American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

James R Zinke

Garrett W Gage

A differential casing is provided which is rotatable about an axis. The differential casing is generally cylindrically shaped and defines a first end surface and a second end surface. A pair of side gears is disposed within the differential casing and is individually rotatable about the axis. At least one pair of pinion bores are also formed in the differential casing and extend substantially through the second end surface of the differential casing. Pinion gears are slidably and rotatably disposed in the pinion bores for transmitting power from the engine to the pair of side gears. The pinion gears have rotational axes that are fixed in relation to the differential casing and are engaged with the pair of side gears. Each pair of pinion gears further include a mutually meshing portion, which extends beyond the second end surface of the differential casing. Such arrangement enables a gear pumping effect, caused by rotation of the meshing pinion gears, to pump lubricant from outside the differential casing into the casing for improved wear protection and reduced heat and friction.

Helical gear differential with geared lube pump

Parallel-axis gear differentials include a housing rotatable about a common axis of a pair of output shafts, and a planetary gearset mounted in the housing for interconnecting the output shafts. The gearset includes a pair of side gears positioned within the housing and fixed for rotation with the output shafts, and two or more pairs of meshed pinions journally mounted in gear pockets formed in the housing, with each pinion having a gear segment meshed with a gear segment of the other pinion and with one of the side gears. An anti-tipping mechanism includes brake shoes that are journalled on stub shaft segments of the pinions. Each brake shoe has a first support surface which mates with the outer diameter surface of a corresponding side gear, a second support surface which mates with the outer diameter surface of the gear segment on the adjacent meshed pinion, and a third support surface which mates with the wall surface of the gear pocket. As an optional feature, the interface between the shaft segment of the pinion and the brake shoe can be modified to include a cone clutch for generating supplemental braking forces in response to axial movement therebetween.

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Oxford, MI, United States of America

James R Zinke