Seal for rotating sleeve track

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020122792-A1
Application number	US-201816168732-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2018
Priority date	Oct 23, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A closed-loop seal having an irregularly shaped profile to seal a pivot assembly of a track assembly comprises a body comprising an inner diameter wall, an outer diameter wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, wherein at least one pairing of the inner and outer walls and the first and second sidewalls are non-parallel. The irregularly shaped profile can comprise a curved rectangular profile or a trapezoidal profile. Walls of the body can be joined at curved surfaces having uniform or different radii of curvature. The seal can comprise urethane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A track joint assembly comprising:
a first track link comprising a first through bore; a second track link comprising:
a second through bore; and
a counterbore;
a pin extending through the first through bore and the second through bore; a first bushing surrounding the pin within the second through bore; a second bushing surrounding the first bushing adjacent the counterbore; and a seal disposed in the counterbore, the seal comprising:
a seal body surrounding the first busing, the seal body having an irregular cross-sectional area configured to non-uniformly seal a gap between the counterbore and the second bushing.

2 . The track joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein the irregular cross-sectional area comprises a curved rectangular profile.

3 . The track joint assembly of claim 2 , wherein the curved rectangular profile comprises:
a first pair of straight parallel sides; and a second pair of curved concentric sides.

4 . The track joint assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second pair of curved concentric sides comprises:
a first convex side configured to engage the first bushing; and a second concave side configured to face toward a circumferential surface of the counterbore.

5 . The track joint assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first pair of straight parallel sides are joined to the first concave side at first and second curved surfaces having radii that are equal.

6 . The track joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein the irregular cross-sectional area comprises a trapezoidal profile.

7 . The track joint assembly of claim 6 , wherein the trapezoidal profile comprises:
a first pair of straight oblique sides disposed between the counterbore and the second busing; and a second pair of straight parallel sides connecting the first pair of straight oblique sides.

8 . The track joint assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first pair of straight oblique sides comprises:
a narrow end configured to engage the first bushing; and a wide end configured to engage the counterbore.

9 . The track joint assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first pair of straight oblique sides are joined to the wide end of the second pair of straight parallel sides at first and second curved surfaces having radii that are different.

10 . The track joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a urethane material.

11 . A ring seal having an irregularly shaped cross-sectional profile to seal a pivot assembly of a track assembly, the ring seal comprising:
a body comprising:
an inner diameter wall;
an outer diameter wall;
a first sidewall; and
a second sidewall;
wherein at least one pairing of the inner and outer walls and the first and second sidewalls are non-parallel.

12 . The ring seal of claim 11 , wherein the body defines a curved rectangular profile comprising:
the first side wall and the second sidewall being straight and parallel to each other; the inner diameter wall having a convex curved shape; and the outer diameter wall having a concave curved shape; wherein the convex curved shape and the concave curved shape have the same radius of curvature.

13 . The ring seal of claim 11 , wherein the body defines a trapezoidal profile comprising:
the outer diameter wall and the inner diameter wall being straight and parallel to each other; the first sidewall being straight and extending oblique to the outer and inner diameter walls; and the second sidewall being straight and extending oblique to the outer and inner diameter walls: wherein the first sidewall is longer than the second sidewall due to the first sidewall and the second sidewall connecting to the outer diameter wall with different radii.

14 . The ring seal of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first track assembly bushing disposed within the O-ring seal; and a second track assembly bushing disposed about the first track assembly bushing adjacent the O-ring seal; wherein the O-ring seal comprises:
a first diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the first track bushing; and
a second diameter less than an outer diameter of the second track bushing.

15 . The ring seal of claim 11 , wherein the body comprises a urethane material.

16 . A bushing assembly for a track assembly, the bushing assembly comprising:
an inner bushing having an outer diameter surface; an outer bushing having a through bore extending from a first end of the outer bushing to a second end of the outer bushing and defining an inner diameter surface: a passage disposed between the outer diameter surface and the inner diameter surface; and a closed-loop seal having a non-uniform cross-sectional profile located on the outer diameter surface against the first end of the outer bushing to seal the passage.

17 . The bushing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the non-uniform cross-sectional profile of the closed-loop seal comprises:
a radially inner surface that is convex; a radially outer surface that is concave; a first side wall connecting the radially inner and radially outer surfaces; and a second side wall connecting the radially inner and radially outer surfaces, the first and second side walls being parallel.

18 . The hushing assembly of claim 17 , further comprising:
a first curved surface joining the radially outer surface and the first side wall, the first curved surface having a first radius; and a second curved surface joining the radially outer surface and the second side wall, the second curved surface having a second radius; wherein the first radius and the second radius are equal.

19 . The hushing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the non-uniform cross-sectional profile of the closed-loop seal comprises:
a first side wall that is straight; a second side wall that is straight, the first and second side walls being oblique; a radially outer surface connecting the radially inner and radially outer surfaces; a radially inner surface connecting the radially inner and radially outer surfaces, the radially inner and radially outer surfaces being parallel.

20 . The bushing assembly of claim 19 , further comprising:
a first curved surface joining the radially outer surface and the first side wall, the first curved surface having a first radius; and a second curved surface joining the radially outer surface and the second side wall, the second curved surface having a second radius; wherein the first radius and the second radius are different.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Lian Hong
• Kiesel Mark J
• Sebright Jason L
• Johannsen Eric J

Classifications

• B62D55/21 Primary

  Links connected by transverse pivot pins · CPC title

• F16J15/106

  homogeneous · CPC title

• B62D55/092

  with lubrication means (lubricating in general F16N) · CPC title

• B62D55/0887 Primary

  Track-articulation sealings against dust, water, mud or the like (sealing of bearings in general F16C33/72; chain bushings in general F16G15/00) · CPC title