Patent ID: 9254713
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: B23K,B60B,F16H

Claim Text:
1. An axle assembly comprising: a housing; a ring gear received in the housing; a ring gear bearing contacting the housing and the ring gear, the ring gear bearing supporting the ring gear for rotation about an axis relative to the housing; a pair of axle shafts received in the housing and rotatable about the axis, each of the axle shafts having an end with a bearing mount and a male splined segment; a differential mechanism having a pair of output members, each of the output members having a splined internal aperture into which the male splined segment of one of the axle shafts is slidably received; and a pair of inboard axle shaft bearings, each inboard axle shaft bearing being disposed on the bearing mount of a corresponding one of the axle shafts and supporting the corresponding one of the axle shafts for rotation on the housing; wherein the differential mechanism is supported for rotation about the axis by the ring gear bearing and the inboard axle shaft bearings.