Axle assembly for a work vehicle
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorDaniel Payne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axle assembly for a work vehicle may generally include a hub, a casing at least partially received within the hub, and a shaft configured to be received within the casing. The hub defines a tapered inner surface and the casing defines a tapered outer surface. The tapered inner surface of the hub defines a first keyway portion defining a first keyway surface, and the tapered outer surface of the casing defines a second keyway portion defining a second keyway surface. The tapered surfaces of the hub and the casing together define a tapered interface and a keyway. The first and second keyway surfaces of the keyway extend in a direction non-parallel to the tapered interface.
Claims18
An axle assembly for a work vehicle comprising:
- a hub defining a tapered inner surface and a first keyway portion extending radially outwardly from the tapered inner surface, the first keyway portion defining a first keyway surface;
- a casing at least partially received within the hub, the casing defining a tapered outer surface and a second keyway portion, the second keyway portion extending radially inwardly from the tapered outer surface and defining a second keyway surface, the tapered outer surface extending parallel to the tapered inner surface and being configured to contact the tapered inner surface such that a tapered interface is defined between the casing and the hub, the first and second keyway portions configured to be circumferentially aligned such that a keyway is defined between the first and second keyway surfaces;
- a shaft configured to be received within the casing, the shaft defining a central axis, the tapered interface extending non-parallel to the central axis;
- and
- a key received within the keyway;
- wherein the first and second keyway surfaces extend in a direction non-parallel to the tapered interface, and
- wherein the shaft and the casing together define a keyway with a key positioned therein.
A work vehicle comprising:
- an engine;
- a transmission in mechanical communication with the engine;
- and
- an axle assembly in mechanical communication with the transmission, the axle assembly comprising
- a hub defining a tapered inner surface and a first keyway portion extending radially outwardly from the tapered inner surface, the first keyway portion defining a first keyway surface;
- a casing at least partially received within the hub, the casing defining a tapered outer surface and a second keyway portion, the second keyway portion extending radially inwardly from the tapered outer surface and defining a second keyway surface, the tapered outer surface extending parallel to the tapered inner surface and configured to contact the tapered inner surface such that a tapered interface is defined between the casing and the hub, the first and second keyway portions configured to be circumferentially aligned such that a keyway is defined between the first and second keyway surfaces;
- an axle in mechanical communication with an engine and a transmission of the work vehicle and comprising a shaft, the shaft configured to be received within the casing, the shaft defining a central axis, the tapered interface extending non-parallel to the central axis;
- and
- a key received within the keyway;
- wherein the first and second keyway surfaces extend in a direction non-parallel to the tapered interface, and
- wherein the shaft and the casing together define a keyway with a key positioned therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.