Axle Assembly and Method of Manufacture

• US 20190308476A1
• Filed: 04/10/2018
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Rengasamy, Srinivasa Perumal, Kwon, Ryong-Uk
• Granted Patent: US 10,675,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 13/005 characterised by the mounting on the axle or suspension arm of the damper unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/326 with two laterally spaced pivots, e.g. trailing frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/12 Mounting of springs or dampers
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/148 on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/19 Mounting of transmission differential
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4306 Bracket or knuckle for rigid axles, e.g. for clamping
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/72 Steel
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/8201 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/8207 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 9/02 the axle or housing being pivotally mounted on the vehicle , e.g. the pivotal axis being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle B60G9/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 9/022 the axle having an imaginary pivotal point

Abstract

An axle assembly includes an axle housing having first and second arm portions that extend in opposite directions from a center portion, and an axle interface bracket that is fixedly mounted to the first arm portion. The axle interface bracket includes a base, holes extend from a bottom surface of the base, and channel walls that extend from the base and are disposed opposite the bottom surface.

Claims

1. An axle interface bracket comprising:

a base having a bottom surface, a first set of holes, and a second set of holes, wherein the first and second sets of holes extend from the bottom surface, and

first and second channel walls that extend from the base and are disposed opposite the bottom surface, wherein the first and second channel walls cooperate with the base to define a channel for receiving an arm of an axle housing, wherein the first channel wall extends from the base between the first set of holes and the channel and the second channel wall extends from the base between the second set of holes and the channel.

2. The axle interface bracket of claim 1 wherein the bottom surface is substantially planar.

3. The axle interface bracket of claim 1 further comprising a first damper mounting wall that extends from the first channel wall in a direction that extends away from the channel, wherein the first damper mounting wall has a mounting hole adapted to facilitate mounting of a damper.

4. The axle interface bracket of claim 3 further comprising a second damper mounting wall that extends from the first channel wall in a direction that extends away from the channel, wherein the second damper mounting wall has a mounting hole adapted to facilitate mounting of a damper.

5. The axle interface bracket of claim 4 wherein the first damper mounting wall is spaced apart from the second damper mounting wall.

6. The axle interface bracket of claim 4 wherein the first damper mounting wall, the second damper mounting wall, and the first channel wall cooperate to at least partially define a cavity for receiving a portion of a damper.

7. The axle interface bracket of claim 4 wherein a first member of the first set of holes is located opposite the first damper mounting wall from the cavity, and wherein a second member of the first set of holes is located opposite the second damper mounting wall from the cavity.

8. The axle interface bracket of claim 1 wherein the members of the first set of holes and the members of the second set of holes are disposed along different non-intersecting axes.

9. An axle assembly comprising:

an axle housing having first and second arm portions that extend in opposite directions from a center portion; and

an axle interface bracket that is fixedly mounted to the first arm portion, the axle interface bracket including;

a base having a bottom surface, a first set of holes, and a second set of holes, wherein the first and second sets of holes extend from the bottom surface, and

first and second channel walls that extend from the base and are disposed opposite the bottom surface, wherein the first and second channel walls cooperate with the base to define a channel for receiving an arm of an axle housing, wherein the first channel wall extends from the base between the first set of holes and the channel and the second channel wall extends from the base between the second set of holes and the channel, wherein the channel receives the arm portion.

10. The axle assembly of claim 9 further comprising a first weld that connects the first channel wall to the first arm portion and a second weld that connects the second channel wall to the arm portion.

11. The axle assembly of claim 9 further comprising a suspension interface bracket that is mounted to the bottom surface of the axle interface bracket.

12. The axle assembly of claim 11 wherein the axle interface bracket is formed of a first material having a first material chemistry, and wherein the suspension interface bracket is formed of a second material different than the first material and having a second material chemistry that is different than the first material chemistry.

13. The axle assembly of claim 11 wherein the suspension interface bracket has a set of suspension interface bracket holes, wherein each member of the set of suspension interface bracket holes is aligned with a member of the first set of holes or a second set of holes.

14. The axle assembly of claim 13 wherein a fastener extends through each member of the first set of holes and through a corresponding member of the set of suspension interface bracket holes and couples the suspension interface bracket to the axle interface bracket.

15. The axle assembly of claim 13 wherein a fastener extends through each member of the second set of holes and through a corresponding member of the set of suspension interface bracket holes and couples the suspension interface bracket to the axle interface bracket.

16. The axle assembly of claim 13 wherein the suspension interface bracket has a top surface that engages the bottom surface of the axle interface bracket, and a set of suspension interface bracket holes that extends from the top surface.

17. The axle assembly of claim 13 wherein the axle interface bracket further includes first and second damper mounting walls that extend from the first channel wall in a direction that extends away from the channel, wherein the first and second damper mounting walls cooperate to at least partially define a cavity that receives a portion of a damper and the damper is attached to the first and second damper mounting walls.

18. A method of assembling an axle assembly, the method comprising:

providing an axle interface bracket that has a base having a bottom surface, first and second sets of holes that extend from the bottom surface, and first and second channel walls that extend from the base and are disposed opposite the bottom surface, wherein the first and second channel walls cooperate with the base to define a channel for receiving an arm of an axle housing;

positioning an arm portion of an axle housing in the channel; and

welding the arm portion to the first and second channel walls.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising mounting a suspension interface bracket to the bottom surface of the axle interface bracket.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the suspension interface bracket is mounted to the axle interface bracket after welding the arm portion to the first and second channel walls.