US 12,275,467 B2
Ultrasonic wear measurement for a track pad
Benjamin Isaac Jones, Bartonville, IL (US); and Mircea Dumitru, Washington, IL (US)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 25, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/156,762.
Prior Publication US 2022/0234660 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B62D 55/20 (2006.01); B62D 55/21 (2006.01); B62D 55/26 (2006.01); G01N 29/04 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 55/202 (2013.01) [B62D 55/21 (2013.01); B62D 55/26 (2013.01); B62D 55/20 (2013.01); G01N 29/043 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0258 (2013.01); G01N 2291/02854 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0289 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A track pad comprising:
a shoe member including a ground engaging surface, and defining a track chain traveling direction, a lateral direction perpendicular to the track chain traveling direction, and a vertical direction perpendicular to both the lateral direction, and the track chain traveling direction,
the shoe member further defining a first lateral end, a second lateral end, a front end along the track chain traveling direction, and a rear end along the track chain traveling direction, a lateral distance from the first lateral end to the second lateral end, and a width from the front end to the rear end along the track chain traveling direction that is less than the lateral distance;
a first link member extending upwardly from the shoe member,
a first lug member extending from the first link member in a first direction parallel to the track chain traveling direction, and
a second lug member and a third lug member both extending from the first link member in a second direction opposite of the first direction, forming a first fork portion;
a first drive lug;
a second drive lug; and
a load bearing surface that is between the first drive lug and the second drive lug in the lateral direction and that includes a flat face that extends across a middle of the load bearing surface in the lateral direction,
the ground engaging surface lacking apertures and the track pad defining an interior cored-out portion including a planar surface that is disposed both laterally and along the track chain traveling direction adjacent to the load bearing surface, and vertically underneath the load bearing surface,
the shoe member further defining an interior hollow portion,
the interior hollow portion being at least partially defined by a bottom interior surface that is disposed vertically below the planar surface,
the bottom interior surface being spaced a minimum vertical distance from the planar surface, and
the interior hollow portion having an hour glass configuration extending from the first lateral end to the second lateral end with a necked down region defined by the minimum vertical distance.