Rigid drive axle assembly for motor vehicles

• US 6,729,207 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies Incorporated (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies Incorporated (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Allmandinger, Timothy Bernard, Maser, Gregory James, Nanua, Parvinder Singh, Irwin, Earl James, Hoefer, Sean Karl, Stuart, Edward Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, CHONG HWA
• Application Number:
  US10/101,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 746/07, 294/62, 294/63, 180/378, 180/379
• US Class Current: 74/607
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/202 by casting
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/206 by stamping
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/208 by forging
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/302 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/305 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/10 Metallic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/102 Steel
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2380/14 Roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/113 Production or maintenance time
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 35/16 Axle housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/16 of differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02043 for vehicle transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02052 Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/0235 specially adapted to allow easy accessibility and repair using repair kits F16H2057/0068
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/03 characterised by means for reinforcing gearboxes, e.g. ribs
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/037 Gearboxes for accommodating differential gearings rotating cases for differential gearings F16H48/40
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2188 Axle and torque tubes

Abstract

A rigid drive axle assembly for motor vehicles, includes a support beam member having a substantially flat, enlarged central section and two opposite arm sections axially outwardly extending from the central section, a differential assembly secured to the flat central section of the support beam member, and two opposite axle shaft members outwardly extending from the differential assembly and rotatably supported by the arm sections in a spaced relationship with respect to the central section of the support beam member. The differential assembly includes a differential carrier frame member fastened to the central section of the support beam member, and provided for rotatably supporting a differential case and a drive pinion. The differential assembly is enclosed into a housing formed by a rear cover and a front cover secured to opposite surfaces of the central section of the support beam member. The rear cover incorporates two throughholes provided with self-centering seals.

Claims

1. An axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a support beam member having a substantially flat central plate section and two arm sections extending oppositely from said central plate section;

a differential assembly secured to said flat central plate section of said support beam member;

two axle shaft members extending oppositely from said differential assembly and rotatably supported on said arm sections, said axle shaft members being spaced from said flat central plate section of said support beam member; and

a rear cover and a front cover secured to opposite surfaces of said flat central plate section of said support beam member for enclosing said differential assembly.

2. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said flat central plate section of said support beam member defines a support plane that is substantially orthogonal to a driving direction of said motor vehicle.

3. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said arm sections of said support beam member has tubular shape.

4. The axle assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said arm sections of said support beam member is substantially rectangular in cross-section.

5. The axle assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said arm sections of said support beam member is substantially circular in cross-section.

6. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said central plate section of said support beam member has a substantially C-channel cross-section across the entire height thereof.

7. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said two arm sections are formed integrally with said central plate section.

8. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said two arm sections are formed integrally with said central plate section as a unitary single-piece part.

9. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said arm sections of said support beam member is substantially flat and has a shaft supporting bracket provided thereon for rotatably supporting said axle shaft members.

10. The axle assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said shaft supporting brackets are provided at a distal end of said arm sections of said support beam member.

11. The axle assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said support beam member has a substantially I-shaped cross-section.

12. The axle assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said I-beam cross-section of said support beam member is integrally formed by two C-shaped beams secured to each other.

13. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said differential assembly includes a differential carrier frame member for rotatably supporting a differential case and a drive shaft.

14. The axle assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein said flat support beam member has a central opening such that said differential carrier frame member extends through said central opening.

15. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said (central plate section of said support beam member has a central opening therethrough and said differential assembly extends through said central opening.

16. The axle assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said differential assembly includes a differential carrier frame member fastened to said central plate section of said support beam member so as to extend through said central opening, said differential carrier frame member is provided for rotatably supporting a differential case and a drive pinion of a final drive.

17. The axle assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein said differential carrier frame member has a generally Y-shaped configuration, and includes two coaxially spaced bearing hub portions for rotatably supporting said differential case, a neck portion for rotatably supporting said drive pinion, and leg portions for coupling said neck portion to said bearing hub portions.

18. The axle assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein said differential earner frame member is provided with a mounting flange portion for fastening said differential carrier frame member to said central plate section of said support beam member.

19. The axle assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein each of said bearing hub portions of said differential carrier frame member is provided with said mounting flange portion.

20. The axle assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein said differential carrier frame member is a unitary single-piece part manufactured by one of a casting or forging.

21. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein further including a rear cover and a front cover secured to opposite surfaces of said flat central section of said support beam member for enclosing said differential assembly, said rear cover having has two opposite through holes for receiving said axle shaft members therethrough.

22. The axle assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein said front cover having a front opening for rotatably supporting and receiving therethrough a pinion shaft of said drive pinion.

23. The axle assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said central plate section of said support beam member is enlarged relative to said arm sections.

24. The axle assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said central plate section of said support beam member has opposite front and rear substantially flat surfaces, and wherein a thickness of said central plate section determined by a distance between said front and rear surfaces defines a thickness of said central opening through said central plate section.

25. An axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a support beam member having a substantially flat central plate section and two arm sections extending oppositely from said central plate section;

a differential assembly secured to said flat central plate section of said support beam member;

two opposite axle shaft members oppositely extending from said differential assembly and rotatably supported on said arm sections, said axle shaft members being spaced from said flat central plate section of said support beam; and

a rear cover and a front cover provided at opposite surfaces of said flat central plate section of said support beam member for enclosing said differential assembly.

26. An axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a support beam member having a substantially flat central plate section and two arm sections extending oppositely from said central plate section;

a differential assembly secured to said flat central plate section of said support beam member;

two axle shaft members extending oppositely from said differential assembly and rotatably supported on said arm sections, said axle shaft members being spaced from said flat central plate section of said support beam member with respect to a driving direction of said motor vehicle; and

a rear cover and a front cover secured to opposite surfaces of said flat central plate section of said support beam member for enclosing said differential assembly.

27. An axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a support beam member having a substantially flat central plate section and two arm sections extending oppositely from said central plate section, said support beam member having a central opening therethrough;

a differential assembly secured to said flat central plate section of said support beam member so that said differential assembly extends through said central opening;

two axle shaft members extending oppositely from said differential assembly and rotatably supported on said arm sections, said axle shaft members being spaced from said flat central plate section of said support beam member with respect to a driving direction of said motor vehicle; and

a rear cover and a front cover secured to opposite surfaces of said flat central plate section of said support beam member for enclosing said differential assembly.

28. An axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a support beam member having a substantially flat central plate section and two arm sections extending oppositely from said central section;

a differential assembly secured to said flat central section of said support beam member; and

two axle shaft members extending oppositely from said differential assembly and rotatably supported on said arm sections, said axle shaft members being spaced from said flat central section of said support beam member with respect to a driving direction of said motor vehicle,

wherein each of said arm sections of said support beam member being substantially flat and having a shaft supporting bracket provided thereon for rotatably supporting said axle shaft members;

wherein said support beam member having a substantially I-shaped cross-section, and

wherein said I-beam cross-section of said support beam member being integrally formed by two C-shaped beams secured to each other.

29. An axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a support beam member having a substantially flat central plate section and two arm sections extending oppositely from said central section;

a differential assembly secured to said flat central section of said support beam member; and

two axle shaft members extending oppositely from said differential assembly and rotatably supported on said arm sections, said axle shaft members being spaced from said flat central section of said support beam member with respect to a driving direction of said motor vehicle,

wherein said central plate section of said support beam member has a substantially C-channel cross-section across the entire height thereof.