# US 11,441,656 B2 · Differential comprising pinion gears, a drive wheel, and at least one cover

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- Number: US 11,441,656 B2
- Document ID: US11441656B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/282,808
- Filed: 2019-09-17
- Published: 2021-12-16
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-04
- Assignees: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
- Applicants: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
- Inventors: Jochen Loeffelmann; Florian Reinle; Peter Welker
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441656B2

## CPC

- F16H 48/08: comprising bevel gears
- F16H 48/38: Constructional details (the outer casing comprising the differential and supporting input and output shafts F16H57/037)
- F16H 48/40: characterised by features of the rotating cases
- F16H 2048/085: {characterised by shafts or gear carriers for orbital gears}
- F16H 2048/385: {of the ring or crown gear}
- F16H 2048/387: {Shields or washers}
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

A differential (1) includes pinion gears (2, 3), a drive wheel (4), and at least one cover (5, 13), wherein: the outside of the drive wheel (4) has toothing (7) extending circumferentially around an axis of rotation (6) and the inside of the drive wheel is provided with bearing points (8, 9); the pinion gears (2, 3) are mounted on the bearing points (8, 9) in the drive wheel (4); and the differential (1) is closed on at least one side by the at least one cover (5, 13).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A differential comprising pinion gears, a drive wheel and at least one cover, wherein
an outside of the drive wheel has a toothing extending circumferentially around an axis of rotation and an inside of the drive wheel including a flange having recesses that form bearing points,
the pinion gears are mounted on the bearing points in the drive wheel,
the differential is closed on one side by the cover, wherein the cover includes a flange section arranged to completely close the recesses such that the flange section forms one of the bearing points, and
the pinion gears are mounted on the bearing points in the drive wheel,
the differential is clsoed on one side by the cover, wherein the cover includes a flange section arranged to completely close the recesses such that the flange section forms one of the bearing points, and
the pinion gears are held in the drive wheel by the cover, and the cover is fastened to an inner diameter of the flange only by at least one material connection without further fastening means.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The differential according to claim 1, wherein the cover abuts the flange.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The differential according to claim 1, wherein the differential is closed by two of the covers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The differential according to claim 3, wherein the covers are identical parts.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The differential according to claim 1, wherein the material connection is at least one welded connection between two metallic materials.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The differential according to claim 1, wherein the pinion gears are each rotatably mounted in the drive wheel with a pin.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The differential according to claim 6, wherein the pins are formed on a bolt common to the pinion gears, wherein the bolt is supported in the bearing points by means of the pins.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The differential according to claim 1, wherein the differential has output wheels which mesh with the pinion gears.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The differential according to claim 1, wherein the differential has output wheels which mesh with the pinion gears and are mounted in the cover.

### Claim 10

A differential comprising:
a drive wheel having external toothing and a flange extending inward, the flange having at least two bearing pockets formed therein;
at least two pinion gears supported in pins, wherein each pin extends radially into a corresponding bearing pocket;
two drive gears, each drive gear meshing with each of the pinion gears; and
at least one cover materially joined to an inner diameter of the flange, the cover including a flange section arranged to completely close the bearing pockets.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The differential of claim 10 wherein the at least one cover comprised two covers materially joined to axially opposite surfaces of the flange.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The differential of claim 11 wherein the two covers are interchangeable.