US 7,320,659 B2 | ||
Differential assembly with semi-elliptical assembly window | ||
John P. Pritchard, New Baltimore, Mich. (US); Paul H. Petruska, Royal Oak, Mich. (US); and Howard J. Bruno, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (US) | ||
Assigned to American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., Detroit, Mich. (US) | ||
Filed on Apr. 29, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/118,919. | ||
Prior Publication US 2006/0243092 A1, Nov. 02, 2006 | ||
Int. Cl. F16H 57/02 (2006.01); F16H 57/04 (2006.01); F16H 61/00 (2006.01); F16H 48/06 (2006.01); F16H 57/08 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 475—331 [475/220; 74/606 R] | 22 Claims |
1. A differential assembly adapted to transfer the rotational energy from a drive shaft to an axle shaft, the differential
assembly comprising:
a differential case including at least two apertures formed therein to provide access to a chamber interior of the differential
case such that gears of a gear set may be passed through either of said apertures and retained in said chamber, one of said
apertures being defined by a semi-elliptical segment having ends interconnected by a pair of elongated segments, said elongated
segments being interconnected by an arcuate segment.
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