Patent ID: 7115059
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: F16C,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An axle assembly for a motor vehicle, the axle assembly comprising: a carrier housing having a main body and a pinion nose extending from said main body; a case rotatably positioned within said main body; a ring gear coupled to the case; a plurality of pinion gears rotatably coupled to said case; a plurality of side gears rotatably coupled to said case, each of said side gears being in meshing engagement with each of said pinion gears; a pinion shaft in meshing engagement with said ring gear, said pinion shaft extending through said pinion nose to an exterior of said carrier housing; a pinion seal positioned between said pinion shaft and an interior surface of said pinion nose; and a deflector extending across at least a portion of an outer surface of said pinion nose, said deflector being operable to direct foreign materials present on said outer surface of said pinion nose away from said pinion seal.