Wheel designs for use within a track assembly of a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10227100-B2
Application number	US-201615265969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2016
Priority date	Sep 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A track wheel may include a wheel rim having an outer rim wall extending axially between first and second sides of the track wheel. The wheel rim may also include a first side wall extending radially inwardly from the outer rim wall along the first side of the wheel such that an inner end of the first side wall is spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall. The track wheel may also include a hub disc extending radially within the wheel rim between an inner end and an outer end. In addition, the track wheel may include a first shield wall extending axially between the inner end of the first side wall and the hub disc. The first shield wall may be spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall such that a radial gap is defined between the first shield wall and the outer rim wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track wheel for use within a track assembly of a work vehicle, the track wheel comprising:
a wheel rim including an outer rim wall extending axially between a first side and a second side of the track wheel, the wheel rim further including a first side wall extending radially inwardly from the outer rim wall along the first side of the wheel such that an inner end of the first side wall is spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall;
a hub disc extending radially within the wheel rim between a radially inner end and a radially outer end, the radially outer end being axially offset from the radially inner end, the radially inner end defining a central opening configured to receive at least a portion of a hub assembly of the work vehicle, the radially outer end being positioned adjacent to a portion of the wheel rim; and
a first shield wall extending axially between the inner end of the first side wall and the hub disc, the first shield wall being spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall such that a radial gap is defined between the first shield wall and the outer rim wall, the first shield wall and the hub disc partially defining a cavity exposed to an operating environment of the work vehicle,
wherein the outer rim wall defines an outer circumferential surface of the wheel rim having a cylindrical shape extending from the first side wall towards the second side of the track wheel to at least an axial location of the radially outer end of the hub disc.

2. The track wheel of claim 1 , wherein the outer rim wall is a first outer rim wall of the wheel rim and wherein the first outer rim wall and the first side wall form part of a first rim section of the wheel rim, further comprising:
a second rim section including a second outer rim wall coupled to the first outer rim wall at a circumferential joint defined between the first and second rim sections, the second outer rim wall extending axially between the circumferential joint and the second side of the wheel, the second rim section further including a second side wall extending radially inwardly from the second outer rim wall along the second side of the wheel such that an inner end of the second side wall is spaced radially inwardly from the second outer rim wall.

3. The track wheel of claim 2 , further comprising a second shield wall extending axially between the inner end of the second side wall and the hub disc, the second shield wall being spaced radially inwardly from the second outer rim wall such that a second radial gap is defined between the second shield wall and the second outer rim wall.

4. The track wheel of claim 3 , wherein the second shield wall is coupled to at least one of the first shield wall or the hub disc at an inner circumferential joint spaced radially inwardly from the first and second outer rim walls.

5. The track wheel of claim 3 , wherein the second shield wall forms part of the second rim section such that the second outer rim wall, the second side wall, and the second shield portion are all formed integrally with one another.

6. The track wheel of claim 3 , wherein the first and second shield walls are coupled to the hub disc at locations spaced radially inwardly from the first and second outer rim sections.

7. The track wheel of claim 2 , wherein the circumferential joint is axially aligned with the radially inner end of the hub disc.

8. The track wheel of claim 2 , wherein the circumferential joint is axially offset from the radially inner end of the hub disc.

9. The track wheel of claim 2 , wherein the first and second outer rim walls both have cylindrical shapes such that the wheel rim defines a continuous cylindrical shape extending axially from the first side wall to the second side wall.

10. The track wheel of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second side wall extending radially inwardly from the outer rim wall along the second side of the wheel such that an inner end of the second side wall is spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall; and
a second shield wall extending axially between the inner end of the second side wall and the hub disc, the second shield wall being spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall such that a second radial gap is defined between the second shield wall and the outer rim wall.

11. The track wheel of claim 10 , wherein the first and second shield walls form cone-shaped sections extending axially between the hub disc and the first and second sides of the wheel.

12. The track wheel of claim 1 , further comprising a separate shield component extending between the hub disc and the second side of the wheel, the shield component including a second side wall coupled to the outer rim wall and extending radially inwardly from the outer rim wall to an inner end, the shield component further including a second shield wall extending axially between the inner end of the second side wall and the hub disc, the second shield wall being spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall such that a second radial gap is defined between the second shield wall and the outer rim wall.

13. The track wheel of claim 1 , wherein the radially outer end of the hub disc is coupled to or formed integrally with a portion of the wheel rim.

14. The track wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first shield wall is coupled to the hub disc at a location spaced radially inwardly from the radially outer end of the hub disc.

15. A track wheel for use within a track assembly of a work vehicle, the track wheel comprising:
a wheel rim including an outer rim wall extending axially between a first side and a second side of the track wheel, the wheel rim further including a first side wall extending radially inwardly from the outer rim wall along the first side of the wheel such that an inner end of the first side wall is spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall;
a hub disc extending radially within the wheel rim between a radially inner end and a radially outer end, the radially outer end being axially offset from the radially inner end, the radially inner end defining a central opening configured to receive at least a portion of a hub assembly of the work vehicle, the radially outer end being positioned adjacent to a portion of the wheel rim; and
means including a side wall for preventing material accumulation within an interior space of the track wheel, the interior space being defined radially inwardly from the outer rim wall and extending axially between the first side wall and the hub disc, the interior space including a cavity that is exposed to an operating environment of the work vehicle, the cavity being partially defined by the hub disc and the side wall,
wherein the outer rim wall defines an outer circumferential surface of the wheel rim having a cylindrical shape extending from the first side wall towards the second side of the track wheel to at least an axial location of the radially outer end of the hub disc.

16. A track assembly for a work vehicle, the track assembly comprising:
a track;
a drive wheel configured to rotationally drive the track around a drive loop; and
a roller wheel configured to engage the track as the track is driven around the drive loop, the roller wheel comprising:
a wheel rim including an outer rim wall extending axially between a first side and a second side of the roller wheel, the wheel rim further including a first side wall extending radially inwardly from the outer rim wall along the first side of the wheel such that an inner end of the first side wall is spaced radially inwardly from the outer rim wall;
a hub disc extending radially

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Vik Brian
• Tveito David L
• Stoltman Russell V

Classifications

• B62D55/088

  with means to exclude or remove foreign matter, e.g. sealing means, self-cleaning track links or sprockets, deflector plates or scrapers · CPC title

• B62D55/14 Primary

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title

• B62D55/065

  Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks {(soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C)} · CPC title