Back to results
US 12,269,337 B2Granted
Axle assembly having a drive pinion and a preload nut
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorsDavid M Zueski, Thomas Johns, Robert Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axle assembly having a differential carrier, a drive pinion, a bearing assembly, and a preload nut. The drive pinion has a shaft that has a threaded portion. The bearing assembly rotatably supports the drive pinion on the differential carrier. The preload nut mates with the threaded portion and exerts a preload force on the bearing assembly.
Claims20
An axle assembly comprising:
- a differential carrier;
- a drive pinion that is rotatable about an axis, the drive pinion including:
- a gear;
- and
- a shaft that extends from the gear, the shaft having a threaded portion;
- a bearing assembly that encircles the shaft and that rotatably supports the drive pinion on the differential carrier;
- a preload nut that has a thread that mates with the threaded portion and that engages the bearing assembly and exerts a preload force on the bearing assembly;
- a yoke that encircles and is mounted to the shaft, wherein the yoke inhibits rotation of the preload nut;
- and
- a seal assembly that encircles the preload nut and extends from the preload nut to the differential carrier, wherein the seal assembly encircles and engages the preload nut and the yoke.
7 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a differential carrier;
- a drive pinion that is rotatable about an axis, the drive pinion including:
- a gear;
- and
- a shaft that extends from the gear, the shaft having a threaded portion;
- a bearing assembly that encircles the shaft and that rotatably supports the drive pinion on the differential carrier;
- a preload nut that has a thread that mates with the threaded portion and that engages the bearing assembly and exerts a preload force on the bearing assembly;
- a seal assembly that encircles the preload nut and extends from the preload nut to the differential carrier;
- and
- a yoke that encircles and is mounted to the shaft, wherein the yoke inhibits rotation of the preload nut.
7 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a differential carrier;
- a drive pinion that is rotatable about an axis, the drive pinion including:
- a gear;
- and
- a shaft that extends from the gear, the shaft having a threaded portion;
- and
- a bearing assembly that encircles the shaft and that rotatably supports the drive pinion on the differential carrier;
- a preload nut that has a thread that mates with the threaded portion and that engages the bearing assembly and exerts a preload force on the bearing assembly;
- a seal assembly that encircles the shaft and extends from the shaft to the differential carrier;
- and
- a yoke that encircles and is mounted to the shaft, wherein the seal assembly is axially positioned between the preload nut and the yoke.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.