The present invention provides track assemblies and a method that allow bringing the contact patch towards the inside (the outside) of the suspension arm, by providing a asymmetric track assembly, either by lowering at least one inside (outside) support wheel relative to the remaining support wheels
The present invention provides track assemblies and a method that allow bringing the contact patch towards the inside (the outside) of the suspension arm, by providing a asymmetric track assembly, either by lowering at least one inside (outside) support wheel relative to the remaining support wheels, or by using a belt that comprises, transversally, at least one first profile on the outer (inner) side thereof lower than a second profile on an inner side thereof.
대표청구항▼
1. A track assembly for providing traction to a vehicle on a ground surface, the track assembly comprising: a) an endless track comprising: i. a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground surface; andii. an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface; andb) a track-engagin
1. A track assembly for providing traction to a vehicle on a ground surface, the track assembly comprising: a) an endless track comprising: i. a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground surface; andii. an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface; andb) a track-engaging system for driving and guiding the endless track, the track-engaging system comprising: i. a drive wheel for driving the endless track;ii. a front corner wheel and a rear corner wheel spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track assembly;iii. a plurality of support wheels disposed between the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly; andiv. a wheel-supporting arrangement supporting the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels, the wheel-supporting arrangement comprising: a first wheel-supporting structure interconnecting the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel; anda second wheel-supporting structure carrying a first one of the support wheels and a second one of the support wheels and pivotable relative to the first wheel-supporting structure when the track assembly moves on the ground surface, an axis of rotation of the first one of the support wheels and an axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels being spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly;a third one of the support wheels being mounted to the first wheel-supporting structure such that an axle of the third one of the support wheels intersects the first wheel-supporting structure;the endless track being disposed around the track-engaging system, a lower run of the endless track extending under the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels to engage the ground surface, the track assembly being mountable to the vehicle such that the track assembly is steerable by a steering device of the vehicle to change an orientation of the track assembly relative to a body of the vehicle in order to turn the vehicle. 2. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower run of the endless track comprises a front segment under the front corner wheel, a rear segment under the rear corner wheel, and an intermediate segment under the support wheels and extending lower than a given one of the front segment and the rear segment of the lower run of the endless track when the ground surface is horizontal. 3. The track assembly claimed in claim 2, wherein the given one of the front segment and the rear segment of the lower run of the endless track is the front segment of the lower run of the endless track. 4. The track assembly claimed in claim 3, wherein the intermediate segment of the lower run of the endless track extends lower than the rear segment of the lower run of the endless track when the ground surface is horizontal. 5. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein a bottom of the front corner wheel is higher than a bottom of a frontmost one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 6. The track assembly claimed in claim 5, wherein a bottom of the rear corner wheel is higher than a bottom of a rearmost one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 7. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein a bottom of the front corner wheel is higher than a bottom of the rear corner wheel when the ground surface is horizontal. 8. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels extend lower than a given one of the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel when the ground surface is horizontal. 9. The track assembly claimed in claim 8, wherein the given one of the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel is the front corner wheel. 10. The track assembly claimed in claim 9, wherein the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels extend lower than the rear corner wheel when the ground surface is horizontal. 11. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels extend lower than the third one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 12. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein a span of the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly intersects an axis about which the endless track is pivotable on the ground surface to change the orientation of the track assembly relative to the body of the vehicle in order to turn the vehicle. 13. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the second wheel-supporting structure is pivotable relative to the first wheel-supporting structure about a pivot located between the axis of rotation of the first one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 14. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the second wheel-supporting structure is pivotable relative to the first wheel-supporting structure about a pivot located between extremities of the drive wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 15. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein: the endless track comprises a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge defining a width of the endless track; and the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels are located closer to the first lateral edge of the endless track than to the second lateral edge of the endless track in a widthwise direction of the endless track. 16. The track assembly claimed in claim 15, wherein the first lateral edge of the endless track is located closer to a center of the vehicle than the second lateral edge of the endless track when the track assembly is mounted to the vehicle. 17. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein: the endless track comprises a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge defining a width of the endless track; the first wheel-supporting structure comprises a suspension member extending from the front corner wheel to the rear corner wheel; and the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels are disposed between the suspension member and the first lateral edge of the endless track. 18. The track assembly claimed in claim 17, wherein the first lateral edge of the endless track is located closer to a center of the vehicle than the second lateral edge of the endless track when the track assembly is mounted to the vehicle. 19. The track assembly claimed in claim 17, wherein the third one of the support wheels is disposed between the suspension member and the second lateral edge of the endless track. 20. The track assembly claimed in claim 19, wherein the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels extend lower than the third one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 21. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation of the third one of the support wheels is spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the first one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 22. The track assembly claimed in claim 21, wherein the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels extend lower than the third one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 23. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the wheel-supporting arrangement comprises a resilient bushing disposed between the first wheel-supporting structure and the second wheel-supporting structure to cushion against shocks. 24. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein a distance between an axis of rotation of the drive wheel and an axis of rotation of the front corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly is different from a distance between the axis of rotation of the drive wheel and an axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 25. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the track assembly is pivotable relative to the body of the vehicle about an axis of rotation of the drive wheel. 26. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the track assembly is mountable to the vehicle in place of a ground-engaging wheel comprising a tire. 27. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an ATV. 28. The track assembly claimed in claim 27, wherein the ATV comprises handlebars for steering the ATV. 29. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the first one of the support wheels, the second one of the support wheels, and the third one of the support wheels are disposed on a lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure. 30. The track assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein: the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels are disposed on a first lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure; and the third one of the support wheels is disposed on a second lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure opposite to the first lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure. 31. The track assembly claimed in claim 30, wherein the third one of the support wheels overlaps with at least one of the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 32. A set of four track assemblies for providing traction to a vehicle on a ground surface, each track assembly of the set of four track assemblies comprising: a) an endless track comprising: i. a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground surface; andii. an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface; andb) a track-engaging system for driving and guiding the endless track, the track-engaging system comprising: i. a drive wheel for driving the endless track;ii. a front corner wheel and a rear corner wheel spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track assembly;iii. a plurality of support wheels disposed between the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly; andiv. a wheel-supporting arrangement supporting the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels,the endless track being disposed around the track-engaging system, a lower run of the endless track extending under the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels to engage the ground surface;wherein the wheel-supporting arrangement of a given track assembly of the set of four track assemblies comprises: a first wheel-supporting structure interconnecting the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel of the given track assembly; anda second wheel-supporting structure carrying a first one of the support wheels of the given track assembly and a second one of the support wheels of the given track assembly and pivotable relative to the first wheel-supporting structure when the given track assembly moves on the ground surface, an axis of rotation of the first one of the support wheels and an axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels being spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the given track assembly;wherein a third one of the support wheels of the given track assembly is mounted to the first wheel-supporting structure of the given track assembly such that an axle of the third one of the support wheels of the given track assembly intersects the first wheel-supporting structure of the given track assembly; andwherein each of at least two track assemblies of the set of four track assemblies is mountable to the vehicle such that each of the at least two track assemblies is steerable by a steering device of the vehicle to change an orientation of each of the at least two track assemblies relative to a body of the vehicle in order to turn the vehicle. 33. A track assembly for providing traction to a vehicle on a ground surface, the track assembly comprising: a) an endless track comprising: i. a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground surface; andii. an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface; andb) a track-engaging system for driving and guiding the endless track, the track-engaging system comprising: i. a drive wheel for driving the endless track;ii. a front corner wheel and a rear corner wheel spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track assembly;iii. a plurality of support wheels disposed between the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly; andiv. a wheel-supporting arrangement supporting the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels, the wheel-supporting arrangement being configured such that, when the track assembly moves on the ground surface; an axis of rotation of a movable one of the support wheels is movable relative to an axis of rotation of the front corner wheel and an axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel to vary a distance between the axis of rotation of the movable one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel and vary a distance between the axis of rotation of the movable one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel; andan axis of rotation of a fixed one of the support wheels is substantially fixed relative to the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel to substantially maintain a distance between the axis of rotation of the fixed one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel and substantially maintain a distance between the axis of rotation of the fixed one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel;the endless track being disposed around the track-engaging system, a lower run of the endless track extending under the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels to engage the ground surface, the track assembly being mountable to the vehicle such that the track assembly is steerable by a steering device of the vehicle to change an orientation of the track assembly relative to a body of the vehicle in order to turn the vehicle. 34. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein the lower run of the endless track comprises a front segment under the front corner wheel, a rear segment under the rear corner wheel, and an intermediate segment under the support wheels and extending lower than a given one of the front segment and the rear segment of the lower run of the endless track when the ground surface is horizontal. 35. The track assembly claimed in claim 34, wherein the given one of the front segment and the rear segment of the lower run of the endless track is the front segment of the lower run of the endless track. 36. The track assembly claimed in claim 35, wherein the intermediate segment of the lower run of the endless track extends lower than the rear segment of the lower run of the endless track when the ground surface is horizontal. 37. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein a bottom of the front corner wheel is higher than a bottom of a frontmost one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 38. The track assembly claimed in claim 37, wherein a bottom of the rear corner wheel is higher than a bottom of a rearmost one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 39. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein a bottom of the front corner wheel is higher than a bottom of the rear corner wheel when the ground surface is horizontal. 40. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein the movable one of the support wheels extends lower than a given one of the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel when the ground surface is horizontal. 41. The track assembly claimed in claim 40, wherein the given one of the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel is the front corner wheel. 42. The track assembly claimed in claim 41, wherein the movable one of the support wheels extends lower than the rear corner wheel when the ground surface is horizontal. 43. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein the movable one of the support wheels extends lower than the fixed one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 44. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein: the movable one of the support wheels is a first one of the support wheels; the wheel-supporting arrangement is configured such that, when the track assembly moves on the ground surface, an axis of rotation of a second one of the support wheels is movable relative to the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel to vary a distance between the axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel; and the axis of rotation of the first one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 45. The track assembly claimed in claim 44, wherein a span of the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly intersects an axis about which the endless track is pivotable on the ground surface to change the orientation of the track assembly relative to the body of the vehicle in order to turn the vehicle. 46. The track assembly claimed in claim 44, wherein the wheel-supporting arrangement comprises: a first wheel-supporting structure interconnecting the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel; and a second wheel-supporting structure carrying the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels and pivotable relative to the first wheel-supporting structure. 47. The track assembly claimed in claim 46, wherein the second wheel-supporting structure is pivotable relative to the first wheel-supporting structure about a pivot located between the axis of rotation of the first one of the support wheels and the axis of rotation of the second one of the support wheels in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 48. The track assembly claimed in claim 46, wherein the second wheel-supporting structure is pivotable relative to the first wheel-supporting structure about a pivot located between extremities of the drive wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 49. The track assembly claimed in claim 44, wherein an axle of the fixed one of the support wheels intersects the first wheel-supporting structure. 50. The track assembly claimed in claim 44, wherein the first one of the support wheels, the second one of the support wheels, and the fixed one of the support wheels are disposed on a lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure. 51. The track assembly claimed in claim 44, wherein: the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels are disposed on a first lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure; and the fixed one of the support wheels is disposed on a second lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure opposite to the first lateral side of the first wheel-supporting structure. 52. The track assembly claimed in claim 51, wherein the fixed one of the support wheels overlaps with at least one of the first one of the support wheels and the second one of the support wheels in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 53. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein: the endless track comprises a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge defining a width of the endless track; and the movable one of the support wheels is located closer to the first lateral edge of the endless track than to the second lateral edge of the endless track in a widthwise direction of the endless track. 54. The track assembly claimed in claim 53, wherein the first lateral edge of the endless track is located closer to a center of the vehicle than the second lateral edge of the endless track when the track assembly is mounted to the vehicle. 55. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein: the endless track comprises a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge defining a width of the endless track; the wheel-supporting arrangement comprises a suspension member extending from the front corner wheel to the rear corner wheel; and the movable one of the support wheels is disposed between the suspension member and the first lateral edge of the endless track. 56. The track assembly claimed in claim 55, wherein the first lateral edge of the endless track is located closer to a center of the vehicle than the second lateral edge of the endless track when the track assembly is mounted to the vehicle. 57. The track assembly claimed in claim 55, wherein the fixed one of the support wheels is disposed between the suspension member and the second lateral edge of the endless track. 58. The track assembly claimed in claim 57, wherein the movable one of the support wheels extends lower than the fixed one of the support wheels when the ground surface is horizontal. 59. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein a distance between an axis of rotation of the drive wheel and the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly is different from a distance between the axis of rotation of the drive wheel and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly. 60. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein the track assembly is pivotable relative to the body of the vehicle about an axis of rotation of the drive wheel. 61. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein the track assembly is mountable to the vehicle in place of a ground-engaging wheel comprising a tire. 62. The track assembly claimed in claim 33, wherein the vehicle is an ATV. 63. The track assembly claimed in claim 62, wherein the ATV comprises handlebars for steering the ATV. 64. A set of four track assemblies for providing traction to a vehicle on a ground surface, each track assembly of the set of four track assemblies comprising: a) an endless track comprising: i. a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground surface; andii. an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface; andb) a track-engaging system for driving and guiding the endless track, the track-engaging system comprising: i. a drive wheel for driving the endless track;ii. a front corner wheel and a rear corner wheel spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track assembly;iii. a plurality of support wheels disposed between the front corner wheel and the rear corner wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly; andiv. a wheel-supporting arrangement supporting the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels,the endless track being disposed around the track-engaging system, a lower run of the endless track extending under the front corner wheel, the rear corner wheel, and the support wheels to engage the ground surface;wherein the wheel-supporting arrangement of a given track assembly of the set of four track assemblies is configured such that, when the given track assembly moves on the ground surface; an axis of rotation of a movable one of the support wheels of the given track assembly is movable relative to an axis of rotation of the front corner wheel of the given track assembly and an axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel of the given track assembly to vary a distance between the axis of rotation of the movable one of the support wheels of the given track assembly and the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel of the given track assembly and vary a distance between the axis of rotation of the movable one of the support wheels of the given track assembly and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel of the given track assembly; andan axis of rotation of a fixed one of the support wheels of the given track assembly is substantially fixed relative to the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel of the given track assembly and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel of the given track assembly to substantially maintain a distance between the axis of rotation of the fixed one of the support wheels of the given track assembly and the axis of rotation of the front corner wheel of the given track assembly and substantially maintain a distance between the axis of rotation of the fixed one of the support wheels of the given track assembly and the axis of rotation of the rear corner wheel of the given track assembly;wherein each of at least two track assemblies of the set of four track assemblies is mountable to the vehicle such that each of the at least two track assemblies is steerable by a steering device of the vehicle to change an orientation of each of the at least two track assemblies relative to a body of the vehicle in order to turn the vehicle.
Furuta,Takefumi; Nagasaka,Hidenori, Impact driver having a percussion application mechanism which operation mode can be selectively switched between percussion and non-percussion modes.
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