Axle assembly with carrier housing having increased strength and reduced mass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517658-B2
Application number	US-201414329010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2014
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An axle assembly with a Salisbury-type axle housing that includes a carrier housing. The carrier housing is constructed with a system of reinforcements in selected areas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An axle assembly comprising:
a carrier housing having a first body portion, a pair of hollow tube mounts, and a second body portion, the first body portion defining a differential mechanism cavity and a cover flange, the tube mounts extending from opposite lateral sides of the first body portion and being in fluid communication with the differential mechanism cavity, the second body portion extending from the first body portion on a side of the first body portion that is opposite the cover flange, a pinion bore being formed through the second body portion and intersecting the differential mechanism cavity;
an input pinion having a stem and a pinion gear, the stem being received in the pinion bore, the pinion gear being disposed in the differential mechanism cavity;
a differential mechanism received in the cavity in the carrier housing;
a ring gear coupled to the differential mechanism, the ring gear being received in the differential mechanism cavity and meshed with the pinion gear;
a cover pan assembly comprising a cover pan and a plurality of bolts that are received through the cover pan;
first and second axle tubes received in the first and second axle tube bores and fixedly coupled to the carrier housing;
wherein the carrier housing includes a pair of strengthening ribs that are located on top and bottom sides of the carrier housing, each of the strengthening ribs having a first rib portion, which extends outwardly from the first body portion and at least partly defines the cover flange, and a pair of second rib portions, each second rib portion having a first end, which directly extends from a corresponding end of an associated one of the first rib portions, and a second end that is located on an associated one of the tube mounts, an entirety of each second rib portion extending laterally outwardly and forwardly away from the cover flange with increasing distance from the first rib portion, wherein the cover flange is a planar mounting face against which the cover assembly is sealingly engaged and wherein a plurality of bolt holes are formed in the portions of the cover flange that are defined by the first rib portions, each of the bolt holes receiving a corresponding one of the bolts, the bolts securing the cover to the carrier housing.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second rib portions of each of the strengthening ribs extend in an oblique manner relative to the associated one of the tube mounts and the cover flange.

3. The axle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second rib portions on each lateral side of the carrier housing intersect the associated one of the tube mounts along a path that is defined by an ellipse.

4. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first rib portions of the strengthening ribs intersect one another and cooperate to fully define the cover flange.

5. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second rib portions of each of the strengthening ribs extend at least to a centerline of the associated one of the tube mounts.

6. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier housing comprises a pair of intermediate ribs, each intermediate rib extending between one of the tube mounts and the first body portion, each intermediate rib terminating at a corresponding one of the second rib portions of the strengthening rib on the top side of the carrier housing.

7. The axle assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second ends of the second rib portions intersect a corresponding one of the intermediate ribs.

8. The axle assembly of claim 6 , wherein each of the intermediate ribs is shaped differently so that the intermediate ribs are not symmetric about a plane that includes the first axis and which is intersects the second axis.

9. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second rib portions on a first lateral side of the carrier housing are formed differently than the second rib portions on a second, opposite lateral side of the carrier housing.

10. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of each of the strengthening ribs is shorter in a fore-aft direction that in a vertical direction.

11. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the strengthening ribs intersect one another.

12. The axle assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first portions of the strengthening ribs completely define the cover flange.

13. An axle assembly comprising:
a carrier housing having a first body portion, a pair of hollow tube mounts, and a second body portion, the first body portion defining a differential mechanism cavity and a cover flange, the tube mounts extending from opposite lateral sides of the first body portion and being in fluid communication with the differential mechanism cavity, the second body portion extending from the first body portion on a side of the first body portion that is opposite the cover flange, a pinion bore being formed through the second body portion and intersecting the differential mechanism cavity;
an input pinion having a stem and a pinion gear, the stem being received in the pinion bore, the pinion gear being disposed in the differential mechanism cavity;
a tail bearing received in the pinion bore and supporting the stem for rotation relative to the carrier housing;
a head bearing received in the pinion bore and supporting the stem for rotation relative to the carrier housing, the head bearing being disposed between the tail bearing and the pinion gear;
a differential mechanism received in the cavity in the carrier housing;
a ring gear coupled to the differential mechanism, the ring gear being received in the differential mechanism cavity and meshed with the pinion gear;
a cover pan assembly sealingly coupled to the cover flange to close a side of the differential mechanism cavity opposite to the second body portion;
first and second axle tubes received in the first and second axle tube bores and fixedly coupled to the carrier housing;
wherein the carrier housing further includes a pair of gussets and first and second sets of tail bearing support ribs, the gussets being disposed on opposite lateral sides of the second body portion, each gusset extending in a horizontal manner and coupling one of the tube mounts to the second body portion to resist bending of the one of the tube mounts toward the second body portion and vice-versa, the first set of tail bearing support ribs being disposed on the top side of the carrier housing and including first and second upper ribs that are disposed on opposite lateral side of the second body portion, each of the first and second upper ribs extending in a vertical manner from a laterally outboard side of an associated one of the gussets and intersecting the second body portion at an associated location that is configured to support the tail bearing, the second set of tail bearing support ribs being disposed on the bottom side of the carrier housing and including first and second lower ribs that are disposed on opposite lateral side of the second body portion, each of the first and second lower ribs extending in a vertical manner from a laterally outboard side of an associated one of the gussets and terminating at the second body portion at a corresponding location that is configured to support the tail bearing;
wherein the first and second upper ribs taper outwardly from the gussets in a manner that increases with increasing distance away from the tail bearing.

14. The axle assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first and second lower ribs taper outwardly from the gussets in a manner that increases with decreasing distance toward the tube mounts.

15. The axle assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first upp

Assignees

• American Axle & Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Chung Chih-Hung
• Zuo Dajun
• Lenczewski Adrian M
• Chisholm Robert
• Demos Brian

Classifications

• F16H48/42

  characterised by features of the input shafts, e.g. mounting of drive gears thereon · CPC title

• B60B2900/311

  Rigidity or stiffness · CPC title

• B60B35/166 Primary

  characterised by reinforcements, e.g. reinforcement ribs · CPC title

• F16H2048/423

  characterised by bearing arrangement · CPC title

• B60B2900/111

  Weight · CPC title