Axle assembly having a differential brake

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11840205-B2
Application number	US-202217713317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2022
Priority date	Apr 5, 2022
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

An axle assembly having a differential assembly, a drive pinion, and a differential brake. The differential assembly may be rotatable about a differential axis. The drive pinion may mesh with a ring gear of the differential assembly. The differential brake may be operable to apply a brake torque to inhibit rotation of the differential assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An axle assembly comprising:
a differential assembly that is rotatable about a differential axis, the differential assembly having a ring gear;
a drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear and that is operatively connectable to a torque source;
a second drive pinion that meshes with the ring gear; and
a differential brake that is operable to apply a brake torque to inhibit rotation of the second drive pinion and the differential assembly.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the second drive pinion is rotatable about an axis that is disposed substantially perpendicular to the differential axis.

3. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive pinion and the second drive pinion are rotatable about an axis.

4. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive pinion and the second drive pinion are disposed on opposite sides of the differential axis.

5. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the torque source and the second drive pinion are positioned on opposite sides of the differential assembly.

6. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the torque source is an electric motor.

7. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the torque source is an electric motor that has a rotor, the drive pinion and the rotor are rotatable about an axis, and the second drive pinion is positioned on a opposite side of the differential assembly from the electric motor and the drive pinion.

8. The axle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a rotatable braking component that has a friction surface and that is rotatable with the second drive pinion, wherein the differential brake has a friction member that is engageable with the friction surface to provide the brake torque.

9. The axle assembly of claim 8 wherein the rotatable braking component is a brake rotor and the friction member is a brake pad assembly.

10. The axle assembly of claim 8 wherein the axle assembly includes a housing assembly that receives the differential assembly, the differential brake is mounted to the housing assembly, and the differential brake is disposed outside of the housing assembly.

11. The axle assembly of claim 10 wherein the rotatable braking component is mounted to the second drive pinion and disposed outside of the housing assembly.

Assignees

• Arvinmeritor Technology Llc

Inventors

• Fox Jeremy S
• Martin Robert

Classifications

• B60T1/062 Primary

  acting on transmission parts · CPC title

• B60K17/165

  provided between independent half axles (B60K17/18, B60K17/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60K2001/001

  one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle · CPC title

• F16D55/22

  by clamping an axially-located rotating disc between movable braking members, e.g. movable brake discs or brake pads · CPC title

• F16H63/345 Primary

  using friction brakes, e.g. a band brakes · CPC title