Coupler for promoting lubrication of shaft splines

A vehicle having an independently powered wheel, comprising:

• a powering device having an output shaft, the output shaft including output splines;
• a drive assembly having an input shaft, the input shaft including input splines;
• a coupler for coupling the input shaft to the output shaft, the coupler including a housing having a first end longitudinally spaced from a second end, the first end defining a first outlet and the second end defining a second outlet;
• a first set of splines and a second set of splines longitudinally spaced from one another and defined along an inner wall of the housing, the first set of splines disposed at the first end of the housing for engaging the input splines and the second set of splines disposed at the second end of the housing for engaging the output splines;
• a shoulder disposed radially inward from the inner wall of the housing and longitudinally spaced between the first set of splines and the second set of splines, the shoulder forming a first thrust surface oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first outlet and a second thrust surface oriented substantially perpendicularly to the second outlet;
• and
• at least one inlet defined in the inner wall of the housing between the shoulder and one of the first set of splines and the second set of splines, the inlet adapted to receive fluid from a fluid source outside the housing;
• wherein the length of the first set of splines is substantially the same as the length of the second set of splines;
• further wherein, the first outlet is defined between the engagement of the first set of splines and the input splines and the second outlet is defined between the engagement of the second set of splines and the output splines wherein the at least one inlet, first outlet and second outlet are fluidly coupled to one another.

A coupler for coupling an input shaft to an output shaft, comprising:

• a housing having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from one another;
• a first set of splines defined along an inner wall of the housing, the first set of splines disposed near the first end for engaging with splines of the input shaft;
• a second set of splines defined along the inner wall of the housing, the second set of splines disposed near the second end for engaging splines of the output shaft, the second set of splines and first set of splines being longitudinally spaced from one another;
• a shoulder extending radially inwardly from the inner wall of the housing and longitudinally spaced between the first set of splines and the second set of splines, the shoulder having a first thrust surface oriented towards the first end and a second thrust surface oriented towards the second end;
• a central region having a volume defined between the inner wall of the housing, the central region further formed in the longitudinal space between the first set of splines and the second set of splines;
• and
• a first inlet defined in the inner wall of the housing between the shoulder and the first set of splines and a second inlet defined in the inner wall of the housing between the shoulder and the second set of splines, the first inlet and the second inlet being fluidly coupled to the central region, the first set of splines, and the second set of splines;
• wherein, the first inlet and the second inlet are spaced longitudinally from one another.