초록 ▼

A deflector for reducing the ingestion of snow and/or other debris in one of the sprocket wheel and the idler wheel area of a vehicle equipped with endless tracks is provided. The deflector generally comprises a rigid plate associated with the vehicle and positioned near the sprocket wheel or the id

A deflector for reducing the ingestion of snow and/or other debris in one of the sprocket wheel and the idler wheel area of a vehicle equipped with endless tracks is provided. The deflector generally comprises a rigid plate associated with the vehicle and positioned near the sprocket wheel or the idler wheel thereof, and a resilient pad having an upper portion coupled with the rigid plate and a lower portion freely extending from the upper portion and extending toward the inner surface of the track to limit the ingestion of snow and/or other debris in the sprocket wheel or idler wheel area of the vehicle during its operation. The lower portion of the resilient pad is generally provided with reinforcing elements which allow the resilient pad to be essentially rigid in the direction of ingestion yet pivotable in the opposite direction.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A snow and/or debris deflector for a tracked vehicle, said deflector comprising: a) a rigid plate configured to be mounted to said vehicle substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of a track of said vehicle and near one of the wheels of said vehicle, sai

The invention claimed is: 1. A snow and/or debris deflector for a tracked vehicle, said deflector comprising: a) a rigid plate configured to be mounted to said vehicle substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of a track of said vehicle and near one of the wheels of said vehicle, said rigid plate having an inner wheel-facing side, an opposite outer side, and a lower edge; b) a resilient pad having an upper portion, mounted on said outer side of said rigid plate, a lower portion, extending from said upper portion and overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate, and a hinge portion at the junction of said upper portion and said lower portion and about which said lower portion can pivot with respect to said upper portion, said lower portion being provided with at least one reinforcing element embedded therein overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate such that said lower portion of said resilient pad is prevented from bending around said lower edge of said rigid plate and toward said one of said wheels; wherein the combination of said rigid plate, said lower portion of said resilient pad and said at least one reinforcing element causes said lower portion of said resilient pad to abut on said rigid plate and remain substantially rigid when pushed against said rigid plate by snow and/or debris traveling toward said one of said wheels, but causes said lower portion of said resilient pad to pivot about said hinge portion away from said rigid plate when pushed away from said rigid plate by snow and/or debris exiting said one of said wheels. 2. A deflector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower portion of said resilient pad comprises a plurality of said at least one reinforcing element. 3. A deflector for reducing the ingestion of snow and/or debris in one of a sprocket wheel and an idler wheel of a vehicle equipped with at least one endless track, said deflector comprising: a) a rigid plate configured to be mounted to said vehicle substantially transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of said at least one track and near one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel, said rigid plate having an inner wheel-facing side, an opposite outer side, and a lower edge; and b) a resilient pad having an upper portion mounted to said rigid plate on said opposite side, a lower portion downwardly extending from said upper portion and overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate, and a hinge portion at the junction of said upper portion and said lower portion and about which said lower portion can pivot with respect to said upper portion, said lower portion comprising a plurality of rigid reinforcing elements embedded therein and also overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate such that said lower portion of said resilient pad is prevented from bending around said lower edge of said rigid plate and toward said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel; wherein the combination of said rigid plate, said lower portion of said resilient pad and said reinforcing elements causes said lower portion of said resilient pad to abut on said rigid plate and remain substantially rigid when pushed against said rigid plate by snow and/or debris traveling toward said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel, but causes said lower portion of said resilient pad to pivot about said hinge portion away from said rigid plate when pushed away from said rigid plate by snow and/or debris exiting said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel. 4. A deflector for reducing the ingestion of snow and/or debris between one of a sprocket wheel area and an idler wheel area and a track of a vehicle equipped with at least one track system, said deflector comprising: a) a rigid plate adapted to be mounted to said vehicle in close proximity of the outer periphery of said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel and substantially transversally of a longitudinal direction of said track, said rigid plate having an inner wheel-facing side, an opposite outer side, and a lower edge, and being at least partly shaped as an arc substantially following the curvature of said outer periphery of said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel; b) a resilient pad having an upper portion mounted on said outer side of said rigid plate, a lower portion extending downwardly from said upper portion and extending below and overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate, and a hinge portion at the junction of said upper portion and said lower portion and about which said lower portion can pivot with respect to said upper portion; and c) a reinforcing element mounted to or embedded within said lower portion of said resilient pad, said element overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate; whereby said lower portion remains substantially rigid when pushed against said rigid plate but pivots about said hinge portion when pushed away from said rigid plate. 5. A deflector as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of said reinforcing element. 6. A deflector as claimed in claim 4, wherein said reinforcing element extends substantially vertically. 7. A tracked vehicle comprising at least one track system having a sprocket wheel, an idler wheel, road wheels and a longitudinally extending track mounted thereabout, said tracked vehicle comprising a snow and/or debris deflector mounted thereto near one of said wheels, said deflector comprising: a) a rigid plate mounted to said vehicle in close proximity of the outer periphery of one of said wheels and substantially transversally of the longitudinal direction of said track, said rigid plate having an inner wheel-facing side, an opposite outer side, and a lower edge, and being at least partly shaped as an arc substantially following the curvature of said outer periphery of said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel; b) a resilient pad having an upper portion mounted on said outer side of said rigid plate, a lower portion extending downwardly from said upper portion and overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate, and a hinge portion at the junction of said upper portion and said lower portion and about which said lower portion can pivot with respect to said upper portion; and c) a reinforcing element mounted to or embedded within said lower portion of said resilient pad, said reinforcing element overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate; whereby said lower portion remains substantially rigid when pushed against said rigid plate but pivots about said hinge portion when pushed away from said rigid plate. 8. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said deflector further comprises a plurality of said reinforcing element. 9. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lower portion of said resilient pad has a shape which is substantially complementary to the interior profile of said track. 10. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lower edge of said rigid plate has a shape which is substantially complementary to the interior profile of said track. 11. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lower portion of said resilient pad is spaced from the inner surface of said track when said vehicle is stopped. 12. A deflector for reducing the ingestion of snow and/or debris between one of a sprocket wheel area and an idler wheel area and a track of a tracked vehicle equipped with at least one track system, said deflector comprising: a) a rigid plate configured to be mounted to said vehicle in close proximity of the outer periphery of said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel and substantially transversally of a longitudinal direction of said track, said rigid plate having an inner wheel-facing side configured to face said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel, an opposite outer side, and a lower edge; b) a resilient pad having an upper portion mounted on said outer side of said rigid plate, a lower portion extending downwardly from said upper portion and extending below and overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate, and a hinge portion at the junction of said upper portion and said lower portion and about which said lower portion can pivot with respect to said upper portion; and c) a rigid element embedded within said lower portion of said resilient pad, said element overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate such that said lower portion of said resilient pad is prevented from bending around said lower edge of said rigid plate and toward said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel; wherein the combination of said rigid plate, said resilient pad and said rigid element causes said lower portion of said resilient pad to abut on said rigid plate and remain substantially rigid when pushed against said rigid plate by snow and/or debris traveling toward said one of said -sprocket wheel area and said idler wheel area, but also cause said lower portion of said resilient pad to pivot about said hinge portion away from said rigid plate when pushed away from said rigid plate by snow and/or debris exiting said one of said sprocket wheel area and said idler wheel area. 13. A deflector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said rigid element extends substantially vertically. 14. A deflector as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a plurality of said rigid element. 15. A deflector as claimed in claim 14, wherein said rigid elements extend substantially vertically. 16. A deflector as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said rigid elements has a length different from any others. 17. A deflector as claimed in claim 14, wherein said rigid elements are laterally spaced-apart. 18. A deflector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said resilient pad is made from composite material. 19. A deflector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said lower portion of said resilient pad has a shape which is substantially complementary to the interior profile of said track. 20. A deflector as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least part of said rigid plate is shaped as an arc substantially following the curvature of said outer periphery of said one of said sprocket wheel and said idler wheel. 21. A deflector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said lower edge of said rigid plate has a shape which is substantially complementary to the interior profile of said track. 22. A deflector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said lower portion of said resilient pad is spaced from the inner surface of said track when said vehicle is stopped. 23. A tracked vehicle comprising at least one track system having a sprocket wheel, an idler wheel, road wheels and a longitudinally extending track mounted about said wheels, said tracked vehicle comprising a snow and/or debris deflector mounted thereto near one of said wheels, said deflector comprising: a) a rigid plate mounted to said vehicle in close proximity of the outer periphery of one of said wheels and substantially transversally of the longitudinal direction of said track, said rigid plate having an inner wheel-facing side configured to face said one of said wheels, an opposite outer side, and a lower edge; b) a resilient pad having an upper portion mounted on said outer side of said rigid plate, a lower portion extending downwardly from said upper portion and overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate, and a hinge portion at the junction of said upper portion and said lower portion and about which said lower portion can pivot with respect to said upper portion; and c) a rigid element embedded within said lower portion of said resilient pad, said rigid element overlapping said lower edge of said rigid plate such that said lower portion of said resilient pad is prevented from bending around said lower edge of said rigid plate and toward. said one of said wheels; wherein the combination of said rigid plate, said resilient pad and said rigid element causes said lower portion of said resilient pad to abut on said rigid plate and remain substantially rigid when pushed against said rigid plate by snow and/or debris traveling toward said one of said wheels, but to pivot about said hinge portion away from said rigid plate when pushed away from said rigid plate by snow and/or debris exiting said one of said wheels. 24. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein said deflector further comprises a plurality of said rigid element. 25. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein said lower portion of said resilient pad has a shape which is substantially complementary to the interior profile of said track. 26. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein said lower edge of said rigid plate has a shape which is substantially complementary to the interior profile of said track. 27. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least part of said rigid plate is shaped as an arc substantially following the curvature of said outer periphery of said one of said wheels. 28. A tracked vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein said lower portion of said resilient pad is spaced from the inner surface of said track when said vehicle is stopped.