Wheel end with integrated motor assembly

Abstract

A wheel end assembly comprises a wheel hub support housing and a wheel hub drive assembly rotatably connected to the wheel hub support housing. The wheel end assembly also includes a hydraulic motor operatively coupled to the wheel hub drive assembly, the hydraulic motor being disposed to deliver a torque to the wheel hub drive assembly. The wheel end assembly further includes a pump, fluidly coupled to the wheel hub drive assembly and the hydraulic motor, the pump being disposed to provide a flow of hydraulic fluid to the wheel hub drive assembly.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method for regulating a flow of hydraulic fluid associated with a wheel end assembly, comprising:
 receiving a flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic circuit, the hydraulic circuit including a pump fluidly coupled to a wheel hub drive assembly and a hydraulic motor, and   directing, by the pump, at least a portion of the flow of hydraulic fluid into a wheel hub support housing that comprises at least a portion of the wheel hub drive assembly for lubricating the at least a portion of the wheel hub drive assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the directing of the at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid into the wheel hub support housing includes regulating flow of the at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid into the wheel hub support housing based on a rotational speed of a portion of the wheel hub drive assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the directing of the at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid into the wheel hub support housing includes drawing the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic circuit if a hydraulic fluid level associated with the wheel hub support housing is less than a threshold fluid level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the threshold fluid level is predetermined, based on the rotational speed of a portion of the wheel hub drive assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wheel hub drive assembly and the hydraulic motor share a common hydraulic fluid system, the method further including directing excess hydraulic fluid to a common fluid reservoir associated with the common hydraulic fluid system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further including:
 determining the hydraulic fluid level within the wheel hub support housing; and   operating the pump to direct excess hydraulic fluid to the common fluid reservoir if the hydraulic fluid level associated exceeds the threshold fluid level.   
     
     
         16 - 20 . (canceled)