Mobile machine track roller having a guard member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9656705-B2
Application number	US-201514667299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A track roller for a mobile machine is disclosed. The track roller may have a shaft defining a central axis, and a roller body connected to the shaft and configured to rotate around the central axis relative to the shaft. The track roller may also have a sealing member positioned between the shaft and the roller body, and a collar member secured to the shaft and at least partially covering the sealing member. A passageway having an opening may be defined between the collar member and the roller body. The track roller may further have a guard member secured to the shaft, the guard member having a main body and an upper rim extending from the main body towards the roller body. The guard member may also have a plurality of projections extending from the main body towards the roller body, and a plurality of openings formed between the upper rim and the projections.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track roller for a mobile machine, comprising:
a shaft defining a central axis;
a roller body connected to the shaft and configured to rotate around the central axis relative to the shaft;
a sealing member positioned between the shaft and the roller body;
a collar member secured to the shaft and at least partially covering the sealing member;
a passageway defined between the collar member and the roller body, the passageway including an opening;
a guard member secured to the shaft, the guard member including:
a main body;
an upper rim extending from the main body towards the roller body;
a plurality of projections extending from the main body towards the roller body, and
a plurality of openings formed between the upper rim and the projections,
wherein the upper rim extends around approximately half of a circumference of the main body and extends out to a position adjacent the roller body that is radially farther away from the central axis than the opening.

2. The track roller of claim 1 , wherein the roller body overlies at least a portion of an upper surface of the upper rim.

3. The track roller of claim 2 , wherein the roller body includes a recess and the upper rim extends into the recess.

4. The track roller of claim 1 , wherein a space is defined between the upper rim and the roller body.

5. The track roller of claim 4 , wherein the space extends substantially perpendicular to the passageway.

6. The track roller of claim 4 , wherein the space leads to an area between the guard member and the collar member.

7. The track roller of claim 4 , wherein the space is defined by a labyrinth interface that includes a pathway having a plurality of turns between the upper rim and the roller body.

8. The track roller of claim 1 , wherein the passageway leads to the sealing member.

9. The track roller of claim 8 , wherein the sealing member is a mechanical face seal.

10. The track roller of claim 1 , wherein the upper rim is shaped as an annular sector projecting from the main body.

11. The track roller of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of openings communicate an interior space, located between the guard member and the collar member, with an exterior of the guard member.

12. The track roller of claim 1 , wherein the guard member is fixed relative to the shaft.

13. The track roller of claim 12 , wherein the main body of the guard member includes a bore that is press-fit onto the shaft.

14. A track roller for a mobile machine, comprising:
a shaft defining a central axis;
a roller body connected to the shaft and configured to rotate around the central axis relative to the shaft;
a sealing member positioned between the shaft and the roller body;
a collar member secured to the shaft and at least partially covering the sealing member;
a passageway defined between the collar member and the roller body, the passageway including an opening;
a guard member secured to the shaft, the guard member including:
a main body;
an upper portion; and
a lower portion including a plurality of openings,

wherein the plurality of openings are located around approximately half of a circumference of the guard member, and communicate an interior space, located between the guard member and the collar member, with an exterior of the guard member.

15. The track roller of claim 14 , wherein the upper portion includes an upper rim and the lower portion includes a plurality of projections, and wherein opposing ends of the upper rim and the plurality of projections define the plurality of openings.

16. The track roller of claim 15 , wherein the upper rim and the plurality of projections are shaped as annular sectors projecting from the main body.

17. The track roller of claim 15 , wherein the roller body overlies at least a portion of an upper surface of the upper rim.

18. The track roller of claim 15 , wherein a space is defined between the upper rim and the roller body, and wherein the space leads to the area between the main body and the collar member.

19. The track roller of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of openings are equally spaced around a perimeter of the guard member.

20. A track roller for a mobile machine, comprising:
a shaft defining a central axis;
a roller body connected to the shaft and configured to rotate around the central axis relative to the shaft;
a sealing member positioned between the shaft and the roller body;
a collar member secured to the shaft and at least partially covering the sealing member;
a passageway defined between the collar member and the roller body, the passageway including an opening;
a guard member secured to the shaft, the guard member including:
a main body;
a closed upper portion including an upper rim extending from the main body towards the roller body; and
a partially-open lower portion including a plurality of openings,

wherein the upper rim extends out to a position adjacent the roller body that is radially farther away from the central axis than the opening into the passageway, and
wherein the plurality of openings communicate an interior space, located between the main body and the collar member, with an exterior of the guard member.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Kalmes Donald John
• Weeks Allen Jay
• Haas Connor John
• Hoyt Timothy Richard

Classifications

• B62D55/14

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title

• B62D55/15

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

• B62D55/088 Primary

  with means to exclude or remove foreign matter, e.g. sealing means, self-cleaning track links or sprockets, deflector plates or scrapers · CPC title