Differential unit with optimized assembly window geometry

Claim 2

A differential case adapted for transferring the rotational energy from a drive shaft to an axle shaft within a vehicular differential assembly, said differential case including at least two apertures formed therein providing access to a chamber interior of the differential case such that a gear set may be passed through said aperture and retained in said chamber, each of said apertures being defined by a pair of opposed circular edge portions of the differential case interconnected by a pair of opposed elongated edge portions of the differential case, wherein said pair of opposed elongated edge portions further comprise a first edge segment interconnected to a second edge segment by an arcuate segment.

Claim 3

The differential case of claim 1 wherein said first edge segment of each elongated edge portion is substantially parallel to a central rotary axis of the differential case.

Claim 4

The differential case of claim 1 wherein said pair of opposed circular edge portions include a radius selected to be only slightly larger than a radius of a pinion gear of the gearset to account for clearance required during assembly into said differential case.

Claim 5

The differential case of claim 1 wherein each of said apertures has a first dimension only slightly greater than an outside diameter of a side gear of the gearset.

Claim 6

The differential case of claim 4 wherein said first dimension permits the side gear to be initially angulated relative to a central rotary axis of the differential case during assembly into the chamber and subsequently aligned relative thereto.

Claim 7

The differential case of claim 1 wherein said differential case is formed from a material selected from the group including aluminum and magnesium.

Claim 8

The differential case of claim 1 wherein a barrel segment of the differential case includes a variable thickness.

Claim 9

The differential case of claim 1 wherein said chamber is generally spherically shaped for retaining said gearset therein.

Claim 10

The differential case of claim 1 wherein said gearset includes a pair of side gears and a pair of pinion gears retained within said chamber.

Claim 11

The differential case of claim 9 further comprising a thrust plate disposed between each of said side gears and said differential case adjacent said chamber to absorb thrust loading and provide a hardened sliding surface against which each side gear can rotate.

Claim 12

The differential case of claim 10 wherein each of said thrust plates includes at least one projection extending therefrom engaging a groove in said differential case for preventing said thrust plate from rotating relative to said differential case.

Claim 13

A differential assembly for a motor vehicle comprising: a differential case including a chamber formed interior thereof; a gearset retained in said chamber for transferring rotation from a drive shaft to an axle shaft of said motor vehicle; and wherein said differential case includes a pair of apertures therein providing access to said chamber such that said gearset may be entered through said apertures into said chamber, each of said apertures being defined by a pair of opposite circular edge portions of said differential case interconnected by a first edge segment interconnected to a second edge segment by an arcuate segment, said first edge segment being substantially parallel to a central rotary axis of said differential case.

Claim 14

A differential assembly for a motor vehicle comprising: a differential case including a chamber formed interior thereof; a gearset retained in said chamber for transferring rotation from a drive shaft to an axle shaft of said motor vehicle; and wherein said differential case includes a pair of apertures therein providing access to said chamber such that said gearset may be entered through said apertures into said chamber, each of said apertures being defined by a pair of opposite circular edge portions of said differential case interconnected by a first edge segment interconnected to a second edge segment by an arcuate segment, said first edge segment being substantially parallel to a central rotary axis of said differential case.

Claim 15

The differential assembly of claim 12 wherein said pair of opposed circular edge portions include a radius selected to be only slightly larger than a radius of a pinon gear of said gearset.

Claim 16

The differential assembly of claim 12 wherein said aperture has a first dimension only slightly greater than an outside diameter of a side gear of said gearset such that said side gear can be initially angulated relative to a central rotary axis of said differential case during assembly into said chamber and subsequently aligned relative thereto.

Claim 17

A differential assembly for delivering drive torque to the wheels of a motor vehicle while permitting speed differentiation therebetween, said differential assembly comprising: a differential case adapted for transferring the rotational energy from a drive shaft to an axle shaft of said motor vehicle, said differential case including a chamber formed interior thereof; and a gearset retained in said chamber, said gearset including a pair of pinion gears supported for rotation about a first longitudinal axis and a pair of side gears supported for rotation about a second longitudinal axis, said second longitudinal axis being orthogonal to said first longitudinal axis; wherein said differential case includes a pair of assembly windows each defined by a pair of opposed circular edge portions of said differential case interconnected by a pair of opposed elongated edge portions of said differential case, said pair of opposed elongated edge portions having a dimension therebetween slightly larger than an outside diameter of said side gears so as to allow angulated entry of said side gears relative to said second longitudinal axis into said chamber and subsequent alignment relative to said second longitudinal axis, said pair of opposed circular edge portions including a radius slightly larger than a radius of said pinion gears to allow entry of said pinion gears into said chamber and subsequent alignment relative to said first longitudinal axis.

Claim 18

A differential assembly for delivering drive torque to the wheels of a motor vehicle while permitting speed differentiation therebetween, said differential assembly comprising: a differential case adapted for transferring the rotational energy from a drive shaft to an axle shaft of said motor vehicle, said differential case including a chamber formed interior thereof; and a gearset retained in said chamber, said gearset including a pair of pinion gears supported for rotation about a first longitudinal axis and a pair of side gears supported for rotation about a second longitudinal axis, said second longitudinal axis being orthogonal to said first longitudinal axis; wherein said differential case includes a pair of assembly windows each defined by a pair of opposed circular edge portions of said differential case interconnected by a pair of opposed elongated edge portions of said differential case, said pair of opposed elongated edge portions having a dimension therebetween slightly larger than an outside diameter of said side gears so as to allow angulated entry of said side gears relative to said second longitudinal axis into said chamber and subsequent alignment relative to said second longitudinal axis, said pair of opposed circular edge portions including a radius slightly larger than a radius of said pinion gears to allow entry of said pinion gears into said chamber and subsequent alignment relative to said first longitudinal axis.

Claim 19

The differential assembly of claim 15 wherein said pair of opposed elongated edge portions further comprise a first edge segment interconnected to a second edge segment by an arcuate segment, said first edge segment of each edge portion being substantially parallel to said second longitudinal axis.

Claim 20

The differential assembly of claim 15 wherein said assembly windows have a lateral dimension which is less than an axial dimension.