Power transfer assemblies for motor vehicle drivelines having integrated two-piece pinion shaft and coupling unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298744-A1
Application number	US-201615089906-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An integrated pinion, bearing and coupling (PBC) assembly for use with a hypoid gearset in power transfer assemblies of motor vehicles. The PBC assembly includes a pinion unit having a pinion gear segment and a pinion stub shaft segment, and a coupler unit having a coupling flange segment and a coupler shaft segment. The pinion stub shaft segment surrounds and is in press fit engagement with the coupler shaft segment. A portion of the coupler shaft segment is deformed to be retained within one of a receiver groove and raised projections formed in the pinion stub shaft segment so as to fixedly secure the coupler unit to the pinion unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power transfer assembly for use in a motor vehicle, comprising:
a rotary input driven by a powertrain; a rotary output arranged to transfer drive torque to a set of wheels; and a hypoid gearset operable to transfer drive torque from said rotary input to said rotary output and including a ring gear and an integrated pinion-bearing-coupling (PBC) assembly, wherein said ring gear is drivingly interconnected to one of said rotary input and said rotary output, wherein said integrated PBC coupling is drivingly interconnected to the other one of said rotary input and said rotary output, and wherein said integrated PBC coupling includes a pinion unit, a coupler unit, a bearing unit and a lock collar, said pinion unit is tubular and is configured to include a pinion gear segment adapted to mesh with said ring gear and a pinion stub shaft segment which together define a pinion aperture, said coupler unit is configured to include a coupler flange segment and a tubular coupler shaft segment, wherein said coupler shaft segment has an outer surface in press-fit engagement with an inner surface of said pinion aperture, wherein an annular rim of material associated with an inner surface of said coupler shaft segment is deformed into engagement with at least one of a receiver groove and a projections formed in said inner surface of said pinion aperture to drivingly secure said tubular coupler shaft segment of said coupler unit to said pinion stub shaft segment of said pinion unit, said bearing unit being disposed between said lock collar and at least one of said pinion stub shaft segment and said coupler shaft segment.

2 . The power transfer assembly of claim 1 where said rotary input is a propshaft receiving drive torque from the powertrain, wherein said rotary output is a differential assembly driving the set of wheels, and wherein said ring gear is fixed for rotation with a differential carrier of said differential assembly.

3 . The power transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein said rotary input is an input shaft driving said ring gear, wherein said rotary output is a propshaft connected to said coupler flange segment of said coupler unit.

4 . The power transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein said pinion shaft segment and said pinion gear segment of said pinion unit are configured as a homogeneous steel component.

5 . The power transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein said bearing unit includes a bearing ring press fit into said lock collar, a first bearing assembly disposed between said bearing ring and said pinion stub shaft segment, and a second bearing assembly disposed between said bearing ring and said coupler shaft segment.

6 . The power transfer assembly of claim 5 wherein said first bearing assembly includes a first inner race surface formed on an outer surface of said pinion stub shaft segment, a first outer race surface formed in said bearing ring, and first rollers disposed in rolling engagement with said first inner and outer race surfaces, and wherein said second bearing assembly includes a second inner race surface formed on an outer surface of said coupler shaft segment, a second outer race surface formed in said bearing ring, and second rollers disposed in rolling engagement with said second inner and outer race surfaces.

7 . The power transfer assembly of claim 6 wherein said first and second rollers are first and second ball bearings.

8 . The power transfer assembly of claim 5 wherein said first bearing assembly includes a first inner race fixed to an outer surface on said pinion stub shaft segment, a first outer race fixed to said bearing ring, and first roller disposed between said first inner and outer races, and wherein said second bearing assembly includes a second inner race fixed to an outer surface on said coupler shaft segment, a second outer races fixed to said bearing ring, and second rollers disposed between said second inner and outer races.

9 . The power transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein said bearing unit includes a first bearing assembly disposed between said lock collar and an outer surface on said pinion shaft segment, and a second bearing assembly disposed between said lock collar and an outer surface on said coupler shaft segment.

10 . The power transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein said annular rim of material extends radially inwardly from said inner surface of said coupler shaft segment, wherein said inner surface of said pinion aperture includes said receiver groove which is aligned with said annular rim of material, and wherein said inner surface of said pinion aperture further includes said projections configured to engage said outer surface of said coupler shaft segment.

11 . The power transfer assembly of claim 10 wherein said projections are formed in said pinion aperture and include at least one of splines and knurls.

12 . The power transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein said inner surface of said pinion aperture includes a knurled surface portion, wherein said annular rim of material extends radially inwardly from said inner surface of said coupler shaft segment and is aligned with respect to said knurled surface portion, and wherein said annular rim of material is deformed radially outwardly to engage said knurled surface portion.

13 . The power transfer assembly of claim 12 wherein said receiver groove is formed adjacent to said knurled surface portion and is configured to receive said deformed material.

14 . The power transfer assembly of claim 12 wherein said annular rim of material is deformed by driving a mandrel through said coupler shaft segment to radially deform said rim of material.

15 . A drive axle assembly for transmitting drive torque from a powertrain to a pair of wheels in a motor vehicle, comprising:
an axle housing defining a differential chamber and a pinion chamber; a differential assembly having a differential carrier rotatably supported in said differential chamber of said axle housing, and a differential gearset drivingly connecting said differential carrier to a pair of axleshafts connected to the pair of wheels; and a hypoid gearset including a ring gear fixed for rotation with said differential carrier and a pinion gear meshed with said ring gear, said pinion gear being fixed to a hollow coupler shaft; wherein said pinion gear and said hollow coupler shaft are associated with an integrated pinion-bearing-coupling (PBC) assembly including a pinion unit, a coupler unit, a bearing unit and a lock collar, said pinion unit is tubular and is configured to include a pinion gear segment defining said pinion gear and which is adapted to mesh with said ring gear, and a pinion stub shaft segment which together with said pinion gear segment defines a pinion aperture, said coupler unit is configured to include a coupler flange segment and a tubular coupler shaft segment, wherein said coupler shaft segment has an outer surface in press-fit engagement with an inner surface of said pinion aperture, wherein an annular rim of material associated with an inner surface of said coupler shaft segment is deformed into engagement with at least one of a receiver groove and a projections formed in said inner surface of said pinion aperture to drivingly secure said tubular coupler shaft segment of said coupler unit to said pinion stub shaft segment of said pinion unit, said bearing unit being disposed between said lock collar and at least one of said pinion stub shaft segment and said coupler shaft segment.

16 . The drive axle assembly of claim 15 wherein said bearing unit includes a bearing ring press fit into said

Assignees

• Magna Powertrain America Inc

Inventors

• Bujold Michael P
• Ketchel Brad
• Smith Wade

Classifications

• B60K17/04 Primary

  characterised by arrangement, location or kind of gearing · CPC title

• F16H48/38

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

• B60K17/165

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

• F16H1/145

  with offset axes, e.g. hypoïd gearings · CPC title

• F16H48/08 Primary

  comprising bevel gears · CPC title