System and method for supplying fluid to a track drive box of a work vehicle

• US 10,124,844 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Brinkley, Jerry L., Nannet, Bryan, Muir, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charleston, Jean W
• Application Number:
  US14/697,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20160318564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 305117, 305100, 305103, 305118, 305201, 305202, 305203
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/06 with tracks without ground wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/092 with lubrication means lubricating in general F16N
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0447 Control of lubricant levels, e.g. lubricant level control dependent on temperature

Abstract

A system for supplying fluid within a work vehicle may generally include a track drive box including first and second inlet ports and an outlet port. The system may also include a first supply conduit in fluid communication with the first inlet port and a second supply conduit in fluid communication with the second inlet port. The first supply conduit may be configured to supply a working fluid to the track drive box and the second supply conduit may be configured to supply a pressurized fluid to the track drive box, wherein the pressurized fluid serves to pressurize an interior of the track drive box, Additionally, the system may include an evacuation conduit in fluid communication with the outlet port that is configured to receive the working fluid as it is expelled from the outlet port.

Claims

1. A system for supplying fluid within a work vehicle, the system comprising:

a track drive box housing at least one drive component configured to rotationally couple an input shaft associated with track drive box to an output shaft associated with the track drive box, the track drive box including first and second inlet ports and an outlet port;

a first supply conduit in fluid communication with the first inlet port, the first supply conduit being configured to supply a working fluid to the track drive box;

a second supply conduit in fluid communication with the second inlet port, the second supply conduit being configured to supply a pressurized fluid to the track drive box, the pressurized fluid serving to pressurize an interior of the track drive box; and

an evacuation conduit in fluid communication with the outlet port, the evacuation conduit being configured to receive the working fluid as it is expelled from the outlet port,

wherein, when an excess amount of the working fluid is supplied into the track drive box via the first supply conduit, the pressure within the interior of the track drive box results in at least a portion of the excess amount of the working fluid being expelled from the track drive box via the outlet port,

wherein the pressurized fluid comprises air received from an engine component of the work vehicle,

a valve in fluid communication with the first supply conduit, the valve being configured to control the supply of the working fluid transmitted through the first supply conduit to the track drive box,

a controller communicatively coupled to the valve, the controller being configured to automatically control the operation of the valve based on a monitored parameter of the work vehicle,

wherein the monitored parameter corresponds to a fluid temperature within the track drive box, the controller being configured to control the operation of the valve so as to supply the working fluid to the first inlet port when the monitored fluid temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitored parameter corresponds to a ground speed of the work vehicle, the controller being configured to control the operation of the valve so as to supply the working fluid to the first inlet port when the monitored ground speed exceeds a predetermined speed threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid comprises oil supplied from an oil supply reservoir of the work vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a valve manifold in fluid communication with the second supply conduit, the valve manifold being configured to control the supply of pressurized fluid directed through the second supply conduit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the supply of pressurized fluid directed through the supply conduit is controlled via an outlet orifice defined in the valve manifold.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the valve manifold includes a check valve configured to prevent backflow of the pressurized fluid received within the valve manifold.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the valve manifold includes a screen configured to filter particulates out of the pressurized fluid received by the valve manifold.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the output shaft is rotatably coupled to a drive wheel of a track assembly of the work vehicle, the at least one drive component of the track drive box being configured to transfer rotational motion from the input shaft to the output shaft to rotationally drive the drive wheel, the drive wheel being configured to engage a track of the track assembly.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine component for receiving air from the engine is a manifold.