ALUMINUM DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING WITH CAST IRON INSERTS

摘要

A cast aluminum differential housing for a motor vehicle powertrain having cast iron inserts. The housing is cast of light weight aluminum which weighs approximately one-third that of iron which has formerly been used to fabricate such housings. At locations of significant loads and wear, such as the mountings for the stub shaft associated with the two idler bevel gears, iron inserts are cast into the housing. The housing thus weighs significantly less than a comparable iron differential housing but since the two significant wear and load bearing regions include cast iron inserts, the aluminum differential housing of the present invention has the ruggedness, durability and service life of the much heavier iron housing.

主权项

1. A differential assembly comprising, in combination, a ring gear having a plurality of teeth and a first plurality of openings oriented parallel to a first axis,
a differential hub having a first flange with a second plurality of openings oriented parallel to said first axis and a first center opening on said first axis adapted to receive a first axle, a differential housing having a second flange with a third plurality of openings oriented parallel to said first axis, said openings including threads, a second center opening on said first axis adapted to receive a second axle, a pair of iron inserts, each of said inserts having an end flange proximate an outside surface of said differential housing, a plurality of external, axially extending ribs and a pair of through openings on a second axis perpendicular to said first axis, a stub shaft disposed in said through openings in said iron inserts, a pair of idler gears disposed on said stub shaft and a pair of side gears disposed on said first axis and in constant mesh with said pair of idler gears.