Axel assembly having a bowl cover and a method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279625-B2
Application number	US-201514819502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2015
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

An axle assembly and a method of manufacture. The axle assembly may have an axle housing, a bowl ring, and a bowl cover. The bowl ring may be disposed on a center portion of the axle housing and may extend around a bowl opening. The bowl cover may be disposed on the bowl ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An axle assembly comprising:
an axle housing having a center portion that defines a differential carrier opening and a bowl opening;
a bowl ring that extends around the bowl opening and has a first surface that is disposed on the center portion, a second surface disposed opposite the first surface, and a mounting hole that extends from the first surface to the second surface; and
a bowl cover that has a perimeter surface that extends around the bowl cover, a flange that extends from the perimeter surface such that the flange is disposed on the second surface of the bowl ring, and a fastener hole that extends through the flange; and
a fastener that extends through the fastener hole and the mounting hole such that the fastener couples the bowl cover to the bowl ring and only engages the bowl cover and the bowl ring.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the flange extends around a spherical cap of the bowl cover.

3. The axle assembly of claim 2 wherein the fastener hole receives a reinforcement insert that receives the fastener.

4. The axle assembly of claim 3 wherein the flange has a first flange surface that is disposed on the bowl ring and a second flange surface that is disposed opposite the first flange surface, wherein the reinforcement insert extends from the first flange surface to the second flange surface.

5. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting hole is positioned such that the fastener is disposed in the bowl opening and does not engage the axle housing.

6. The axle assembly of claim 1
wherein the bowl cover has an outer surface that faces away from the axle housing and a suspension mount that is disposed on the outer surface.

7. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the bowl cover includes a set of ribs that are disposed on the outer surface and extend away from the axle housing.

8. The axle assembly of claim 7 wherein the ribs are disposed substantially parallel to each other and the suspension mount is disposed between a pair of ribs.

9. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the differential carrier opening is disposed opposite the bowl opening.

10. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the differential carrier supports a differential and is mounted to the center portion proximate the differential carrier opening, wherein at least a portion of the differential extends through the bowl ring and is received in the bowl cover.

11. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the bowl cover is made of a fiber reinforced polymer.

12. The axle assembly of claim 11 wherein the fiber reinforced polymer includes carbon fiber.

13. The axle assembly of claim 11 wherein the fiber reinforced polymer includes glass fiber.

14. An axle assembly comprising:
an axle housing having a center portion that defines a bowl opening and a differential carrier opening that is adapted to receive a differential; and
a bowl cover that is mounted to the axle housing, the bowl cover including:
a perimeter surface that extends around the bowl cover;
a flange that extends from the perimeter surface, wherein the flange facilitates mounting of the bowl cover to the axle housing;
a bowl that extends from the flange and covers the bowl opening, wherein the bowl has an inner surface that faces toward the axle housing;
a first lubricant reservoir wall that extends from the bowl and is disposed substantially parallel to the flange; and
a second lubricant reservoir wall that extends away from the axle housing and extends from an end of the first lubricant reservoir wall to the bowl, wherein the inner surface, the first lubricant reservoir wall, and the second lubricant reservoir wall define a lubricant reservoir that holds a volume of lubricant.

15. The axle assembly of claim 14 wherein the second lubricant reservoir wall is disposed substantially perpendicular to the first lubricant reservoir wall.

16. The axle assembly of claim 14 wherein the second lubricant reservoir wall has an inlet for receiving lubricant and the first lubricant reservoir wall has an outlet for providing lubricant to the center portion.

17. The axle assembly of claim 14 further comprising a magnet that is disposed on the inner surface between the first lubricant reservoir wall and the flange.

18. The axle assembly of claim 14 wherein the bowl is a spherical cap.

19. The axle assembly of claim 14 wherein the bowl cover has a lubricant drain that extends through the bowl to the lubricant reservoir and a sight window that facilitates visual inspection of lubricant inside the lubricant reservoir.

20. The axle assembly of claim 14 further comprising a suspension mount that extends from an outer surface of the bowl cover and is disposed opposite the lubricant reservoir.

Assignees

• Arvinmeritor Technology Llc

Inventors

• Kelly John
• Doyle Stephen
• Eschenburg Dale

Classifications

• B60B2360/3412

  Glass fibres · CPC title

• B60B35/163

  characterised by specific shape of the housing, e.g. adaptations to give space for other vehicle elements like chassis or exhaust system · CPC title

• F16H57/031 Primary

  characterised by covers or lids for gearboxes · CPC title

• B60B35/16 Primary

  Axle housings · CPC title

• F16H2057/02052

  Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive · CPC title