Track system

• US 10,124,843 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Soucy International Inc. (Soucy Holding Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Soucy International Inc. (Soucy Holding Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sauvageau, Yves, Nanac, Branislav, Pellerin, Jonathan, Laflamme, Francois, Martel, Frederik, Gasse, William, Gagnon, Jean, Boutin, Keven
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stabley, Michael R
• Application Number:
  US15/710,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20180009490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/04 with tracks and alternative ground wheels, e.g. changeable from endless track vehicle into wheeled vehicle and vice versa for multi-purpose tractors B62D49/0635
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/08 Endless track units; Parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/084 Endless-track units or carriages mounted separably, adjustably or extensibly on vehicles, e.g. portable track units B62D55/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/10 Bogies; Frames track-tensioning means B62D55/30
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/104 Suspension devices for wheels, rollers, bogies or frames vehicle suspension in general B60G
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/1125 Hydro-pneumatic or pneumatic, e.g. air-cushioned
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/125 Final drives
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/14 Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/244 Moulded in one piece, with either smooth surfaces or surfaces having projections, e.g. incorporating reinforcing elements

Abstract

Track system for a vehicle having a chassis and a drive shaft extending laterally outwardly from the chassis includes: An attachment assembly having a leading pivot and a trailing pivot. A multi-member frame assembly including: a leading frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the leading pivot for pivoting about a leading pivot axis; a trailing frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the trailing pivot for pivoting about a trailing pivot axis; a leading wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the leading frame member; a trailing wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the trailing frame member. A damper interconnecting the leading frame member and the trailing frame member. A leading idler wheel assembly; a trailing idler wheel assembly; support wheel assemblies; a gearbox; a sprocket wheel; and an endless track.

Claims

1. A track system for use with a vehicle having a chassis and a drive shaft extending laterally outwardly from the chassis for driving the track system, the track system comprising:

an attachment assembly connectable to the chassis of the vehicle, the attachment assembly having a leading pivot and a trailing pivot extending laterally outwardly therefrom;

a multi-member frame assembly disposed laterally outwardly from the attachment assembly, the multi-member frame assembly including;

a leading frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the leading pivot for pivoting about a leading pivot axis;

a trailing frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the trailing pivot for pivoting about a trailing pivot axis;

a leading wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the leading frame member;

a trailing wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the trailing frame member;

a damper interconnecting the leading frame member and the trailing frame member;

a leading idler wheel assembly rotatably connected to the leading wheel-bearing frame member;

a trailing idler wheel assembly rotatably connected to the trailing wheel-bearing frame member;

a plurality of support wheel assemblies disposed intermediate the leading idler wheel assembly and the trailing idler wheel assembly;

a gearbox having an input shaft operatively connectable to the drive shaft of the vehicle and an output shaft;

a sprocket wheel operatively connected to the output shaft of the gearbox; and

an endless track extending around the sprocket wheel, the leading idler wheel assembly, the trailing idler wheel assembly, and the plurality of support wheel assemblies, and drivable by the sprocket wheel.

2. The track system of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the leading frame member and the trailing frame member has an aperture therein; and

at least one of the gearbox input shaft and the drive shaft of the vehicle extends through the aperture, the aperture being shaped and dimensioned so as to allow pivotal motion of the at least one of the leading frame member and the trailing frame member notwithstanding a presence of the at least one of the gearbox input shaft and the drive shaft of the vehicle extending through the aperture.

3. The track system of claim 1, wherein:

the leading frame member has a first aperture therein;

the trailing frame member has a second aperture therein;

at least one of the gearbox input shaft and the drive shaft of the vehicle extends through one of the first aperture and the second aperture, the one of the first aperture and the second aperture being shaped and dimensioned so as to allow pivotal motion of the one of the leading frame member and trailing frame member notwithstanding a presence of the at least one of the gearbox input shaft and the drive shaft of the vehicle extending therethrough; and

a stop extends within the other of the first aperture and the second aperture, the stop being structured and dimensioned to limit pivotal movement of the other of the leading frame member and trailing frame member.

4. The track system of claim 3, wherein the stop is connected to the gearbox.

5. The track system of claim 1, wherein the leading pivot axis is disposed above the trailing pivot axis.

6. The track system of claim 1, wherein:

the leading wheel-bearing frame member is directly pivotably connected to the leading frame member about a first axis;

the trailing wheel-bearing frame member is directly pivotably connected to the trailing frame member about a second axis

the first and second axes, the leading pivot axis and the trailing pivot axis extend perpendicularly to a plane extending parallel to a longitudinal direction of the track system; and

in a rest position of the track system, the second axis is above the first axis.

7. The track system of claim 1, wherein:

the endless track has leading, trailing and ground engaging edges;

a first angle is formed between the trailing and ground engaging edges, and a second angle is formed between the leading and ground engaging edges;

the first angle has a bisector; and

the bisector of the first angle passes below the trailing pivot axis.

8. The track system of claim 7, wherein:

the leading wheel-bearing frame member is directly pivotably connected to the leading frame member about a first axis;

the trailing wheel-bearing frame member is directly pivotably connected to the trailing frame member about a second axis;

idler wheels of the leading idler wheel assembly rotate about a third axis;

idler wheels of the trailing idler wheel assembly rotate about a fourth axis;

the first, second, third and fourth axes, the leading pivot axis and the trailing pivot axis extend perpendicularly to a plane extending parallel to a longitudinal direction of the track system; and

the second and fourth axes intersect the bisector of the first angle.

9. The track system of claim 8, wherein:

the second angle has a bisector; and

the bisector of the second angle passes below the leading pivot axis.

10. The track system of claim 9, wherein the first and third axes intersect the bisector of the second angle.

11. The track system of claim 9, wherein a shortest distance defined in the plane between the bisector of the first angle and the trailing pivot axis is greater than a shortest distance defined in the plane between the bisector of the second angle and the leading pivot axis.

12. The track system of claim 8, wherein a first longitudinal distance defined in the plane between the leading pivot axis and the first axis is greater than a second longitudinal distance defined in the plane between the trailing pivot axis and the second axis.

13. The track system of claim 8, wherein a trailing support wheel assembly is pivotably connected to the trailing wheel-bearing frame member about a fifth axis, and a third longitudinal distance defined in the plane between the second axis and the fourth axis is greater than a fourth longitudinal distance defined in the plane between the second axis and the fifth axis.

14. The track system of claim 13, wherein leading support wheels are rotatably connected to the leading wheel-bearing frame member about a sixth axis, and the fourth longitudinal distance is greater than a fifth longitudinal distance defined in the plane between the first axis and the sixth axis.

15. The track system of claim 1, wherein a load supported by the trailing wheel-bearing frame member is greater than a load supported by the leading wheel-bearing frame member.

16. The track system of claim 1, wherein a trailing support wheel assembly is pivotably connected to the trailing wheel-bearing frame member, the trailing support wheel assembly including a support wheel frame member, a pair of forward support wheels rotatably connected to the support wheel frame member, and a pair of rearward support wheels rotatably connected to the support wheel frame member.

17. The track system of claim 1, wherein the attachment assembly includes:

a plate having leading pivot receiving hole shaped and dimensioned to receive the leading pivot and a trailing pivot receiving hole shaped and dimensioned to receive the trailing pivot; and

the leading pivot extends through the leading pivot receiving hole and the trailing pivot extends through the trailing pivot receiving hole.

18. The track system of claim 17, wherein:

the plate has a shoulder recess defined around each of the leading pivot receiving hole and the trailing pivot receiving hole;

the leading pivot has a shoulder portion shaped and dimensioned to abut the shoulder recess of the leading pivot receiving hole of the plate; and

the trailing pivot has a shoulder portion shaped and dimensioned to abut the shoulder recess of the trailing pivot receiving hole of the plate.

19. The track system of claim 1, further comprising fasteners extending axially through the leading pivot and the trailing pivot to fasten the gearbox.

20. The track system of claim 1, wherein the damper is disposed laterally inwardly from the gearbox.

21. The track system of claim 1, wherein the track has a ground-contacting area that increases in size as a load borne by the track system increases.