Vehicle driveline component with pinned vent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11940056-B2
Application number	US-202217737521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2022
Priority date	May 5, 2022
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle driveline component that includes a tubular body, a relief valve, a vent cover and a pin. The tubular body has a first and second axial ends and defines an interior circumferential surface. The relief valve is mounted in the tubular body between the first and second axial ends. The vent cover is mounted to the tubular body and covers the second axial end. The pin is mounted to the tubular body at a location between the first axial end and the relief valve. The pin extends through the interior circumferential surface into a hollow interior of the tubular body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle driveline component comprising:
a tubular body having a first axial end and a second axial end, the tubular body defining an interior circumferential surface;
a relief valve mounted in the tubular body between the first and second axial ends;
a vent cover mounted to the tubular body and covering the second axial end, the vent cover having one or more channels that vent a space in the tubular body between the relief valve and a first side of the vent cover that faces the relief valve to the atmosphere; and
a pin mounted to the tubular body at a location between the first axial end and the relief valve, the pin extending through the interior circumferential surface into a hollow interior of the tubular body.

2. The vehicle driveline component of claim 1 , wherein the pin has a first end that is disposed outside of the tubular body.

3. The vehicle driveline component of claim 2 , wherein the pin has a second end that is disposed within the hollow interior of the tubular body.

4. The vehicle driveline component of claim 2 , wherein the tubular body has a longitudinal axis and wherein an axial end surface of the first axial end is formed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

5. The vehicle driveline component of claim 4 , further comprising a housing, the housing defining an interior cavity, wherein the tubular body is mounted to the housing such that the first axial end of the tubular body is disposed in the interior cavity and wherein the first end of the pin is aligned to the housing in a predetermined manner.

6. The vehicle driveline component of claim 5 , wherein the first end of the pin is aligned to a datum feature formed on the housing.

7. The vehicle driveline component of claim 5 , wherein the first end of the pin is abutted to a boss formed on the housing.

8. The vehicle driveline component of claim 7 , wherein the boss defines a groove into which the first end of the pin is received.

9. The vehicle driveline component of claim 1 , further comprising a housing that defines an interior cavity, wherein the first axial end of the tubular body is received in the interior cavity, and wherein the tubular body defines an attachment portion that matingly engages a mating attachment portion formed into the housing.

10. The vehicle driveline component of claim 9 , wherein the attachment portion is threaded.

11. The vehicle driveline component of claim 9 , wherein the attachment portion defines one or more barbs.

12. The vehicle driveline component of claim 1 , wherein the pin is a solid pin.

13. The vehicle driveline component of claim 1 , wherein a counterbore is formed in the second axial end of the tubular body, and wherein the relief valve is mounted in the counterbore.

14. The vehicle driveline component of claim 13 , wherein the counterbore defines an interior annular shoulder, and wherein the relief valve has a resilient valve element with an annular flange, the annular flange being abutted against the interior annular shoulder.

15. The vehicle driveline component of claim 14 , further comprising an annular spacer that is received in the counterbore and abutted to the annular flange on a side of the annular flange that is opposite the interior annular shoulder.

16. The vehicle driveline component of claim 15 , wherein the vent cover defines a plurality of vent channels that extend over the annular spacer.

17. The vehicle driveline component of claim 16 , wherein the vent cover is crimped to the tubular body.

18. A vehicle driveline component comprising:
a tubular body having a first axial end and a second axial end and a longitudinal axis, the tubular body defining an interior circumferential surface, wherein a counterbore is formed in the second axial end of the tubular body, the counterbore defining an interior annular shoulder, wherein an axial end surface of the first axial end is formed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
a relief valve having a resilient valve element with an annular flange, the relief valve being mounted in the counterbore such that the annular flange being abutted against the interior annular shoulder;
a vent cover mounted to the tubular body and covering the second axial end;
an annular spacer that is received in the counterbore and abutted to the annular flange on a side of the annular flange that is opposite the interior annular shoulder; and
a pin mounted to the tubular body at a location between the first axial end and the relief valve, the pin has a first end that is disposed outside of the tubular body, the pin extending through the interior circumferential surface into a hollow interior of the tubular body;
wherein the vent cover defines a plurality of vent channels that extend over the annular spacer and wherein the vent cover is crimped to the tubular body.

19. The vehicle driveline component of claim 18 , wherein the pin has a second end that is disposed within the hollow interior of the tubular body.

20. The vehicle driveline component of claim 18 , further comprising a housing, the housing defining an interior cavity, wherein the tubular body is mounted to the housing such that the first axial end of the tubular body is disposed in the interior cavity and wherein the first end of the pin is aligned to the housing in a predetermined manner.

21. The vehicle driveline component of claim 20 , wherein the first end of the pin is aligned to a datum feature formed on the housing.

22. The vehicle driveline component of claim 20 , wherein the first end of the pin is abutted to a boss formed on the housing.

23. The vehicle driveline component of claim 22 , wherein the boss defines a groove into which the first end of the pin is received.

Assignees

• American Axle & Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Grupido Salvatore N
• White Mark L

Classifications

• F16K27/0209 Primary

  Check valves or pivoted valves · CPC title

• F16H57/027 Primary

  characterised by means for venting gearboxes, e.g. air breathers · CPC title

• F16K17/02

  opening on surplus pressure on one side; closing on insufficient pressure on one side (check valves F16K15/00) · CPC title