Track system with overlapping wheel tandem frames

• US 9,308,951 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Soucy International Inc. (Soucy Holding Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Soucy International Inc. (Soucy Holding Incorporated)
• Inventors: Par, Steeve, Gasse, William, Todd, Andr
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charleston, Jean
• Application Number:
  US13/675,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 305/111, 305/113, 305/124, 305/125, 305/127, 305/128, 305/129, 305/130, 305/131, 305/132, 305/133, 305/135, 305/142, 305/145, 305/184, 305/170, 305/199, 180/9, 180/9.21, 180/9.36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 55/065 Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C
• 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 55/14 Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers

Abstract

A track system configured to be mounted to a vehicle comprises a drive wheel, a frame assembly, front and rear idler wheels respectively pivotally mounted at the front and rear extremities of the track system, road wheels pivotally mounted along the length of the track system, between the front and rear idler wheels, and an endless traction band disposed about the drive wheel, the idler wheels and the road wheels. The idler wheels and the road wheels are pivotally mounted on tandem frames such that adjacent tandem frames are overlapping. The tandem frames are pivotally mounted to the frame assembly via longitudinally spaced pivoting points.

Claims

1. A track system for a vehicle, the track system comprising:

a) a drive wheel configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the drive wheel having a drive wheel rotation axis;

b) a support frame;

c) a plurality of tandem frames pivotally mounted to the support frame, each of the tandem frames having a tandem frame rotation axis, the tandem frames comprising at least a first tandem frame pivotally supporting at least one first idler wheel and at least one first road wheel, and a second tandem frame pivotally supporting at least one second idler wheel and at least one second road wheel;

d) a traction band disposed about the drive wheel, the at least one first idler wheel, the at least one second idler wheel, the at least one first road wheel, and the at least one second road wheel;

wherein adjacent tandem frames are overlapping whereby the at least one first road wheel is located longitudinally between any of the wheels pivotally supported by the second tandem frame adjacent to the first tandem frame, and whereby said at least one second road wheel is located longitudinally between any of the wheels pivotally supported by the first tandem frame adjacent to the second tandem frame.

2. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tandem frame rotation axes are longitudinally spaced apart.

3. A track system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the drive wheel rotation axis is located longitudinally between the first tandem frame rotation axis and the second tandem frame rotation axis.

4. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one first idler wheel has a first idler wheel rotation axis, and wherein the at least one first road wheel has a first road wheel rotation axis.

5. A track system as claimed in claim 4, wherein a longitudinal distance between the first idler wheel rotation axis and the first tandem frame rotation axis is smaller than a longitudinal distance between the first tandem frame rotation axis and the first road wheel rotation axis.

6. A track system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one first idler wheel has a first idler wheel diameter, and wherein the at least one first road wheel has a first road wheel diameter, the first idler wheel diameter being larger than the first road wheel diameter.

7. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one second idler wheel has a second idler wheel rotation axis, and wherein the at least one second road wheel has a second road wheel rotation axis.

8. A track system as claimed in claim 7, wherein a longitudinal distance between the second idler wheel rotation axis and the second tandem frame rotation axis is smaller than a longitudinal distance between the second tandem frame rotation axis and the second road wheel rotation axis.

9. A track system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one second idler wheel has a second idler wheel diameter, and wherein the at least one second road wheel has a second road wheel diameter, the second idler wheel diameter being larger than the second road wheel diameter.

10. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tandem frames comprise at least a third tandem frame pivotally supporting at least one third road wheel and at least one fourth road wheel.

11. A track system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the third tandem frame rotation axis is located longitudinally between the first tandem frame rotation axis and the second tandem frame rotation axis.

12. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one first idler wheel comprises a plurality of first idler wheels, wherein the at least one first road wheel comprises a plurality of first road wheels, wherein the at least one second idler wheel comprises a plurality of second idler wheels, and wherein the at least one second road wheel comprises a plurality of second road wheels.

13. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the tandem frames comprises at least one tandem sub-frame pivotally mounted to the at least one of the tandem frames, the at least one tandem sub-frame pivotally supporting at least two road wheels.

14. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support frame is pivotally mounted to the drive wheel.

15. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support frame is configured to be mounted to the vehicle.

16. A track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first tandem frame is the front tandem frame, wherein the second tandem frame is the rear tandem frame, wherein the at least one first idler wheel is the at least one front idler wheel, and wherein the at least one second idler wheel is the at least one rear idler wheel.

17. A vehicle having mounted thereto at least one track system as claimed in claim 1.

18. A track system for a vehicle, the track system comprising:

a) a drive wheel configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the drive wheel having a drive wheel rotation axis;

b) a support frame;

c) a plurality of tandem frames pivotally mounted to the support frame, each of the tandem frames having a tandem frame rotation axis, the tandem frames comprising at least a first tandem frame pivotally supporting at least one first idler wheel and at least one first road wheel, and a second tandem frame pivotally supporting at least one second idler wheel and at least one second road wheel;

d) a third tandem frame pivotally supporting at least one third road wheel and at least one fourth road wheel;

e) a traction band disposed about the drive wheel, the at least one first idler wheel, the at least one second idler wheel, the at least one first road wheel, and the at least one second road wheel;

wherein adjacent tandem frames are overlapping whereby the at least one first road wheel is located longitudinally between at least one of the third and fourth road wheels pivotally supported by the third tandem frame adjacent to the first tandem frame, and whereby said at least one second road wheel is located longitudinally between at least one of the third and fourth road wheels pivotally supported by the third tandem frame adjacent to the second tandem frame.

19. A track system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the third tandem frame rotation axis is located longitudinally between the first tandem frame rotation axis and the second tandem frame rotation axis.

20. A track system as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one of the tandem frames comprises at least one tandem sub-frame pivotally mounted to the at least one of the tandem frames, the at least one tandem sub-frame pivotally supporting at least two road wheels.