AXLE ASSEMBLY

摘要

An axle assembly including a housing, a tire supporting hub mounted for rotation with respect to the housing, a drive axle and a planetary unit for coupling the drive axle to the tire supporting hub, such that rotation in the axle produces rotation in the hub. The planetary unit includes a sun gear, at least one planet gear and a ring gear, with the planet gear being in co-meshing engagement with the sun and ring gears. Damping material is used to inhibit or reduce the transmission of vibrations produced by the gear meshes during vehicle operation to the planetary unit cover. In one construction, the planetary unit includes a cover portion and a carrier portion with damping material, such as copper, disposed between the portions. In another construction, bushings made from damping material, such as brass or bronze, are disposed between the planetary gear (or gears) and the pin member which supports the planetary gear. Since the pins form part of the cover/carrier, vibrations generated by gear meshes in the planetary unit are inhibited or dissipated by the bushings and do not travel from the planet gears to the pin members and/or to the planetary cover.