Refrigeration utilized to cool driveline lubricants

A driveline component comprising:

• a housing receiving a lubricant, and rotating parts cooled by said lubricant;
• an enclosed reservoir within said housing and in contact with said lubricant;
• a first flow line from said enclosed reservoir to a cooling chamber, and a second flow line from said cooling chamber back to said reservoir, a fluid refrigerant, distinct from said lubricant, being received in said reservoir and flowing through said first flow line to said cooling chamber and back through said second flow line to said reservoir;
• said driveline component being an axle housing and a differential being among said rotating parts, a drive pinion positioned within said housing on one side of an axis defined by a rotational axis of spider gears associated with said housing, and said reservoir being positioned on an opposed side of said axis;
• and
• an end cap housing secured to an axle housing, said reservoir being positioned inwardly of said end cap housing and within said axle housing.

A driveline component comprising:

• a housing receiving a lubricant, and rotating parts cooled by said lubricant;
• an enclosed reservoir within said housing and in contact with said lubricant;
• a first flow line from said enclosed reservoir outwardly of said housing and to a cooling chamber, and a second flow line from said cooling chamber back to said reservoir, and a fluid refrigerant, distinct from said lubricant, being received in said reservoir and flowing through said first flow line to said cooling chamber and back through said second flow line to said reservoir;
• said cooling chamber being positioned vertically above said reservoir;
• and said refrigerant being selected such that it will vaporize within operational temperatures expected in said housing, and said vaporized refrigerant driving itself into said cooling chamber where it is cooled back to a liquid, and returns to said reservoir.