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:
Jul. 25, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1998
David Hinton, Mt. Zion, IL (US);
Douglas W Bell, Mattoon, IL (US);
Charles N Goloff, Secor, IL (US);
Caterpillar, Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling temperature of fluid in a differential assembly. The apparatus includes a differential housing having a number of sidewalls which collectively define an internal component chamber, wherein (i) the internal component chamber has a differential sump located therein, and (ii) the differential sump has a sump input port defined therein. The apparatus also includes a first operational pressure source which advances fluid from the internal component chamber of the differential housing. The apparatus further includes a diverter valve which receives fluid advanced by the first operational pressure source from the internal component chamber. The diverter valve has a cold fluid output port and a hot fluid output port. A heating fluid return line is interposed between the cold fluid output port of the diverter valve and the sump input port of the differential sump. A cooling fluid return line is interposed between the hot fluid output port of the diverter valve and the housing input port of the differential housing. The diverter valve is selectively operable between (i) a heating position in which fluid advanced by the first operational fluid source is diverted to the differential sump of the differential housing via the heating fluid return line and (ii) a cooling position in which fluid advanced by the first operational fluid source is diverted to contact the number of sidewalls of the differential housing via the cooling fluid return line. A method of controlling temperature of fluid in a differential housing is also presented.