Machine axle housing with integrated oil circulation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9238386-B2
Application number	US-201313843584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A machine axle housing includes a central body having an oil reservoir and a pair of axle legs. The central body includes a ring gear, an oil channel, and oil port for conveying oil through an oil conduit to each leg. Machine brakes within the central body include at least one disc rotatably adapted to centrifugally move oil radially outwardly of the brakes. A second oil channel collects oil from the disc, and a passageway extends from the second oil channel back to the central body to return oil from the legs back to the central body. The ring gear, first oil channel and first oil conduit define a first oil lubrication sub-system for moving oil from the central body to right and left legs, and the disc, second oil channel, and passageway define a second oil lubrication sub-system for moving oil from the legs back to the central body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A supply and return axle leg oil circulation system for an axle housing assembly, comprising:
an axle housing including a central body defining a first axis, a pair of legs extending from the central body, each leg extending along the first axis, each leg extending oppositely of the other from the central body;
a ring gear situated within the central body, the central body including a central cavity including an axle oil reservoir, a portion of the ring gear adapted to interface with the axle oil reservoir, the ring gear rotatable about the axis;
a right leg defining a right leg cavity and a left leg defining a left leg cavity, the central cavity disposed between the right and left leg cavities;
a first oil conduit extending from the central body to one leg and a second oil conduit extending from the central body to the second leg, the first and second conduits adapted to transport oil out of the central body and into each leg;
a right axle extending axially from the central body, a left axle extending axially from the central body, the right and left axles enclosed in the right and left leg cavities respectively, the first and second oil conduits supplying oil for lubricating the right and left axles;
a pair of brake assemblies situated along the axis at axially outboard portions of the central body, each brake assembly situated within the central body, wherein each brake assembly is positioned on an opposite side of the ring gear, each brake assembly including a central brake hub and at least one disc, each brake assembly rotatably adapted to receive return oil from along the respective axle shaft of each leg and centrifugally move oil radially outwardly therefrom;
a third and fourth oil conduit situated radially outwardly of each brake assembly, each of the third and fourth oil conduits extending radially and axially from each respective brake assembly toward the central body, the third and fourth oil conduits being adapted to accommodate transfer of oil from the legs back to the central body;
wherein the ring gear, a pinion gear, and first and second oil conduits comprise an outbound first axle leg oil porting system adapted for supply of oil to the legs from the central body; and
wherein the at least one disc of each brake assembly, along with the third and fourth oil conduits, comprise an inbound second oil porting system adapted for return of oil from the legs to the central body.

2. The supply and return axle leg oil circulation system of claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth conduits each comprise a second oil channel and a return oil passageway within the central body, wherein the second oil channel interfaces with the return oil passageway, and wherein the return oil passageway defines a unidirectional flow of oil from the brakes toward the central body and away from the legs.

3. The supply and return axle leg oil circulation system of claim 1 , wherein the pinion gear is disposed along an axis, the pinion gear positioned orthogonally to the ring gear axis, wherein the pinion gear is meshed with the ring gear, and wherein the pinion gear is adapted to drive the ring gear.

4. The supply and return axle leg oil circulation system of claim 1 , wherein the third conduit and the fourth conduit are axially spaced apart at respective outboard ends of the central body.

5. The supply and return axle leg oil circulation system of claim 1 , wherein a first channel, an oil port, and the first and second oil conduits define an oil lubrication supply subsystem adapted to supply oil from the central body to the legs.

6. The supply and return axle leg oil circulation system of claim 1 , wherein the brake assembly including a central brake hub and at least one disc, the central hub having a plurality of impellers.

7. The supply and return axle leg oil circulation system of claim 6 , wherein the brake assembly having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots, the slots being positioned radially outwardly of the impellers.

8. The supply and return axle leg oil circulation system of claim 7 , wherein the slots extend radially outwardly from the central brake hub to facilitate transfer of oil to the third and fourth conduits.

9. An integrated axle oil lubrication system, comprising:
an axle housing having an axis and including a central body having an oil reservoir;
a ring gear disposed within the central body, the ring gear rotatable about the axis, and adapted to interface with the oil reservoir for distributing oil radially within the central body;
a pair of axle housing legs extending axially and oppositely of one another from the central body, the central body defining an interior wall having a first oil channel and a first oil port in communication with the first oil channel, the first oil channel and the first oil port adapted to convey oil externally of the central body;
an oil conduit secured to the first oil port of the central body for conveying oil out of the central body to each leg, the oil conduit secured to a second oil port formed at an extremity of each leg, the oil conduit and second oil port adapted for conveying oil to the extremity of each leg;
a pair of axle shafts extending axially and oppositely of one another, the pair of axle shafts enclosed in the pair of axle housing legs, the oil conduit and second oil port supplying oil for lubricating the pair of axle shafts;
a pair of brake assemblies positioned at axially outboard portions of the central body, each brake assembly situated within the central body, one brake assembly situated on each side of the ring gear, and each brake assembly including a central brake hub and at least one disc, the pair of brake assemblies rotatably adapted to receive return oil from along the respective axle shaft of each leg and centrifugally move oil radially outwardly of the brake assembly to a second oil channel;
the second oil channel situated radially outwardly of the brake assemblies, and in communication with a return oil passageway extending axially from each respective brake back to the central body, the return oil passageway accommodates transfer of oil from the second oil channel back to the central body;
wherein, the ring gear, the first oil channel, the first oil port, and the first oil conduit define a first oil lubrication sub-system adapted to move oil from the central body to the right and left housing legs; and
wherein, the brake assemblies, the at least one disc, the second oil channel and the return oil passageway define a second oil lubrication sub-system adapted to move oil from the legs back to the central body.

10. The integrated axle oil lubrication system of claim 9 , further comprising the return oil passageway extending axially from the brake assembly to the central body, wherein the second oil channel interfaces with the return oil passageway, and wherein the return oil passageway defines a unidirectional flow of oil from the brake assembly toward the central body and away from the legs.

11. The integrated axle oil lubrication system of claim 9 , wherein a pinion gear is disposed along an axis, the pinion gear positioned orthogonally to the ring gear axis, wherein the pinion gear is meshed with the ring gear, and wherein the pinion gear is adapted to drive the ring gear.

12. The integrated axle oil lubrication system of claim 9 , wherein the pair of legs comprises a right leg defining a right leg cavity, and a left leg defining a left leg cavity, and wherein the first oil conduit comprises separate right and left oil conduits, the right and left oil conduits respectively connecting the right and left leg cavities with the central body.

13. The integrat

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Dockstader Stephen
• Jensen Joshua
• Weber Jason

Classifications

• F16H57/0457

  Splash lubrication · CPC title

• B60B35/124 Primary

  of the helical or worm type · CPC title

• F16H57/0427

  on rotary parts, e.g. using baffles for collecting lubricant by centrifugal force · CPC title

• F16D2069/004

  Profiled friction surfaces, e.g. grooves, dimples · CPC title

• B60B35/163

  characterised by specific shape of the housing, e.g. adaptations to give space for other vehicle elements like chassis or exhaust system · CPC title