# US 11,440,348 B1 · Axle assembly having a lubricant reservoir > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,348 B1 - Document ID: US11440348B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/342,881 - Filed: 2021-06-09 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-09 - Assignees: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Applicants: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Inventors: Andrew Bodary; Dale Kwasniewski; Tim Mann; Leo Wenstrup - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440348B1 ## CPC - B60B 35/163: {characterised by specific shape of the housing, e.g. adaptations to give space for other vehicle elements like chassis or exhaust system} - B60K 17/16: of differential gearing - B60K 17/35: including arrangements for suppressing or influencing the power transfer, e.g. viscous clutches - B60K 17/36: for driving tandem wheels - 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 57/043: {within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts} - F16H 57/045: {Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case} - F16H 57/0457: {Splash lubrication} - F16H 57/0483: {Axle or inter-axle differentials} - B60B 2900/561: Lubrication - F16H 48/24: using positive clutches or brakes - F16H 57/0409: {characterised by increasing efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses} - F16H 57/0447: {Control of lubricant levels, e.g. lubricant level control dependent on temperature} - F16H 2057/02052: {Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive} - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - 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 that has a lubricant reservoir. The lubricant reservoir may be disposed above a differential assembly and may capture lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly. The lubricant reservoir may have at least one tank. The lubricant reservoir may optionally provide lubricant to a lubricant distribution trough. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An axle assembly comprising: a differential assembly that is rotatable about an axis and that has a ring gear; a housing assembly that has an axle housing and a differential carrier that supports the differential assembly, wherein the differential carrier is mounted to the axle housing and the axle housing receives the differential assembly; a lubricant reservoir that is disposed inside the axle housing above the differential assembly and that captures lubricant that is splashed by the ring gear, the lubricant reservoir having a first tank and a second tank that is spaced apart from the first tank; a first conduit that routes lubricant from the first tank to an input shaft bearing; and a second conduit that routes lubricant from the second tank to an output shaft bearing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the ring gear extends between the first tank and the second tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the first tank is disposed above the output shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the second tank is disposed above a differential bearing support that receives a bearing that rotatably supports the differential assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the lubricant reservoir includes a bridge that extends above the ring gear and that interconnects the first tank and the second tank. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The axle assembly of claim 5 wherein the bridge directs lubricant that is splashed by the ring gear to the first tank and the second tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The axle assembly of claim 5 wherein the lubricant reservoir has a lip that engages the axle housing and that extends over the bridge, wherein the lip extends from the first tank to the second tank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The axle assembly of claim 7 wherein the lubricant reservoir has a main panel that extends from the bridge to the lip and that partially defines the first tank and the second tank. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The axle assembly of claim 7 wherein the lubricant reservoir has a main panel that partially defines the first tank and the second tank and that faces toward the differential carrier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The axle assembly of claim 9 wherein the first tank has an end panel that is disposed opposite the main panel and a bottom panel that slopes downward from the end panel to the main panel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The axle assembly of claim 10 wherein the first conduit extends from the main panel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The axle assembly of claim 10 wherein the second tank has an end panel that is disposed opposite the main panel and a bottom panel that slopes downward from the main panel to the end panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The axle assembly of claim 12 wherein the second conduit extends from the end panel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The axle assembly of claim 12 wherein the bottom panel of the first tank is disposed further from a sump portion of the axle housing than the bottom panel of the second tank is disposed from the sump portion. ### Claim 15 An axle assembly comprising: a differential assembly that is rotatable about an axis and that has a ring gear; a housing assembly that receives the differential assembly; a lubricant reservoir that is disposed above the differential assembly and that captures lubricant that is splashed by the ring gear; and a lubricant distribution trough that receives lubricant from the lubricant reservoir, the lubricant distribution trough including: a first trough that receives lubricant from the lubricant reservoir; a second trough that is disposed below the first trough; and a dam that separates the first trough from the second trough. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The axle assembly of claim 15 wherein the first trough provides lubricant to an input shaft bearing that rotatably supports an input shaft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The axle assembly of claim 16 wherein the second trough provides lubricant to an interaxle differential unit and a drop gear set that is operatively connected to the input shaft and to a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear of the differential assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The axle assembly of claim 15 wherein the second trough receives lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The axle assembly of claim 15 wherein the second trough is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion extends from the dam to the lower portion and is elevated with respect to the lower portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The axle assembly of claim 19 wherein the upper portion provides lubricant to an interaxle differential unit and a drop gear set and the lower portion receives lubricant that is splashed by the differential assembly.