Power distribution through undercarriage idler wheels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994794-B2
Application number	US-201816140831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2018
Priority date	Sep 25, 2018
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

An undercarriage assembly for a tracked vehicle with a prime mover that provides a torque to the tracked vehicle, a final drive sprocket configured to provide a final drive torque on a track, a transmission mechanically coupled to the prime mover and the final drive sprocket to selectively transfer at least some of the torque generated by the prime mover to the final drive sprocket, at least one idler wheel that contacts the track, and an electric motor that provides an idler torque to the at least one idler wheel. Wherein, torque is distributed to the track through both the final drive sprocket and the idler wheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An undercarriage assembly for a tracked vehicle, comprising:
a prime mover that provides a torque to the tracked vehicle;
a final drive sprocket configured to provide a final drive torque on a track;
a transmission mechanically coupled to the prime mover and the final drive sprocket to selectively transfer at least some of the torque generated by the prime mover to the final drive sprocket;
an undercarriage frame coupled to the tracked vehicle;
a rocker arm pivotally coupled to the undercarriage frame about a pivot, the rocker arm configured to pivot about the pivot relative to the undercarriage frame;
at least one idler wheel rotationally coupled to the rocker arm and that contacts the track; and
an electric drive system that includes an electric motor and a motor housing, where the electric motor provides an idler torque to the at least one idler wheel;
wherein, torque is distributed to the track through both the final drive sprocket and the idler wheel;
wherein the electric drive system is coupled to the rocker arm and is configured to pivot about the pivot relative to the undercarriage frame; and the motor housing defines a suspension mount between the motor housing and the undercarriage frame.

2. The undercarriage assembly of claim 1 , further wherein the electric motor is coupled to a motor sprocket and the idler wheel is coupled to an idler sprocket.

3. The undercarriage assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a chain or belt rotationally coupling the motor sprocket to the idler sprocket.

4. The undercarriage assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a geared reduction between the motor and the motor sprocket.

5. The undercarriage assembly of claim 4 , further wherein the geared reduction has a first reduction planetary drive and a second reduction planetary drive.

6. The undercarriage assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a clutch coupled to the motor sprocket, wherein the clutch selectively releases the rotational coupling between a motor output and the motor sprocket.

7. The undercarriage assembly of claim 6 , further wherein the clutch is selectively disengaged by an electro-hydraulic system.

8. A track assembly for a work machine, comprising:
an undercarriage frame coupled to the work machine;
a final drive rotationally coupled to the work machine;
a transmission mechanically coupled to the final drive and a prime mover, the transmission selectively providing torque to the final drive;
a rocker arm pivotally coupled to the work machine about a pivot, the rocker arm configured to pivot about the pivot relative to the undercarriage frame;
an idler wheel rotationally coupled to the rocker arm; and
an electric drive system coupled to the idler wheel to selectively provide torque to the idler wheel;
wherein, torque is provided to a track of the track assembly through both the final drive and the idler wheel;
wherein the electric drive system is coupled to the rocker arm and is configured to pivot about the pivot relative to the undercarriage frame; and
wherein the electric drive system comprises a motor housing that defines a suspension mount between the motor housing and the undercarriage frame.

9. The track assembly of claim 8 , further wherein the electric drive system comprises:
an electric motor mounted to the rocker arm;
a motor sprocket coupled to a motor output assembly;
an idler sprocket coupled to the idler wheel; and
a chain or belt rotationally coupling the motor sprocket to the idler sprocket.

10. The track assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a geared reduction between the motor and the motor sprocket.

11. The track assembly of claim 9 , further wherein the electric drive system includes a clutch coupled to the motor sprocket, wherein the clutch selectively releases the rotational coupling between the motor output assembly and the motor sprocket.

12. The undercarriage assembly of claim 2 , wherein the idler wheel includes an inner idler wheel and an outer idler wheel spaced from the inner idler wheel, and further wherein the idler sprocket is located between the inner idler wheel and the outer idler wheel.

13. The track assembly of claim 8 , further wherein the electric drive system includes an electric motor coupled to a right angle drive assembly via shafts, wherein the right angle drive assembly provides torque to the idler wheel.

14. A track assembly for a work machine, comprising:
an undercarriage frame coupled to the work machine;
a final drive rotationally coupled to the work machine;
a transmission mechanically coupled to the final drive and a prime mover, the transmission selectively providing torque to the final drive;
a rocker arm pivotally coupled to the undercarriage frame about a pivot, the rocker arm configured to pivot about the pivot relative to the undercarriage frame;
an idler wheel rotationally coupled to the rocker arm, wherein the idler wheel includes an inner idler wheel and an outer idler wheel spaced from the inner idler wheel; and
an electric drive system coupled to the idler wheel to selectively provide torque to the idler wheel, wherein the electric drive system comprises a motor positioned at least partially between the inner idler wheel and the outer idler wheel;
wherein, torque is provided to a track of the track assembly through both the final drive and the idler wheel.

15. The track assembly of claim 14 , further wherein the motor of the electric drive system has a diameter that is greater than a thickness of the motor and the motor selectively drives the idler wheel by providing torque to an idler wheel shaft.

16. The track assembly of claim 14 , wherein the electric drive system includes an electric motor coupled to a right angle drive assembly via shafts, wherein the right angle drive assembly provides torque to the idler wheel.

17. A torque delivery system for a work machine, comprising:
a prime mover that generates torque;
a plurality of track assemblies;
a transmission mechanically coupling the prime mover to each of the plurality of track assemblies to provide torque thereto;
a generator mechanically coupled to the prime mover to convert torque from the prime mover into electrical energy; and
an electric drive system mounted on at least one of the plurality of track assemblies;
an undercarriage frame coupled to the work machine;
wherein the at least one of the plurality of track assemblies includes a rocker arm pivotally coupled to the undercarriage frame about a pivot and the electric drive system is coupled to the rocker arm, where the rocker arm and the electric drive system are configured to pivot about the pivot relative to the undercarriage frame;
wherein the electric drive system comprises a motor housing, and the motor housing defines a suspension mount between the motor housing and the undercarriage frame;
wherein, both the electric drive system and the transmission provide torque to at least one of the plurality of track assemblies.

18. The torque delivery system of claim 17 , further wherein the plurality of track assemblies include four separate track assemblies wherein at least two of the track assemblies have an electric drive system.

19. The torque delivery system of claim 18 , further wherein each of the four separate track assemblies have an electric drive system.

20. The torque delivery system of claim 19 , further wherein the electric drive system comprises:
an electric motor mounted to the rocker arm;
a motor sprocket coupled to a motor output assem

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kreis Edwin R
• Bowman Dennis A
• Warren Charles N

Classifications

• B62D55/104

  Suspension devices for wheels, rollers, bogies or frames (vehicle suspension in general B60G) · CPC title

• B60K17/08

  of mechanical type · CPC title

• B62D55/065

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

• B60K7/0007

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• F16H7/06

  with chains · CPC title