CA1051227A - Differential mechanism - Google Patents

Differential mechanism

Info

Publication number
CA1051227A
CA1051227A CA277,483A CA277483A CA1051227A CA 1051227 A CA1051227 A CA 1051227A CA 277483 A CA277483 A CA 277483A CA 1051227 A CA1051227 A CA 1051227A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
casing
differential
semi
casings
trunnion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA277,483A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Carl D. Osenbaugh
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Dana Inc
Original Assignee
Dana Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dana Inc filed Critical Dana Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1051227A publication Critical patent/CA1051227A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H48/00Differential gearings
    • F16H48/06Differential gearings with gears having orbital motion
    • F16H48/08Differential gearings with gears having orbital motion comprising bevel gears
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H48/00Differential gearings
    • F16H48/06Differential gearings with gears having orbital motion
    • F16H48/08Differential gearings with gears having orbital motion comprising bevel gears
    • F16H2048/085Differential gearings with gears having orbital motion comprising bevel gears characterised by shafts or gear carriers for orbital gears
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H48/00Differential gearings
    • F16H48/38Constructional details
    • F16H2048/387Shields or washers
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H48/00Differential gearings
    • F16H48/38Constructional details
    • F16H48/40Constructional details characterised by features of the rotating cases

Abstract

TITLE
DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM
ABSTRACT
A casing for and comprising an operative part of a differential mechanism for a vehicle drive. The casing consists of two identical halves, each half having walls defining a central, generally semi-annular space for differential pinions and gears, the walls being generated around the center line of the vehicle half-axles. Each half-casing also includes oppositely extending, tubular trunnion halves that also are semi-annular in shape and lie circumjacent the inner ends of the vehicle half-axles when the unit is assembled. There is a radial aperture at the pole of each half-casing in the central portion thereof for the receptionof an end of a radially extending journal pin for the differential pinions.
Each half-casing has a semi-circular flange of diameter larger than the central portion of the casing half. When the two half-casings are assembled, a ring gearor crown wheel fits circumjacently to the central portions of the half-casings against and is secured to the flanges. Trunnion bearings fit over the trunnion halves. A "C" shaped ring snaps over the central casing portions and engages the ends of the journal pin which protrude through the polar apertures. The ringgear and trunnion bearings hold the half-casings together as a closed unit and the snap ring holds the journal pin in the casing.

Description

~051ZZ7 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of differential mechanisms and, more particularly, to differential mechanisms of the type in which the casing enclosing the differential pinions and gears is rotated by the drive shaft of a powered vehicle.
It previously has been suggested that the casing for such a differential mechanism might be fabricated from opposed half-casings of identical shape and configuration. However, the half-caslngs are held in their assembled position by means of bolts which extend through bored holes in flanges of the half-casings and may require nuts on their ends~ Such a structure appears in Musgrave Patent No. 3,365,984 issued January 30, 1968.
All rotating differential casings must include suitable bearings for the differential casings and also interiorly of the casings for the differential gears and differential pinions. If the differential casing is to rotate, it must also have means for securing to the casing the ring gear or "crown wheel" to which power is applied by the vehicle drive shaft.
It is therefore the principal object of the instant invention to provide a differential mechanism which comprises a casing consisting of two half-casings, the half-casings being so designed as to enable their assembly into a hollow structure by the use of the bearings in which the casing is mounted for rotation and the ring gear of crown wheel, these parts being necessary for operation and serving a second function of holding the half-casings in assembled relationship .
It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide a differential mechanism comprising a casing consisting of two half-casings which are so designed as to enable the half-casings to mount the differential gears and pinions, to accept the vehicle half-axle ends and to be held in assembled relationship merely by the addition thereto of bearings for the casing trunnions and a ring gear or crown wheel.

lOSlZZ7 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
Fig. 1 is a view in end elevation of a differential mechanism embodying the invention with some parts being broken away, the view not showing the casing mounting bearings or axle housing;
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the differential gears and pinions, the pinion mounting pin, the trunnion bearings and the ring gear and drive shaft as well as the inner ends of the vehicle half-axles, some parts being shown in section and some parts being broken away;
Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing one of the half-casings according to the invention in elevation with some associated parts being shown in section; and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the half-casing taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 with the associated parts removed. -105ilZZ7 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A differential mechanism embodying the invention comprises two half-casings 10 ancl 11. The half-casings 10 and 11 are identical to each other and are assemlbled together by abutting flat diametric surfaces. Therefore, in further 5 description of the half-casings 10 and 11, the component parts of the half-casings will be described interchangeably.
Each half-casing 10 or 11 has a main body 12 which includes a central portion 13, indicated generally by the bracket 13. The exterior of the central portion 13 is semi-cylindrical and is shown in section in Fig. 4. The central portion 13 has a polar aperature 14 and it defines a open interior space 15 which has a circular polar zone 16 concentric with the aperture 14. The polar apertures 14 extend radially relative to the axial center line of the half-casing and to the center lines of a pair of half-axles 17 shown in part in Figs. 2 and 3.
Each half-casing also has a pair of semi-circular recesses 18 and 19 (see also Fig. 4) which are concentric with the half-casings and a pair of oppositely extending tubular semi-annnular trunnion halves 20 and 21. A larger semi-annular flange 22 is located at one side of the central portion 13 and has an inner face 23 lying in a radial plane. A circumferentially extending groove 24 intersects the polar aperture 14 and extends around the cylindrical surface of the central portion 13 of the body 12. Each of the two half-casings 10 and 11 has a flat diametric surface 25 which surfaces abutt each other when the half-casings are assembled to form a closed casing that is open axially from end to end with the polar apertures 14 aligned along a single diameter.
The operative elements of a differential mechanism according to the invention include two differential pinions 26 which are rotatable about a mounting pin 27 extending across the casing and protruding into the two polar apertures 14. The pin 27 is of such length that it extends sufficiently far toward the exterior of the half-casings 10 and 11 so that a snap ring 28 can be spread around the two half-casings and inserted into the groove 24 engaging in a cross slot 29 cut into each end of the mounting pin 27. The mounting pin 27 is shown as having a helical lubrication groove 30 formed in its surface.

1o5i2z7 The two differential pinions 26 have outer surfaces which are complementary to the polar zones 16 and a pair of spherical bushings 31 are positioned between the surfaces of the polar zones 16 and the outer surfaces of the differential pinions 26. Similarly, a pair of annular bushings 32 are positioned between the outer 5 sides of a pair of differential gears 33 and a pair of radial surfaces 34 on the interior of the half-casings 10 and 11.
After the insertion of the bushings 31 and 32, the differential pinions 26, the differential gears 33 and the pinion mounting pin 27, but prlor to the assembly of the snap ring 28, a large ring gear or "crown wheel" 35 is slid 10 over the bodies of the half-casings 10 and 11 up to and against the radial inner faces 23 of the flanges 22.
After the ring gear 35 has been positioned circumjacently the two half-casings 10 and 11 and against the flanges 22 it is secured in position by a plurality of machine screws 36. The snap ring 28 is then inserted in place and 15 the two half-caslngs 10 and 11 are "unitized" for purposes of handling and eventual assembly into the vehicle upon which the differential mechanism is to be used.
The half-trunnions 20 and 21 now form complete supporting trunnions for the differential casing comprising the two half-casings 10 and 11. The outer surfaces 20 of the now complete trunnions can then be turned to the correct diameter to receive a pair of trunnion bearings 37 which, in turn, are mounted in and supported by a pair of axle housings fragmentarily indicated by the reference numbers 38.
The inner ends of the opposed half-axles 17 are inserted into the open centers of the differential gears 33 to which they may be driveingly connected, for 25 example, cooperating with a plurality of serrations 39 or similar means. The vehicle also will have a main drive shaft 40 and a drive pinion 41 which is engaged with the ring gear 35 upon complete assembly of the vehicle.

~OSlZZ7 In summary, the present invention concerns a differential mechanism for a veh~cle drive including a hollow revolving casing consisting of two identical half-casings, each of the half-casings having a body consisting of a central portion that defines a space for differential pinions and gears that is generated around a center 5 line of oppositely extending vehicle half-axles and that has a semi-cylindrical exterior, a tubular half-trunnion extending co-axially at each end of the central portion, a radial aperture at the pole of the central portion and a semi-annular ring gear mounting flange on the exterior of the half casing adjacent the semi-cylindrical portion thereof. The differential mechanism also includes a 10 differential pinion mounting pin extending across the center line of the half-axles with its ends protruding into the polar apertures when the casing is assembled, a pair of differential pinions on the mounting pin, a pair of differential gears positioned interiorly of the assembled casing co-axially with the half-trunnions and meshed with the pinions, trunnion bearings circumjacent the half-trunnions 15 when the casing is assembled and a ring gear closely circumjacent the cylinderical exterior of the assmbled casing and drivingly connected to the mounting flange. The two half-casings are held in assembled relationship by the trunnion b0arings and the ring gear. A snap ring engages a groove circumjacent the half-casings and engages the ends of the pinion mounting pin to prevent rotation 20 thereof. The snap ring can also be used to hold the half-casings together during handling and shipment after the differential pinions and gears have been installed but before the trunnion bearings and ring gear have been mounted.
In accordance with the provislons of the patent statutes, the principle and mode of operation of the invention have been explained and illustrated in its 25 preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.

Claims (5)

The embodiments of the invention to which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A differential mechanism for a vehicle drive, said mechanism comprising in combination:
a) a hollow revolving casing consisting of two identical half-casings,each of said half-casings having a body which consists of;
1) a central portion that defines a space for a pair of differential pinions and a pair of differential gears that is generated around the center line of oppositely extending vehicle half-axles and that has a semi-cylindrical exterior, 2) a tubular half-trunnion extending co-axially with and at each end of said central portion, 3) a radial aperture at the pole of said central position, and 4) a semi-annular ring gear mounting flange on the exterior of said half-casing adjacent the semi-cylindrical portion thereof;
b) a differential pinion mounting pin extending across the center line of the half-axles with its ends protruding into said radial polar apertures of said half-casings when said casing is assembled, c) a pair of differential pinions on said mounting pin, d) a pair of differential gears meshed with said pin;
interiorly of said assembled casing co-axially with said half-trunnions;
e) a pair of trunnion bearings each circumjacent a trunnion formed by said half-trunnions when said casing is assembled;
f) a ring gear closely circumjacent the cylindrical exterior of the assembled casing formed by said semi-cylindrical exteriors and drivingly connected to said mounting flange, whereby said two half-casings are held in assembled relationship by said trunnion bearings and said ring gear.
2. A differential mechanism according to claim 1 including means for preventing rotation of said pinion mounting pin.
3. A differential mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said rotation preventing means is a snap ring circumjacent said half-casings and engaged with said ends of said pinion mounting pin.
4. A half-casing for a differential mechanism according to claim 1 in which the interior surface of said central portion of said body has a spherical polar cap configuration surrounding said radial polar aperture therein and said differential pinions have outer surfaces completmentary thereto.
5. A half-casing for a differential mechanism, said half-casing consisting of a hollow, unitary body that is generally semi-annular in shape and that is generated around the center line of the half-axles of the vehicle upon which it is to be used, said body comprising:
a) a central portion having a semi-cylindrical exterior surface and defining a generally semi-annular interior space, having 1) a pair of radial end walls, providing bearings surfaces for differential gears, 2) a polar cap providing a bearing surface for a differential pinion, and 3) a polar aperture for the respective end of a pinion mounting pin;
b) a semi-annular ring gear mounting flange at one end of said central portion, said flange having a face lying in a radial plane; and c) a semi-annular trunnion half at each end of said body.
CA277,483A 1976-07-01 1977-05-03 Differential mechanism Expired CA1051227A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US70158176A 1976-07-01 1976-07-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1051227A true CA1051227A (en) 1979-03-27

Family

ID=24817916

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA277,483A Expired CA1051227A (en) 1976-07-01 1977-05-03 Differential mechanism

Country Status (13)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS534925A (en)
AU (1) AU497587B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1051227A (en)
DE (1) DE2724468A1 (en)
ES (1) ES458777A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2356850A1 (en)
GB (1) GB1584165A (en)
IN (1) IN147669B (en)
IT (1) IT1078108B (en)
MX (1) MX4454E (en)
NL (1) NL7707076A (en)
SE (1) SE432642B (en)
ZA (1) ZA772361B (en)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2456887A1 (en) * 1979-05-18 1980-12-12 Renault TRANSMISSION DIFFERENTIAL
JPH032036Y2 (en) * 1985-08-30 1991-01-21
IT1197335B (en) * 1985-10-17 1988-11-30 Volkswagen Ag SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIXING A PIN IN THE DIFFERENTIAL OF MOTOR VEHICLES
DE102008006627B4 (en) 2008-01-29 2011-05-26 Gkn Driveline International Gmbh Differential basket made of half-shells and method for producing a differential carrier
DE102011101166A1 (en) * 2011-05-11 2012-08-16 Daimler Ag Differential gear for motor vehicle, has housing that is rotatably drivable around rotating axis, where housing has two housing parts that are separated from each other along main plane
US9534679B2 (en) 2015-06-04 2017-01-03 Gm Global Technology Operations, Llc Vehicle differential assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES458777A1 (en) 1978-03-16
JPS534925A (en) 1978-01-18
IN147669B (en) 1980-05-24
IT1078108B (en) 1985-05-08
AU2452977A (en) 1978-10-26
DE2724468A1 (en) 1978-01-05
FR2356850A1 (en) 1978-01-27
MX4454E (en) 1982-05-11
GB1584165A (en) 1981-02-11
FR2356850B1 (en) 1980-02-22
SE432642B (en) 1984-04-09
AU497587B2 (en) 1978-12-21
ZA772361B (en) 1978-03-29
SE7704502L (en) 1978-01-02
NL7707076A (en) 1978-01-03

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