Method of Cooling axle
First Claim
1. A work vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
an axle assembly coupled to the frame and including a first axle shaft and a first axle housing, wherein the first axle shaft is disposed substantially within the first axle housing;
a first wheel coupled to the axle assembly;
an axle lubricating fluid disposed within the first axle housing; and
a first axle cooling device disposed within the first axle housing, in contact with at least a portion of the lubricating fluid, including a first coil.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A work vehicle includes a frame and an axle assembly coupled to the frame. The axle assembly includes a first axle shaft and a first axle housing, with the first axle shaft disposed substantially within the first axle housing; a first wheel coupled to the first axle assembly; an axle lubricating fluid disposed within the first axle housing; and a first axle cooling device disposed within the first axle housing, in contact with at least a portion of the lubricating fluid, and including a first coil. Also disclosed is a method of cooling an axle assembly of a work vehicle. The method includes steps of removing heat from the lubricating fluid by placing the lubricating fluid in contact with the outer surface of a coil, and removing the heat from the inner surface of the coil by circulating the cooling fluid through the passage.
28 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A work vehicle comprising:
-
a frame;
an axle assembly coupled to the frame and including a first axle shaft and a first axle housing, wherein the first axle shaft is disposed substantially within the first axle housing;
a first wheel coupled to the axle assembly;
an axle lubricating fluid disposed within the first axle housing; and
a first axle cooling device disposed within the first axle housing, in contact with at least a portion of the lubricating fluid, including a first coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An axle assembly for a work vehicle, the axle assembly comprising:
-
a first axle shaft and a first axle housing, wherein the first axle shaft is disposed substantially within the first axle housing;
a second axle shaft and a second axle housing, wherein the second axle shaft is disposed within the second axle housing, and wherein the second axle shaft and the second axle housing are disposed coaxial with, and in opposing relationship to, the first axle shaft and the first axle housing, respectively;
a first cooling device disposed within the first axle housing;
a second cooling device disposed within the second axle housing;
a differential gearset housing positioned intermediate the first and second axle housings and defining a chamber configured therein to receive a differential gearset;
a differential gearset disposed within the chamber and rotatively coupled to the first and second axle shafts;
a lubricating fluid disposed within the first and second axle housings; and
a first axle cooling device disposed within the first axle housing, and a second axle cooling device disposed within the second axle housing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of cooling an axle assembly of a work vehicle, wherein the axle assembly includes an axle shaft, an axle housing configured to substantially surround the axle shaft, a cooling coil housed within the axle housing and having a passage therethrough and outer and inner surfaces, a lubricating fluid disposed within the axle housing, and a cooling fluid disposed within the passage, and further wherein the lubricating fluid is of a higher temperature than is the outer surface of the coil and the outer surface of the coil is of a higher temperature than is the cooling fluid, the method comprising steps of:
-
removing heat from the lubricating fluid by placing the lubricating fluid in contact with the outer surface of the coil; and
removing the heat from the inner surface of the coil by circulating the cooling fluid through the passage. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification