초록 ▼

The wheel-ski system is for use with a vehicle adapted for travel on road and snow-covered surfaces. The system has a ski-engaging travel mode and a wheel-engaging travel mode. It includes an elongated ski, a supporting leg pivotally coupled to the vehicle, a wheel, an actuator mounted between a bac

The wheel-ski system is for use with a vehicle adapted for travel on road and snow-covered surfaces. The system has a ski-engaging travel mode and a wheel-engaging travel mode. It includes an elongated ski, a supporting leg pivotally coupled to the vehicle, a wheel, an actuator mounted between a back plate and a first lever arm, and a positioning device for positioning a wheel-supporting axle into an upper position when the supporting leg is in a first position, and positioning the wheel-supporting axle into a bottom position when the supporting leg is in a second position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wheel-ski system for a vehicle adapted for travel in a forward travel direction on road and snow-covered surfaces, the system having a ski-engaging travel mode and a wheel-engaging travel mode, the system including: an elongated ski having a ground-engageable undersurface, the ski extending in

1. A wheel-ski system for a vehicle adapted for travel in a forward travel direction on road and snow-covered surfaces, the system having a ski-engaging travel mode and a wheel-engaging travel mode, the system including: an elongated ski having a ground-engageable undersurface, the ski extending in a longitudinal direction, which longitudinal direction is substantially parallel to the forward travel direction;a back plate to be rigidly connected to the vehicle;a supporting leg having a top end and a bottom end, the top end of the supporting leg to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle about a first transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the supporting leg being pivotable about the first transversal pivot axis between a first position and a second position, the first position corresponding to the ski-engaging travel mode and the second position corresponding to the wheel-engaging travel mode, the bottom end of the supporting leg being pivotally coupled to the ski about a second transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction;a wheel having a ground-engageable outer surface;a first lever arm having opposite first and second ends, the first end of the first lever arm being in a torque-transmitting engagement with the supporting leg;an actuator mounted between the back plate and the first lever arm, the actuator at least generating a force urging the supporting leg to pivot towards its first position when the system is in the ski-engaging travel mode;a pair of second lever arms having opposite first and second ends, the first ends of the second lever arms being pivotally coupled to the supporting leg about a third transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the third transversal pivot being located above the ski and on a front side of the supporting leg with reference to the forward travel direction;a wheel-supporting axle around which the wheel is mounted for rotation, the wheel-supporting axle extending transversally between the second ends of the second lever arms and along a fourth transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the wheel-supporting axle being movable between an upper position and a bottom position, the upper position corresponding to the ski-engaging travel mode and the bottom position corresponding to the wheel-engaging travel mode; anda positioning device mounted between the first lever arm and one of the second lever arms, the positioning device positioning the wheel-supporting axle into the upper position when the supporting leg is in its first position, and positioning the wheel-supporting axle into the bottom position when the supporting leg is in its second position. 2. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the back plate and the top end of the supporting leg are configured and disposed to be mounted to a corresponding steering knuckle arm of the vehicle. 3. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a converted four-wheel vehicle having a right-side front steering knuckle arm and a left-side front steering knuckle arm cooperating with one another to steer the vehicle, the system being a first system provided on one among the two steering knuckle arms and a wheel-ski second system being provided on the other one among the two steering knuckle arms, the second system including a ski and a wheel that remain are substantially always parallel to the ski and the wheel of the first system. 4. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the wheel includes a gas-inflated tire mounted around a rim. 5. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, further including a pair of spaced-apart stoppers mounted on the back plate, one of the stoppers preventing the supporting leg from pivoting beyond its first position and the other one of the stoppers preventing the supporting leg from pivoting beyond its second position. 6. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 5, wherein each of the stoppers include shock-absorbing pads, the shock-absorbing pads being engageable by a side lever that is made integral with and radially projecting from the top end of the supporting leg. 7. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first lever arm is made integral with and radially projecting from the top end of the supporting leg. 8. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the ski includes two spaced-apart ski blades that are parallel to one another and the supporting leg has an inverted “Y” shape including two side members, each ski blade being pivotally connected to a bottom end of a corresponding one among two side members of the supporting leg. 9. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 8, wherein the first ends of the second lever arms are each connected to a corresponding bearing positioned in front of a corresponding one among the two side members, each bearing including a casing having an outer circular front surface on which the wheel-supporting axle is engaged, the wheel-supporting axle rolling on the outer circular front surfaces when moving between its upper and bottom positions. 10. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 8, further including a ski holder mounted between the ski and the supporting leg, the ski holder keeping the ski substantially horizontal when the system is in a wheel-engaging travel mode. 11. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 10, wherein the ski holder includes two levers and two ski holder elements, each lever being attached to a corresponding one of the second ends of the second lever arms and each ski holder element being pivotally mounted around the second transversal pivot axis, each lever having a free end engaging a corresponding one of the ski holder element when the system is in a wheel-engaging travel mode. 12. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein in the first position of the supporting leg, the second transversal pivot axis is forward from the first transversal pivot axis with reference to the forward travel direction. 13. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein in the second position of the supporting leg, the second transversal pivot axis is rearward from the first transversal pivot axis with reference to the forward travel direction and the fourth transversal pivot axis is rearward from the third transversal pivot axis with reference to the forward travel direction. 14. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 13, wherein in the second position of the supporting leg, the third transversal pivot axis is rearward from the first transversal pivot axis with reference to the forward travel direction. 15. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a compression spring. 16. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 15, wherein the actuator includes a nut to adjust spring force from the compression spring, the nut being coaxially mounted on a threaded stem around which the compression spring is mounted. 17. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a piston and a cylinder, the piston being moveable inside a cylinder and having at least one side receiving a pressurized fluid. 18. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 17, wherein the pressurized fluid is pressurized air, the wheel-ski system including a pneumatic system located on the vehicle. 19. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 17, wherein the pressurized fluid is pressurized air, the wheel-ski system including a pneumatic system, the pneumatic system having a control valve, the supporting leg being selectively moveable between its first and second positions using the actuator and the control valve. 20. The wheel-ski system as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a piston, a cylinder and a pneumatic system, the piston being moveable inside a cylinder and having two sides receiving pressurized air, the actuator being configured to absorb shocks during operation of the wheel-ski system in the ski-engaging travel mode.