US Patent 7320659 Differential assembly with semi-elliptical assembly window

Patent 7320659 was granted and assigned to American Axle on January, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

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Is a

Patent

Patent attributes

Current Assignee

American Axle

Patent Jurisdiction

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Patent Number

7320659

Date of Patent

January 22, 2008

Patent Application Number

11118919

Date Filed

April 29, 2005

Patent Primary Examiner

‌

Tisha Lewis

Patent abstract

A differential case is provided including at least one assembly window formed therein for providing access to a chamber interior of the differential case. The assembly window in the differential case is defined by a semi-elliptical segment having ends interconnected by a pair of elongated edge portions of the differential case. The pair of elongated edge portions are interconnected by an arcuate segment. The assembly window has a dimension slightly larger than an outside diameter of a side gear so as to allow angulated entry of the side gears into the chamber and subsequent alignment relative to a longitudinal axis. The assembly window is further shaped to allow entry of the pinion gears into the chamber and subsequent alignment relative to another longitudinal axis.