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US 12,172,612 B2Granted
Axle assembly having a differential brake
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorsJeremy S. Fox, Robert Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axle assembly having a differential assembly, a drive pinion, and a differential brake. The differential assembly may be rotatable about a differential axis. The drive pinion may mesh with a ring gear of the differential assembly. The differential brake may be operable to apply a brake torque to inhibit rotation of the differential assembly.
Claims20
An axle assembly comprising:
- a differential assembly that is rotatable about a differential axis, the differential assembly having a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear and that is operatively connectable to a torque source;
- a connecting shaft that is spaced apart from the differential assembly and is rotatably connected to the drive pinion;
- and
- a differential brake that is operable to apply a brake torque to inhibit rotation of the connecting shaft and the differential assembly, wherein the differential brake and the drive pinion are positioned on opposite sides of the differential assembly.
2 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a differential assembly that is rotatable about a differential axis, the differential assembly having a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear and that is operatively connectable to a torque source;
- a connecting shaft that is spaced apart from the differential assembly and is rotatably connected to the drive pinion;
- a differential brake that is operable to apply a brake torque to inhibit rotation of the connecting shaft and the differential assembly;
- and
- a housing assembly that receives the differential assembly, wherein the housing assembly includes an axle housing that has a center portion that receives the differential assembly and first and second arm portions that extend in opposite directions from the center portion, wherein the first and second arm portions each receive an axle shaft and support a wheel hub and a brake assembly that is configured to brake the wheel hub, and wherein the differential brake is disposed outside of the housing assembly.
3 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a differential assembly that is rotatable about a differential axis, the differential assembly having a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear and that is operatively connectable to a torque source;
- a connecting shaft that is spaced apart from the differential assembly and is rotatably connected to the drive pinion, wherein the connecting shaft is rotatable about an axis that is disposed substantially perpendicular to the differential axis;
- and
- a differential brake that is operable to apply a brake torque to inhibit rotation of the connecting shaft and the differential assembly, wherein the differential brake and the drive pinion are positioned on opposite sides of the differential assembly.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.