Axle lubrication and cooling system
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorMatthew J. Ramler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydraulic filtering, cooling and lubrication system is disclosed. The system is for use with a vehicle including an engine, a pump coupled to the engine and a plurality of axles. The system includes a separate manifold for each axle of the vehicle and/or each pair of wet disc brakes. Each manifold is separate from every other manifold to minimize cross contamination of axles.
Claims20
A hydraulic filtering, cooling and lubrication system for use with a vehicle including an engine, a pump coupled to the engine and a plurality of axles, the system comprising:
- a manifold in fluid communication with the pump and an axle,
- a filter configured to be coupled to the manifold,
- a filter differential bypass in communication with the filter, wherein the filter differential bypass is configured to open and provide oil directly to the axle during a cold start of the engine, if the filter is plugged, or any consistent period of time when the pressure across the filter exceeds a predetermined pressure,
- a plurality of control valves downstream of the filter, wherein the filter differential bypass routes oil away from the plurality of control valves during a cold start of the engine, if the filter is plugged, or any consistent period of time when the pressure across the filter exceeds a predetermined pressure,
- the manifold in fluid communication with a heat exchanger of the vehicle, the manifold including a heat exchanger supply passage for supplying oil to the heat exchanger, the manifold including a heat exchanger return passage for returning oil from the heat exchanger,
- the manifold including an axle supply passage for supplying oil to the axle, the oil configured to lubricate and cool the axle or wet disc brakes of the axle,
- the manifold including an axle return passage for returning oil from the axle, at least one of the plurality of control valves configured to circulate returning oil through the manifold, and
- wherein the manifold is a closed oil circuit separated from any other manifold or axle.
A hydraulic filtering, cooling and lubrication system for use with a vehicle including an engine, a pump coupled to the engine and a plurality of axles, the system comprising:
- a first hydraulic oil circuit in fluid communication with a first set of wet disc brakes of a first axle, the first hydraulic oil circuit associated with a heat exchanger, the first hydraulic oil circuit for lubricating and cooling the first set of wet disc brakes of the first axle, wherein a portion of the first hydraulic oil circuit is enclosed in a first manifold,
- a second hydraulic oil circuit in fluid communication with a second set of wet disc brakes of a second axle, the second hydraulic oil circuit associated with the heat exchanger, the second hydraulic oil circuit for lubricating and cooling the second set of wet disc brakes of the second axle, wherein a portion of the second hydraulic oil circuit is enclosed in a second manifold,
- a third hydraulic oil circuit for lubricating the third axle, wherein a portion of the third hydraulic oil circuit is enclosed in a third manifold, wherein the first, second, and third hydraulic oil circuits are separate from each other.
A method of filtering, cooling or lubricating a plurality of wet disc brakes or a plurality of axles of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a manifold including a filter, at least one differential bypass, at least one control valve, a heat exchanger supply passage for supplying oil to a heat exchanger of the vehicle, a heat exchanger return passage for returning oil from the heat exchanger, an axle supply passage for supplying oil to the axle, and an axle return passage for returning oil from the axle,
- passing oil through the filter of the manifold or bypassing the filter to provide oil directly to the axle during a cold start of an engine of the vehicle, if the filter is plugged, or any consistent period of time when the pressure across the filter exceeds a predetermined pressure,
- passing oil through the heat exchanger of the vehicle or bypassing the heat exchanger by use of a hydraulic check valve, wherein the hydraulic check valve is configured to allow oil to bypass heat exchanger during cold start or when oil pressure might exceed a predetermined force,
- providing oil to a pair of wet disc brakes or an axle of a vehicle, and
- providing a separate manifold for each pair of wet disc brakes or for each axle of the vehicle, wherein each of the separate manifolds is a closed oil circuit which are separated from each of the other manifolds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.