Rubber track unit for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214319-B2
Application number	US-201916424800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2019
Priority date	Jun 5, 2013
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

The present invention is related to a track unit for a vehicle, such as an agricultural harvesting combine. The track unit according to a first embodiment of the invention comprises one or more bogies arranged between front and rear guide wheels. The bogies are provided with wheel pairs that are rotatably arranged about a longitudinal axis of the bogie itself, and are thereby capable of adapting individually to transversal oscillations caused by the terrain. Preferably, the bogies are furthermore equipped to adapt to longitudinal oscillations as well, by the longitudinal portion of the bogie being rotatable about a transversal axis. According to a second embodiment, the track unit of the invention is equipped with a cutter, non-rotatably mounted on one or both outer faces of the rear guide wheel, in a position where said wheel is in direct contact with the track, the cutter being configured to cut crop material that is transported upwards between the rear guide wheel and the track when the track unit moves forward.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A track unit for a vehicle, comprising:
a track;
a drive wheel configured to drive the track;
a chassis; and
at least one bogie suspended from the chassis, the at least one bogie comprising:
a longitudinal portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the at least one bogie;
a first axle portion coupled to the longitudinal portion; and
a first pair of bogie wheels coupled to the first axle portion, the first pair of bogie wheels being supported for rotation relative to the first axle portion about a first wheel rotational axis extending transverse to and intersecting the longitudinal axis;

wherein the first axle portion is pivotably coupled to the longitudinal portion such that the first axle portion is pivotable relative to the longitudinal portion about the longitudinal axis.

2. The track unit of claim 1 , further comprising a second axle portion coupled to the longitudinal portion and a second pair of bogie wheels coupled to the second axle portion, the second pair of bogie wheels being supported for rotation relative to the second axle portion about a second wheel rotational axis extending transverse to and intersecting the longitudinal axis, the second axle portion being pivotably coupled to the longitudinal portion such that the second axle portion is pivotable relative to the longitudinal portion about the longitudinal axis.

3. The track unit of claim 2 , wherein the first and second axle portions are independently coupled to the longitudinal portion such that the first axle portion is configured to pivot relative to the longitudinal portion about the longitudinal axis independent of the second axle portion.

4. The track unit of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal portion includes a first end and an opposed second end and extends along the longitudinal axis between the first and second ends, the first axle portion being pivotably coupled to the first end of the longitudinal portion and the second axle portion being pivotably coupled to the second end of the longitudinal portion.

5. The track unit of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal portion is supported relative to the chassis for pivoting about a transversal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

6. The track unit of claim 5 , wherein the transversal axis and the longitudinal axis are located in a common plane.

7. A track unit for a vehicle, comprising:
a track;
a drive wheel configured to drive the track;
a chassis; and
at least one bogie suspended from the chassis, the at least one bogie comprising:
a longitudinal portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the at least one bogie, the longitudinal portion being supported relative to the chassis for pivoting about a transversal axis separate from the longitudinal axis;
a first axle portion coupled to the longitudinal portion; and
a first pair of bogie wheels coupled to the first axle portion, the first axle portion being pivotably coupled to the longitudinal portion such that the first axle portion is pivotable relative to the longitudinal portion about the longitudinal axis,

wherein the transversal axis and the longitudinal axis are located in a common plane.

8. The track unit of claim 7 , wherein the first pair of bogie wheels are supported for rotation relative to the first axle portion about a first wheel rotational axis extending transverse to and intersecting the longitudinal axis.

9. The track unit of claim 7 , wherein the transversal axis is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

10. The track unit of claim 7 , further comprising a second axle portion coupled to the longitudinal portion and a second pair of bogie wheels coupled to the second axle portion, the second axle portion being pivotably coupled to the longitudinal portion such that the second axle portion is pivotable relative to the longitudinal portion about the longitudinal axis.

11. The track unit of claim 10 , wherein the second pair of bogie wheels is supported for rotation relative to the second axle portion about a second wheel rotational axis extending transverse to and intersecting the longitudinal axis.

12. The track unit of claim 10 , wherein the first and second axle portions are independently coupled to the longitudinal portion such that the first axle portion is configured to pivot relative to the longitudinal portion about the longitudinal axis independent of the second axle portion.

13. The track unit of claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal portion includes a first end and an opposed second end and extends along the longitudinal axis between the first and second ends, the first axle portion being pivotably coupled to the first end of the longitudinal portion and the second axle portion being pivotably coupled to the second end of the longitudinal portion.

14. A track unit for a vehicle, comprising:
a track;
a drive wheel configured to drive the track;
a chassis;
front and rear guide wheels coupled to the chassis;
a front support bracket;
a front bogie coupled to the front support bracket, the front support bracket including a first end coupled to a portion of the front bogie and a second end pivotably supported relative to the chassis at a pivot point defined between the front guide wheel and the front bogie;
a rear support bracket; and
a rear bogie coupled to the rear support bracket, the rear support bracket including a first end coupled to a portion of the rear bogie and a second end pivotably supported relative to the chassis at a pivot point defined between the rear guide wheel and the rear bogie;
wherein the front and rear support brackets independently suspend the front and rear bogies, respectively, relative to the chassis.

15. The track unit of claim 14 , further comprising a front actuator coupled between the chassis and the front support bracket, the front actuator configured to apply a downward force on the front bogie.

16. The track unit of claim 15 , further comprising a rear actuator coupled between the chassis and the rear support bracket, the rear actuator configured to apply a downward force on the rear bogie.

17. The track unit of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the front bogie or the rear bogie comprises:
a longitudinal portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the at least one of the front bogie or the rear bogie;
an axle portion; and
a pair of bogie wheels coupled to the axle portion, the axle portion being pivotably coupled to the longitudinal portion such that the axle portion is pivotable relative to the longitudinal portion about the longitudinal axis.

18. The track unit of claim 17 , wherein the pair of bogie wheels is supported for rotation relative to the axle portion about a wheel rotational axis extending transverse to and intersecting the longitudinal axis.

19. The track unit of claim 17 , wherein the longitudinal portion is supported relative to the chassis for pivoting about a transversal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

20. The track unit of claim 19 , wherein the transversal axis and the longitudinal axis are located in a common plane.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Piens Patrick
• Vandendriessche Jean-Pierre
• Verheye Carlos J A

Classifications

• B62D55/10 Primary

  Bogies; Frames (track-tensioning means B62D55/30) · CPC title

• B62D55/15

  Mounting devices, e.g. bushings, axles, bearings, sealings {(with lubrication means B62D55/092)} · CPC title

• 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

• B62D55/112

  with fluid springs, e.g. hydraulic pneumatic · CPC title