Drive axle assembly with gear mesh lubrication systems for lubricating gear mesh and/or differential bearings

• US 20100144480A1
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American AXLE & Manufacturing Incorporated (American AXLE & Manufacturing Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American AXLE & Manufacturing Incorporated (American AXLE & Manufacturing Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Adams, Herbert L. III, Hunt, W. Gordon, Downs, James P., Woodside, Gregory E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,167,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/160
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/08 comprising bevel gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0423 Lubricant guiding means mounted or supported on the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes or pipes means for guiding lubricant into an axial channel of a shaft F16H57/0426; lubrication by injection, injection nozzles or tubes therefore F16H57/0456
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/045 Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0457 Splash lubrication characterised by the problem reducing losses, e.g. splash losses F16H57/0409
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0483 Axle or inter-axle differentials

Abstract

An axle assembly having an axle assembly with first and second sumps for holding a lubricant. A rotating ring gear associated with a differential can rotate through the lubricant in the first sump to cause a portion of the lubricant to cling to the ring gear. A portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear can be removed from the ring gear and transferred to the second sump. The lubricant in the second sump can be drained to lubricate teeth of a pinion that is in meshing engagement with the ring gear and/or to lubricate bearings that support the pinion. A related method is also provided.

Claims

1. An axle assembly comprising:

an axle housing having an internal cavity, a portion of the internal cavity forming a first sump;

a ring gear mounted in the internal cavity for rotation about a first axis, the ring gear being rotatable through the first sump to cause a lubricant in the first sump to cling to the ring gear;

a differential coupled to the ring gear for rotation therewith about the first axis; and

a pinion mounted in the internal cavity of the axle housing for rotation about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the pinion including a plurality of teeth that are meshingly engaged to a plurality of teeth formed on the ring gear; and

an auxiliary collecting means for collecting a portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear as it rotates in a predetermined rotational direction through the first sump, the auxiliary collecting means having a second sump and a drain, the second sump being disposed in the internal cavity and being discrete from the first sump, the drain being configured to at least partly drain the second sump directly onto at least one of the teeth of the pinion and the teeth of the ring gear;

wherein the drain is also configured to dispense a portion of the lubricant in the second sump to a bearing set that supports the pinion for rotation within the axle housing.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the axle housing has a wall member that at least partly forms the second sump and at least a portion of an exterior surface of the axle housing.

3. The axle assembly of claim 2, wherein the drain includes a tubular member that is coupled to the wall member.

4. The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary collecting means includes a scraper that is configured to direct the portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear from a surface of the ring gear into the second sump.

5. The axle assembly of claim 4, wherein the scraper contacts a surface of the ring gear as it rotates.

6. The axle assembly of claim 5, wherein the scraper is at least partly formed of a resilient material.

7. The axle assembly of claim 4, wherein the scraper is integrally formed with the axle housing.

9. The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary collecting means includes a third sump that is disposed in the internal cavity and which is discrete from the first and second sumps, the third sump being configured to drain the lubricant therein to a first set of bearings that supports the differential for rotation about the first axis.

10. The axle assembly of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary collecting means includes a fourth sump that is disposed in the internal cavity and which is discrete from the first, second and third sumps, the fourth sump being configured to drain the lubricant therein to a second set of bearings that supports the pinion for rotation about the second axis.

11. The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary collecting means includes a third sump that is disposed in the internal cavity and which is discrete from the first and second sumps, the third sump being configured to drain the lubricant therein to a set of bearings that supports the pinion for rotation about the second axis.

8. (canceled)

12. A method for operating an axle assembly comprising:

providing an axle housing having an internal cavity, a portion of the internal cavity forming a first sump;

mounting a pinion in the axle housing, the pinion having a plurality of teeth;

mounting a differential assembly in the axle housing, the differential assembly including a ring gear and a differential, the ring gear having a plurality of teeth that are meshingly engaged to the teeth of the pinion;

rotating the ring gear in a predetermined rotational direction through a lubricant in the first sump to cause the lubricant in the first sump to cling to the ring gear;

collecting a portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear in a second sump that is elevated above the first sump;

draining a first portion of the lubricant in the second sump directly onto at least one of the teeth of the pinion and the teeth of the ring gear; and

draining a second portion of the lubricant in the second sump to a bearing set that supports the pinion for rotation within the axle housing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein draining the first portion of the lubricant in the second sump directly onto the teeth of the pinion includes dispensing the first portion of the lubricant into a tubular member.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein collecting the first portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear includes contacting the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear with a scraper.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the scraper contacts the ring gear.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the scraper is at least partly formed of a resilient material.

17. (canceled)

18. An axle assembly comprising:

an axle housing having an internal cavity, a portion of the internal cavity forming a first sump;

a ring gear mounted in the internal cavity for rotation about a first axis, the ring gear being rotatable through the first sump to cause a lubricant in the first sump to cling to the ring gear;

a differential coupled to the ring gear for rotation therewith about the first axis; and

a pinion mounted in the internal cavity of the axle housing for rotation about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the pinion including a plurality of teeth that are meshingly engaged to the ring gear; and

an auxiliary collecting means for collecting a portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear as it rotates in a predetermined rotational direction through the first sump, the auxiliary collecting means having a second sump and a drain, the second sump being disposed in the internal cavity and being discrete from the first sump, the drain being configured to at least partly drain the second sump directly onto the teeth of the pinion;

wherein the axle housing has a wall member that at least partly forms the second sump and at least a portion of an exterior surface of the axle housing;

wherein the drain includes a tubular member that is coupled to the wall member;

wherein the auxiliary collecting means includes a scraper that is configured to direct the portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear from a surface of the ring gear into the second sump;

wherein the scraper contacts a surface of the ring gear as it rotates;

wherein the scraper is at least partly formed of a resilient material; and

wherein the drain is also configured to dispense a portion of the lubricant in the second sump to a bearing set that supports the pinion for rotation within the axle housing.

19. A method for operating an axle assembly comprising:

providing an axle housing having an internal cavity, a portion of the internal cavity forming a first sump;

mounting a pinion in the axle housing, the pinion having a plurality of teeth;

mounting a differential assembly in the axle housing, the differential assembly including a ring gear and a differential, the ring gear having a plurality of teeth that are meshingly engaged to the teeth of the pinion;

rotating the ring gear in a predetermined rotational direction through a lubricant in the first sump to cause the lubricant in the first sump to cling to the ring gear; and

contacting a surface of the ring gear with a scraper to scrape a portion of the lubricant that has clung to the ring gear and dispensing the scraped portion of the lubricant directly onto at least one of the teeth of the pinion and the teeth of the ring gear.