Contoured differential gear washer with defined fluid flow path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11306805-B2
Application number	US-201916667992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2019
Priority date	May 18, 2017
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A differential with a washer for a gear in a differential housing includes an outer edge at a maximum radial distance from an axis, and an inner edge defining an opening, the inner edge defined in part by an innermost portion at a minimum radial distance from the axis and the inner edge having an outward portion spaced radially outwardly from the innermost portion. The washer also includes an axially and radially inclined sidewall extending at least part of the way between the outer edge and the innermost portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle differential, comprising:
a housing having an interior wall;
a pinion shaft mounted in the housing;
a pinion gear mounted on the pinion shaft;
a first side gear within the housing and engaged with the pinion gear;
a second side gear within the housing and engaged with the pinion gear,
a pinion gear washer received between the interior wall and the pinion gear, the washer having an outer edge at a maximum radial distance from an axis of the washer, an inner edge defining an opening through which the pinion shaft is received, the inner edge defined in part by an innermost portion at a minimum radial distance from the axis and the inner edge having an outward portion spaced radially outwardly from the innermost portion, and an axially and radially inclined sidewall extending at least part of the way between the outer edge and the innermost portion, wherein the pinion gear includes a beveled portion that leads to a central opening through which the pinion shaft is received, and wherein the washer also comprises a rim received adjacent to the beveled portion, and wherein the sidewall extends from a first end at the outer edge to a second sidewall end that is axially spaced from the outer edge and the rim extends from the second sidewall end to the inner edge, and the rim is axially inclined so that the inner edge is axially between the first and second ends of the sidewall.

2. The differential of claim 1 wherein the innermost portion includes one or more segments that each have an inner surface that defines part of the innermost portion.

3. The differential of claim 2 wherein the outward portion is defined by one or more voids, each void being defined between two segments.

4. The differential of claim 1 wherein a peripheral length of the first end is greater than a peripheral length of the second end.

5. The differential of claim 1 wherein a gap exists between part of the sidewall and an outer surface of the pinion gear.

6. The differential of claim 3 wherein the one or more voids comprise between 10% and 90% of the circumference of a circle bounded by the innermost portion, or wherein the innermost portion comprises between 10% and 90% of the circumference of a circle bounded by the innermost portion.

7. The differential of claim 1 wherein the rim is defined by circumferentially spaced and radially inwardly extending tabs.

8. The differential of claim 7 wherein at least one of the tabs is bent axially and a free end of said at least one tab is axially overlapped by the sidewall.

9. The differential of claim 1 wherein the pinion gear is a first pinion gear and the pinion gear washer is a first pinion gear washer, and wherein the differential also comprises a second pinion gear that is mounted on the pinion shaft and engaged with both the first side gear and the second side gear, and a second pinion gear washer provided between the housing and the second pinion gear, the second pinion gear washer being constructed the same as the first pinion gear washer.

10. A differential, comprising:
a housing;
a pinion shaft mounted in the housing;
a pinion gear having an opening in which the pinion shaft is received, and the pinion gear having an outer surface;
a first side gear within the housing and engaged with the pinion gear;
a second side gear within the housing and engaged with the pinion gear,
a pinion gear washer having a contoured sidewall with a first end and a second end, the first end having a first peripheral length relative to an axis of the washer, and the second end being axially offset from the first end and having a second peripheral length relative to the axis that is less than the first peripheral length, the washer having an inner edge defining an opening that is not circular, the inner edge defined in part by an innermost portion at a minimum radial distance from the axis and the inner edge having an outward portion spaced radially outwardly from the innermost portion, the innermost portion being located radially inwardly of the sidewall and axially between the first end and second end of the sidewall, wherein the washer is received between the housing and the pinion gear with at least part of the sidewall overlapping at least part of the outer surface and wherein a gap is provided between the sidewall and the outer surface to permit fluid flow between the sidewall and the outer surface, and wherein the sidewall has a uniform thickness without any voids in the sidewall.

11. The differential of claim 10 wherein the innermost portion includes one or more segments that each have an inner surface that defines part of the innermost portion.

12. The differential of claim 11 wherein the outward portion is defined by one or more voids, each void being defined between two segments.

13. The differential of claim 10 wherein the pinion gear includes a beveled portion adjacent to the opening, and wherein the washer also comprises a rim received adjacent to the beveled portion, and wherein the sidewall extends from a first end at an outer edge to a second sidewall end that is axially spaced from the outer edge and the rim extends from the second sidewall end to the inner edge, and the rim is axially inclined so that the inner edge is axially between the first and second ends of the sidewall.

14. The differential of claim 10 wherein the pinion gear is a first pinion gear and the pinion gear washer is a first pinion gear washer, and wherein the differential also comprises a second pinion gear having an opening in which the pinion shaft is received and an outer surface, and wherein the second pinion gear is engaged with both the first side gear and the second side gear, and wherein the differential also comprises a second pinion gear washer provided between the housing and the second pinion gear, the second pinion gear washer being constructed the same as the first pinion gear washer and the second pinion gear washer has a sidewall that at least partially overlaps at least part of the outer surface of the second pinion gear and wherein a gap is provided between the sidewall of the second pinion gear washer and the outer surface of the second pinion gear to permit fluid flow between the second pinion gear washer and the second pinion gear.

15. The differential of claim 10 wherein the innermost portion comprises between 10% and 90% of the circumference of a circle bounded by the innermost portion.

16. The differential of claim 10 wherein the outward portion includes a surface that is at least 0.5 mm radially outwardly spaced from the innermost portion.

17. The differential of claim 12 wherein each void is at least 1 mm in circumferential dimension at an imaginary circle bounded by the innermost portion.

18. The differential of claim 5 wherein the pinion gear has a central axis and the outer surface of the pinion gear is sloped in the axial direction, and the sidewall is curved along its axial length.

19. The differential of claim 10 wherein the pinion gear has a central axis and the outer surface of the pinion gear is sloped in the axial direction, and the sidewall is curved along its axial length.

Assignees

• Gkn Automotive Ltd

Inventors

• Gall David E
• Kaplan Kevin J

Classifications

• B60K17/346

  the transfer gear being a differential gear · CPC title

• F16H2048/087

  characterised by the pinion gears, e.g. their type or arrangement · CPC title

• F16B21/20

  for bolts or shafts without holes, grooves, or notches for locking members {(by rings resilient in their plane F16B21/18)} · CPC title

• F16H48/38 Primary

  Constructional details (the outer casing comprising the differential and supporting input and output shafts F16H57/037) · CPC title

• B60K17/16

  of differential gearing · CPC title