Axle assembly
AssigneeDana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
InventorKenneth Okamuro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive axle assembly having at least one drive shaft tube and at least one substantially horizontal drive shaft located within the tube. The drive shaft is connected at an inboard end to a differential and an outboard end of the drive shaft has a first bevel gear. The first bevel gear is meshed with a second bevel gear within a shoulder structure. The second bevel gear is located on a non-horizontal drive shaft. A selectively closeable opening is provided in the shoulder structure for installing and maintaining the bevel gears.
Claims19
A drive axle assembly, comprising:
- at least one axle arm portion extending from a differential housing to a shoulder structure that is integrally formed with an outboard end of said axle arm portion;
- a substantially horizontal drive shaft located within said at least one axle arm portion connected at an inboard end to a differential in said differential housing and having a first bevel gear on an outboard end;
- and
- a non-horizontal driven shaft mounted for rotation within said shoulder structure, said driven shaft having a second bevel gear meshed in driving engagement with said first bevel gear on said drive shaft;
- wherein said shoulder structure is provided with an upper selectively closable opening with a non-steerable removable cover having a planar central portion with a concentric rim transversally extending outwardly from said central portion about a perimeter of said cover, adjacent said meshed first and second bevel gears.
A drive axle assembly, comprising:
- at least one axle arm portion extending from a differential housing to a shoulder structure that is integrally formed with an outboard end of said axle arm portion, said axle arm portion having a top portion, a bottom portion, a forward portion and an open rearward portion;
- and
- a substantially horizontal drive shaft located behind said forward portion;
- wherein said shoulder stricture is provided with an upper selectively closable opening with a non-steerable removable cover having a planar central portion with a concentric rim transversally extending outwardly from said central portion about a perimeter of said cover, adjacent meshed first and second bevel gears.
A drive assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
- an axle arm portion housing a substantially horizontal drive axle;
- a shoulder structure integrally formed with said axle arm portion;
- a first bevel gear mounted on an outboard portion of said drive axle within and adjacent said shoulder structure;
- and
- a second bevel gear mounted on a non-horizontal driven axle, said second bevel gear being in mesh with said first bevel gear substantially above said first bevel gear within and adjacent said shoulder structure;
- wherein said shoulder structure is provided with an upper selectively closable opening with a non-steerable removable cover having a planar central portion with a concentric rim transversally extending outwardly from said central portion about a perimeter of said cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.