CRAWLER DEVICE AND CRAWLER ROBOT
First Claim
1. A crawler device comprising:
- a wheel support extending in a front-rear direction;
wheels respectively rotatably supported at a front portion and a rear portion of the wheel support; and
a crawler belt made of an endless elastic material, the crawler belt run around the wheels at the front and rear portions of the wheel support,wherein each of the wheels comprises a rigid wheel body and an exterior part made of an elastic material, the exterior part fixed to an outer periphery of the wheel body;
the exterior part comprises a base portion and raised portions, the base portion fixed to the outer periphery of the wheel body, the raised portions formed in an outer periphery of the base portion such that the raised portions continuously extend in a width direction and are arranged in a circumferential direction spaced from each other;
drain grooves extending through the exterior part in the width direction are formed between the raised portions;
top surfaces of the raised portions of the exterior part of the wheel surface-contact an inner peripheral surface of the crawler belt with a frictional force working therebetween; and
,restriction members are provided in the wheel support or the wheel bodies to stop opposite side edges of the crawler belt, thereby restricting the crawler belt from being displaced with respect to the wheels in the width direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A crawler device includes a wheel support, wheels respectively rotatably supported thereto, and a crawler belt run around the wheels. Each of the wheels includes a rigid wheel body and an elastic material exterior part fixed to an outer periphery of the wheel body. Raised portions are formed in an outer periphery of the exterior part to continuously extend in a width direction and be arranged in a circumferential direction spaced from each other. Drain grooves extending through the exterior part in the width direction are formed between the raised portions. Top surfaces of the raised portions of the exterior part surface contact an inner peripheral surface of the crawler belt with a frictional force working therebetween. Restriction members stopping opposite side edges of the crawler belt are provided in the wheel support to restrict the crawler belt from being displaced with respect to the wheels in the width direction.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A crawler device comprising:
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a wheel support extending in a front-rear direction; wheels respectively rotatably supported at a front portion and a rear portion of the wheel support; and a crawler belt made of an endless elastic material, the crawler belt run around the wheels at the front and rear portions of the wheel support, wherein each of the wheels comprises a rigid wheel body and an exterior part made of an elastic material, the exterior part fixed to an outer periphery of the wheel body; the exterior part comprises a base portion and raised portions, the base portion fixed to the outer periphery of the wheel body, the raised portions formed in an outer periphery of the base portion such that the raised portions continuously extend in a width direction and are arranged in a circumferential direction spaced from each other; drain grooves extending through the exterior part in the width direction are formed between the raised portions; top surfaces of the raised portions of the exterior part of the wheel surface-contact an inner peripheral surface of the crawler belt with a frictional force working therebetween; and
,restriction members are provided in the wheel support or the wheel bodies to stop opposite side edges of the crawler belt, thereby restricting the crawler belt from being displaced with respect to the wheels in the width direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 13)
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8. A crawler device comprising:
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a wheel support extending in a front-rear direction; wheels respectively rotatably supported at a front portion and a rear portion of the wheel support; and a crawler belt made of an endless elastic material, the crawler belt run around the wheels at the front and rear portions of the wheel support; wherein each of the wheels comprises a rigid wheel body and an exterior part made of an elastic material, the exterior part fixed to an outer periphery of the wheel body; the exterior part comprises a base portion and raised portions, the base portion fixed to the outer periphery of the wheel body, the raised portions formed in an outer periphery of the base portion such that the raised portions continuously extend in a width direction and are arranged in a circumferential direction spaced from each other; drain grooves extending through the exterior part in the width direction are formed between the raised portions; top surfaces of the raised portions of the exterior part of the wheel surface contact an inner peripheral surface of the crawler belt with a frictional force working therebetween; restriction projections are provided in opposite side edges of the crawler belt over an entire circumference of the crawler belt to restrict the crawler belt from being displaced with respect to the wheels in the width direction, the restriction projections protruded from the inner peripheral surface of the crawler belt, the restriction projections stopped by opposite side surfaces of the exterior part; and
,a height of the restriction projections of the crawler belt protruded from an inner periphery of the base portion is smaller than a height of the raised portions of the exterior part protruded from the outer periphery of the base portion, causing the restriction projections to only partially cover openings at opposite ends of the drain grooves, thereby allowing the drain grooves to communicate with outside through opposite end openings thereof. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 12)
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Specification