Transverse differential of a motor vehicle and method for production thereof

• US 20060073930A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Koehler, Thomas, Niebauer, Guenter, Topp, Albert, Paasch, Rudolf
• Granted Patent: US 7,294,084 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/230
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/085 characterised by shafts or gear carriers for orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/385 of the ring or crown gear
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/405 characterised by features of the bearing of the rotating case
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/08 comprising bevel gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/40 characterised by features of the rotating cases

Abstract

A transverse differential and a welding method for its producing, in which a differential bolt and a differential case are fixedly connected to one movement-wise. For this purpose, a bolt/case welding is produced in which, material of a differential bolt is fused and is transported or entrained into the preferably likewise fused material of the differential case, and fused entrained material of a differential bolt is solidified in the region of the differential case.

Claims

1. Transverse differential adapted for use in a motor vehicle, comprising a differential bolt, and a differential case operatively and fixedly connected movement-wise to the differential bolt, wherein at least in the region of a common connection therebetween, material of the differential bolt differs from material of the differential case, and fused material of the differential bolt is entrained into the material of the differential case during production.

2. Transverse differential according to claim 1, wherein at least one bolt/case weld seam of a bolt/case welding is oriented at least one of parallel to a tangential of the differential bolt and in a radial direction of the differential bolt.

3. Transverse differential according to claim 1, wherein a bolt/case welding is arranged in a region of a differential bolt end face.

4. Transverse differential according to claim 1, wherein the differential bolt material is selected to be an easily weldable material.

5. Transverse differential according to claim 4, wherein the differential bolt material is an iron alloy, particularly preferably a steel, including 31 Cr Mo V 9.

6. Transverse differential according to claim 1, wherein bolt/case welding has at least one laser-welded bolt/case weld seam.

7. Transverse differential according to claim 1, wherein the differential case has at least one grey-iron differential cage and a grey-iron cover consisting of case iron.

8. Transverse differential according to claim 7, wherein the differential cage and grey-iron cover are laser-welded together.

9. Method for producing the transverse differential of claim 1, comprising producing a bolt/case welding by fusing material of a differential bolt and transporting or entraining the fused matter into a fused material of the differential case, and solidifying fused entrained material of the differential bolt in a region of the differential case.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the fused material of the differential bolt is entrained at lest one of parallel to the tangent to the cross section of the differential bolt and radially with respect to a cross section of the differential bolt in a direction of the differential case.

11. Method according to claim 9, wherein the material of the differential bolt is fused and entrained in its end face region.

12. Method according to claim 9, wherein material for the differential bolt is selected to be an easily weldable material.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the differential bolt material is an iron alloy, particularly preferably a steel, including 31 Cr Mo V 9 and as material for the differential case is selected to be a poorly weldable crack-susceptible material.

14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the differential case material is a case metal, particularly preferably a grey iron or grey cast iron including GJS 600.

15. Method according to claim 9, wherein material of the differential bolt is laser fused.