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US 12,455,005 B2Granted
Axle assembly having a lubricant deflector
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorsDhanapal Vittala Raya, Mark Smith, Kristen G. Byrd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An axle assembly having a differential carrier, a differential assembly, and a lubricant deflector. The differential assembly is mounted to the differential carrier and is rotatable about a differential axis. The lubricant deflector is mounted to the differential carrier and directs lubricant that is splashed or sprayed by a ring gear of the differential assembly into a lubricant passage of the differential carrier.
Claims20
An axle assembly comprising:
- a housing assembly comprising an axle housing and a differential carrier that cooperate to define a sump portion that receives lubricant, the differential carrier comprising a lubricant passage;
- a differential assembly mounted to the differential carrier, the differential assembly being rotatable about a differential axis and comprising a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear;
- and
- a lubricant deflector comprising a first panel that is mounted to the differential carrier, a second panel that extends from the first panel toward the differential assembly and that comprises an opening, an upper panel comprising an upper opening, and a first side panel that engages the upper panel and extends from the first panel in a direction that extends away from the lubricant passage of the differential carrier, wherein the lubricant deflector is configured to direct lubricant that is splashed or sprayed by the ring gear into the lubricant passage, and wherein the ring gear is disposed in the opening and the upper opening.
2 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a housing assembly comprising an axle housing and a differential carrier that cooperate to define a sump portion that receives lubricant, the differential carrier comprising a lubricant passage;
- a differential assembly mounted to the differential carrier, the differential assembly being rotatable about a differential axis and comprising a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear;
- and
- a lubricant deflector comprising a first panel that is mounted to the differential carrier and a second panel that extends from the first panel toward the differential assembly, wherein the lubricant deflector is configured to direct lubricant that is splashed or sprayed by the ring gear into the lubricant passage, wherein the lubricant deflector directs lubricant that is splashed or sprayed by the ring gear into the lubricant passage when the differential assembly rotates about the differential axis in a first rotational direction in which teeth of the ring gear rotate from the sump portion, then into engagement with the drive pinion, then disengage the drive pinion, and then rotate above the drive pinion and toward the lubricant deflector.
2 more elements
An axle assembly comprising:
- a housing assembly comprising an axle housing and a differential carrier that cooperate to define a sump portion that receives lubricant, the differential carrier comprising a lubricant passage;
- a differential assembly mounted to the differential carrier, the differential assembly being rotatable about a differential axis and comprising a ring gear;
- a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear;
- and
- a lubricant deflector comprising a first panel that is mounted to the differential carrier and a second panel that extends from the first panel toward the differential assembly, wherein the lubricant deflector is configured to direct lubricant that is splashed or sprayed by the ring gear into the lubricant passage, the lubricant deflector is not disposed in the sump portion, the differential carrier comprises a bearing support wall that supports bearings that rotatably support the drive pinion, the lubricant passage extends through the bearing support wall, and the lubricant deflector engages the bearing support wall.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.