# US 12,179,580 B2 · Track assembly with electric motor

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- Number: US 12,179,580 B2
- Document ID: US12179580B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/322,972
- Filed: 2023-05-24
- Published: 2023-09-21
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-16
- Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC
- Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC
- Inventors: Daniel Payne
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179580B2

## CPC

- B60K 17/046: {with planetary gearing having orbital motion}
- B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00)
- B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric}
- B60K 17/02: characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of clutch
- B60K 17/12: of electric gearing
- B60K 17/344: having a transfer gear
- B60K 17/356: having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels
- B60K 5/02: with the engine main axis, e.g. crankshaft axis, substantially in or parallel to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
- B60K 11/02: with liquid cooling
- B60K 25/06: from the transmission power take-off
- B60K 2001/006: {the electric motors}
- B60K 2007/0038: {the motor moving together with the wheel axle}
- B60K 2007/0092: {the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle}
- B60Y 2200/25: Track vehicles
- B60Y 2400/424: Friction clutches
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

A track assembly includes a frame configured to be coupled to a chassis of a vehicle, a first wheel and a second wheel each pivotally coupled to the frame, a track engaging the first wheel and the second wheel, and a motor coupled to the track and the frame. The track extends along a track path that surrounds the first wheel and the second wheel. The motor is configured to drive the first wheel such that the track moves along the track path. The motor and the first wheel are aligned.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A track assembly, comprising:
a frame configured to be coupled to a chassis of a vehicle;
a drive wheel engaging a track;
a motor including a motor shaft and a motor body, the motor shaft being positioned to drive the drive wheel to propel the track;
a first pin coupling the motor body to the frame; and
a second pin pivotally coupling the drive wheel to the frame,
wherein the first pin, the second pin, the motor shaft, and the drive wheel are aligned.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The track assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame defines an aperture that receives the first pin, and wherein the first pin limits rotation of the motor body relative to the frame.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The track assembly of claim 2, wherein the motor is an electric motor, and wherein the first pin defines at least one of:
a coolant passage fluidly coupled to the electric motor; or
a conductor passage that receives a conductor electrically coupled to the electric motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The track assembly of claim 3, wherein the first pin defines both:
the coolant passage fluidly coupled to the electric motor; and
the conductor passage that receives the conductor electrically coupled to the electric motor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The track assembly of claim 3, wherein the frame includes a first portion that defines the aperture and a second portion coupled to the second pin, wherein the second portion is removably coupled to the first portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The track assembly of claim 2, further comprising a clutch selectively coupling the motor to the drive wheel, wherein the clutch is positioned between the motor and the second pin.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The track assembly of claim 6, wherein the second pin defines a fluid passage that extends through the second pin, and wherein the fluid passage is fluidly coupled to the clutch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The track assembly of claim 7, wherein the clutch includes a piston and a plurality of clutch plates, and wherein the fluid passage is fluidly coupled to the piston.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The track assembly of claim 8, wherein the piston is positioned to compress the clutch plates and engage the clutch in response to a pressurized fluid being supplied to the fluid passage.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The track assembly of claim 9, wherein the clutch further includes a first portion coupled to the motor shaft and a second portion coupled to the drive wheel, wherein the first portion is rotatable relative to the second portion when the clutch is disengaged, wherein the first portion is fixed relative to the second portion when the clutch is engaged, and wherein the second portion is configured to rotate relative to the pin when the drive wheel rotates.

### Claim 11

A vehicle, comprising:
a chassis;
a track frame coupled to the chassis;
a drive wheel engaging a track;
a motor including a motor shaft and a motor body, the motor shaft being positioned to drive the drive wheel to propel the track;
a pin coupling the motor to the track frame; and
a clutch selectively coupling the motor shaft to the drive wheel,
wherein the clutch is positioned between the motor body and the pin, and wherein the pin and the motor shaft are aligned.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the clutch includes a piston and a plurality of clutch plates, wherein the pin defines a fluid passage that extends through the pin, wherein the fluid passage is fluidly coupled to the piston, and wherein the piston is positioned to compress the clutch plates and engage the clutch in response to a pressurized fluid being supplied to the fluid passage.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the clutch further includes a first portion coupled to the motor shaft and a second portion coupled to the drive wheel, wherein the first portion is rotatable relative to the second portion when the clutch is disengaged, wherein the first portion is fixed relative to the second portion when the clutch is engaged, and wherein the second portion is configured to rotate relative to the pin when the drive wheel rotates.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the fluid passage is a first fluid passage, wherein the second portion of the clutch defines a second fluid passage that fluidly couples the first fluid passage to the piston.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the second portion of the clutch defines an annular fluid groove positioned to fluidly couple the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage throughout an entire rotation of the second portion of the clutch relative to the pin.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a second pin, wherein the track frame defines an aperture that receives the second pin.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the second pin limits rotation of the motor body relative to the track frame.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the motor is an electric motor, and wherein the second pin defines at least one of:
a coolant passage fluidly coupled to the electric motor; or
a conductor passage that receives a conductor electrically coupled to the electric motor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the second pin defines both:
the coolant passage fluidly coupled to the electric motor; and
the conductor passage that receives the conductor electrically coupled to the electric motor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the frame includes a first portion that defines the aperture and a second portion coupled to the second pin, wherein the second portion is removably coupled to the first portion.