Back to results
US 12,146,564 B2Granted
Axle assembly having a lubricant deflector
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorsMahesh I. Naik, Hari Kishore Kasula, Nagaraja Eranna, Abdullah Muhammad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axle assembly having a differential carrier, a differential assembly, a drive pinion, a spigot bearing, and a lubricant deflector. The drive pinion has a spigot. The spigot is rotatably supported by the spigot bearing. The lubricant deflector is mounted to the differential carrier and directs lubricant to the spigot bearing.
Claims22
An axle assembly comprising:
- a housing assembly that includes an axle housing and a differential carrier that is mounted to the axle housing, wherein the axle housing comprises a sump portion that receives lubricant;
- a differential assembly that is mounted to the differential carrier and that is rotatable about a differential axis, wherein the differential assembly comprises a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that is rotatable about a drive pinion axis and that comprises a gear portion that meshes with the ring gear, a shaft portion that extends from the gear portion away from the differential assembly, and a spigot that extends from the gear portion toward the differential assembly;
- a spigot bearing that is disposed on the differential carrier and that rotatably supports the spigot;
- and
- a lubricant deflector that is mounted to the differential carrier, wherein the lubricant deflector is configured to direct lubricant to the spigot bearing, the differential carrier includes a first spigot bearing support wall that encircles the spigot bearing, and the lubricant deflector is mounted to the first spigot bearing support wall.
3 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a housing assembly that includes an axle housing and a differential carrier that is mounted to the axle housing, wherein the axle housing comprises a sump portion that receives lubricant;
- a differential assembly that is mounted to the differential carrier and that is rotatable about a differential axis, wherein the differential assembly comprises a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that is rotatable about a drive pinion axis and that comprises a gear portion that meshes with the ring gear, a shaft portion that extends from the gear portion away from the differential assembly, and a spigot that extends from the gear portion toward the differential assembly;
- a spigot bearing that is disposed on the differential carrier and that rotatably supports the spigot;
- and
- a lubricant deflector that is mounted to the differential carrier, wherein the lubricant deflector is configured to direct lubricant to the spigot bearing, the lubricant deflector includes a first panel and a boss that extends between the first panel and the differential carrier, and the first panel is spaced apart from the differential carrier to provide a gap that is configured to allow lubricant to pass between the first panel and the differential carrier.
3 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a housing assembly that includes an axle housing and a differential carrier that is mounted to the axle housing, wherein the axle housing comprises a sump portion that receives lubricant;
- a differential assembly that is mounted to the differential carrier and that is rotatable about a differential axis, wherein the differential assembly comprises a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that is rotatable about a drive pinion axis and that comprises a gear portion that meshes with the ring gear, a shaft portion that extends from the gear portion away from the differential assembly, and a spigot that extends from the gear portion toward the differential assembly;
- a spigot bearing that is disposed on the differential carrier and that rotatably supports the spigot;
- and
- a lubricant deflector that is mounted to the differential carrier, wherein the lubricant deflector is configured to direct lubricant to the spigot bearing, the lubricant deflector comprising a first panel and a second panel that extends at an angle from the first panel such that the second panel extends away from the drive pinion axis and the spigot bearing.
3 more elements
A lubricant deflector comprising:
- a first panel adapted to be mounted to a differential carrier, the first panel comprising a first side, a second side disposed opposite the first side, and a boss that protrudes from the first side in a first direction, the boss comprising a hole that is adapted to receive a first fastener;
- a second panel that extends at an angle less than 90 degrees from a plane of the first panel from an upper end of the first panel such that the second panel extends away from the first side and away from the first direction;
- and
- a third panel that extends at an angle from a lower end of the first panel that is disposed opposite the upper end, wherein the third panel extends in the first direction away from the second side.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.