Axle assembly having banjo beam and strengthened coverpan

摘要

An axle assembly with a banjo beam and a coverpan. The banjo beam has an upper and lower beam members that are welded together to define a central carrier portion and a pair of tubes. The upper beam member has a pair of upper spring seats that are disposed on opposite sides of the central carrier portion. The lower beam member has a pair of lower spring seats that are disposed on opposite sides of the central carrier portion. The coverpan includes a weld flange and a cover portion. The weld flange is welded to the central carrier portion via a fillet weld to close a first aperture formed in the central carrier portion. The cover portion includes a wall member into which a pair of strengthening protrusions are formed. The strengthening protrusions are disposed on opposite lateral sides of a centerline of the central carrier portion.

主权项

1. An axle assembly comprising:
a banjo beam having an upper beam member and a lower beam member that are welded together to define a central carrier portion and a pair of tubes that are disposed on opposite sides of the central carrier portion, the upper beam member having a pair of upper spring seats that are disposed on opposite sides of the central carrier portion, the lower beam member having a pair of lower spring seats that are disposed on opposite sides of the central carrier portion; and a coverpan that comprises a weld flange and a cover portion, the weld flange being welded to the central carrier portion via a fillet weld to close a first aperture formed in the central carrier portion, the cover portion comprising a wall member, the wall member being generally dome-shaped and defining a pair of strengthening protrusions that have generally rectangular shapes that extend longitudinally in a circumferential direction about the cover portion, the strengthening protrusions being disposed on opposite lateral sides of a centerline of the central carrier portion.