Patent EP1348589A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP1348589A2
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A carrier assembly for a drive axle
Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology LLC
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Filing: 2003-03-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2023-03-20
Abstract
Abstract A carrier assembly for a drive axle includes a pinion and ring gear input (102) that is operably coupled to a differential assembly. The differential assembly includes first and second case halves (148,150) that attach to each other at an interface to define a case split line (160) and a differential gear assembly supported by the first and second case halves with the gear assembly being operably coupled to drive a pair of laterally spaced wheels. The ring gear (138), first case half, and second case half are all connected together via a single bolted joint with the case split line being located behind the ring gear. The differential housing (106) is supported on a pair of tapered roller bearings (166,168) having a diverging apex configuration to reduce cup rotation. The pinion gear is solely supported by a pair of tapered roller bearings (112) positioned on opposite sides of the ring gear. A two-piece pinion cage supports both pinion bearings (112) and facilitates the setting of preload with the use of external shims.
Inventors
- 👤 William Sullivan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:17
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C19/00; F16C19/54; F16C19/56; F16C19/546; F16C19/547; F16C35/00; F16C35/04; F16C35/06; F16C35/07; F16C35/077; F16H; F16H48/00; F16H48/06; F16H48/08; F16H57/00; F16H57/02; F16H57/037; F16C19/22; F16C19/34; F16C19/36; F16C19/364; F16C2361/00; F16C2361/61; F16H48/38; F16H2048/385; F16H48/40; F16H2048/405; F16H48/42; F16H2048/423; F16H2048/426; F16H2057/02039; F16H2057/02043; F16H2057/02095
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A carrier assembly (100) for a drive axle comprising: a pinion gear (102) operably coupled to an input shaft (104) for rotation
relative to a carrier housing (106) about a pinion gear axis of rotation (108), said pinion
gear (102) including a plurality of pinion gear teeth; a ring gear (138) driven by said pinion gear for rotation about a ring gear
axis of rotation (144) transverse to said pinion gear axis of rotation, said ring gear having a
back side (140) and an opposing front side (142) having a plurality of ring gear teeth in
meshing engagement with said pinion gear teeth; and a differential assembly (146) including a first differential case half (148), a
second differential case half (150) attachable to said first differential case half at an
interface to define a case split line (160), and a differential gear assembly (152) supported
by said first and second case halves and operably coupled to drive a pair of laterally spaced
wheels wherein said case split line is positioned on said back side of said ring gear.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ring gear (138), first
differential case half (148), and second differential case half (150) are all connected
together via a single bolted joint (162).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
An assembly as set forth in any preceding claim wherein said first
differential case half (148) is supported for rotation relative to said carrier housing (106) on
a first bearing assembly positioned on said front side (142) of said ring gear (138) and said
second differential case half (150) is supported for rotation relative to said carrier housing
on a second bearing assembly positioned on said back side (140) of said ring gear.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first bearing assembly
comprises a first tapered roller bearing (166) with a first set of rollers defining at least a
first pair of bearing apexes (170) that diverge away from one another in a direction
extending outwardly from said front side of said ring gear (138) and said second bearing
assembly comprises a second tapered roller bearing (168) with a second set of rollers
defining at least a second pair of bearing apexes (170) that diverge away from one another
in a direction extending outwardly from said back side of said ring gear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 3 or 4 including first and second adjusting
rings (172) with said first bearing assembly being solely supported between said first
adjusting ring and said first differential case half (148) and said second bearing assembly
being solely supported between said second adjusting ring and said second differential case
half (150).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first and second bearing
assemblies each include a cup portion pressed into engagement with one of said first or
second differential case halves (148, 150) and a cone portion pressed into engagement with
one of said first or second adjusting rings (172).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
An assembly as set forth in any preceding claim wherein said pinion gear
(102) is supported on a pinion shaft (104) having an exterior end (118) supported for
rotation relative to said carrier housing (106) with a first bearing assembly and an interior
end (122) supported for rotation relative to said carrier housing with a second bearing
assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pinion gear (102) is
positioned on said pinion shaft (104) between said first and second bearing assemblies.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 or 8 wherein said pinion shaft (104) is
solely supported for rotation relative to said carrier housing (106) with said first and second
bearing assemblies.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 or 8 or 9 wherein said first and second
bearing assemblies comprise tapered roller bearings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 including a pinion cage
having a first cage portion (116) and a second cage portion (120) attachable to said first
cage portion wherein said first bearing assembly is installed between said first cage portion
and said exterior end (118) of said pinion shaft (104) and said second bearing assembly is
installed between said second cage portion (120) and said interior end (122) of said pinion
shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said pinion gear (102) is
positioned on said pinion shaft (104) between said first and second bearing assemblies and
is substantially surrounded by said second cage portion (120).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 11 or 12 wherein said first cage portion
(116), said second cage portion (120), and said carrier housing (106) are all connected
together via a single bolted joint (128).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 11 or 12 or 13 including at least one
contact shim positioned between said carrier housing and said second cage portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said contact shim is operable
to preload said bearing assemblies.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
An assembly as set forth in any one of claims 11 to 15 wherein said first
cage portion (116) is threadably attached to said second cage portion (120) for setting
preload for said first and second bearing assemblies.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
197 words
A carrier assembly (100) for a drive axle comprising: a pinion gear (102) operably coupled to an input shaft (104) for rotation
relative to a carrier housing (106) about a pinion gear axis of rotation, said pinion gear
(102) including a plurality of pinion gear teeth; a ring gear (138) driven by said pinion gear for rotation about a ring gear
axis of rotation transverse to said pinion gear axis of rotation, said ring gear having a back
side and an opposing front side having a plurality of ring gear teeth in meshing engagement
with said pinion gear teeth; and a differential assembly including a first differential case half (148), a second
differential case half (150) attachable to said first differential case half at an interface to
define a case split line (160) positioned adjacent said back side (140) of said ring gear
(138), and a differential gear assembly (146) supported by said first and second case halves
(148, 150) and operably coupled to drive a pair of laterally spaced wheels wherein said ring
gear (138), first differential case half (148), and second differential case half (150) are all
connected together via a single bolted joint (162).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
108 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 17 including first and second adjusting
rings (172) wherein said first differential case half (148) is supported for rotation relative to
said carrier housing (106) on a first tapered roller bearing (166) positioned on said front
side (142) of said ring gear (138) between said first adjusting ring and said first differential
case half (148) and said second differential case half (150) is supported for rotation relative
to said carrier housing on a second tapered roller bearing (168) positioned on said back side
(140) of said ring gear (138) between said second adjusting ring and said second
differential case half (150).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
75 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 17 or 18 wherein said pinion gear (102) is
supported on a pinion shaft (104) having an exterior end (118) supported for rotation
relative to said carrier housing with a third tapered roller bearing and an interior end (122)
supported for rotation relative to said carrier housing with a fourth tapered roller bearing
with said pinion gear (102) being positioned between said third and fourth tapered roller
bearings.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
73 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 19 including a pinion cage having a first
cage portion (116) and a second cage portion (120) threadably attached to said first cage
portion wherein said third bearing is installed between said first cage portion and said
exterior end (118) of said pinion shaft (104) and said fourth bearing is installed between
said second cage portion (120) and said interior end (122) of said pinion shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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