Patent ID: 7819769
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An axle assembly comprising: an axle housing that defines an aperture; a differential received in the aperture in the axle housing; an input pinion coupled to the axle housing and adapted to transmit a rotary input to the differential; a pair of axle shafts coupled to the differential, the differential transmitting rotary power from the input pinion to the axle shafts; and a cover removably coupled to the axle housing to close the aperture in the axle housing, the cover having a first layer that is formed of a ferrous material and a second layer that is formed of another material having a thermal conductivity that is greater than about 1.30 W/cm° K., the first and second layers being in thermal communication to transmit heat therebetween, the second layer not passing through the first layer and forming a heat sink on either an interior surface of the first layer or on an exterior surface of the first layer.