Motor vehicles – Transmission mechanism – Final drive axle movable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-04-03
Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 3611)
Motor vehicles
Transmission mechanism
Final drive axle movable
C180S360000, C180S378000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209676
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mounting assembly and more particularly to a differential mounting assembly which selectively and securely mounts a differential within a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A differential is normally mounted within a vehicle and receives the selectively rotating and torque producing vehicle driveshaft. The differential typically couples at least a portion of the received driveshaft torque to at least one wheel, effective to rotate the at least one wheel and allow the vehicle to be selectively and desirably driven.
Particularly, the driveshaft is normally caused to rotate along a first direction by the vehicle transmission, thereby producing a torque along this first direction and, more particularly, about an axis corresponding to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the driveshaft. The differential typically receives a pair of axles, at least one of which is to be selectively driven. The differential couples and/or communicates the received driveshaft torque to the at least one driven axle along a direction which is different (e.g., perpendicular) from the direction of the driveshaft-produced torque, thereby allowing the wheels, which are mounted upon the pair of axles, to selectively turn or rotate. The differential may be selectively and operatively placed within the “front” of the vehicle (e.g. below the engine compartment) in “front wheel” or “all wheel” drive type vehicles, or in the “rear” of the vehicle in “rear wheel” drive type vehicles.
It is desirable to securely mount the differential within the vehicle and, more particularly, to minimize and/or to substantially eliminate differential “roll” (e.g. rotation about a longitudinal axis passing through the differential). Roll type movement causes the received axles to undesirably move or “flex” with respect to the differential, thereby creating noise and vibrations which are undesirably communicated into the vehicle passenger compartment, causing the differential and axle assemblies to fail or to potentially disengage, and reducing the operating life of the differential and axle assemblies. Similarly, “pitch” type movement (e.g. upward and/or downward movement of the differential) is also undesirable and causes undesirable articulation of the received driveshaft. Such articulation also produces noise and vibration and reduces the operating life of the driveshaft and differential assemblies. Current differential mounting assemblies and methods do not substantially prevent or eliminate differential roll and pitch and do not substantially eliminate the previously delineated and undesirable consequences of such differential roll and pitch movement.
There is therefore a need to provide a method and an apparatus which allows a differential to be selectively and securely mounted within a vehicle in a manner which substantially eliminates or reduces the amount of roll and/or pitch of the differential and which concomitantly reduces at least some of the previously delineated and undesirable effects and/or consequences emanating from the undesired roll and/or pitch of the differential.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus which overcomes at least some of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior differential mounting methods and apparatuses.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus which allows a differential to be selectively and securely mounted within a vehicle and which substantially eliminates and/or reduces roll and/or pitch type movement or motion of the mounted differential.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus which allows a differential to be selectively and securely mounted within a vehicle and which substantially reduces the amount of angular displacement or flex of the axles and/or the amount of undesired articulation of the received driveshaft.
It is a fourth object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus which allows a differential to be selectively and securely mounted within a vehicle and which substantially eliminates and/or reduces the amount of vibration or noise which is generated by and/or which results from the operatively mounted differential.
According to a first aspect of the present invention a mounting assembly is provided for use with a differential which is to be operatively deployed within a vehicle. The vehicle is of the type which includes a selectively rotating and torque producing driveshaft. The differential receives the torque produced by the driveshaft and outputs at least some of said received torque.
The mounting assembly includes a first member which selectively attaches the differential to the vehicle; a second member which selectively attaches the differential to the vehicle; and a third member which is selectively attached to the differential and which includes a fourth member which is selectively attached to the vehicle at a location which is remote from the differential.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a method is provided to selectively mount a differential within a vehicle. The differential being of the type which movably receives at least one axle, which receives torque from a driveshaft, and which provides at least a portion of the received torque to the movably received at least one axle, the received and the provided torques cooperatively forming a torque vector having a certain direction.
The method includes the steps of attaching the differential to a position within the vehicle which resides upon an axis which is perpendicular to the certain direction of the torque vector and which is distant from the differential; and attaching the differential to the vehicle along an axis which is parallel to the at least one axle, thereby securely mounting the differential within the vehicle.
These and other aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from a review of the following specification and by reference to the following drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2112628 (1938-03-01), Lee
patent: 3379268 (1968-04-01), Enke
patent: 3952824 (1976-04-01), Matschinsky
patent: 4699230 (1987-10-01), Solleder et al.
patent: 5042837 (1991-08-01), Kleinschmit et al.
patent: 123650 (1931-07-01), None
Chilton Book Company Repair and Tune-up Guide, Corvette 1984 to 1986, Copyright 1986, pp. 149-152, Chapter 7, Suspension and Steering, Published in Radnor, Pennsylvania by Chilton Book Company.
Mazda RX-7 Service Manual, 1993, Mazda Corporation, Japan.
Mercedes-Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Rear Axle/Rear Subframe, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes-Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Rear Axle/Axle Shaft, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Rear Axle/Rear Axle Housing with Differential, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Propeller Shaft/Propeller Shaft, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Rear Axle/Axle Shaft and Rear Wheel Brake, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Front Axle/Axle Housing, Front, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Front Axle/Axle Shaft and Front Wheel Brake, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Front Axle/Transverse Control Arm, Torosion Bar and Front Subframe, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Mercedes Benz AG-Electronics Parts Catalogue (EPC), Rear Axle/Axle Housing, Rear, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc., 1993.
Picture of Differential Mounting Assembly for use within Mercedes S Class Vehicle as Found in Literature Which was Published Before 1997.
Picture of Differential Mounting Assembly for use within Mazda RX-7 Vehicle as Found in Literature Which was Published in 1993.
Davis Paul Owen
Jones Robert Allen
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
Rice Kenneth R.
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