Final drive mounted motor for track-type tractor

• US 10,611,232 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Tigue, Joseph D., Schlack, Timothy J., Baumann, Jonathan M., Austin, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Swenson, Brian L
• Application Number:
  US16/117,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20200070644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0038 the motor moving together with the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0046 the motor moving together with the vehicle body, i.e. moving independently from the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/221 Tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/25 Track vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/411 Bulldozers, Graders
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/06 with tracks without ground wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/125 Final drives

Abstract

A track-type tractor includes a frame housing defining an internal cavity extending to an outer bore, an electric motor module, and a final drive assembly. The electric motor module includes a motor housing having a flanged end portion, and a rotor shaft extending through the flanged end portion. The flanged end portion is mounted to a outer mounting surface of the frame housing surrounding the outer bore, such that the electric motor module extends through the outer bore and is retained within the frame housing internal cavity. The final drive assembly is mounted to the flanged end portion and includes a gear set in operative engagement with the rotor shaft for motorized operation of the final drive assembly.

Claims

1. A track-type tractor comprising:

a frame housing defining an internal cavity extending to a first outer bore;

a first electric motor module comprising a first motor housing having a first flanged end portion, and a first rotor shaft extending through the first flanged end portion, the first flanged end portion being mounted to a first outer mounting surface of the frame housing surrounding the first outer bore such that at least a portion of the first electric motor module extends through the first outer bore and is retained within the internal cavity defined by the frame housing; and

a first final drive assembly mounted to the first flanged end portion of the first electric motor module such that the first final drive assembly is disposed external to the frame housing, the first final drive assembly including a gear set in operative engagement with the first rotor shaft of the first electric motor module for motorized operation of the first final drive assembly.

2. The track-type tractor of claim 1, wherein the first electric motor module is cantilevered within the internal cavity defined by the frame housing.

3. The track-type tractor of claim 1, further comprising a second electric motor module comprising a second motor housing having a second flanged end portion, and a second rotor shaft extending through the second flanged end portion, the second flanged end portion being mounted to a second outer mounting surface of the frame housing surrounding a second outer bore, such that at least a portion of the second electric motor module extends through the second outer bore and is retained within the internal cavity defined by the frame housing;

and

a second final drive assembly mounted to the second flanged end portion of the second motor housing of the second electric motor module such that the second final drive assembly is disposed external to the frame housing, the second final drive assembly in operative engagement with the second rotor shaft of the second electric motor module for motorized operation of the second final drive assembly.

4. The track-type tractor of claim 3, wherein each of the first and second electric motor modules is cantilevered to the frame housing such that the first and second electric motor modules are retained within the internal cavity defined by the frame housing.

5. The track-type tractor of claim 1, further comprising a first brake assembly mounted between the first flanged end portion and the first final drive assembly.

6. The track-type tractor of claim 1, wherein the first final drive assembly includes a first mounting flange mounted to the first flanged end portion.

7. The track-type tractor of claim 6, wherein the first outer mounting surface is configured to accommodate direct mounting of the first mounting flange.

8. The track-type tractor of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of mounting fasteners installed through aligned mounting holes in the first outer mounting surface, the first flanged end portion, and the first mounting flange.

9. A method of installing an electric drive system in a frame housing of a track-type tractor, the method comprising:

inserting a first motor housing of a first electric motor module through a first outer bore in the frame housing such that at least a portion of the first motor housing extends into an internal cavity defined by the frame housing, and such that a first portion a first rotor shaft of the first electric motor module extends into the internal cavity and a second portion of the first rotor shaft extends external to the frame housing;

mounting a first flanged end portion of the first motor housing to a first outer mounting surface of the frame housing surrounding the first outer bore; and

mounting a first final drive assembly to the first flanged end portion such that the first final drive assembly is disposed external to the frame housing, wherein the first final drive assembly is in operative engagement with the first rotor shaft for motorized operation of the first final drive assembly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein mounting the first flanged end portion of the first motor housing to the first outer mounting surface comprises securing the first electric motor module in a cantilevered condition within the internal cavity defined by the frame housing.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

inserting a second motor housing of a second electric motor module through a second outer bore in the frame housing such that at least a portion of the second motor housing extends into the internal cavity defined by the frame housing, and such that a first portion of a second rotor shaft of the second electric motor module extends into the internal cavity and a second portion of the second rotor shaft extends external to the frame housing;

mounting a second flanged end portion of the second motor housing to a second outer mounting surface of the frame housing surrounding the second outer bore; and

mounting a second final drive assembly to the second flanged end portion such that the second final drive assembly is disposed external to the frame housing, wherein the second final drive assembly is in operative engagement with the second rotor shaft for motorized operation of the second final drive assembly.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein mounting the first and second flanged end portions of the first and second motor housings to the first and second outer mounting surfaces comprises securing the first and second electric motor modules in a cantilevered condition within the frame housing internal cavity.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein mounting the first final drive assembly to the first flanged end portion comprises mounting a first brake assembly between the first flanged end portion and the first final drive assembly.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein mounting the first final drive assembly to the first flanged end portion comprises mounting a first mounting flange of the first final drive assembly to the first flanged end portion.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first outer mounting surface is configured to accommodate direct mounting of the first mounting flange.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein mounting the first flanged end portion to the first outer mounting surface and mounting the first mounting flange to the first flanged end portion comprises installing a plurality of mounting fasteners through aligned mounting holes in the first outer mounting surface, the first flanged end portion, and the first mounting flange.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein mounting the first final drive assembly to the first flanged end portion comprises engaging the first rotor shaft with a gear set of the first final drive assembly.

18. An electric drive system retrofit kit for a track-type tractor, the retrofit kit comprising:

an electric motor module comprising a first motor housing having a flanged end portion, and a rotor shaft extending through the flanged end portion, the flanged end portion including a first set of mounting holes disposed around an outer periphery; and

a final drive assembly including a mounting flange and a gear set, the mounting flange including a second set of mounting holes sized and positioned to align with the first set of mounting holes when the rotor shaft is engaged with the gear set, such that mounting fasteners installed through the aligned first and second sets of mounting holes may be installed in corresponding mounting holes in an exterior wall of the track-type tractor for mounted installation of the electric motor module and the final drive assembly with the track-type tractor.

19. The retrofit kit of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of mounting fasteners sized to be installed through the aligned first and second sets of mounting holes.

20. The retrofit kit of claim 18, further comprising a brake assembly configured to be mounted between the flanged end portion and the mounting flange of the final drive assembly.