Track joint assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9505453-B2
Application number	US-201414461304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2013
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed are various exemplary embodiments of a track joint assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the track joint assembly may include a first link having a first bore. The track joint assembly may also include a second link having a second bore including first and second portions. The first and second portions may have different diameters. In addition, the track joint assembly may include a solid pin positioned at least partially within the first bore. The track joint may also include a bushing positioned coaxially around the pin. The bushing may include an axial end portion disposed in and contacting the first portion of the second bore. The bushing may also include an axial end-adjacent portion disposed in and contacting the second portion of the second bore. An outer diameter of the end-adjacent portion may be larger than an outer diameter of the end portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track joint assembly, comprising:
a first link having a first bore;
a second link having a second bore, the second bore including first and second bore portions, the first and second bore portions having different diameters;
a solid pin positioned at least partially within the first bore; and
a bushing positioned coaxially around the pin, and including:
an axial end portion disposed in and directly contacting the first bore portion of the second bore; and
an axial end-adjacent portion disposed in and directly contacting the second bore portion of the second bore,
wherein an outer diameter of the end-adjacent portion is larger than an outer diameter of the end portion.

2. The track joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the bushing includes a middle portion that is separated from the end portion by the end-adjacent portion; and
an outer diameter of the middle portion is larger than the outer diameter of the end-adjacent portion.

3. The track joint assembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the second bore has a third bore portion; and
the middle portion is positioned at least partially within the third bore portion.

4. The track joint assembly of claim 2 , wherein the outer diameter of the middle portion is between approximately 1.25 and approximately 2.00 times the outer diameter of the end portion.

5. The track joint assembly of claim 4 , wherein the outer diameter of the middle portion is approximately 1.49 times the outer diameter of the end portion.

6. The track joint assembly of claim 1 , including a thrust ring positioned at an axial end of the end portion.

7. The track joint assembly of claim 6 , including a seal assembly positioned radially outward of the thrust ring, and contacting the second link.

8. The track joint assembly of claim 7 , wherein the thrust ring has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the end portion.

9. A track joint assembly, comprising:
a first link having a first bore, the first bore including first and second bore portions, the first and second bore portions having different diameters;
a second link having a second bore; and
a bushing including:
a first axial end portion disposed in and directly contacting the first bore portion of the first bore;
a first axial end-adjacent portion disposed in and directly contacting the second bore portion of the first bore; and
a second axial end portion disposed in and contacting the second bore,
wherein an outer diameter of the first end-adjacent portion is larger than an outer diameter of the first axial end portion.

10. The track joint assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the bushing includes a middle portion between the first axial end-adjacent portion and the second axial end portion; and
an outer diameter of the middle portion is larger than the outer diameter of the first axial end-adjacent portion.

11. The track joint assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the first bore has a third bore portion; and
the middle portion is positioned at least partially within the third bore portion.

12. The track joint assembly of claim 10 , wherein the outer diameter of the middle portion is between approximately 1.25 and approximately 2.00 times the outer diameter of the first axial end portion.

13. The track joint assembly of claim 12 , wherein the outer diameter of the middle portion is approximately 1.49 times the outer diameter of the first axial end portion.

14. The track joint assembly of claim 9 , including a thrust ring positioned at an axial end of the first axial end portion.

15. The track joint assembly of claim 14 , including a seal assembly positioned radially outward of the thrust ring, and contacting the first link.

16. The track joint assembly of claim 15 , wherein the thrust ring has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the first axial end portion.

17. A track joint assembly, comprising:
a first link having a first bore;
a second link having a second bore; and
a bushing including:
a first axial end portion directly contacting the first bore;
a second axial end portion directly contacting the second bore; and
a middle portion between the first and second axial end portions,
wherein the middle portion has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the first and second axial end portions.

18. The track joint assembly of claim 17 , wherein the middle portion is positioned at least partially within both the first and second bores and has an outer diameter that is between approximately 1.25 and approximately 2.00 times the outer diameter of the first and second axial end portions.

19. The track joint assembly of claim 17 , wherein the outer diameter of the middle portion is approximately 1.49 times the outer diameter of the first axial end portion.

20. The track joint assembly of claim 17 , including a thrust ring positioned at an axial end of the first axial end portion.

21. The track joint assembly of claim 20 , including a seal assembly positioned radially outward of the thrust ring, and contacting the first link.

22. The track joint assembly of claim 21 , wherein the thrust ring has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the first axial end portion.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Brewer Caroline Marie
• Kaufmann Gregory Jerome
• Thorson Timothy Arthur
• Steiner Kevin Lee
• Diekevers Mark Steven
• Akinlua Temitope Olayemi
• Meyer Robert Lee

Classifications

• B62D55/21

  Links connected by transverse pivot pins · 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