초록 ▼

An endless track for a track assembly providing traction to a work vehicle (e.g., an agricultural vehicle, a construction vehicle, etc.). The endless track comprises an elastomeric carcass having an inner side for facing wheels of the work vehicle and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the gr

An endless track for a track assembly providing traction to a work vehicle (e.g., an agricultural vehicle, a construction vehicle, etc.). The endless track comprises an elastomeric carcass having an inner side for facing wheels of the work vehicle and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the ground. The endless track has a lug replacement capability to facilitate replacement of one or more drive/guide lugs on the inner side and/or one or more traction lugs on the ground-engaging outer side or portions of these lugs.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An endless track for a track assembly providing fraction to a vehicle, the track assembly comprising a plurality of wheels around which the endless track is mountable, the plurality of wheels including a drive wheel for driving the endless track, the endless track comprising: an elastomeric carca

1. An endless track for a track assembly providing fraction to a vehicle, the track assembly comprising a plurality of wheels around which the endless track is mountable, the plurality of wheels including a drive wheel for driving the endless track, the endless track comprising: an elastomeric carcass having an inner side for facing the wheels and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the ground;a plurality of elastomeric drive/guide lugs molded on the inner side and spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the endless track, the elastomeric drive/guide lugs being positioned to contact at least one of the wheels; anda plurality of lug-fastening parts provisioned during original manufacturing of the endless track to facilitate fastening of one or more replacement drive/guide lugs to the elastomeric carcass when replacing one or more of the elastomeric drive/guide lugs, each lug-fastening part of the plurality of lug-fastening parts defining a predetermined position of a fastener to fasten a replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass when replacing a given one of the elastomeric drive/guide lugs. 2. The endless track claimed in claim 1, wherein the lug-fastening part includes a hole in the elastomeric carcass for receiving the fastener. 3. The endless track claimed in claim 2, wherein the hole is a through hole extending through the elastomeric carcass from the inner side to the ground-engaging outer side. 4. The endless track claimed in claim 2, wherein the lug-fastening part includes a filler filling at least part of the hole, the filler being removable from the hole to insert the fastener into the hole. 5. The endless track claimed in claim 4, wherein the filler is a polymeric filler. 6. The endless track claimed in claim 5, wherein the polymeric filler is an elastomeric filler. 7. The endless track claimed in claim 6, wherein the elastomeric filler contains at least one of silicone rubber and polyurethane. 8. The endless track claimed in claim 2, wherein the lug-fastening part includes an insert embedded in the elastomeric carcass and defining the hole. 9. The endless track claimed in claim 1, wherein the lug-fastening part includes a mark marking the predetermined position of the fastener. 10. The endless track claimed in claim 9, wherein the mark is a drilling mark marking where a hole is to be drilled in the elastomeric carcass to receive the fastener. 11. The endless track claimed in claim 10, wherein the drilling mark indicates a size of a drill to use to drill the hole. 12. The endless track claimed in claim 9, wherein the mark is a molded mark. 13. The endless track claimed in claim 9, wherein the mark is a machined mark. 14. The endless track claimed in claim 9, wherein the mark is a colored mark. 15. The endless track claimed in claim 9, wherein the mark is located on the ground-engaging outer side. 16. The endless track claimed in claim 9, wherein the mark is located on the inner side. 17. The endless track claimed in claim 16, wherein the mark is located on the given one of the elastomeric drive/guide lugs. 18. The endless track claimed in claim 16, wherein the mark is located beneath the given one of the elastomeric drive/guide lugs so as to be visible when the given one of the elastomeric drive/guide lugs is removed. 19. The endless track claimed in claim 1, wherein the lug-fastening part includes a fastening element of the fastener, the fastening element being secured to the elastomeric carcass and projecting from the inner side. 20. The endless track claimed in claim 19, wherein the fastening element is threaded. 21. The endless track claimed in claim 20, wherein the fastening element is externally threaded. 22. The endless track claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of reinforcing cables extending in the longitudinal direction of the endless track and distributed in a widthwise direction of the endless track, the predetermined position of the fastener being located relative to the reinforcing cables such that the fastener extends in the elastomeric carcass without intersecting any reinforcing cable. 23. The endless track claimed in claim 22, wherein the predetermined position of the fastener is located relative to the reinforcing cables such that the fastener extends between two adjacent ones of the reinforcing cables. 24. The endless track claimed in claim 23, wherein a spacing of the two adjacent ones of the reinforcing cables in the widthwise direction of the endless track is greater at the predetermined position of the fastener than elsewhere to accommodate the fastener. 25. The endless track claimed in claim 23, wherein a pitch of the reinforcing cables in the widthwise direction of the endless track varies to accommodate the fastener. 26. The endless track claimed in claim 23, comprising an insert embedded in the elastomeric carcass and guiding where the two adjacent ones of the reinforcing cables extend. 27. The endless track claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener is a first fastener, the lug-fastening part defining a predetermined position of a second fastener to fasten the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass when replacing the given one of the elastomeric drive/guide lugs. 28. The endless track claimed in claim 1, wherein the lug-fastening part includes an interlocking portion of the elastomeric carcass for interlocking with an interlocking portion of the replacement drive/guide lug. 29. The endless track claimed in claim 28, wherein the interlocking portion of the elastomeric carcass includes an interlocking space for receiving the interlocking portion of the replacement drive/guide lug. 30. A replacement drive/guide lug for replacing an elastomeric drive/guide lug of an endless track of a track assembly providing traction to a vehicle, the track assembly comprising a plurality of wheels around which the endless track is mountable, the plurality of wheels including a drive wheel for driving the endless track, the endless track comprising: (i) an elastomeric carcass having an inner side for facing the wheels and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the ground, the elastomeric drive/guide lug to be replaced being molded on the inner side and being one of a plurality of drive/guide lugs on the inner side, the drive/guide lugs being spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the endless track and positioned to contact at least one of the wheels; and (ii) a lug-fastening part provisioned during original manufacturing of the endless track to facilitate fastening of the replacement drive/guide lug when replacing the elastomeric drive/guide lug to be replaced, the lug-fastening part defining a predetermined position of a fastener to fasten the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass, the replacement drive/guide lug comprising: a lug body for engaging the inner side; anda lug-fastening part for fastening the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass with the fastener at the predetermined position. 31. The replacement drive/guide lug claimed in claim 30, wherein the endless track comprises a plurality of reinforcing cables extending in the longitudinal direction of the endless track and distributed in a widthwise direction of the endless track, the lug-fastening part of the replacement drive/guide lug being configured such that the fastener extends in the elastomeric carcass without intersecting any reinforcing cable. 32. The replacement drive/guide lug claimed in claim 30, wherein the fastener is a first fastener, the lug-fastening part of the endless track defining a predetermined position of a second fastener to fasten the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass, the lug-fastening part of the replacement drive/guide lug being configured for fastening the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass with the first fastener at the predetermined position of the first fastener and the second fastener at the predetermined position of the second fastener. 33. The replacement drive/guide lug claimed in claim 30, wherein the lug-fastening part of the replacement drive/guide lug includes an interlocking portion for interlocking with an interlocking portion of the elastomeric carcass. 34. A method of replacing an elastomeric drive/guide lug of an endless track of a track assembly providing traction to a vehicle, the track assembly comprising a plurality of wheels around which the endless track is mountable, the plurality of wheels including a drive wheel for driving the endless track, the endless track comprising: (i) an elastomeric carcass having an inner side for facing the wheels and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the ground, the elastomeric drive/guide lug to be replaced being molded on the inner side and being one of a plurality of drive/guide lugs on the inner side, the drive/guide lugs being spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the endless track and positioned to contact at least one of the wheels; and (ii) a lug-fastening part provisioned during original manufacturing of the endless track to facilitate fastening of a replacement drive/guide lug replacing the elastomeric drive/guide lug to be replaced, the lug-fastening part defining a predetermined position of a fastener to fasten the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass, the method comprising: providing the replacement drive/guide lug; andinstalling the replacement drive/guide lug on the elastomeric carcass in place of the elastomeric drive/guide lug to be replaced, said installing comprising fastening the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass with the fastener at the predetermined position. 35. A method of replacing a drive/guide lug of an endless track of a track assembly providing traction to a vehicle, the track assembly comprising a plurality of wheels around which the endless track is mountable, the plurality of wheels including a drive wheel for driving the endless track, the endless track comprising: (i) an elastomeric carcass having an inner side for facing the wheels and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the ground, the drive/guide lug to be replaced being one of a plurality of drive/guide lugs on the inner side, the drive/guide lugs being spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the endless track and positioned to contact at least one of the wheels; and (ii) a plurality of reinforcing cables extending in the longitudinal direction of the endless track and distributed in a widthwise direction of the endless track, the method comprising: providing a replacement drive/guide lug; andinstalling the replacement drive/guide lug on the elastomeric carcass in place of the drive/guide lug to be replaced, said installing comprising fastening the replacement drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass with a fastener extending in the elastomeric carcass without intersecting any reinforcing cable. 36. A drive/guide lug for an endless track of a track assembly providing traction to a vehicle, the track assembly comprising a plurality of wheels around which the endless track is disposed, the plurality of wheels including a drive wheel for driving the endless track, the endless track comprising an elastomeric carcass having an inner side for facing the wheels and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the ground, the drive/guide lug being mountable on the inner side as one of a plurality of drive/guide lugs which are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the endless track and which are positioned to contact at least one of the wheels, the drive/guide lug comprising: a lug body for engaging the inner side, the lug body including a hole for receiving a fastener to fasten the drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass; anda load-distributing member for distributing on the lug body a load exerted by the fastener to fasten the drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass, the load-distributing member including a bearing surface which bears against a bearing surface of the lug body when the load-distributing member is placed against the lug body and the drive/guide lug is fastened to the elastomeric carcass by the fastener. 37. The drive/guide lug claimed in claim 36, wherein the hole is a first hole and the fastener is a first fastener, the lug body including a second hole for receiving a second fastener to fasten the drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass, the load-distributing member being configured for distributing on the lug body a load exerted by the second fastener to fasten the drive/guide lug to the elastomeric carcass. 38. The drive/guide lug claimed in claim 36, wherein the drive/guide lug has a front-to-rear dimension in the longitudinal direction of the endless track and a side-to-side dimension in a widthwise direction of the endless track, the bearing surface of the load-distributing member extending over at least 30% of a given one of the front-to-rear dimension and the side-to-side dimension of the drive/guide lug. 39. The drive/guide lug claimed in claim 38, wherein the bearing surface of the load-distributing member extends over at least 40% of the given one of the front-to-rear dimension and the side-to-side dimension of the drive/guide lug. 40. The drive/guide lug claimed in claim 38, wherein the bearing surface of the load-distributing member extends over at least 50% of the given one of the front-to-rear dimension and the side-to-side dimension of the drive/guide lug. 41. The drive/guide lug claimed in claim 38, wherein the given one of the front-to-rear dimension and the side-to-side dimension of the drive/guide lug is the front-to-rear dimension of the drive/guide lug, the bearing surface of the load-distributing member extending over at least 30% of the side-to-side dimension of the drive/guide lug. 42. The drive/guide lug claimed in claim 36, wherein each of the bearing surface of the load-distributing member and the bearing surface of the lug body is curved. 43. The drive/guide lug claimed in claim 36, wherein the lug body includes a recess for receiving the load-distributing member, the recess forming the bearing surface of the lug body.