The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 24, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 01, 1996
Garrett W Gage, Goodrich, MI (US);
American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A drive axle assembly has a gear housing, two axle tubes extending outwardly of the gear housing, a lubricant reservoir in the gear housing and a gear assembly rotatably mounted in the gear housing that has a rotatable ring gear that is partially disposed in lubricant in the lubricant reservoir. The drive axle assembly also has a lubricant cooling system that includes a cooler cover that is attached to the gear housing to provide a lubricant passage in fluid communication with the lubricant reservoir via an inlet that is juxtaposed the rotatable ring gear. The lubricant passage has elevated outlets that are connected to the respective axle tubes. The axle tubes are connected to the reservoir via restricted outlet passages that are below the outlets of the lubricant passage. The outlets of the lubricant passage and the axle tubes a re sized so that there is a flood of lubricant in the axle tubes when the rotatable ring gear is driven at or above a predetermined speed. The flood of lubricant extends for the length of the axle tubes and cools the lubricant in the axle tubes. The rotating axle shafts are immersed in the flood of lubricant and churn the lubricant in the axle tubes to enhance heat transfer.