Track system for a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10207754-B2
Application number	US-201715451072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2017
Priority date	Mar 6, 2017
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A track system for a work vehicle includes a first sprocket having a first diameter. The first sprocket is configured to be coupled to a drive system of the work vehicle, and the first sprocket is configured to engage a metal track and to drive the metal track in rotation. The track system also includes a second sprocket having a second diameter. The second sprocket is configured to be coupled to the drive system of the work vehicle, and the second sprocket is configured to engage a rubber track and to drive the rubber track in rotation. In addition, the first and second sprockets are configured to engage a mounting system, the mounting system is configured to interchangeably couple the first and second sprockets to the drive system, and the second diameter of the second sprocket is greater than the first diameter of the first sprocket.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A track system for a work vehicle, comprising:
a first sprocket having a first diameter, wherein the first sprocket is configured to be coupled to a drive system of the work vehicle, and the first sprocket is configured to engage a metal track and to drive the metal track in rotation; and
a second sprocket having a second diameter, wherein the second sprocket is configured to be coupled to the drive system of the work vehicle, and the second sprocket is configured to engage a rubber track and to drive the rubber track in rotation;
wherein the first and second sprockets are configured to engage a mounting system, the mounting system is configured to interchangeably couple the first and second sprockets to the drive system, and the second diameter of the second sprocket is greater than the first diameter of the first sprocket.

2. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the first sprocket includes teeth configured to engage corresponding recesses in the metal track, and the second sprocket includes teeth configured to engage corresponding recesses in the rubber track.

3. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the first sprocket includes apertures configured to receive fasteners of the mounting system to couple the first sprocket to the drive system, and the second sprocket includes apertures configured to receive the fasteners to couple the second sprocket to the drive system.

4. The track system of claim 1 , comprising a transmission of the drive system configured to receive a rotational input from a drive motor of the drive system and to provide a rotational output to the first sprocket or to the second sprocket, wherein the transmission is configured to shift between a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio, the first gear ratio is configured to drive the first sprocket at a first speed to drive the metal track in rotation, the second gear ratio is configured to drive the second sprocket at a second speed to drive the rubber track in rotation, and the first gear ratio is greater than the second gear ratio.

5. The track system of claim 4 , comprising the drive motor of the drive system, wherein the drive motor comprises a multispeed hydraulic motor.

6. The track system of claim 1 , comprising the rubber track, wherein the rubber track has a groove within an inner surface of the rubber track, the groove extends along an entire longitudinal extent of the inner surface, contact surfaces formed on opposite lateral sides of the groove are configured to engage corresponding raised portions of rollers to block lateral movement of the rubber track relative to the rollers, the rubber track includes alternating protrusions and recesses within the groove, and the recesses are configured to receive teeth of the second sprocket to facilitate driving the rubber track in rotation.

7. The track system of claim 6 , comprising the rollers, wherein the rollers comprise at least one bogie roller and at least one idler roller, and each of the at least one bogie roller and the at least one idler roller includes a respective raised portion of the corresponding raised portions, and the respective raised portion of the at least one bogie roller and the respective raised portion of the at least one idler roller are configured to engage opposite lateral sides of a groove within the metal track to block lateral movement of the metal track relative to the rollers.

8. The track system of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second diameter of the second sprocket to the first diameter of the first sprocket is about 1.33.

9. A track system for a work vehicle, comprising:
a drive system, comprising:
a transmission configured to receive a rotational input from a drive motor of the drive system and to provide a rotational output to at least one sprocket, wherein the transmission is configured to shift between a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio, the first gear ratio is configured to drive the at least one sprocket at a first speed to drive a metal track in rotation, the second gear ratio is configured to drive the at least one sprocket at a second speed to drive a rubber track in rotation, and the first gear ratio is greater than the second gear ratio.

10. The track system of claim 9 , wherein the drive system comprises the drive motor, and the drive motor comprises a multispeed hydraulic motor.

11. The track system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sprocket includes teeth configured to engage corresponding recesses in the metal track and in the rubber track.

12. The track system of claim 9 , comprising:
a first sprocket of the at least one sprocket having a first diameter, wherein the first sprocket is configured to be coupled to the drive system, and the first sprocket is configured to engage the metal track and to drive the metal track in rotation;
a second sprocket of the at least one sprocket having a second diameter, wherein the second sprocket is configured to be coupled to the drive system, and the second sprocket is configured to engage the rubber track and to drive the rubber track in rotation; and
the rubber track having a groove within an inner surface of the rubber track, wherein the groove extends along an entire longitudinal extent of the inner surface, contact surfaces formed on opposite lateral sides of the groove are configured to engage corresponding raised portions of rollers to block lateral movement of the rubber track relative to the rollers, the rubber track includes alternating protrusions and recesses within the groove, and the recesses are configured to receive teeth of the second sprocket to facilitate driving the rubber track in rotation;
wherein the first and second sprockets are configured to engage a mounting system, the mounting system is configured to interchangeably couple the first and second sprockets to the drive system, and the second diameter of the second sprocket is greater than the first diameter of the first sprocket.

13. The track system of claim 12 , comprising the rollers, wherein the rollers comprise at least one bogie roller and at least one idler roller, and each of the at least one bogie roller and the at least one idler roller includes a respective raised portion of the corresponding raised portions, and the respective raised portion of the at least one bogie roller and the respective raised portion of the at least one idler roller are configured to engage opposite lateral sides of a groove within the metal track to block lateral movement of the metal track relative to the rollers.

14. The track system of claim 12 , wherein the first sprocket includes apertures configured to receive fasteners of the mounting system to couple the first sprocket to the drive system, and the second sprocket includes apertures configured to receive the fasteners to couple the second sprocket to the drive system.

15. The track system of claim 12 , wherein a ratio of the second diameter of the second sprocket to the first diameter of the first sprocket is about 1.33.

16. A track system for a work vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of rollers comprising at least one bogie roller and at least one idler roller; and
a rubber track having a groove within an inner surface of the rubber track, wherein the inner surface is configured to contact respective support surfaces of each of the at least one bogie roller and at least one idler roller, the groove extends along an entire longitudinal extent of the inner surface, contact surfaces formed on opposite lateral sides of the groove are configured to engage corresponding raised portions of each of at least one bogie roller and at least on

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Lewis Brady Dorr
• Frey Emory L
• Moffitt John M

Classifications

• E02F3/7609

  Scraper blade mounted forwardly of the tractor on a pair of pivoting arms which are linked to the sides of the tractor, e.g. bulldozers · CPC title

• B62D55/14

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title

• B62D55/202

  Wheel engaging parts; Wheel guides on links · CPC title

• B62D55/125

  Final drives · CPC title

• B62D55/13

  readily interchangeable modular type · CPC title