DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these preferred embodiments, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention.

[0010] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 , and 4 , a differential housing assembly is shown generally at 10 . The differential housing assembly 10 includes a housing 12 which includes a pair of openings 14 extending to either side of the housing 12 . A differential case 16 is supported by a pair of structural supports 40 , 42 within the housing 12 . The differential housing assembly 10 is adapted to transfer driving torque from a drive shaft (not shown) of a vehicle to axle half shafts 18 of the vehicle. The differential case 16 is mounted between the openings 14 within the differential housing 12 such that axle half shafts 18 (shown in FIG. 4 ) of the vehicle can extend into the openings 14 to engage the differential case 16 . Thus, driving torque is transferred from the drive shaft through the differential case 16 and to the axle half-shafts 18 . A cover 20 is mounted to the differential housing 12 to enclose the differential case 16 and to contain lubricant therein.

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 , the differential case 16 preferably includes a gear set supported within the differential case 16 . The gear set allows rotational movement to be transferred from the differential case 16 to the axle half shafts 18 while allowing the axle half shafts 18 to rotate relative to one another. A hypoid ring gear 22 is mounted externally to the differential case 16 . The hypoid ring gear 22 is generally annularly shaped having a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth extending angularly from a side face of the hypoid ring gear 22 . The teeth are adapted to provide smooth engagement with corresponding teeth on a hypoid pinion gear 24 . Thus driving torque is transferred from the drive shaft of the vehicle to the hypoid pinion gear 24 to the hypoid ring gear 22 , and through the hypoid ring gear 22 to the differential case 16 .

[0012] The differential gear set generally includes a pair of side gears 28 that are substantially axially aligned with and spaced apart from each other, while being supported within the differential case 16 . Each of the side gears 28 is attached to an end of one axle half-shaft 18 of the vehicle. The distal ends of the axle half-shafts 18 are individually connected to a wheel (not shown) of the vehicle. A pair of pinion gears 30 , which are substantially axially aligned with and spaced apart from one other, are supported within the differential case 16 . Each of the pinion gears 30 engages the side gears 28 . The pinion gears 30 are rotatably mounted on a pinion pin 32 that is supported so as to rotate with the differential case 16 .

[0013] The differential case 16 includes a pair of extending neck portions 34 , 36 . The inner surface of each of the extending neck portions 34 , 36 is adapted to rotatably support a proximal end of one of the axle half-shafts 18 . The external surface 38 of each of the extending neck portions 34 , 36 is adapted to rotatably support the differential case 16 within the differential housing 12 .

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , the first support structure 40 and the second support structure 42 support the extending neck portions 34 , 36 of the differential case 16 . The first support structure 40 includes a pedestal 44 and a bearing cap 46 such that a first of the two extending neck portions 34 is received by the pedestal 44 . The bearing cap 46 is attached to the pedestal 44 and secures the first extending neck portion 34 thereto.

[0015] The second support structure 42 includes a bearing bore 48 having a snap ring groove 50 and a snap ring 52 . A second of the extending neck portions 36 is received within the bearing bore 48 . The snap ring 52 is positioned within the snap ring groove 50 to provide axial support for the differential case 16 within the differential housing 12 .

[0016] Each of the first and second extending neck portions 34 , 36 are supported within the first and second support structures 40 , 42 by one of a pair of bearings 54 , 56 . The inner races of the bearings 54 , 56 are secured to the outer surfaces 38 of the first and second extending neck portions 34 , 36 . The bearings 54 , 56 can be secured to the extending neck portions 34 , 36 by press fitting or any other suitable method. Preferably, each of the first and second extending neck portions 34 , 36 includes a bearing shoulder 58 , 60 to provide a support for the bearings 54 , 56 . As shown, the bearings 54 , 56 are tapered roller bearings, but any suitable bearing could be used.

[0017] At the time of assembly, one of the bearings 54 is placed to the first extending neck portion 34 . After the bearing 54 is placed to the first extending neck portion 34 of the differential case 16 , the differential case assembly 16 is placed within the differential housing 12 . First, the second extending neck portion 36 is inserted within the bearing bore 48 of the second support structure 42 . The differential case 16 is slid toward the second support structure 42 as far as possible. Then, the first extending neck portion 34 is moved toward the pedestal 44 of the first support structure 40 , until the bearing 54 contacts the pedestal 44 .

[0018] After the differential case assembly 16 is placed within the differential housing, a bearing 56 is pressed into the bearing bore 48 about the second extending neck portion 36 . Once the bearing 56 is in place, the snap ring 52 is placed within the snap ring groove 50 in order to provide axial support.

[0019] After the bearing 56 and the snap ring 52 are placed within the bearing bore 48 , a solid shim 62 is placed within the first support structure 40 to position the differential case 16 within the differential housing 12 . The solid shim 62 has a thickness such that the solid shim 62 positions the differential case 16 within the differential housing 12 so the hypoid ring gear 22 properly engages the gear 24 of the prop shaft 26 . The thickness of the solid shim 62 is determined at the time of assembly. At the time of assembly, after the differential case assembly 56 has been placed within the differential housing 12 , measurements are taken to calculate the required thickness of the solid shim 62 and the snap ring 52 .

[0020] After the differential case 16 is placed within the differential housing 12 , the appropriate size can be determined and accordingly a solid shim 62 and a snap ring 52 of the appropriate thickness can be selected. As stated above, the thickness of the solid shim 62 is selected to insure proper engagement of the hypoid ring gear 22 with the gear 24 on the prop shaft 26 . The differential case 16 can be spaced such that the hypoid ring gear 22 and the gear 24 on the prop shaft 26 just engage, or alternatively, the thickness can be selected such that there is a pre-load placed upon the hypoid ring gear 22 and the gear 24 of the prop shaft 26 . A pre-load is sometimes desirable to reduce backlash and noise between the gears 22 , 24 .

[0021] The solid shim 62 is placed within the housing after the snap ring 52 is placed within the snap ring groove 50 of the bearing bore 48 . Once the proper thickness is determined and the solid shim 62 and snap ring 52 are selected, the bearing is placed within the bearing bore 48 , the snap ring 52 is placed within the snap ring groove 50 of the bearing bore 48 , and the solid shim is placed between the first support structure 40 and the differential case 16 . The thickness of the solid shim 62 is such that once the solid shim 62 is placed the solid shim 62 will keep the differential case 16 held securely against the snap ring 52 , thereby maintaining the proper positioning of the differential case 16 within the differential housing 12 .

[0022] After the differential case 16 is positioned within the differential housing 12 and the solid shim 62 and snap ring 52 are in place, the bearing cap 46 is attached to the pedestal 44 to secure the first extending neck portion 34 of the differential case 16 to the pedestal 44 . Preferably, the pedestal 44 includes a pair of threaded bores and the bearing cap 46 includes a pair of through bores. The bearing cap 46 is secured to the pedestal 44 by inserting a threaded fastener 64 through each of the through bores and threading each of the threaded fasteners 64 into one of the threaded bores, thereby securing the bearing cap 46 to the pedestal 44 .

[0023] By incorporating one pedestal type support and one snap ring type support into the differential housing 12 , the assembly 10 is not as large and heavy as one having a pair of pedestal structures, but not as difficult to assemble as a differential housing assembly 10 having two snap rings.

[0024] The foregoing discussion discloses and describes the preferred embodiment. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that changes and modifications can be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the inventive concepts as defined in the following claims. The preferred embodiment has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.