Patents by Inventor Pascal LAFRENIERE
Pascal LAFRENIERE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240025477Abstract: A steering knuckle gearbox assembly comprises a body having a housing portion having a cavity defined in the housing portion; a mating portion connected to the housing portion and being pivotably mountable an axle frame of a vehicle; and a mounting portion for having a steering link of the vehicle pivotably mounted to the mounting portion. An input shaft is rotationally supported by the housing portion and extends into the cavity at its one end and is operatively connectable to a drive axle of the vehicle at its other end. An output shaft is rotationally supported by the housing portion and extends into the cavity at its one end and is operatively connected to the input shaft at its other end. The output shaft is offset in height from the input shaft. A steerable track system for a vehicle is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2023Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Pierre-Yves PEPIN, Steve FRECHETTE, Keven BOUTIN, Charles ST-ARNAUD, Frederik MARTEL, Nicolas DUBUC, Andre LEGER, Pascal LAFRENIERE
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Patent number: 11772702Abstract: A steering knuckle gearbox assembly (138) comprises a body having a housing portion (140) having a cavity defined in the housing portion (140); a mating portion (142) connected to the housing portion (140) and being pivotably mountable an axle frame (106a) of a vehicle; and a mounting portion (144) for having a steering link (90) of the vehicle pivotably mounted to the mounting portion (144). An input shaft (176) is rotationally supported by the housing portion (140) and extends into the cavity at its one end and is operatively connectable to a drive axle (94) of the vehicle at its other end. An output shaft (187) is rotationally supported by the housing portion (140) and extends into the cavity at its one end and is operatively connected to the input shaft (176) at its other end. The output shaft (187) is offset in height from the input shaft (176). A steerable track system for a vehicle is also described.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2017Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Pierre-Yves Pepin, Steve Frechette, Keven Boutin, Charles St-Arnaud, Frederik Martel, Nicolas Dubuc, Andre Leger, Pascal Lafreniere
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Patent number: 11110958Abstract: A steerable track system usable with a vehicle that has a chassis, an axle frame extending laterally outwardly from the chassis and having an attachment portion at an end thereof to which the steerable track system is connectable, and a driven shaft extending laterally outwardly from the chassis suitable for driving the steerable track system. The steerable track system has a frame having a cavity defined therein and being operatively connectable to the axle frame so as to be pivotable about a steering axis for steering the track system, and a gear train with components disposed in the cavity. The gear train transmits driving forces from the driven shaft to a driven wheel assembly of a plurality of track-supporting wheel assemblies. An endless track extends around the track-supporting wheel assemblies and is drivable by the driven wheel assembly.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Charles St-Arnaud, Pascal Lafreniere, Steve Frechette, Frederik Martel
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Publication number: 20200223480Abstract: A steering knuckle gearbox assembly (138) comprises a body having a housing portion (140) having a cavity defined in the housing portion (140); a mating portion (142) connected to the housing portion (140) and being pivotably mountable an axle frame (106a) of a vehicle; and a mounting portion (144) for having a steering link (90) of the vehicle pivotably mounted to the mounting portion (144). An input shaft (176) is rotationally supported by the housing portion (140) and extends into the cavity at its one end and is operatively connectable to a drive axle (94) of the vehicle at its other end. An output shaft (187) is rotationally supported by the housing portion (140) and extends into the cavity at its one end and is operatively connected to the input shaft (176) at its other end. The output shaft (187) is offset in height from the input shaft (176). A steerable track system for a vehicle is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2017Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Pierre-Yves PEPIN, Steve FRECHETTE, Keven BOUTIN, Charles ST-ARNAUD, Frederik MARTEL, Nicolas DUBUC, Andre LEGER, Pascal LAFRENIERE
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Publication number: 20200207413Abstract: A steerable track system usable with a vehicle that has a chassis, an axle frame extending laterally outwardly from the chassis and having an attachment portion at an end thereof to which the steerable track system is connectable, and a driven shaft extending laterally outwardly from the chassis suitable for driving the steerable track system. The steerable track system has a frame having a cavity defined therein and being operatively connectable to the axle frame so as to be pivotable about a steering axis for steering the track system, and a gear train with components disposed in the cavity. The gear train transmits driving forces from the driven shaft to a driven wheel assembly of a plurality of track-supporting wheel assemblies. An endless track extends around the track-supporting wheel assemblies and is drivable by the driven wheel assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2017Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventors: Charles ST-ARNAUD, Pascal LAFRENIERE, Steve FRECHETTE, Frederik MARTEL
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Patent number: 10668962Abstract: Track system for a vehicle having a chassis and a drive shaft extending laterally outwardly from the chassis includes: An attachment assembly having a pivot. A multi-member frame assembly including: a leading frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the pivot for pivoting about a pivot axis; a trailing frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the pivot for pivoting about the pivot axis; a leading wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the leading frame member; a trailing wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the trailing frame member. A damper interconnecting the leading frame member and the trailing frame member. A leading idler wheel assembly; a trailing idler wheel assembly; support wheel assemblies; a gearbox; a sprocket wheel; and an endless track.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2017Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Yves Sauvageau, Jonathan Pellerin, Branislav Nanac, Pascal Lafreniere, Frederik Martel
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Patent number: 10625798Abstract: A grouser assembly is selectively attachable to an endless track having a carcass, side edges and traction lugs. The grouser assembly includes a body having top and bottom faces. The body includes a recess defined in the bottom face that is shaped to receive a traction lug of the endless track. The grouser assembly further includes ground-contacting projections connected to the body and extending away from the top face, and first and second attachment assemblies connected to the body. The second attachment assembly has an attached configuration and a released configuration, and is positioned relative to the first attachment assembly such that when (i) the traction lug is received in the recess, (ii) the first attachment assembly attaches the grouser assembly to the carcass, and (iii) the second attachment assembly is in the attached configuration, the second attachment assembly attaches the grouser assembly to the endless track.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Pascal Lafreniere, Jean-Philippe Breton, Charles St-Arnaud, Caroline Leclerc, Charles Devin, Pierre-Yves Pettigrew
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Patent number: 10343734Abstract: The present invention generally relates to vehicle and machinery in agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and powersport. It further generally relates to track systems and traction assemblies used with such vehicles. The track assembly includes components having particular features that, alone or in combination, participate in decreasing the vibrations 5 undergone by the vehicle. According to embodiments, split frames are used with suspension, tandem subassemblies, “tridem subassemblies”, adjustable damping components, drive shaft openings, lowering of resulting the track band tension and rosta assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Yves Sauvageau, Branislav Nanac, Pascal Lafreniere, Frederik Martel, Jonathan Pellerin
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Patent number: 10343732Abstract: A steering assembly for supporting a track system on a vehicle includes a steering knuckle, a first member being secured to a top side of the steering knuckle, a second member being secured to a bottom side of the steering knuckle, and a support frame. The support frame has a top portion being secured to the first member, a bottom portion being secured to the second member and being configured to be secured to the track system to support the track system on the vehicle, and a central portion extending between the top portion and the bottom portion of the support frame and being positioned solely on one of the front side and the rear side of the steering knuckle when the steering assembly is in use.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Pascal Lafreniere, William Gasse, Francois Belanger
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Patent number: 10005505Abstract: A semi-generic steering knuckle adapter assembly provides predetermined attachment locations for installing a wheel-replacing track system on a steering knuckle. The adapter assembly comprises one or more customized adapting members (e.g. frame(s), plate(s)) configured to be mounted to the steering knuckle of a vehicle, and a generic supporting member (e.g. frame, plate) configured to be mounted to the adapting member(s) and comprising the predetermined attachment locations where the support frame of the track system can be releasably yet rigidly secured. By providing predetermined and preconfigured attachment locations where the wheel-replacing track system can be secured, the adapter assembly allows the track system to be mounted to the vehicle while avoiding attachment at inconvenient and/or weak locations.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2013Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Pascal Lafrenière, William Gasse, François Bélanger
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Publication number: 20180127037Abstract: A grouser assembly is selectively attachable to an endless track having a carcass, side edges and traction lugs. The grouser assembly includes a body having top and bottom faces. The body includes a recess defined in the bottom face that is shaped to receive a traction lug of the endless track. The grouser assembly further includes ground-contacting projections connected to the body and extending away from the top face, and first and second attachment assemblies connected to the body. The second attachment assembly has an attached configuration and a released configuration, and is positioned relative to the first attachment assembly such that when (i) the traction lug is received in the recess, (ii) the first attachment assembly attaches the grouser assembly to the carcass, and (iii) the second attachment assembly is in the attached configuration, the second attachment assembly attaches the grouser assembly to the endless track.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Pascal LAFRENIERE, Jean-Philippe BRETON, Charles ST-ARNAUD
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Publication number: 20180079458Abstract: A steering assembly for supporting a track system on a vehicle includes a steering knuckle, a first member being secured to a top side of the steering knuckle, a second member being secured to a bottom side of the steering knuckle, and a support frame. The support frame has a top portion being secured to the first member, a bottom portion being secured to the second member and being configured to be secured to the track system to support the track system on the vehicle, and a central portion extending between the top portion and the bottom portion of the support frame and being positioned solely on one of the front side and the rear side of the steering knuckle when the steering assembly is in use.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Pascal LAFRENIERE, William GASSE, Francois BELANGER
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Publication number: 20180022408Abstract: Track system for a vehicle having a chassis and a drive shaft extending laterally outwardly from the chassis includes: An attachment assembly having a pivot. A multi-member frame assembly including: a leading frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the pivot for pivoting about a pivot axis; a trailing frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the pivot for pivoting about the pivot axis; a leading wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the leading frame member; a trailing wheel-bearing frame member at least indirectly pivotably connected to the trailing frame member. A damper interconnecting the leading frame member and the trailing frame member. A leading idler wheel assembly; a trailing idler wheel assembly; support wheel assemblies; a gearbox; a sprocket wheel; and an endless track.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Inventors: Yves SAUVAGEAU, Jonathan PELLERIN, Branislav NANAC, Pascal LAFRENIERE, Frederik MARTEL
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Publication number: 20170225727Abstract: The present invention generally relates to vehicle and machinery in agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and powersport. It further generally relates to track systems and traction assemblies used with such vehicles. The track assembly includes components having particular features that, alone or in combination, participate in decreasing the vibrations 5 undergone by the vehicle. According to embodiments, split frames are used with suspension, tandem subassemblies, “tridem subassemblies”, adjustable damping components, drive shaft openings, lowering of resulting the track band tension and rosta assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2015Publication date: August 10, 2017Applicant: Soucy International Inc.Inventors: Yves SAUVAGEAU, Branislav NANAC, Pascal LAFRENIERE, Frederick MARTEL, Jonathan PELLERIN
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Publication number: 20140069730Abstract: A semi-generic steering knuckle adapter assembly provides predetermined attachment locations for installing a wheel-replacing track system on a steering knuckle. The adapter assembly comprises one or more customized adapting members (e.g. frame(s), plate(s)) configured to be mounted to the steering knuckle of a vehicle, and a generic supporting member (e.g. frame, plate) configured to be mounted to the adapting member(s) and comprising the predetermined attachment locations where the support frame of the track system can be releasably yet rigidly secured. By providing predetermined and preconfigured attachment locations where the wheel-replacing track system can be secured, the adapter assembly allows the track system to be mounted to the vehicle while avoiding attachment at inconvenient and/or weak locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: Soucy International Inc.Inventors: Pascal Lafrenière, William Gasse, François Bélanger