Baffle for lubrication management in an axle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810311-B1
Application number	US-201615237824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle axle includes a housing defining a sump, a gear assembly and a baffle. The gear assembly includes a ring gear disposed within the housing. The ring gear is configured to pump fluid throughout the housing. A pinion gear is meshed with the ring gear. The baffle is disposed within the sump and connected to the housing. The baffle has a first part being configured to control fluid flow across the ring gear and a second part attached to the first part. The second part is configured to control fluid flow across the pinion gear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle axle comprising:
a housing defining a sump;
a gear assembly including a ring gear disposed within the housing and being configured to pump fluid throughout the housing, and a pinion gear meshed with the ring gear; and
a baffle disposed within the sump and connected to the housing, having a first part that covers a lower portion of the ring gear being configured to control fluid flow across the ring gear via a plurality of holes defined on the first part and a second part that covers a lower portion of the pinion gear and attached to the first part, the second part being configured to control fluid flow across the pinion gear via a plurality of holes defined on the second part.

2. The vehicle axle of claim 1 , wherein the baffle further includes a first edge and is disposed within the sump such that the first edge extends at a distance above a static fluid level defined in the sump.

3. The vehicle axle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of holes defined on each of the first and second parts define a diameter dimensioned such that an amount of fluid directed across the ring gear and the pinion gear is below a threshold.

4. The vehicle axle of claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the plurality of holes defined on each of the first and second parts is within a range between 10 to 40 millimeters.

5. A vehicle comprising:
a housing surrounding a ring and pinion gear, and defining a sump containing a lubricating fluid; and
a baffle disposed within the sump such that a first edge of the baffle is above a static fluid level defined by the sump, and having a first part that covers a lower portion of the ring gear and a second part that covers a lower portion of the pinion gear to control fluid flow through the housing and across the ring and pinion gears, respectively via a plurality of holes defined on both the first and second parts, wherein the plurality of holes are configured to restrict flow of the lubricating fluid across the ring and pinion gears.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the first and second parts are integrally formed.

7. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the baffle defines a height such that the first edge extends at a distance beyond the static fluid level.

8. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the lubricating fluid is pulled through each of the plurality of holes on both the first and second parts via the ring gear.

9. A vehicle axle assembly comprising:
a gear assembly including a ring and pinion gear; and
a baffle disposed within a sump having first and second parts being configured to restrict fluid flow across the ring and pinion gears, respectively via a plurality of holes defined on both of the parts such that the first part covers a lower portion of the ring gear and the second part covers a lower portion of the pinion gear.

10. The vehicle axle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the baffle defines a first edge disposed at a distance from a static fluid level defined within the sump.

11. The vehicle axle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first and second parts of the baffle are formed as a single part.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Ford Global Tech Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Dengfu
• Carter Michael
• Steward Mark
• Wilkins Marc Thomas

Classifications

• F16H57/0483

  Axle or inter-axle differentials · CPC title

• F16H57/0423 Primary

  Lubricant guiding means mounted or supported on the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes or pipes · CPC title

• F16H48/06

  with gears having orbital motion · CPC title

• F16H57/0457

  Splash lubrication · CPC title