends away from the drive pinion axis such that a free end of the flap that is disposed opposite the hinge portion is disposed further from the drive pinion axis than the hinge portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The axle assembly of claim 12 wherein the flap is a member of a set of flaps that extend from a mounting portion of the variable lubricant restrictor that engages the divider wall. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The axle assembly of claim 17 wherein members of set of flaps are movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the set of flaps permits more lubricant to pass through the divider wall opening in the first position than in the second position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The axle assembly of claim 18 wherein free ends of members of the set of flaps are disposed further apart from each other in the first position than in the second position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The axle assembly of claim 18 wherein members of the set of flaps are spaced apart from each other in the first position and in the second position.