Axle seal shield for compaction machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsGerald William Gavin, James William Schaffer, Matthew M. DeSanto, Jeremy Dean Folkerts, Travis Edward Schwark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shield assembly is configured for use with the axle assembly of a compaction machine. The machine includes a ground-engaging device with a hub that defines a cavity and an inboard opening. The axle assembly comprises a spindle and a final drive, with a gap between them. The shield assembly includes a shield body mounted within the hub cavity, positioned above the spindle and final drive, and extending over the gap. This arrangement directs debris away from the gap and associated seals, reducing contamination and wear of axle components during operation in debris-laden environments.
Claims17
A machine, comprising:
- a frame;
- a ground engaging device including a hub, the hub defining a cavity and an inboard opening to the cavity;
- an axle assembly connected to the frame and supporting the ground engaging device, the axle assembly extending along an axle axis and comprising:
- a housing coupled to the frame,
- a spindle coupled to the housing,
- a final drive rotatably coupled to the spindle and disposed within the cavity of the ground engaging device, and
- a gap disposed between the spindle and the final drive;
- and
- a shield assembly coupled to the axle assembly and disposed within the cavity of the ground engaging device, the shield assembly being located above portions of the spindle and the final drive, wherein the shield assembly includes a shield body extending over the gap, the shield body comprising:
- a first planar lateral portion,
- a second planar lateral portion, and
- a peaked central portion joining the first planar lateral portion to the second planar lateral portion.
A shield assembly for an axle assembly of a machine, the machine including a ground engaging device including a hub, the hub defining a cavity and an inboard opening to the cavity, the axle assembly including a spindle, a final drive rotatably coupled to the spindle, and a gap disposed between the spindle and the final drive, the shield assembly comprising:
- a shield body comprising:
- a first planar lateral portion,
- a second planar lateral portion, and
- a peaked central portion joining the first planar lateral portion to the second planar lateral portion,
- wherein the shield body is coupled to the axle assembly and disposed within the cavity of the ground engaging device,
- wherein the shield body is located above portions of the spindle and the final drive,
- wherein the shield body extends over the gap.
A final drive assembly for a machine, comprising:
- a ground engaging device including a hub defining a cavity, and an inboard opening to the cavity;
- an axle assembly, comprising:
- a housing;
- a spindle coupled to the housing;
- a final drive rotatably coupled to the spindle and disposed within the cavity of the ground engaging device, wherein the housing, spindle, and final drive are disposed along an axle axis;
- and
- a gap disposed between the spindle and the final drive, the gap being concentric with the axle axis and disposed along a virtual gap plane extending perpendicular to the axle axis;
- and
- a shield assembly coupled to the axle assembly and disposed within the cavity of the ground engaging device, the shield assembly comprising:
- a shield body located above portions of the spindle and the final drive, the shield body comprising:
- a shield body first end coupled to a top portion of the spindle inboard of the virtual gap plane;
- a shield body second end disposed outboard of the virtual gap plane;
- a shield body length extending parallel to the axle axis and across the virtual gap plane from the shield body first end to the shield body second end;
- a first planar lateral portion;
- a second planar lateral portion;
- and
- a peaked central portion joining the first planar lateral portion to the second planar lateral portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.