Axle assembly and method of lubrication control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An axle assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- an input shaft configured to be rotated by a power source;
an output shaft that is configured to provide torque to a second axle assembly;
an interaxle differential unit that is operatively coupled to the input shaft and the output shaft and configured to compensate for rotational speed differences between the input shaft and the output shaft; and
a lubrication pump that distributes lubricant within the axle assembly, wherein the lubrication pump operates independently of rotation of the input shaft and wherein the lubrication pump operates when a difference between a rotational speed of the output shaft and a rotational speed of the input shaft exceeds a threshold rotational speed value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An axle assembly and a method of control. The axle assembly may include a lubrication pump that may be operated to distribute lubricant in the axle assembly based on ambient air temperature and lubricant temperature or when a spinout condition is present.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An axle assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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an input shaft configured to be rotated by a power source; an output shaft that is configured to provide torque to a second axle assembly; an interaxle differential unit that is operatively coupled to the input shaft and the output shaft and configured to compensate for rotational speed differences between the input shaft and the output shaft; and a lubrication pump that distributes lubricant within the axle assembly, wherein the lubrication pump operates independently of rotation of the input shaft and wherein the lubrication pump operates when a difference between a rotational speed of the output shaft and a rotational speed of the input shaft exceeds a threshold rotational speed value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An axle assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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an input shaft configured to be rotated by a power source; an output shaft that is configured to provide torque to a second axle assembly; an interaxle differential unit that is operatively coupled to the input shaft and the output shaft and configured to compensate for rotational speed differences between the input shaft and the output shaft; and a lubrication pump that distributes lubricant within the axle assembly, wherein the lubrication pump operates independently of rotation of the input shaft and wherein the lubrication pump distributes lubricant in the axle assembly when an ambient air temperature is less than a threshold ambient temperature value and a lubricant temperature is greater than a threshold lubricant temperature value. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An axle assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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an input shaft configured to be rotated by a power source; an output shaft that is configured to provide torque to a second axle assembly; an interaxle differential unit that is operatively coupled to the input shaft and the output shaft and configured to compensate for rotational speed differences between the input shaft and the output shaft; and a lubrication pump that distributes lubricant within the axle assembly, wherein the lubrication pump operates independently of rotation of the input shaft and wherein the lubrication pump provides lubricant to the interaxle differential unit for a predetermined period of time.
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20. An axle assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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an input shaft configured to be rotated by a power source; an output shaft that is configured to provide torque to a second axle assembly; an interaxle differential unit that is operatively coupled to the input shaft and the output shaft and configured to compensate for rotational speed differences between the input shaft and the output shaft; and a lubrication pump that distributes lubricant within the axle assembly, wherein the lubrication pump operates independently of rotation of the input shaft and wherein the lubrication pump provides lubricant to the interaxle differential unit for a predetermined vehicle travel distance.
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Specification