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:
Mar. 26, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 07, 2000
Douglas W. Bell, Mattoon, IL (US);
David W. Bruce, Decatur, IL (US);
David R. Hinton, Mt. Zion, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling temperature of fluid in a rear axle assembly includes a rear axle housing having an internal component chamber. The internal component chamber has a rear axle sump located therein. The apparatus also includes a temperature control operational pressure source coupled to the internal component chamber. The apparatus further includes a diverter valve coupled to the temperature control operational pressure source. The apparatus includes a heating fluid return line interposed between the diverter valve and the rear axle sump, and includes a cooling fluid return line interposed between the diverter valve and the rear axle housing. The temperature control operational pressure source is selectively operable between (i) a first rate mode in which it advances fluid from the internal component chamber at a first flow rate, and (ii) a second rate mode in which it advances fluid from the internal component chamber at a second flow rate. The diverter valve is selectively operable between (i) a heating position in which fluid advanced by the temperature control operational pressure source is diverted to the rear axle sump via the heating fluid return line, and (ii) a cooling position in which fluid advanced by the temperature control operational pressure source is diverted to the rear axle housing via the cooling fluid return line. A method of controlling temperature of fluid in a rear axle housing is also presented.