Axle assembly with retaining member for securing differential bearing adjusters to axle housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298745-A1
Application number	US-201415036182-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power transmitting component that includes a housing, a case, a bearing, a bearing adjuster, and a retaining member. The housing defines a bearing bulkhead and an aperture, the aperture being disposed about a first axis. A pinion is coupled to the housing for rotation about a second axis that is not coincident with the first axis. A ring gear is coupled to the differential case and is meshed with the pinion. A bearing supports the case for rotation relative to the housing about the first axis. A bearing adjuster is disposed within the aperture and abuts the bearing. The retaining member is formed of a polymeric material and couples the bearing adjuster to the bearing bulkhead such that the bearing adjuster is non-rotatably and axially fixed to the housing and a preload is applied to the bearing in a direction along the first axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power transmitting component comprising:
a housing defining a bearing bulkhead and an aperture, the aperture being disposed about a first axis; a pinion coupled to the housing for rotation about a second axis that is not coincident with the first axis; a differential case; a ring gear coupled to the differential case for rotation therewith, the ring gear being meshed with the pinion; a bearing that supports the case for rotation relative to the housing about the first axis; a bearing adjuster disposed within the aperture and abutting the bearing; and a retaining member formed of a polymeric material, the retaining member coupling the bearing adjuster to the bearing bulkhead such that the bearing adjuster is non-rotatably and axially fixed to the housing and a preload is applied to the bearing in a direction along the first axis.

2 . The power transmitting component of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material further comprises glass reinforcing material.

3 . The power transmitting component of claim 1 , wherein the bearing preload creates a predetermined lash between the pinion and ring gear.

4 . The power transmitting component of claim 1 , wherein the aperture and the bearing adjuster are threaded, the bearing adjuster being threadably engaged to the aperture.

5 . The power transmitting component of claim 1 , wherein grooves are formed into the bearing adjuster and the aperture and wherein at least a portion of the retaining member is disposed in the grooves.

6 . The power transmitting component of claim 1 , wherein the bearing adjuster is slip fit into engagement with the aperture.

7 . The power transmitting component of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a sprue opening for injection of the polymeric material.

8 . The power transmitting component of claim 7 , wherein the housing defines a vent opening.

9 . A power transmitting component comprising:
a housing defining a pair of bearing bulkheads, each of the bearing bulkheads having an aperture and a plurality of first grooves disposed about the aperture, the apertures being disposed about a first axis; a differential case received between the bearing bulkheads; a pair of bearings coupled to the case to support the differential case for rotation relative to the housing about the first axis; a pair of bearing adjusters, each of the bearing adjusters having an external surface with a plurality of second grooves and being received in an associated one of the apertures and abutting an associated one of the bearings; and a pair of retaining members, each of the retaining members being received in the first grooves in a corresponding one of the bearing bulkheads and the second grooves in a corresponding one of the bearing adjusters to axially and non-rotatably couple the bearing adjusters to the housing and secure the bearings in a preloaded condition along the first axis.

10 . The power transmitting component of claim 9 , wherein the bearings have an external surface, the external surface defining a third set of grooves in which the retaining members are received.

11 . The power transmitting component of claim 9 , wherein the retaining members are made of a polymeric material.

12 . The power transmitting component of claim 11 , wherein the polymeric material is reinforced with a glass material.

13 . The power transmitting component of claim 11 , wherein the housing defines a sprue opening to inject the polymeric material.

14 . The power transmitting component of claim 13 , wherein the housing defines a vent opening.

15 . The power transmitting component of claim 9 , wherein the housing defines a pair of apertures, the apertures and bearing adjusters are threaded, the bearing adjusters being threadably engaged to an associated one of the threaded apertures.

16 . The power transmitting component of claim 9 , wherein the housing defines a pair of apertures, the bearing adjusters are slip fit into engagement with an associated one of the apertures.

17 . A method of assembling an axle assembly, the method comprising:
(a) inserting an input pinion gear and a differential case into an axle housing, the differential case having a ring gear attached thereto; (b) inserting the differential case into an aperture defined by the axle housing, the aperture having a differential bearing received therein; (c) positioning the differential case relative to the input pinion to mesh the ring gear to the input pinion in a predetermined manner; (d) preloading the differential bearing; (e) while the differential bearing is preloaded, injecting a plastic material between the outer bearing race and the axle housing to form a pair of retaining members, each of the retaining members axially and non-rotatably coupling the outer bearing race of an associated one of the differential bearings to the axle housing.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising, injecting the plastic material through a sprue and allowing gas to escape through a vent.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising, visually inspecting the vent to determine plastic material fill level.

20 . The method of claim 17 further comprising, preloading the differential bearing with force from a bearing adjuster.

Assignees

• American Axle & Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Jonas Eduardo

Classifications

• F16H2057/125

  Adjustment of backlash during mounting or assembly of gearing · CPC title

• F16H57/023

  Mounting or installation of gears or shafts in the gearboxes, e.g. methods or means for assembly · CPC title

• B60K17/348

  having differential means for driving one set of wheels, e.g. the front, at one speed and the other set, e.g. the rear, at a different speed (B60K17/346 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K17/344

  having a transfer gear · CPC title

• F16H48/08

  comprising bevel gears · CPC title