Pinion shaft and differential housing assembly
AssigneeMetaldyne Company LLC
InventorsRobert Veldman, Jeffrey L. Lubben
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a differential housing assembly having a pinion shaft positioned therein. The differential housing assembly is capable of imparting torque to at least a pair of axle shafts of, for example a vehicle. The pinion shaft has a relief portion for receiving a portion of at least one of the axle shafts. The relief portion is capable of compensating for offset between the centerline of the pinion shaft and a centerline of a vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the relief portion allows the axle shafts to have equal lengths.
Claims20
A differential housing assembly comprising:
- a differential housing;
- a pinion shaft positioned within the differential housing;
- and
- a relief portion in the pinion shaft, the relief portion capable of receiving a portion of an axle shaft to restrict movement of the pinion shaft.
A differential housing assembly comprising:
- a differential housing;
- and
- a pinion shaft positioned within the differential housing, the pinion shaft having a maximum thickness defined between a first side and a second side;
- a pair of axle shafts extending into the differential housing, wherein at least one of the axle shafts terminates within the first side and the second side of the pinion shaft.
A differential housing assembly comprising:
- a differential housing;
- a pinion shaft positioned within the differential housing;
- a pair of axle shafts having equal length;
- and
- a relief portion in the pinion shaft for receiving at least a portion of one of the axle shafts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.