Quad tracked vehicle

• US 7,581,605 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MGA Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MGA Entertainment Incorporated
• Inventors: Kong, Stephen, Caspi, Yuval
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARCE, MARLON ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/360,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 180/9.1, 180/8.2, 180/8.1, 180/8.3, 180/93, 180/9.62
• US Class Current: 180/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/256 by using endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/02 providing for travelling up or down a flight of stairs chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/14 of adjustable length or width
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/065 Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/075 Tracked vehicles for ascending or descending stairs, steep slopes or vertical surfacesmagnetic or pneumatic ground-engaging parts B62D55/265; chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00

Abstract

A quad tracked vehicle may include a forward starboard track arm, an aft starboard track arm, a forward port track arm, and an aft port track arm. Forward track arms may be mounted for rotation about a vehicle body around axis of forward track arm by a forward coaxial transmission and motor, while aft tracks arms may be mounted for rotation about vehicle body around axis of aft extended coaxial transmission by an aft motor. Tracks may be mounted for rotation around track arms and rotate about minor axes. Forward tracks may rotate about forward major axis and aft tracks about aft major axis. Starboard tracks may be rotated by starboard motor, and port tracks by port motor.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a first axis near a first end of the body and a second axis near a second end of the body;

a first pair of track arms mounted for rotation about the first axis, wherein a length of the first pair of track arms is adjustable with a first range;

a first pair of tracks each mounted for rotation about one of the first pair of track arms, wherein the first pair of tracks is sufficiently elastic to compensate for adjustments of the length of the first pair of track arms within the first range;

a second pair of track arms mounted for rotation about the second axis, each of the second pair of track arms extending from the second axis more than half the distance to the first axis and rotatable through a point of rotation nearest to the first axis;

a second pair of tracks each mounted for rotation about one of the second pair of track arms; and

a control system selectively rotating the first and second pairs of tracks to move and turn the vehicle in forward and reverse directions and selectively rotating the first and second pairs of track arms about the first and second axes respectively.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the body has a concave lower body surface nearest the terrain to slide over edges of obstacles.

3. The vehicle claim 1 wherein each track arm has a concave lower surface to slide over edges of obstacles.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein each of the first pair of track arms further comprises:

a first wheel rotatable about the first axis;

a second wheel;

an adjustable length arm mounted adjacent the first wheel and supporting the second wheel for rotation about another axis; and

an additional wheel adjustably mounted for maintaining support for the track at different lengths of the track arm.

5. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a first end and a second end;

first axle attached to said vehicle body toward said first end;

a second axle attached to said vehicle body toward said second end;

a first pair of track arms mounted for rotation about said first axle; and

a second pair of track arms mounted for rotation about said second axle, wherein said first axle is sufficiently shorter than said second axle such that the arc created by a 360 degree rotation of said first pair of track arms may overlap the arc created by a 360 degree rotation of said second pair of track arms without the first pair of track arms coming into contact with the second pair of track arms;

wherein the length of each track arm is adjustable.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein said vehicle body has a concave surface nearest the terrain to slide over edges of obstacles.

7. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a first end and a second end;

a first axle attached to said vehicle body toward said first end;

a second axle attached to said vehicle body toward said second end;

a first pair of track arms mounted for rotation about said first axle; and

a second pair of track arms mounted for rotation about said second axle, wherein said first axle is sufficiently shorter than said second axle such that the arc created by a 360 degree rotation of said first pair of track arms may overlap the arc created by a 360 degree rotation of said second pair of track arms without the first pair of track arms coming into contact with the second pair of track arms;

a control system for selectively rotating said first and second pairs of track arms about said first and second axles and selectively rotating said track about said first and second pairs of track arms so as to move and turn the vehicle in forward and reverse directions;

wherein each track track arm further comprises a track mounted for rotation about the track arm; and

wherein said control system is further operable to climb an obstacle by;

rotating said first and second pairs of track arms below a horizontal level to raise said vehicle body above the terrain;

rotating said track about said first and second pairs of track arms to move said vehicle to contact said obstacle;

further rotating the pair of track arms closest said obstacle; and

further rotating said track about said first and second pairs of track arms to climb said obstacle.