Patent ID: 8740741
Filing Date: 2014-06-03
Classification: F16H

Abstract:
1. An axle assembly for a power train, said axle assembly comprising: an elongated housing; first and second shafts journaled in said elongated housing for providing a rotary output at first outer ends thereof, said first and second shafts having inner ends thereof; a differential gear housing rotatably positioned within said elongated housing, the differential gear housing receiving the inner ends of said first and second shafts, and having a wall defining a bleed flow path passing through the differential gear housing; a ring gear fixed to said differential gear housing for receiving a rotary power input; a differential gear set positioned within said differential gear housing and having opposed gears fixed to the inner ends of said shafts and journaled relative to said differential gear housing and a plurality of planetary gears journaled within said differential gear housing and meshing with the opposed gears for providing a differential action; a fluid pressure actuated differential lock mechanism having one portion thereof fixed to said differential gear housing and the other portion thereof to one of said opposed gears; a source of selected fluid pressure fluidly connected to said differential lock mechanism to provide a relatively high fluid pressure input to selectively lock said differential gear housing and one of said gears, and said source of selected fluid pressure being fluidly connected to said differential lock mechanism to provide relatively low fluid pressure input to allow said differential gear housing and one of said gears to unlock, wherein said source of selected fluid pressure continuously provides lubrication through the bleed flow path to said gears between locking and unlocking of the differential lock mechanism.