초록 ▼

An endless track comprising a plurality of links which are releasably, rotatably coupled together to form an endless track, and wherein each of the links has a male linking end, an opposite female linking end, and an outwardly facing surface, and wherein the male linking end of a first link releasab

An endless track comprising a plurality of links which are releasably, rotatably coupled together to form an endless track, and wherein each of the links has a male linking end, an opposite female linking end, and an outwardly facing surface, and wherein the male linking end of a first link releasably couples and decouples from the female linking end of an adjacent second link when the angular relationship between the first and second links as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces thereof lies in a range of greater than about 45 degrees to less than about 110 degrees, and wherein the first and second links freely rotate one relative to the other when the angular relationship between the first and second links lies in a range of greater than about 110 degrees to less than about 270 degrees.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An endless track comprising: a plurality of detachable adjacent links, each comprising a main body with inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces, a male linking end, and an opposite female linking end; and wherein the male linking end protrudes from the main body, and the female linking

We claim: 1. An endless track comprising: a plurality of detachable adjacent links, each comprising a main body with inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces, a male linking end, and an opposite female linking end; and wherein the male linking end protrudes from the main body, and the female linking end includes a receiving station, and wherein the receiving station of a first link releasably matingly couples with the male linking end of a second adjacent link when the angular relationship as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces of the first and second links are oriented at an angle of less than about 110 degrees; and wherein the male linking end of the second link freely rotates within the receiving station of the first link without detaching from the first link when the angular relationship as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces of the first and second links is at an angle of greater than about 110 degrees, and wherein the main body is defined by x, y, and z axes, and wherein the male linking end is substantially coaxially aligned relative to the y axis; and wherein the at least one receiving cavity is oriented substantially parallel to the x axis; and wherein the at least one receiving cavity further comprises a first cavity having a width dimension which is measured in a direction which is substantially parallel to the y axis; and a second cavity that is coupled to the first cavity and which extends in the direction of the inwardly facing surface of the main body, and which is further oriented in substantially parallel relation relative to the z axis; and wherein the second cavity has a length and a width dimension; and wherein the receiving station is substantially coaxially oriented relative to the y axis; and wherein the at least one post is oriented in substantially parallel relation relative to the x axis, and further has a length dimension when measured in a direction which is substantially parallel to the y axis, and a width dimension when measured in a direction which is substantially parallel to the z axis; and wherein the length dimension of the post is greater than the width dimension thereof; and wherein the width dimension of the first cavity is greater than the width dimension of the post, and is less than the length dimension of the post; and wherein the length and width dimensions of the second cavity are greater than the length dimension of the post; and wherein the post of the first link enters the first cavity of the second adjacent link when the angular relationship between the first and second links, as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces thereof lies in a range of greater than about 45 degrees to less than about 110 degrees; and wherein the post of the first link enters the second cavity of the second adjacent link such that the post and the second cavity are substantially coaxially aligned and oriented in substantially parallel spaced relation relative to the x axis; and wherein the first and second links substantially freely rotate, one relative to the other when the angular relationship between the first and second links, as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces, lies in a range of greater than about 110 degrees to less than about 270 degrees, and wherein the plurality of adjacent links are fabricated of a moldable, castable, or machinable material. 2. An endless track as claimed in claim 1, and wherein a smaller protrusion extends substantially coaxially, outwardly relative to the post, and is further oriented in substantially parallel spaced relation relative to the x axis; and wherein the receiving cavity is further defined by a third cavity which is coupled to the first and second cavities, and which extends in an orientation which is substantially parallel to the x axis; and wherein the smaller protrusion is received in the third cavity when the post is inserted into the receiving cavity. 3. An endless track link, comprising: a main body which has a leading and a trailing edge, and wherein the main body has opposite first and second ends, and a length dimension which is measured between the opposite first and second ends; a male linking member extending outwardly relative to the leading edge, and wherein the male linking member has a length dimension which is less than the length dimension of the main body, and wherein the male linking member further comprises a first and a second receiving cavity which are defined by the male linking end and which are further coupled together, and wherein the first and second receiving cavities each have a cross sectional dimension, and wherein the cross sectional dimension of the second receiving cavity is greater than the cross sectional dimension of the first receiving cavity; a female receiving station made integral with the trailing edge of the main body, and which is dimensioned to receive the male linking member of an adjacent endless track link; and a detachable traction component releasably matingly coupled to the main body of the endless track link. 4. An endless track link as claimed in claim 3, and wherein the female receiving station defines a cavity which has a length dimension which is equal to or greater than the length dimension of the male linking member; and wherein the endless track link further comprises: a post which is made integral with the female receiving station, and which occludes, at least in part, the cavity which is defined by the female receiving station, and wherein the post is dimensioned so as to pass through the first receiving cavity of the male linking member of an adjacent endless track link when the post is positioned in a given orientation relative to the adjacent male linking member, and wherein upon passing through the first receiving cavity, the post is rotatably received within the second cavity as defined by the adjacent male linking member. 5. An endless track link as claimed in claim 4, and wherein the main body is defined, at least in part, by opposite inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces, and wherein the post is operable to pass through the first receiving cavity and be rotatably received within the second receiving cavity of an adjacent male linking member when the outwardly facing surfaces of the adjacent endless track links are oriented at an angle of about 45 degrees to about 110 degrees, one relative to the other, and wherein the adjacent endless track links substantially freely rotate in an angular range of about 110 degrees to about 270 degrees, one relative to the other, as that is measured between the outwardly facing surfaces of the adjacent endless track links. 6. An endless track link as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the main body further comprises: a sprocket tooth which extends substantially normally outwardly relative to the inwardly facing surface of the main body, and wherein the sprocket tooth has a first and a second portion which are disposed in spaced relation, one relative to the other, and wherein the main body further defines a passageway which extends between the first and second outside facing surfaces of the main body, and wherein the passageway has opposite first and second ends, and wherein the first end of the passageway is positioned between the first and second portions of the sprocket tooth. 7. An endless track link as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the detachable traction component further comprises: a first portion having opposite first and second surfaces, and wherein the first surface of the first portion is juxtaposed relative to the outwardly facing surface of the main body of the endless track link; and a second portion made integral with the first portion, and which extends normally outwardly relative to the first surface of the first portion, and wherein the second portion has a first end which is affixed to the first portion, and a distal, deformable, second end which is remote thereto, and wherein each of the first and second ends of the second portion have a width dimension, and wherein the width dimension of the second end is greater than that of the first end thereof. 8. An endless track link as claimed in claim 7, and wherein the passageway defined by the main body has a width dimension which is greater than the width dimension of the first end of the second portion, and less than the width dimension of the second end of the second portion, and wherein the second end of the second portion is deformed so as to move through the passageway, and be received between the first and second portions of the sprocket tooth. 9. An endless track link as claimed in claim 7, and wherein the main body of the endless track link, and the detachable traction component are each fabricated from a moldable thermoplastic material, and wherein the main body of the endless track link has a hardness greater than a hardness of the detachable traction component. 10. An endless track link, comprising: an elongated main body having opposite first, and second ends, and a leading and a trailing peripheral edge, and wherein the main body is defined, at least in part, by opposite inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces, and wherein a passageway is formed substantially centrally of the main body, and extends between the inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces; a male linking member made integral with the leading edge of the main body and positioned between the opposite first and second ends thereof, and wherein the male linking member has a length dimension and further extends substantially normally outwardly relative to the leading peripheral edge; a female receiving station made integral with the trailing edge of the main body, and which defines a cavity having a length dimension which is equal to or greater than the length dimension of the male linking member; and a detachable traction component having a first portion which is juxtaposed relative to the outwardly facing surface of the main body and a second deformable portion which is sized so as to be received through the passage, and which couples the detachable traction component to the main body in the manner of a snap-fit. 11. An endless track link as claimed in claim 10, and wherein the main body of the endless track link, and the detachable traction component, are each fabricated from a moldable material, and wherein the main body of the endless track link has a hardness greater than a hardness of the detachable traction component. 12. An endless track link as claimed in claim 10, and further comprising a sprocket tooth having first and second portions which extend substantially normally outwardly relative to the inwardly facing surface, and wherein the first and second portions are positioned on the opposite sides of the passageway, and which terminates at the inwardly facing surface, and wherein the second deformable portion of the traction component is located between the first and second portions of the sprocket tooth. 13. An endless track link as claimed in claim 10, and wherein a cooperating cavity is defined by the outwardly facing surface of the main body and which receives, at least in part, the first portion of the detachable traction component, and wherein the passageway defined by the main body terminates within the cooperating cavity as defined by the outwardly facing surface. 14. An endless track link as claimed in claim 10, and wherein a first link rotates substantially freely relative to an adjacent second link without decoupling from the second link when the angular relationship between the first and second links, as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces thereof, lies in a range of greater than about 110 degrees, to less than about 270 degrees. 15. An endless track link as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the male linking end of a first link releasably couples and decouples from the female receiving station of an adjacent second link when the angular relationship between the first and second links as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces of the first and second links lies in a range of greater than about 45 degrees to less than about 110 degrees.