Quick connect/disconnect driveline assembly
First Claim
1. A driveline assembly comprising:
- a first shaft operably coupled to a drive axle, said first shaft having a first mount portion and a second mount portion;
a bearing supporting said first shaft for rotation within said drive axle;
a retaining ring mounted on said first mount portion for engagement with said bearing to retain said bearing at a desired location along said first shaft; and
a yoke member mounted on said second mount portion for coupling said first shaft to a second shaft wherein said drive axle is a tandem drive axle including a forward-rear axle having a first center gear assembly and a rear-rear axle having a second center gear assembly, said forward-rear and rear-rear axles being interconnected via an interaxle driveshaft, said first shaft being a thru-shaft driven by said first center gear assembly and said second shaft being said interaxle driveshaft.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A driveline assembly includes a shaft that is rotatably supported on a bearing assembly within a drive axle. The shaft has a first mount portion with a threaded exterior surface and a second mount portion with a splined exterior surface. A retaining ring is threaded onto the first mount portion to engage and retain the bearing assembly at a proper location. A yoke member with a splined inner bored is mounted on the shaft in engagement with the splined exterior surface. The yoke member can easily be connected and disconnected from the shaft without having to remove the retaining ring. The yoke member also includes a quick disconnect device that simplifies removal and re-assembly of the yoke member from the shaft.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A driveline assembly comprising:
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a first shaft operably coupled to a drive axle, said first shaft having a first mount portion and a second mount portion;
a bearing supporting said first shaft for rotation within said drive axle;
a retaining ring mounted on said first mount portion for engagement with said bearing to retain said bearing at a desired location along said first shaft; and
a yoke member mounted on said second mount portion for coupling said first shaft to a second shaft wherein said drive axle is a tandem drive axle including a forward-rear axle having a first center gear assembly and a rear-rear axle having a second center gear assembly, said forward-rear and rear-rear axles being interconnected via an interaxle driveshaft, said first shaft being a thru-shaft driven by said first center gear assembly and said second shaft being said interaxle driveshaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A driveline assembly comprising:
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a first shaft operably coupled to a drive axle, said first shaft having a first mount portion comprising a threaded exterior surface and a second mount portion comprising a splined exterior surface wherein said drive axle is a tandem drive axle including a forward-rear axle having a first center gear assembly and a rear-rear axle having a second center gear assembly, said forward-rear and rear-rear axles being interconnected via an interaxle driveshaft, said first shaft being a thru-shaft driven by said first center gear assembly;
a bearing supporting said thru-shaft for rotation within said drive axle;
a retaining ring having a threaded inner bore for threadably engaging said threaded exterior surface of said first shaft such that said retaining ring engages said bearing to retain said bearing at a desired location along said first shaft; and
a yoke member having a splined inner bore for mating engagement with said splined exterior surface of said thru-shaft, said yoke member for coupling said thru-shaft to a second shaft comprising said interaxle driveshaft that is of a predetermined fixed length with said yoke member being adjustable relative to said thru-shaft to a predetermined position along said thru-shaft wherein said yoke member includes a quick disconnect device for removing said yoke member from said thru-shaft without removing said retaining ring from said thru-shaft. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification