End cover structure and drive axle assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to an end cover structure and a drive axle assembly, the end cover structure is suitable for the drive axle assembly, the drive axle assembly comprises an axle housing, a mounting groove is formed in the axle housing, a mounting hole is formed in the groove bottom wall of the mounting groove, the end cover structure comprises an end cover body, a mounting part, a locking part and a sealing piece, and the end cover body is used for being matched with the mounting groove in an inserted mode; the mounting part is arranged on one side of the end cover body, the mounting part is used for being in assembly and disassembly fit with the mounting hole, a first channel is formed in the mounting part in a penetrating mode, and the ventilation channel extends into the end cover body; the locking part is arranged on the side, away from the mounting part, of the end cover body, a second channel is formed in the locking part and communicates with the first channel, the sealing piece is detachably connected with the locking part, and the sealing piece is used for sealing the second channel. The end cover structure is used for sealing and can meet the ventilation requirement of the drive axle assembly, so that the application of the end cover structure is not limited any more, and the use performance of the end cover structure is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of drive axles, and in particular to an end cover structure and a drive axle assembly. Background Art

[0002] The drive axle is an important component in the vehicle chassis, responsible for transmitting the power generated by the engine to the wheels through the drive system. The end cover is a closed structure on the bridge housing of the drive axle. The end cover is used to seal and protect the interior of the drive axle to prevent oil leakage, etc.

[0003] The end cover in the related art has a single function, which is only to seal the drive axle, and it is difficult to meet other requirements of the drive axle assembly, resulting in low performance of the end cover. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an end cover structure and a drive axle assembly to address the problem that the end cover in the related art can only seal the drive axle, resulting in low performance of the end cover.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides an end cover structure, which is applicable to a drive axle assembly, wherein the drive axle assembly comprises an axle housing, a mounting groove is provided on the axle housing, a mounting hole is provided on the bottom wall of the mounting groove, and the end cover structure comprises:

[0006] The end cover body is used for plugging and matching with the installation slot;

[0007] A mounting portion is arranged on one side of the end cover body, the mounting portion is used to be assembled and disassembled with the mounting hole, a first channel is penetrated in the mounting portion, and the ventilation channel extends into the end cover body;

[0008] A locking portion is arranged on a side of the end cover body away from the mounting portion, and a second channel is arranged in the locking portion, and the second channel is communicated with the first channel;

[0009] The sealing member is detachably connected to the locking portion, and is used to close the second channel.

[0010] In one of the embodiments, a screw groove is arranged on the hole wall of the mounting hole, a thread is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the mounting portion, and the mounting portion is threadedly connected to the hole wall of the mounting hole.

[0011] In one embodiment, a tightening portion is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the end cover body.

[0012] In one embodiment, the abutting portion is coaxially arranged with the end cover body, and the cross-sectional diameter of the abutting portion is larger than the cross-sectional diameter of the end cover body.

[0013] In one embodiment, the aperture of the second channel at one end close to the mounting portion is smaller than the aperture of the second channel at one end away from the mounting portion, and the aperture of the second channel at one end close to the mounting portion is smaller than the aperture of the first channel.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, a weight-reducing groove is formed on an outer peripheral wall of an end of the mounting portion away from the locking portion.

[0015] In one embodiment, an end plate extends from the outer peripheral wall of one end of the end cover body close to the locking portion, and the projection of the end cover body is located on the side wall of the end plate close to the locking portion.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, a receiving annular groove is provided around the locking portion on the side wall of the end plate close to the locking portion.

[0017] In one embodiment, the sealing member comprises a sealing plug which is interference fit with the second passage.

[0018] In a second aspect, the present application provides a drive axle assembly, including any one of the end cover structures provided in the first aspect, the drive axle assembly also includes a bridge housing, and the end cover structure is detachably connected to the bridge housing.

[0019] The above-mentioned end cover structure and drive axle assembly, wherein the end cover structure is suitable for the drive axle assembly, the drive axle assembly includes a bridge housing, a mounting groove is provided on the bridge housing, a mounting hole is provided on the bottom wall of the mounting groove, the end cover structure includes an end cover body, a mounting portion, a locking portion and a sealing member, the end cover body is used for plugging and matching with the mounting groove; the mounting portion is arranged on one side of the end cover body, the mounting portion is used for assembly and disassembly matching with the mounting hole, a first channel is provided through the mounting portion, and the ventilation channel extends into the end cover body; the locking portion is arranged on the side of the end cover body away from the mounting portion, a second channel is provided in the locking portion, the second channel is connected with the first channel, the sealing member is detachably connected to the locking portion, and the sealing member is used to close the second channel. The end cover structure in the present application can not only realize the sealing of the mounting hole on the bridge housing by the end cover structure through the cooperation of the end cover body, the mounting portion, the locking portion and the sealing member, but also can meet the ventilation requirements of the drive axle assembly under special working conditions, so that the application of the end cover structure is no longer limited, thereby improving the performance of the end cover structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the conventional technology, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the conventional technology descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0021] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an end cover structure in some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an end cover structure in some embodiments of the present application.

[0023] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0024] 100, end cover body; 110, abutting portion; 120, reinforcing portion; 130, end plate; 132, accommodating ring groove; 200, mounting portion; 210, first channel; 220, weight reduction groove; 300, locking portion; 310, second channel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0026] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", "vertical", "horizontal", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0027] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0028] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances. It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can also be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there can be a intermediate element at the same time.

[0029] In order to solve the problem that the end cover in the related art can only seal the drive axle, resulting in low performance of the end cover, in the first aspect, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of the present application provides an end cover structure, which is suitable for a drive axle assembly. The drive axle assembly includes a bridge housing, a mounting groove is provided on the bridge housing, and a mounting hole is provided on the bottom wall of the mounting groove. The end cover structure includes an end cover body 100, a mounting portion 200, a locking portion 300 and a sealing member. The end cover body 100 is used for plugging and matching with the mounting groove; the mounting portion 200 is arranged on one side of the end cover body 100, and the mounting portion 200 is used for assembly and disassembly with the mounting hole. A first channel 210 is penetrated in the mounting portion 200, and the ventilation channel extends into the end cover body 100; the locking portion 300 is arranged on a side of the end cover body 100 away from the mounting portion 200, and a second channel 310 is provided in the locking portion 300, and the second channel 310 is communicated with the first channel 210. The sealing member is detachably connected to the locking portion 300, and the sealing member is used to close the second channel 310.

[0030] The end cover body 100, the mounting portion 200 and the locking portion 300 are integrally formed, and the end cover body 100, the mounting portion 200 and the locking portion 300 are coaxially arranged, and the outer peripheries of the end cover body 100, the mounting portion 200 and the locking portion 300 are all circumferences. One end of the first channel 210 passes through the end wall of the mounting portion 200 away from one end of the end cover body 100, and the other end of the first channel 210 extends into the end cover body 100 so as to communicate with the second channel 310. The second channel 310, the first channel 210 and the end cover body 100 are also coaxially arranged so as to be processed and manufactured in batches during production. The first channel 210 and the second channel 310 can be used for ventilation needs inside the bridge housing. In addition, when the end cover is used for other installation positions on the bridge housing and ventilation is not required, the second channel 310 can be sealed by a seal, so that the first channel 210 can be sealed at the same time.

[0031] Specifically, by matching the mounting portion 200 with the mounting hole on the bridge housing, the end cover structure can be stably mounted on the bridge housing. At this time, the end cover body 100 is completely received in the mounting groove, and the end wall of the end cover body 100 away from the mounting portion 200 can be flush with the outer surface of the bridge housing. The arrangement of the first channel 210 and the second channel 310 can not only meet the ventilation requirements inside the bridge housing, but also reduce the weight of the end cover structure itself, thereby achieving a lightweight structural design and helping to reduce the production cost of the end cover structure. It is worth noting that the end cover structure in the present application can achieve sealing with a seal or ventilation without a seal. The seal is selected according to the specific use requirements. The seal can be separated from the end cover structure or bound to the end cover structure, which is not specifically limited here.

[0032] The end cover structure in this embodiment, through the cooperation of the end cover body 100, the mounting portion 200, the locking portion 300 and the seal, can not only achieve the sealing of the mounting hole on the bridge housing by the end cover structure, but also meet the ventilation requirements of the drive axle assembly under special working conditions, so that the application of the end cover structure is no longer limited, thereby improving the performance of the end cover structure.

[0033] In some embodiments, a screw groove is arranged on the hole wall of the mounting hole, a thread is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the mounting portion 200, and the mounting portion 200 is threadedly connected to the hole wall of the mounting hole.

[0034] Specifically, by means of threaded connection, that is, mechanical sealing, the mounting portion 200 is detachably connected to the bridge housing, thereby achieving a detachable connection between the end cover structure and the bridge housing, which can replace sealing media parts such as O-rings used in traditional end covers, thereby helping to reduce the loss of wearing parts.

[0035] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, a tightening portion 110 is disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the end cover body 100 .

[0036] The abutting portion 110 and the end cover body 100 are integrally formed.

[0037] Specifically, providing a tightening portion 110 on the outer peripheral wall of the end cover body 100 helps to thicken the edge area of ​​the end cover body 100, thereby helping to enhance the ability of the end cover structure to resist high torque, and further helping to prevent the end cover from undergoing plastic deformation or damage under the action of strong torque; in addition, by increasing the material thickness in the stress concentration area, the deformation caused by the torque can be reduced and the shape stability of the end cover structure can be maintained. This measure helps to extend the service life of the end cover structure and the internal components of the drive axle it encloses.

[0038] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, the abutting portion 110 is coaxially disposed with the end cover body 100 , and a cross-sectional diameter of the abutting portion 110 is greater than a cross-sectional diameter of the end cover body 100 .

[0039] The abutting portion 110 is disposed around the outer circumference of the end cover body 100 .

[0040] Specifically, under the premise of coaxial setting and increased cross-sectional diameter, the added abutment portion 110 can generate greater contact pressure between contact surfaces. This design can ensure that the end cover structure can still maintain a good mechanical sealing effect under the action of large torque and reduce the possibility of internal lubricating oil leakage.

[0041] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, a reinforcing portion 120 is provided on one side of the abutting portion 110 close to the mounting portion 200 . The reinforcing portion 120 is coaxially arranged with the abutting portion 110 , and a cross-sectional diameter of the reinforcing portion 120 is smaller than a cross-sectional diameter of the end cover body 100 .

[0042] Among them, the reinforcing part 120 and the tightening part 110 are both integrally formed with the end cover body 100, and the reinforcing part 120 and the tightening part 110 are both coaxially arranged with the end cover body 100. The cross-sectional diameter of the reinforcing part 120 is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the end cover body 100 and also smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the tightening part 110.

[0043] Specifically, by providing the reinforcing portion 120 on the abutting portion 110, the stress directly borne by the end cover body 100 is reduced. The small cross-sectional diameter design of the reinforcing portion 120 allows the stress to be concentrated on a smaller material volume, thereby avoiding the concentration of stress on a larger cross section and enhancing the stress resistance of the overall structure; in addition, the small cross-sectional diameter design of the reinforcing portion 120 can provide effective local reinforcement without significantly increasing the amount of material used. This design enhances the torsional strength of the abutting portion 110, allowing it to maintain stability when subjected to large torque. In addition, in some special cases, that is, when necessary, sealant can also be applied to the side wall of the reinforcing portion 120 close to the mounting portion 200.

[0044] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, the aperture of the second channel 310 at one end close to the mounting portion 200 is smaller than the aperture of the end away from the mounting portion 200 , and the aperture of the second channel 310 at one end close to the mounting portion 200 is smaller than the aperture of the first channel 210 .

[0045] Specifically, the first channel 210 and the second channel 310 are configured such that they form an inner bore necking structure, which can reduce the inner diameter of the vent hole and increase the resistance when the oil passes through, thereby effectively reducing the possibility of the gear oil choking out of the vent plug hole; in addition, when the inner bore necking structure is used in conjunction with a seal, the sealing effect can be further enhanced. Since the flow velocity at the necking point is reduced, the seal can more effectively prevent oil leakage and improve the sealing performance of the entire system.

[0046] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, a weight-reducing groove 220 is formed on the outer peripheral wall of the mounting portion 200 at one end away from the locking portion 300 .

[0047] Specifically, the provision of the weight-reducing groove 220 helps to further reduce the weight of the end cover structure while ensuring that the tightness of the connection between the mounting portion 200 and the bridge housing is not affected, thereby meeting the requirements of lightweight design of the end cover.

[0048] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, an end plate 130 extends from the outer peripheral wall of the end cover body 100 close to the locking portion 300 , and the projection of the end cover body 100 is located on the side wall of the end plate 130 close to the locking portion 300 .

[0049] The end plate 130 and the end cover body 100 are integrally formed.

[0050] Specifically, after the end cover structure and the bridge housing are installed, the end cover body 100 is placed in the installation groove, and the end plate 130 is pressed against the outer surface of the bridge housing, so as to provide more contact area during the locking process of the end cover structure and the bridge housing, thereby making the locking more secure; in addition, the additional structural support provided by the end plate 130 can reduce the fatigue and looseness of the locking part 300 under repeated use by increasing the reaction force of the locking part 300, and this support effect helps to maintain the long-term stability and reliability of the locking state; moreover, it can also improve the sealing of the connection between the end cover structure and the bridge housing; furthermore, the end plate 130 can also serve as a heat dissipation surface to increase the contact area between the end cover structure and the surrounding air, thereby accelerating the dissipation of heat, improving the heat dissipation performance of the drive axle, and helping to improve the versatility and performance of the end cover structure.

[0051] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, a receiving annular groove 132 is provided around the locking portion 300 on the side wall of the end plate 130 close to the locking portion 300 .

[0052] Specifically, the locking portion 300 is in the shape of a hexagonal nut, so that workers can quickly assemble and disassemble the end cover structure and the bridge housing by using tools such as wrenches, and an accommodating annular groove 132 is arranged around the locking portion 300 on the side wall of the end plate 130 close to the locking portion 300, and the accommodating annular groove 132 is recessed inwardly to provide a larger operating space, so that workers can operate tools such as wrenches to assemble and disassemble the end cover structure.

[0053] In some embodiments, the seal comprises a sealing plug which is interference fit with the second channel 310 .

[0054] Specifically, by interference fitting the sealing plug with the mouth wall of the second channel 310, the sealing plug and the locking portion 300 can be tightly installed, thereby ensuring the sealing effect of the sealing plug on the second channel 310, and further helping to meet the sealing requirements of other installation positions of the drive axle.

[0055] The end cover structure in the present application can not only seal the mounting hole on the bridge housing through the cooperation of the end cover body 100, the mounting portion 200, the locking portion 300 and the seal, but also meet the ventilation requirements of the drive axle assembly under special working conditions, so that the application of the end cover structure is no longer limited, thereby improving the performance of the end cover structure; in addition, after the end cover structure in the present application is removed, the mounting hole on the bridge housing can also be used as a refueling port; in addition, the end cover structure in the present application can be used in conjunction with other parts, for example, after being connected to a filter tank and used in conjunction with it, it can be used as a filter assembly to filter the gear oil of the assembly, and at the same time can be quickly replaced, making maintenance convenient.

[0056] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a drive axle assembly, including any one of the end cover structures provided in the first aspect, and the drive axle assembly also includes a bridge housing, and the end cover structure is detachably connected to the bridge housing.

[0057] Specifically, it can be known from the above content that the end cover structure is detachably connected to the bridge housing by threaded connection between the mounting portion 200 and the wall of the mounting hole.

[0058] After the drive axle assembly in the present application is equipped with any one of the end cover structures provided in the first aspect above, it also has the following advantages compared with the traditional drive axle assembly: a breather plug can be installed on the end cover, so that the corresponding oil baffle and breather plug mounting seat on the drive axle assembly can be eliminated, leaving more space for arranging the pipeline harness of the whole vehicle; after the end cover is removed in the assembly state, the mounting hole of this end cover can be used as a refueling port, and the original refueling hole and refueling plug can be eliminated. In other words, the drive axle assembly in the present application also has the characteristics of flexible use and excellent performance.

[0059] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "some embodiments", "other embodiments", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic description of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0060] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0061] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An end cover structure, suitable for a drive axle assembly, the drive axle assembly comprising an axle housing, the axle housing is provided with a mounting groove, the bottom wall of the mounting groove is provided with a mounting hole, characterized in that: The end cap structure comprises: The end cover body is used for plugging and matching with the installation groove; A mounting portion, arranged on one side of the end cover body, the mounting portion being used for assembly and disassembly cooperation with the mounting hole, a first channel penetrating the mounting portion, and the ventilation channel extending into the end cover body; A locking portion is arranged on a side of the end cover body away from the mounting portion, a second channel is arranged in the locking portion, and the second channel is communicated with the first channel; A sealing member is detachably connected to the locking portion, and the sealing member is used to close the second channel.

2. The end cap structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A screw groove is arranged on the hole wall of the mounting hole, a thread is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the mounting portion, and the mounting portion is threadedly connected to the hole wall of the mounting hole.

3. The end cap structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A tightening portion is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the end cover body.

4. The end cap structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The abutting portion is coaxially arranged with the end cover body, and a cross-sectional diameter of the abutting portion is larger than a cross-sectional diameter of the end cover body.

5. The end cap structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The aperture of one end of the second channel close to the mounting portion is smaller than the aperture of one end of the second channel away from the mounting portion, and the aperture of one end of the second channel close to the mounting portion is smaller than the aperture of the first channel.

6. The end cap structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A weight-reducing groove is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the mounting portion away from one end of the locking portion.

7. The end cap structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: An end plate extends from the outer peripheral wall of the end cover body close to one end of the locking portion, and the projection of the end cover body is located on the side wall of the end plate close to the locking portion.

8. The end cap structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: An accommodating annular groove is provided on a side wall of the end plate close to the locking portion and surrounding the locking portion.

9. The end cap structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing member includes a sealing plug which is interference fit with the second passage.

10. A drive axle assembly, characterized in that: The drive axle assembly comprises the end cover structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the end cover structure is detachably connected to the axle housing.

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