US Patent 11421773 Vehicle drivetrain lubrication system

In at least some implementations, a vehicle drivetrain assembly includes a housing, a reservoir and a conduit. The housing has a housing interior, a housing inlet communicating with the housing interior, a housing outlet communicating with the housing interior, and an opening communicating with the housing interior and adapted to receive part of a shaft. The reservoir is carried by the housing and has a reservoir interior, a reservoir inlet communicating with the reservoir interior, and at least one reservoir outlet communicating with the reservoir interior. The conduit is coupled at a first end to the housing outlet and coupled at a second end to the reservoir inlet, wherein at least part of the conduit extends above the housing interior relative to gravity, and the conduit is routed about an exterior of the housing.