Axle porting to legs

• US 9,151,377 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Weber, Jason, Salomon, John B., Nelson, Benjamin T., Dockstader, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kotter, Kip T
• Application Number:
  US13/549,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20140013886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 301/124.1, 301/132, 301/137, 184/6.12, 184/11.1, 184/11.2, 746/06.R, 746/07, 744/17, 475/160, 475/230, 298/972
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02052 Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/037 Gearboxes for accommodating differential gearings rotating cases for differential gearings F16H48/40
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0409 characterised by the problem to increase efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0415 Air cooling or ventilation; Heat exchangers; Thermal insulations
• 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 57/0447 Control of lubricant levels, e.g. lubricant level control dependent on temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0471 Bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0483 Axle or inter-axle differentials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49464 Assembling of gear into force transmitting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19665 Bevel gear type

Abstract

An axle assembly and method for assembling such axle assembly for a vehicle are disclosed. The axle assembly may comprise meshed ring and pinion gears, a center housing portion, and left and right leg housing portions. The center housing portion may include a center housing defining a center cavity in which the bevel gear is disposed, and at least one channel having an entrance port into the center cavity. The axle assembly may include a first conduit configured to branch off of the first channel in a first direction and a second conduit configured to branch off of the first channel in a second direction. Such channels and conduits may be integral to the center housing or substantially external to the center housing.

Claims

1. An axle assembly comprising:

a bevel gear rotatable about a bevel gear axis;

a pinion gear meshed with the bevel gear; and

a center housing defining a center cavity in which the bevel gear is disposed, the center housing including an integral first channel, an integral tube-like first conduit and an integral tube-like second conduit, the first channel having a first entrance port into the center cavity disposed proximal to the bevel gear, the first channel extending from the entrance port in an upward direction around a portion of the bevel gear, the first conduit configured to branch off of the first channel in a first direction, and the second conduit configured to branch off of the first channel in a second direction, at least a portion of the first conduit disposed above the entire bevel gear.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1, in which the center housing includes a first section extending between about 15°

to about 45°

from a horizontal axis intersecting the bevel gear axis, wherein the first entrance port is disposed in the section.

3. The axle assembly of claim 2, wherein the first entrance port is distal from the pinion gear.

4. The axle assembly of claim 1, in which the center housing includes a section extending between about 135°

to about 165°

from a horizontal axis intersecting the bevel gear axis, wherein the port is disposed in the section.

5. The axle assembly of claim 4, wherein the port is proximal to the pinion gear.

6. The axle assembly of claim 1, further including:

a right leg housing portion including a right leg housing defining a right leg cavity, and a first passageway extending from the first conduit into the right leg cavity; and

a left leg housing portion including a left leg housing defining a left leg cavity, and a second passageway extending from the second conduit into the left leg cavity.

7. The axle assembly of claim 6, wherein the first and second passageways are substantially external to the right and left leg housings.

8. The axle assembly of claim 6, wherein the first passageway is substantially integral to the right leg housing and the second passageway is substantially integral to the left leg housing.

9. The axle assembly of claim 1, in which the center housing further includes an integral second channel, the second channel having a second entrance port into the center cavity disposed proximal to the bevel gear, the first conduit configured to branch off of the second channel in the first direction, and the second conduit configured to branch off of the second channel in the second direction.

10. The axle assembly of claim 9, in which the center housing includes a first section extending between about 15°

to about 45°

from the horizontal axis intersecting the bevel gear axis, wherein the first entrance port is disposed in the first section and is distal from the pinion gear.

11. The axle assembly of claim 10, in which the center housing includes a second section extending between about 135°

to about 165°

from the horizontal axis intersecting the bevel gear axis, wherein the second entrance port is disposed in the second section and is proximal to the pinion gear.

12. A method of assembling a churning reduction assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a bevel gear and a pinion gear, the bevel gear rotatable about a bevel gear axis;

providing an axle housing including a right leg housing defining a right leg cavity, a left leg housing defining a left leg cavity, a center housing portion, a first tube-like conduit and a second tube-like conduit, the center housing portion disposed between the right and left leg housings and including a center housing defining a center cavity in which the bevel gear is disposed, a first channel, and a first entrance port disposed in an upper half of the center housing, the first channel extending from the entrance port in an upward direction around a portion of the bevel gear, the first conduit extending between the first channel and the right leg cavity, at least a portion of the first conduit disposed above the entire bevel gear, the second conduit extending between the first channel and the left leg cavity; and

positioning the bevel gear and the pinion gear inside the center housing with the bevel gear and pinion gear meshed and the first entrance port disposed distal to the pinion gear.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein in which the center housing includes a section extending between about 15°

to about 45°

from a horizontal axis intersecting the bevel gear axis, wherein the first entrance port is disposed in the section.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first entrance port is disposed about 30°

from a horizontal axis intersecting the bevel gear axis.