Single reduction carrier for independent suspension
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorsBrian David Hayes, Robert James Martin, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drive unit for an independent suspension includes a single reduction carrier with an offset pinion configuration. The single reduction carrier includes a pinion input gear defining a pinion gear axis of rotation. The pinion gear drives a ring gear, which is coupled to a differential. The differential is laterally positioned to be centered along a longitudinally extending vehicle centerline and the pinion gear axis of rotation is significantly offset from the longitudinally extending vehicle centerline in a lateral direction.
Claims19
A drive unit for driving a pair of laterally opposed vehicle wheels comprising:
- a single reduction carrier having a pinion input that is to be significantly offset from a vehicle centerline;
- a first output shaft driven by said single reduction carrier and a second output shaft driven by said single reduction carrier, said first output shaft to drive a first wheel component and said second output shaft to drive a second wheel component laterally opposite from said first wheel component;
- and
- a first independent suspension associated with said first wheel component and a second independent suspension associated with said second wheel component, said first and said second independent suspensions allowing said first and said second wheel components to move independently relative to each other in response to road load inputs.
A drive unit for an independent suspension comprising:
- a single reduction carrier having a pinion input gear defining a pinion gear axis of rotation, a ring gear directly driven by said pinion input gear, and a differential assembly driven by said ring gear;
- and
- wherein said differential assembly is laterally positioned to be centered along a longitudinally extending vehicle centerline, and wherein said pinion gear axis of rotation is significantly offset from said longitudinally extending vehicle centerline in a lateral direction.
A method of assembling a single reduction carrier for an independent suspension comprising the steps:
- (a) installing a first output shaft into a first case portion;
- (b) installing a pinion assembly;
- (c) installing differential assembly onto the first output shaft;
- (d) installing a second case portion over the differential assembly;
- and
- (e) installing a sub-assembly including a second output shaft with an adjuster into the differential assembly and second case portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.