Laterally reinforced endless belt track

• US 7,063,395 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Camoplast Solideal Incorporated (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Camoplast Solideal Incorporated (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Gagné, Lucie, Lussier, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Stormer, Russell D.
• Application Number:
  US10/779,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 305/165, 305/166, 305/167, 305/170, 305/171
• US Class Current: 305/170
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/244 Moulded in one piece, with either smooth surfaces or surfaces having projections, e.g. incorporating reinforcing elements

Abstract

There is provided an endless track belt laterally reinforced by embedding high elongation cords on each peripheral sides of the endless track belt to prevent cuts formed on the periphery of the belt by sharp objects from propagating further towards the inner width of the endless track belt.

Claims

1. An endless belt for a tracked vehicle, comprising:

a body; and

at least one side cord running along a length of said body, buried in a thickness of a material thereof in at least one peripheral part thereof;

said at least one side cord stopping cracks that may initiate on said at least one peripheral part of the endless belt from propagating,

wherein said at least one side cord is a high elongation steel cable.

2. The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein said at least one lateral cord is made of a twisted-strand cable.

3. The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein there are provided a plurality of side cords of high elongation steel cable running along at least one side of the belt.

4. The endless belt according to claim 1, further comprising at least one circumferential tensile member extending longitudinally along a length thereof away from said at least one side cord.

5. The endless belt according to claim 1 for use in a skid steer loader.

6. A skid steer loader provided with an endless belt provided with traction lugs on a ground-engaging surface thereof, comprising at least one side cord running peripherally along a length thereof and embedded inside a thickness of a material thereof away from a position of the traction lugs in at least one peripheral part of the endless belt, wherein said at least one side cord is a high elongation steel cable.

7. The skid steer loader according to claim 6, wherein said at least one lateral cord is made of a twisted-strand cable.

8. The skid steer loader according to claim 6, wherein there are provided a plurality of side cords of high elongation steel cable running along at least one side of the belt.

9. The skid steer loader according to claim 6, wherein said endless belt further comprises at least one circumferential tensile member extending longitudinally along a length thereof away from said at least one side cord.