Removable Mounting Member for Differential Carrier Cores
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of differential carriers for commercial vehicles is costly due to the need for multiple cores to create various cavities and openings for bearing housings and differential lock assemblies, complicating the assembly process.
Innovation Solution
A separate mounting member is designed to be removably attached to the differential carrier, reducing the number of cavities required in the carrier's manufacturing process by providing openings for the differential casing and differential lock assembly, which can be retrofitted during assembly, and featuring a unitary component with parallel openings for alignment and perpendicular openings for the input pinion, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple cores are used to create cavities and openings for bearing housings and differential lock assemblies in the differential carrier, then the required functions are achieved, but manufacturing costs increase and the process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the differential carrier into two separate components: the main differential carrier body and a separate mounting member. The mounting member contains the complex cavities and openings for bearing housings and differential lock assemblies, which can be manufactured independently using simpler core configurations. This segmentation reduces the number of cores needed in the main carrier casting process while achieving the same functional result through assembly of multiple parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the complex cavity structure from the main differential carrier and places it in a separate mounting member. This mounting member is designed with all the necessary openings and cavities for bearings and differential lock assemblies, allowing the main carrier to be manufactured with fewer cores. The extracted mounting member is then attached to the carrier, achieving the required functionality with reduced manufacturing complexity.
2Ease of operation
If multiple cavities are provided in the differential carrier for bearing housings and differential lock assemblies, then the required functions are achieved, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple cavities and openings required for bearing housings and differential lock assemblies into a single integrated mounting member. This mounting member is designed as one piece that contains all necessary cavities, which is then attached as a single unit to the differential carrier. This merging approach simplifies the assembly process compared to installing multiple separate components into individually cast cavities in the carrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting member is pre-manufactured with all necessary cavities, openings, and features for bearing housings and differential lock assemblies before assembly. This preliminary preparation allows for simpler, faster assembly at the final stage, as the complex cavity structures are already formed in the mounting member rather than requiring complex core configurations during the main carrier casting process.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a mounting member (30) for differentials, such as differentials for heavy goods vehicles. The mounting member (30) comprises a first opening (31) configured as a first bearing housing arranged to receive a differential case bearing (21b) and a second opening (33) arranged to guide a piston rod (53) of a differential lock assembly (50), wherein the mounting member (30) comprises means for removably connecting the mounting member (30) to a differential carrier (10).