Patent ID: 8109174

Claim:
An axle assembly comprising: an axle housing assembly including a housing structure and a cover that is coupled to the housing structure, the axle housing assembly having an interior cavity with a sump having a static liquid lubricant level; and a differential mounted in the axle housing assembly for rotation about a first axis, the differential including a ring gear, wherein the cover includes an interior surface on which a first plurality of ribs and a second plurality of ribs are coupled, the first and second plurality of ribs extending into the interior cavity on opposite sides of the ring gear, each rib having a first end disposed proximate the ring gear and a second end further from the ring gear extending generally upwardly and outwardly from the first end, wherein the first end of at least one of the ribs lies below the static liquid lubricant level to thereby be immersed when a liquid lubricant fills the sump to a level that coincides with the static liquid lubricant level.