Work vehicle axle device
AssigneeKubota Corporation
InventorTomeo Umemoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Work vehicle axle device includes a wheel drive case utilizing a centrally disposed vertically extending first coupling portion, a centrally disposed vertically extending second coupling portion spaced from the first coupling portion and an input shaft located below an upper end of either the first or second coupling portions and being configured to transmit rotational power to wheels. The first and second coupling portions are configured to pivotally mount to the wheel drive case to a vehicle body of the work vehicle in a manner that allows the wheel drive case to pivot about an axis that, when viewed from above, is at least one of parallel to a front to back direction of the vehicle body and parallel to a centrally disposed front to back axis of the vehicle body.
Claims16
A work vehicle axle device comprising:
- a wheel drive case comprising:
- a drive case main body;
- a centrally disposed vertically extending first coupling portion;
- a centrally disposed vertically extending second coupling portion spaced from the first coupling portion;
- an input shaft located below an upper end of the second coupling portion and being configured to transmit rotational power to wheels;
- and
- a removable cover portion including a boss portion supporting the input shaft and being attachable to and detachable from the drive case main body;
- the centrally disposed vertically extending second coupling portion being integrally formed with the removable cover portion;
- said first and second coupling portions being configured to pivotally mount to the wheel drive case to a vehicle body of the work vehicle in a manner that allows the wheel drive case to pivot about an axis that, when viewed from above, is at least one of:
- parallel to a front to back direction of the vehicle body;
- and
- parallel to a centrally disposed front to back axis of the vehicle body;
- said input shaft rotating about an axis that, when viewed from above, is at least one of:
- parallel to a front to back direction of the vehicle body;
- and
- parallel to a centrally disposed front to back axis of the vehicle body;
- a steerable left wheel support arranged on a left outer end of the wheel drive case and being configured to receive a work vehicle wheel;
- a steerable right wheel support arranged on a right outer end of the wheel drive case and being configured to receive a work vehicle wheel;
- a steering cylinder arranged outside of the wheel drive case being supported by the wheel drive case at a vertical position, located below and overlapped with the first coupling portion when viewed from above,
- wherein the vertical position is between at least one of:
- the upper end of the first coupling portion and a lower end of the wheel drive case;
- the upper end of the second coupling portion and a lower end of the wheel drive case;
- the upper end of the first coupling portion and a center axis of the input shaft;
- and
- the upper end of the second coupling portion and a center axis of the input shaft,
- wherein the steering cylinder is arranged on a front side of the wheel drive case.
A four-wheel drive work vehicle having improved stability on inclined surfaces, comprising:
- an engine;
- a transmission;
- a front wheel drive case comprising:
- a drive case main body;
- a centrally disposed vertically extending front coupling portion;
- a centrally disposed vertically extending rear coupling portion spaced from the front coupling portion;
- a rear-facing input shaft located below an upper end of the rear coupling portions and being configured to transmit rotational power to front wheels;
- and
- a removable cover portion including a boss portion supporting the input shaft and being attachable to and detachable from the drive case main body;
- the centrally disposed vertically extending rear coupling portion being integrally formed with the removable cover portion;
- said front and rear coupling portions being configured to pivotally mount to the front wheel drive case to a vehicle body of the work vehicle in a manner that allows the front wheel drive case to pivot about a main front to back vehicle axis;
- a steerable left wheel support mounted to a left outer end of the front wheel drive case via a king pin and being configured to receive a work vehicle wheel;
- a steerable right wheel support mounted to a right outer end of the front wheel drive case via a king pin and being configured to receive a work vehicle wheel;
- a steering cylinder mounted to a front outer side of the front wheel drive case, located below and overlapped with the front coupling portion when viewed from above.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.