Light vehicle for sporting and off-road biking

• US 20020062999A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yozmot Gfanot Initiative Center
• Original Assignee: Yozmot Gfanot Initiative Center
• Inventors: Uziel, Yoram, De-Noor, Yoram
• Granted Patent: US 6,571,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/9.21
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/007 the vehicle being of the endless track type endless track vehicles in general B62D55/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/008 characterised by the vehicle being formed by articulated or separable units road trains B62D53/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/02 the driver standing in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/0655 Articulated endless track vehicles steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00; articulated buses B62D47/025; tractor-trailer combinations or road trains comprising a uni-axle unit and a uni-axle trailer B62D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 59/00 Trailers with driven ground wheels or the like

Abstract

A vehicle for sporting and off-road driving includes a front and a rear component assembly and a joint arrangement. Each component assembly includes a plate mounted on a single flexible track and that is actuated by the single flexible track. The joint arrangement connects the plate of the front assembly to the plate of the rear assembly, and has two degrees of freedom that permits the front and rear component assemblies to be displaced with respect to each other around a horizontal, transverse axis and around a vertical axis.

Claims

1. Vehicle for sporting and off-road driving, which comprises composed a front and a rear component assembly, each of said component assemblies comprising a plate, mounted on and actuated by a single flexible track, said front ad rear plates being connected by joint means which has two degrees of freedom to permit the two parts of the vehicle to be displaced with respect to one another by rotating about a horizontal, transverse axis and about a vertical axis.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a motor and a transmission to actuate each track.

3. Vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the motors and the transmissions are mounted on the front and on the rear plate, respectively.

4. Vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising steering means for directing the front plate in the desired direction.

5. Vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the steering means comprises a steering column, means for manually rotating said column to produce a steering motion, and means for connecting said column to the front plate whereby to transmit to said front plate any said steering motion.

6. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tracks mesh with and are supported by supporting wheels and driven by drive wheels.

7. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the joint means permits to separate the front from the rear plate, so as to disassemble the vehicle into its front and rear component assemblies.

8. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the track on which the front plate is mounted has an operative portion comprised of a rear (horizontal) segment and a front (raised) segment, at an angle to one another.

9. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of the front and rear plates has a depending (lower) rib to which the wheels driving the respective track are connected.

10. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tracks are provided with ribs.

11. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each track has a horizontal operative section.

12. Vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the rib of the front plate has a horizontal rear portion and a raised front portion, and wherein one of the wheels on which the front track is mounted is located at the junction between said two portions, so as to determine the desired profile of the operative section of said track.

13. Vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a front and a rear motor, said motors being operatively connected to the front and rear tracks, respectively, for driving the same.

14. Vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the motors are electric motors, further comprising means for feeding electric current to said motors.

15. Vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the means for feeding electric current to the motors are selected from among:

a) a combustion engine driving an electric generator, and b) electric batteries.

16. Vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the motors are hydraulic motors, farther comprising means for actuating said motors by delivering hydraulic fluid under pressure to said hydraulic motors.

18. Vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the wheels which drive the rear track are attached to the rib of the rear plate by means of levers pivoted to said rib and provided with biasing springs, which constitute the suspension of the vehicle.

19. Vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the motors and the transmission are so designed that the vehicle will not exceed a speed in the order of 30 km/h.

20. Vehicle according to claim 13, having a total weight such that the driver may carry it for crossing a barrier that cannot be crossed while driving.

21. Vehicle according to claim 20, having a total weight in the order of 25 kg.

17. Vehicle according to clam 16, wherein the means for delivering hydraulic fluid under pressure to the motors comprise a combustion engine and a hydraulic pump driven by said engine and

22. Vehicle for sporting and off-road driving, substantially as described and illustrated.