Patent ID: 8475314

Claim:
An axle assembly, comprising: an axle housing assembly including a housing structure having an interior cavity with a sump; a lubricant disposed in the sump having a liquid lubricant level; and a differential mounted in the axle housing assembly for rotation about a first axis, the differential including a ring gear, the ring gear generating an annular stream of lubricant adjoining the ring gear above the liquid lubricant level during operation of the differential at a rotational speed greater than a predetermined rotational speed and a predetermined rotational direction; wherein the housing structure includes an interior surface on which a deflector is coupled, the deflector extending into the interior cavity and having a first face having an impingement portion and a first edge adjacent the impingement portion, the impingement portion extending into the stream and deflecting a portion of the stream towards the first edge, the first edge dispersing the portion of the stream away from the interior surface into the cavity; wherein the deflector disperses the portion of the stream into a spray.