Idler for a machine undercarriage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469358-B2
Application number	US-201313926691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2013
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

An idler for a machine undercarriage includes a hub. The idler may also include a body extending radially outward from the hub, the body including a single solid disk with a first substantially planar side and a second substantially planar side opposite the first substantially planar side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An idler for a machine undercarriage, comprising:
a hub; and
a separate body extending radially outward from the hub, the body including a single solid disk with a first substantially planar side and a second substantially planar side opposite the first substantially planar side,
wherein a radially outer portion of the body is harder than another portion of the body.

2. The idler of claim 1 , wherein an outer radial surface of the body includes a center tread surface without depressed tread shoulders.

3. The idler of claim 2 , wherein the center tread surface includes a substantially cylindrical surface.

4. The idler of claim 3 , wherein the first substantially planar side and the second substantially planar side are substantially parallel to one another.

5. The idler of claim 2 , wherein the first substantially planar side and the second substantially planar side are substantially parallel to one another.

6. The idler of claim 1 , wherein the first substantially planar side and the second substantially planar side are substantially parallel to one another.

7. The idler of claim 1 , wherein the center tread surface includes a substantially cylindrical surface.

8. The idler of claim 1 , wherein the solid disk is free of welded joints within itself.

9. The idler of claim 8 , wherein the solid disk is secured to the hub by welds.

10. The idler of claim 1 , wherein the solid disk is secured to the hub by at least one weld.

11. The idler of claim 1 , wherein the hub is constructed from a single, unitary piece of parent material.

12. The idler of claim 1 , wherein:
an outer radial portion of the solid disk is configured to fit in a gap between laterally spaced pairs of track links of a link assembly; and
the outer radial portion of the solid disk has a width of between about 50% and about 90% of a width of the gap.

13. The idler of claim 1 , wherein:
the solid disk includes an inwardly facing substantially cylindrical mounting face in the center of the solid disk; and
the hub includes an outwardly facing substantially cylindrical mounting face engaged to the inwardly facing substantially cylindrical mounting face of the solid disk.

14. An idler for a machine undercarriage, comprising:
a hub; and
a separate body extending radially outward from the hub, wherein the body includes
a first side surface,
a second side surface opposite the first side surface,
an outer radial surface having a center tread surface without depressed tread shoulders, and
a radially outer portion that is harder than another portion of the body.

15. The idler of claim 14 , wherein the center tread surface includes a substantially cylindrical surface.

16. The idler of claim 15 , wherein:
the first side surface is substantially planar; and
the second side surface is substantially planar.

17. The idler of claim 16 , wherein the first side surface is substantially parallel to the second side surface.

18. The idler of claim 14 , wherein the center tread surface includes a substantially cylindrical surface extending from the first side surface to the second side surface.

19. The idler of claim 14 , wherein the body is free of welded joints within itself.

20. The idler of claim 19 , wherein the body is secured to the hub by at least one weld.

21. An idler for a machine undercarriage, comprising:
a hub;
a separate body extending radially outward from the hub, the body including a single solid disk with
a substantially planar first side,
a substantially planar second side opposite the substantially planar first side, the substantially planar second side extending substantially parallel to the first side,
a substantially cylindrical outer tread surface extending from the first side to the second side, and
a radially outer portion that is harder than another portion of the body.

22. The idler of claim 21 , wherein:
the solid disk includes an inwardly facing substantially cylindrical mounting face in the center of the solid disk; and
the hub includes an outwardly facing substantially cylindrical mounting face engaged to the inwardly facing substantially cylindrical mounting face of the solid disk.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Meyer Robert L
• Kaufmann Gregory J
• Diekevers Mark S
• Thorson Timothy A

Classifications

• B62D55/15

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

• B62D55/21

  Links connected by transverse pivot pins · CPC title

• B62D55/14 Primary

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title

• B62D55/28

  detachable · CPC title