Wheel end with integrated motor assembly
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsNorval Paul Thomson, Steven Alan Daniel, Daniel Peter Sergison, Avert Glen Vannette
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheel end assembly comprises a wheel hub support housing and a wheel hub drive assembly rotatably connected to the wheel hub support housing. The wheel end assembly also includes a hydraulic motor operatively coupled to the wheel hub drive assembly, the hydraulic motor being disposed to deliver a torque to the wheel hub drive assembly. The wheel end assembly further includes a pump, fluidly coupled to the wheel hub drive assembly and the hydraulic motor, the pump being disposed to provide a flow of hydraulic fluid to the wheel hub drive assembly.
Claims8
1-9. (canceled)
A method for regulating a flow of hydraulic fluid associated with a wheel end assembly, comprising:
- receiving a flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic circuit, the hydraulic circuit including a pump fluidly coupled to a wheel hub drive assembly and a hydraulic motor, and
- directing, by the pump, at least a portion of the flow of hydraulic fluid into a wheel hub support housing that comprises at least a portion of the wheel hub drive assembly for lubricating the at least a portion of the wheel hub drive assembly.
16-20. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.