Track roller assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9908572-B2
Application number	US-201514864519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A track roller frame is provided for an endless track. The track roller frame includes a shaft including a body portion and a flange. A first bearing assembly rotatably supports a first rim portion on the shaft and a second bearing assembly rotatably supports a second rim portion on the shaft. Each of the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly includes a first leg that extends in the axial direction and is disposed along the body portion of the shaft and a second leg that extends in the radial direction and is disposed along the flange. A respective inner surface of each of the first rim portion and the second rim portion that faces the bearing assembly includes a plurality of lubricant pockets for receiving lubricant. Each of the lubricant pockets is configured and arranged such that lubricant contained therein is in fluid communication with the bearing assembly.

First claim

We claim:

1. A track roller assembly for an endless track comprising:
a shaft including a body portion and a flange that extends in a radial direction away from the body portion, the shaft having a rotational axis that defines an axial direction;
a first rim portion and a second rim portion that are connected together;
a first bearing assembly rotatably supporting the first rim portion on the shaft, being spaced and a second bearing assembly rotatably supporting the second rim portion on the shaft, each of the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly includes a first leg that extends in the axial direction and is disposed along the body portion of the shaft and a second leg that extends in the radial direction and is disposed along the flange; and
wherein a respective inner surface of each of the first rim portion and the second rim portion that faces the bearing assembly includes a plurality of lubricant pockets for receiving lubricant, each of the lubricant pockets being configured and arranged such that lubricant contained therein is in fluid communication with the bearing assembly and the inner surface of each of the first and second rim portions that includes the lubricant pockets is an inner radial surface that faces the first leg of the respective bearing assembly and the lubricant pockets are spaced away from each other in a circumferential direction of the respective inner surface and extend uninterrupted along the axial direction.

2. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein the lubricant pockets are spaced equidistance from each other in the circumferential direction of the respective inner radial surface.

3. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein each lubricant pocket includes an opening at the respective inner surface and a side wall that extends into the respective rim portion to define a cavity that communicates with the opening.

4. The track roller assembly of claim 1 further including a first seal assembly extending between the shaft and the first rim portion at a first outer axial end of the first rim portion and a second seal assembly extending between the shaft and the second rim portion at a second outer axial end of the second rim portion.

5. The track roller assembly of claim 4 further including a first collar arranged on the shaft axially outward of the first seal assembly and a second collar arranged on the shaft axially outward of the second seal assembly.

6. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second rim portions are connected together at a joint that includes a protrusion arranged on the first rim portion and a receptacle on the second rim portion in which the protrusion is received.

7. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of each of the first and second rim portions that includes the lubricant pockets is an inner axial surface that faces the second leg of the respective bearing assembly.

8. A track assembly comprising:
a track roller frame;
an endless track; and
a track roller assembly supported on the track roller frame for guiding the endless track, the track roller assembly comprising:
a shaft including a body portion and a flange that extends in a radial direction away from the body portion, the shaft having a rotational axis defining an axial direction;
a first rim portion and a second rim portion that are connected together; and
a first bearing assembly rotatably supporting the first rim portion on the shaft and a second bearing assembly rotatably supporting the second rim portion on the shaft, each of the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly includes a first leg that extends in the axial direction and is disposed along the body portion of the shaft and a second leg that extends in the radial direction and is disposed along the flange; and
wherein a respective inner surface of each of the first rim portion and the second rim portion that faces the bearing assembly includes a plurality of lubricant pockets for receiving lubricant, each of the lubricant pockets being configured and arranged such that lubricant contained therein is in fluid communication with the bearing assembly and wherein the inner surface of each of the first and second rim portions that includes the lubricant pockets is an inner radial surface that faces the first leg of the respective bearing assembly and the lubricant pockets are spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the respective inner surface and extend continuously in the axial direction.

9. The track assembly of claim 8 wherein the lubricant pockets are spaced equidistance from each other in the circumferential direction of the respective inner radial surface.

10. The track assembly of claim 8 further including a first seal assembly extending between the shaft and the first rim portion at a first outer axial end of the first rim portion and a second seal assembly extending between the shaft and the second rim portion at a second outer axial end of the second rim portion.

11. The track assembly of claim 10 further including a first collar arranged on the shaft axially outward of the first seal assembly and a second collar arranged on the shaft axially outward of the second seal assembly.

12. The track assembly of claim 8 wherein the first and second rim portions are connected together at a joint that includes a protrusion arranged on the first rim portion and a receptacle on the second rim portion in which the protrusion is received.

13. The track assembly of claim 8 wherein the inner surface of each of the first and second rim portions that includes the lubricant pockets is an inner axial surface that faces the second leg of the respective bearing assembly.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Brooks Jennifer A
• Grandi Enrico
• Succi Maurizio
• Recker Roger L

Classifications

• B62D55/32

  Assembly, disassembly, repair or servicing of endless-track systems · CPC title

• B62D55/092 Primary

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

• B62D55/08

  Endless track units; Parts thereof · CPC title

• 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