US 12,220,941 B2
Axle assembly having a wheel end assembly and a gear reduction unit
Dhanapal Vittala Raya, Troy, MI (US); Aneesh N. Singaran, Bangalore (IN); and Chandrakant Kotagi, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC, Troy, MI (US)
Filed by ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC, Troy, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/903,452.
Claims priority of application No. 202211041460 (IN), filed on Jul. 20, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0025206 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. B60K 17/04 (2006.01); B60B 27/00 (2006.01); F16H 1/28 (2006.01)
CPC B60B 27/0021 (2013.01) [B60K 17/046 (2013.01); F16H 1/2854 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An axle assembly comprising:
a spindle that defines a spindle hole;
an axle shaft that extends through the spindle hole and is rotatable about an axis; and
a wheel end assembly that includes:
a hub that is rotatable about the axis with respect to the spindle;
a hub cap that is rotatable about the axis with the hub; and
a gear reduction unit that includes:
a first side gear that is rotatable about the axis with the axle shaft;
a second side gear that is fixedly disposed on the spindle;
a case that is rotatable about the axis with the hub and that separates the hub from the hub cap, wherein the case includes an inner ring that encircles the axis, an outer ring that is spaced apart from the inner ring and that defines a retainer hole, and a rib that extends from the inner ring to the outer ring;
a pinion pin that extends from the case and that is spaced apart from the hub;
a retainer pin that is received in the retainer hole and extends into the pinion pin to inhibit movement of the pinion pin with respect to the case; and
a pinion gear that is rotatably disposed on the pinion pin and received inside the case, wherein the pinion gear meshes with the first side gear and the second side gear.