With Metallic Embedded Reinforcement Patents (Class 305/167)
  • Patent number: 10940902
    Abstract: A track assembly is to be mounted on a drive axle of a vehicle. The track assembly has a frame, at least one leading idler wheel mounted to the front of the frame for rotation about a transverse leading idler wheel axis, at least one trailing idler wheel mounted to the rear of the frame for rotation about a traverse trailing idler wheel axis parallel to the leading idler wheel axis, a single drive wheel assembly, and at least two slide rails. The slide rails have corresponding forward-facing portions, central portions, and rearward-facing portions. The forward-facing portions project from the front ends of the central portions by a projection that is greater than a length of the central portions. A vehicle having the track assembly is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignees: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC., BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Louis-Frederic Marchildon, Patrick L'Herault, Allen Bernais
  • Patent number: 9919751
    Abstract: A track assembly has at least one double wheel having a recess between the inside wheel and the outside wheel. The inner surface of the continuous belt has a raised support that contacts and conforms to the recess of the double wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Lyn A. Rosenboom
  • Patent number: 9783263
    Abstract: A tracked vehicle has a frame, a straddle seat connected to the frame, an engine, a pair of slide rails, at least two idler wheels, at least one drive sprocket, and a drive track The drive track has an endless belt, a plurality of external and internal lug, at least a number of the plurality of internal lugs forming two outer longitudinal rows, the belt having at least two contact surfaces, each contact surface being a surface where a corresponding one of the at least two idler wheels is in contact with the belt, a plurality of apertures and a plurality of alignment cleats disposed between the two outer longitudinal rows, and a plurality of lateral rods embedded within the belt and extending in the lateral direction. Both ends of at least a number of the plurality of lateral rods being disposed inwardly of the contact surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Yvon Bedard, Jean-Sebastien Pard
  • Patent number: 9694863
    Abstract: A traction chain for a caterpillar chain of a tracked vehicle. The traction chain is equipped with an engagement member for a driving wheel, with track guide elements, which are provided to guide a running gear of the tracked vehicle in a track, on an inner side of the traction chain, running in a running direction of the traction chain, and with a multiplicity of attachment members, each of which is provided to attach a caterpillar cleat to an outer side of the traction chain and transversely in relation to the running direction of the traction chain. The traction chain is provided for use with a lateral chain running parallel therewith, the traction chain furthermore is formed partially from an elastic base material, into which at least one traction member is embedded, extending in a running direction of the traction chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hans Hall GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Hall
  • Patent number: 9650090
    Abstract: A guide rail configured to be mounted in a track system used to support and drive an endless track comprises at least one resilient deformable portion which is rigid enough to guide the track during normal operation of the track system but which is flexible enough to temporarily deform under the impact of hard or immovable obstacles. The at least one resilient deformable portion of the guide rail can be made thinner than the remaining of the guide rail, can be made of a material more flexible than the material of the remaining of the guide rail, or both. During operation of the vehicle on which the track system is mounted, the at least one resilient deformable portion of the guide rail will allow the track system to absorb at least some shocks and vibrations without transmitting them to the vehicle and its operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Louis-Frederic Marchildon, Patrick L'Herault
  • Patent number: 8833874
    Abstract: An endless rubber elastic body 1; a plurality of cores 2 arranged at predetermined pitches and extending in a width direction of the rubber elastic body; a steel cord reinforcing layer surrounding the cores; and a lug 4 formed on an outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body 1 at predetermined intervals. Thicknesses of respective end portions of each core 2 are gradually decreased or made constant toward respective end edges. A covering thickness t1, t2 of rubber elastic body 1 is thicker at a portion between lugs on each of an inner and outer peripheral surface side than covering thickness T1, T2 of the rubber elastic body. Covering surfaces on both inner and outer peripheral surface sides are flat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Shimozono
  • Patent number: 8672423
    Abstract: A rubber track having: an endless rubber elastic body 1; a plurality of cores 2 arranged at predetermined pitches in the rubber elastic body so as to extend in a width direction of the rubber elastic body; a reinforcing layer extending in the rubber elastic body so as to surround the cores 2; and a plurality of lugs 4 formed on an outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body 1 at predetermined intervals and acting on a road surface, the rubber track comprising; a thick wall rubber portion, located between the lugs on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body, that covers an end portion of each of the cores and communicates with lugs located therebefore and thereafter, wherein an inclined plane of the thick wall rubber portion facing obliquely outward whose thickness gradually decreases toward a side edge side of the rubber elastic body is coplanar with an inclined plane of each of the lugs on the side edge side of the rubber elastic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Shimozono
  • Publication number: 20140001829
    Abstract: Guide projections 24 of protruding profile are disposed to the peripheral inside of a rubber crawler 10 so as to project out from an inner peripheral face of a rubber resilient body 12. Each of the guide projections 24 is configured with an indented portion 26. The indented portions 26 are open in the guide projections 24 on the peripheral inside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8209842
    Abstract: A stud mount for detachably mounting a traction stud to a snowmobile track assembly including an endless drive belt having at least one laterally extending reinforcing rod embedded in the drive belt. At least one stud mount is secured about the reinforcing rod by way of a mounting head and is opened to the ground-engaging side of the track to receive a traction stud. One or more stabilizing arms project laterally from the mounting head and are adapted embedded in the endless drive belt to provide lateral stability to the stud mounts under torque load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Inventor: Robert S. Musselman
  • Patent number: 8201898
    Abstract: A track belt for a snow vehicle includes a belt body, a first lug, outer end circumferential regions, and contacting portions. The first lug is disposed at a central portion in a right/left direction of the belt body. The outer end circumferential regions are provided at both end portions in the right and left directions of the belt body, and include second lugs each having a height from the outer circumferential surface being no more than a half of a height of the first lug, or do not include lugs protruded from the outer circumferential surface of the belt body. The contacting portions are provided at the inner circumferential surface such that positions of the contacting portions in the right/left direction overlap with the outer end circumferential regions and are arranged to contact a rotating wheel member that opposes a snow surface across the belt body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 8191976
    Abstract: A coreless rubber crawler track has an endless rubber elastic body (1), steel cords (3) embedded in the longitudinal direction of the elastic body, rubber protrusions (2) formed at a constant interval from the inner peripheral surface toward the longitudinal direction of the elastic body, and rubber lugs formed on the outer peripheral surface. Bias cords (5, 6) are arranged on the outer peripheral side of the steel cords (3) so as to extend to the lateral right and left in the directions opposite from each other. Both bias cords (5, 6) are overlapped on each other over a width of 10 mm or more directly under the rubber protrusions. With such an arrangement, torsional rigidity and lateral rigidity of the rubber crawler track are improved and, even when the rubber crawler track is passed over sprockets etc., bending rigidity is not high and a tooth skip phenomenon is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Sugihara
  • Patent number: 8016368
    Abstract: A rubber crawler track having less wear at its left and right end portions to improve its durability. The rubber crawler track has steel cords 12 embedded in the longitudinal direction of the track and has a rubber lug 15 formed on the outer periphery side thereof. The rubber crawler track is constructed from three kinds of rubbers that are an inner peripheral side rubber (a), an outer peripheral side rubber (b), and an edge rubber (c) at the left and right of the rubber crawler track. The edge rubber (c) is a rubber layer having the highest hardness degree. The ground contact side, inner peripheral side and ends in the width direction have different kinds of rubber, and the edge rubber (c) having excellent wear resistance with a hardness degree of 72 (JIS A) or greater is placed in particular at the machine body side end of the rubber crawler track because of the significant wear at this location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Sugihara
  • Publication number: 20110163596
    Abstract: There are provided: an endless rubber elastic body 1; a plurality of cores 2 arranged at predetermined pitches within the rubber elastic body 1 so as to extend in a width direction of the rubber elastic body; a steel cord reinforcing layer surrounding the cores and extending in the rubber elastic body; and a lug 4 formed on an outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body 1 at predetermined intervals and acting on a road surface, in which thicknesses of respective end portions of each of the cores 2 are gradually decreased toward respective end edges of each of the cores, or are made constant up to the respective end edges of each of the cores 2; at each end portion of each of the cores 2, a covering thickness t1, t2 of the rubber elastic body 1 is formed thicker at a portion between lugs on each of an inner peripheral surface side and an outer peripheral surface side than a covering thickness T1, T2 of the rubber elastic body at a point located ¼ of a length L of the core from an end edge position of t
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuo Shimozono
  • Publication number: 20100320834
    Abstract: A stud mount for detachably mounting a traction stud to a snowmobile track assembly including an endless drive belt having at least one laterally extending reinforcing rod embedded in the drive belt. At least one stud mount is secured about the reinforcing rod by way of a mounting head and is opened to the ground-engaging side of the track to receive a traction stud. One or more stabilizing arms project laterally from the mounting head and are adapted embedded in the endless drive belt to provide lateral stability to the stud mounts under torque load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: Robert S. Musselman
  • Patent number: 7845741
    Abstract: A stud mount for detachably mounting a traction stud to a snowmobile track assembly including an endless drive belt having at least one laterally extending reinforcing rod embedded in the drive belt. At least one stud mount is secured about the reinforcing rod by way of a mounting head and is opened to the ground-engaging side of the track to receive a traction stud. One or more stabilizing arms project laterally from the mounting head and are adapted embedded in the endless drive belt to provide lateral stability to the stud mounts under torque load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Musselman
  • Patent number: 7823988
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a crawler without steel cores (hereinafter referred to as “coreless crawler”), which is used for transporting the caterpillar vehicles for construction, civil engineering, agricultural use or the like. More particularly this invention relates to a coreless crawler for preventing the crawler body from being separated from a wheel or sprocket and the guide roller from riding the guide projection formed on the inward surface of the crawler, by disposing a pair of separation preventing steel cords having an oblique angle, symmetrically with respect to the center portion in the direction of driving so as to balance the deflection forces, thereby extending the lifetime of the crawler product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Camoplast Korea Ltd.
    Inventor: In-Hyuk Song
  • Patent number: 7806487
    Abstract: A rubber track for tracked vehicles, comprising a rubber belt with an inner surface and a ground-engaging surface, the ground-engaging surface comprising a series of traction lugs spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track at a first pitch, the inner surface provided with a series of drive lugs spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track at a second pitch, wherein the rubber belt comprises at most one reinforcing rod, embedded in a rubber material thereof and extending transversally substantially over an entire width of the track, at every two traction lugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Camoplast Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Paradis, Stephane Pilette
  • Patent number: 7641292
    Abstract: A structure of a coreless crawler comprising: main cords that are embedded in rows in a longitudinal direction of the crawler, two layers of bias cords (a, b) that are embedded at an outer peripheral side of the main cords, bias cords (c) that are laid perpendicular to the main cords and embedded at an inner peripheral side of the main cords, rubber protrusions that are formed at constant intervals at a central portion on an inner peripheral surface of the crawler, and rubber lugs that are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the crawler, wherein the bias cords (a, b, c) and the main cords are held between treatment rubbers, and a rubber layer having lower hardness than treatment rubber is interposed between the main cords and the bias cords (c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7625049
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber crawler used for a running unit of a vehicle for farm work, or civil engineering/construction work. Core bars are embedded with a constant spacing in a lengthwise direction of the rubber crawler without steel cords. A closed-loop opening is formed in each of left and right wing portions, which are of a rubber embedding portion of a core bar. The edge portions of the closed-loop openings of the adjacent core bars are fitted into fitting portions with a coupling body including the fitting portions in which both ends are opened in an inward direction. The edge portions are connected with each other at the coupling body to make the coupling body as a counter-tensile material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7413268
    Abstract: A rubber crawler track in which a local side displacement is more effectively prevented to effectively prevent wheel run-off, which can reduce traveling vibration, and in which separation of metal cores is prevented for improved durability of the rubber crawler track and for reduced costs. The expression of ?r?r?2?r is satisfied, with “r” being the distance, in the circumferential direction of the rubber crawler track, between ends of horizontal protrusions (6) facing each other between adjacent metal cores (3) embedded in a rubber crawler body in a horizontal state of the rubber crawler track, “h” being the distance from a steel cord (5) layer embedded in the rubber crawler body to the core metal horizontal protrusions (6), and ?r being a value obtained by ?r=2?h/n where “n” is the number of sprocket teeth of a traveling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Fukuyama Gomu Kogyo Kabushiki Gaisha
    Inventors: Yusaku Kato, Tsuyoshi Uchiyama, Tatsuya Norito
  • Patent number: 7407236
    Abstract: An elastic crawler having a crawler main body including an endless belt of rubber-like elastic material that is driven by friction with a friction drive wheel. A plurality of guide projections protrude from the inner circumferential surfaces of both lateral edge portions of the crawler main body at specified intervals in the longitudinal direction of the belt. Guide core bodies are embedded to the inside of the respective guide projections in the lateral direction of the belt. A plurality of main body core bodies are embedded in the crawler main body in the same positions as the guide projections in the longitudinal direction of the belt, and a plurality of laterally extending lugs protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the crawler main body at specified intervals in the longitudinal direction of the belt. The guide core bodies and main body core bodies are independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuharu Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20080136255
    Abstract: An endless track belt for use in an industrial or agricultural vehicle is described. The endless rubber track belt includes a rubber carcass having an inner surface having one or more drive lugs and an outer surface having tread lugs. The drive lugs include reinforcement layers that partially or substantially cover all or a portion of the end faces of the drive lugs. The reinforcement layers may include continuous strips, or discrete strips. The reinforcement layer may also be fabric cutouts to match the shape of the drive end faces of the drive lugs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: VEYANCE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Brian Feldmann, Paul John Peterson
  • Patent number: 7325888
    Abstract: A rubber crawler having a very good straight driving property is obtained by modifying a method of embedding bias cords in a rubber crawler and neutralizing shear stresses caused by tensile load of bent portions of the crawler when the crawler is entrained about a vehicle main body. The rubber crawler is comprised of an endless rubber elastic body, a main cord row, two layers of bias cords having opposite angles of inclination, guide projections, and a lug. The bias cords of the first layer at a side near the main cord row are embedded over a region having substantially the same transverse dimension as that of the main cord row, at a fixed angle of inclination, and the bias cords of the second layer are divided into two sections, covering a region having substantially the same transverse dimension as that of the bias cords of the first layer other than a portions corresponding to the guide projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Fujita, Shuichi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7185958
    Abstract: An elastic crawler having a crawler body formed of a rubber elastic material into an endless belt so that rollers rotatively move on right and left side regions on an inner surface of the crawler body is provided with a reinforcement provided extending outwardly in a thickness direction of the crawler body in an area of the crawler body extending at least partially under said right and left ends of each of the rollers. The prevents the elastically bendable side regions from being cracked when either of the side regions of the elastic crawler is bent about an axis that extends in a circumferential direction of the crawler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: The Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Ueno
  • Patent number: 7128176
    Abstract: Suspension wheels, or bogie wheels, in an endless track vehicle are longitudinally offset, or staggered, from one another in such a way as to cause the track rods of the endless track to impact only one suspension wheel at any given point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Mills, Guy L. Sibilleau
  • Patent number: 7128378
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a coreless rubber which ensures running stability by compensating shift (deviation) in the width direction even if prepared by combination of usual rollers, and which is easily and in low cost prepared by adoption of simple structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Sugihara, Shuichi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7083242
    Abstract: An endless flexible belt track produced from an elastomer comprises a steel cable (30) spirally wound in the thickness of the belt (12) and outer layers embedded in the thickness of the belt and formed successively from the turns (34) of the cable toward the outside, by: a first oblique layer (36) formed from wires that in turn form a first acute angle (A) to a perpendicular to the turns of the cable; a transversal layer (38) formed from wires that in turn form a right angle to the turns of the cable; and a second oblique layer (40) formed from wires that in turn form a second acute angle (B) to a perpendicular to the turns of the cable, the second acute angle (B) extending in the opposite direction to the first acute angle (A). Application to all-terrain vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Otico
    Inventors: Denis Piou, Olivier Phely
  • Patent number: 7063395
    Abstract: There is provided an endless track belt laterally reinforced by embedding high elongation cords on each peripheral sides of the endless track belt to prevent cuts formed on the periphery of the belt by sharp objects from propagating further towards the inner width of the endless track belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Camoplast Inc.
    Inventors: Lucie Gagné, Alain Lussier
  • Patent number: 7044567
    Abstract: An elastic endless crawler including an annular belt-shaped elastic crawler body, the crawler body includes a series of driven elements for operation of the crawler and a reference plane which passes through respective centers of the drive elements and extends in a longitudinal direction of the crawler, and a thickness of one side relative to the reference plane and a thickness of the other side relative to the reference plane are different from one another. The lengths between respective crawler body end surfaces facing in a crawler widthwise direction, and the reference lane are different from one another. A thickness of one side, which is shorter in length, of the crawler body is greater than that of the other side, which is longer in length, of the crawler body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Masaru Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 7036893
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a rubber crawler which has an excellent driving performance without rubber breakage and a process for manufacturing the same. The object is attained by firstly obtaining a small bending rigidity of a joint part and eliminating disproportional arrangement of main cord embedded in the rubber crawler in a widthwise direction for obtaining durability, and uniform revolution. In a rubber crawler 1 in the form of an endless belt having an inserting joint structure S wherein ends of a number of parallel reinforcing cords 3 as main cords embedded in the rubber crawler are inserted between each other, the number of reinforcing cords are divided in an even number (2 in the embodiments shown with figures) parts, the ends parts 3A1 to 3A6 and 3B1 to 3B6 extending in both directions are arranged axisymmetrically about the dividing line L. Accordingly, the inserting joint structure S is obtained as a prerequisite which is on a same plane when viewed from the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Tsuru
  • Patent number: 7014279
    Abstract: The present invention is an elastic flat tread which can prevent an elastic solid from cracking even if the vehicle runs on a protruding object during traveling. For this purpose, the elastic flat tread is provided with any core (1, 11, 115) of a core (1, 11) attached to a link (6) and a core (115) attached to a metal plate (9A) which is attached to a link (8), and end portions (1a, 1b; 11a, 11h; 115a, 115b) in a longitudinal direction of the aforesaid any core (1, 11, 115) are bent toward the side not in contact with the around.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Komatsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Kazutoshi Hori, Teiji Yamamoto, Tomihiro Tagawa, Kenji Taira
  • Patent number: 6964462
    Abstract: A rubber crawler includes parallel embedded tensile strength bodies, with each of tensile strength bodies being connected by butt portions. The butt portions of adjacent tensile strength bodies are longitudinally shifted relative to one another in a circumferential direction of the rubber crawler, and at least 75% of the butt portions are positioned on planes of projection of the core bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Fukuyama Gomu Kogyo Kabushiki Gaishi
    Inventors: Yusaku Katoh, Tsuyoshi Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 6942305
    Abstract: An elastic crawler having a crawler body formed of a rubber elastic material into an endless belt so that rollers rotatively move on right and left side regions in an inner surface of the crawler body is provided with a reinforcement rising in a thickness direction of the crawler body in an area on an outer peripheral surface of the crawler body corresponding to right and left ends of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Ueno
  • Patent number: 6932442
    Abstract: An elastic-bodied crawler, in which damages, such as local wear, coming-off of driven projections and the like in use, are prevented from being brought about, and frictional resistance is decreased at engaging portions to provide for durability, comprises a body with a reinforcement layer of reinforcement cables embedded therein circumferentially, driven projections provided in a predetermined pitch on an inner peripheral surface of the body, lug portions formed on an outer surface of the body, and reinforcement members (driven projection reinforcement cables) embedded to bridge the driven projections and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Hori
  • Patent number: 6918639
    Abstract: An elastic crawler includes a crawler body formed of an elastic material into an endless belt shape; and a tension member including a plurality of tension cords having opposite ends which are embedded in the crawler body so as to extend along a circumferential direction of the crawler and to be arranged in parallel to each other in a widthwise direction of the crawler. The tension member is formed into a loop by overlapping opposite end portions of each tension cord, extremities of the opposite ends of each tension cord of the tension member are aligned diagonally with respect to the widthwise direction of the crawler, and the overlapping width of the overlapped portion of the tension member in the widthwise direction of the crawler is smaller than an entire width of the tension member in the widthwise direction of the crawler at any position in the circumferential direction of the crawler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Kondo
  • Publication number: 20040224118
    Abstract: An elastic endless crawler according to the present invention comprises an annular belt-shaped elastic crawler body and a plurality of cords with ends, said cords being disposed substantially parallel with one another at predetermined intervals and embedded in the crawler body, wherein one end and the other end of each cord are overlapped, as seen from the belt side. Further, at at least one of a crawler inner peripheral side and a crawler outer peripheral side, there are provided a plurality of members for holding the cord ends within the crawler body. As a result, a chance of free ends of embedded steel cords protruding out from the rubber body during use of the rubber crawler and a chance of the rubber crawler running off of a unit for driving for rotation thereof can be eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Tsuru
  • Patent number: 6793296
    Abstract: This invention relates to an endless traction band that is used to propel tracked vehicles and, more particularly, to an improved traction band made from a polymer adapted to travel over a drive sprocket, a plurality of guide wheels and a tension wheel. The inner surface of the endless traction band includes a different lug configuration which allows for the endless traction band to be installed more efficiently on a tracked vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Soucy International Inc.
    Inventors: André Deland, François Duquette
  • Patent number: 6746090
    Abstract: The endless track is made of a reinforced rubber material with longitudinally spaced and transversely disposed stiffeners embedded in the rubber material. The body defines a central band portion and opposite lateral band portions that are located on the sides of the central band portion. The central band portion is delimited from the two lateral band portions by two corresponding suspension bearing portions, each defining a plurality of clipping sites that are adapted to receive a metallic clip. The track is characterized in that the clips that are mounted in an arrangement of mixed clip sequences on each suspension bearing portion. Each [[c lip]] clip sequence comprises one or more successive clipping sites with clips immediately followed by one or two successive clipping sites without a clip. This arrangement of mixed clip sequences lowers the overall noise level generated by the track while rotating. It also lowers the overall weight of the track and the manufacturing costs thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Soucy International Inc.
    Inventor: Yves St-Pierre
  • Publication number: 20040104621
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a rubber crawler which has an excellent driving performance without rubber breakage and a process for manufacturing the same. The object is attained by firstly obtaining a small bending rigidity of a joint part and eliminating disproportional arrangement of main cord embedded in the rubber crawler in a widthwise direction for obtaining durability, and uniform revolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventor: Eiji Tsuru
  • Patent number: 6709077
    Abstract: It is possible to achieve a light structure by making a part of a core bar thin and to prevent an elastic body from strain deforming by a smooth rib reinforcing portion from which an edge portion of the core bar does not protrude. It is possible to secure a strength even when piercing a hole in the core bar and to prevent the elastic body from being cut by an edge portion of a hole. Accordingly, in a core bar (10) of an elastic body track shoe fastened to each pair of joint links of a crawler by bolts, recess portions (1a, 1b) formed in a substantially inverse-trapezoidal shape or recess portions (10a, 10b) formed in a substantially inverse-trapezoidal shape toward front end portions are formed in non-grounded surface sides of right and left wing portions in a direction of a crawler width. A recess portion (1e) formed in a substantially inverse-trapezoidal shape or a through hole (1f) may be formed in a center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Kazutoshi Hori, Kazuo Yasojima
  • Publication number: 20040012260
    Abstract: The invention provides a crawler type traveling apparatus which can be stably used for a long time period, and furthermore provides a crawler belt sprocket and a segment thereof which is best suited for the crawler type traveling apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Teiji Yamamoto, Akira Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 6652044
    Abstract: A rubber crawler has a core of generally parallelepiped blocks (5) each having two longitudinally spaced through holes (9) in the lower surface region and bars (4) inserted in the through holes (9), the generally parallelepiped blocks (5) being arranged in two series, with the blocks of one of the series laterally overlapping the blocks of the other series, and with sprocket engaging holes (2) disposed therebetween, and the bars (4) being inserted in alternately corresponding through holes (9) in adjacent generally parallelepiped blocks (5), the bars (4) being connected within the generally parallelepiped blocks (5), the bars (4) being connected within the generally parallelepiped blocks (5) and embedded in the rubber crawler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Fukuyama Gomu Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusaku Katoh, Hideki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20030214187
    Abstract: The drive track of a snowmobile or similar recreational vehicle consists of an endless body formed of a molded rubber base having, embedded therein, a series of laterally spaced longitudinally extending steel reinforcements strands, reach strand being formed of a twisted arrangement of steel filaments. The strands limit the elongation of the body due to heat generated as a result of the high rotational speeds of the track when driven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: CAMOPLAST INC.
    Inventor: Denis Courtemanche
  • Patent number: 6626258
    Abstract: A motor driven or pedal powered snow vehicle designed to emulate the steering and balancing characteristics of motorcycles and bicycles. The snow vehicle includes a frame, a swing arm, a track carriage, an endless loop track, a snow compacting ramp, an elongated steering member and a ski. The swing arm pivots upon the frame and angles downward behind the frame. The track circulates a fixed path around the track carriage. The track carriage extends forward from a pivot connection with the rear of the swing arm, and pivots vertically under the swing arm in scissors-fashion. The snow vehicle is suspended upon the track carriage using a single shock absorber and load-distributing bell crank. A snow compacting ramp attached to the track carriage compresses the snow ahead of the track. The steering member is like the front suspension fork of a motorcycle or bicycle, and is connected to the frame so that it rotates about a steering axis. The ski is mounted to the lower portion of the steering member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Inventor: Vernal D. Forbes
  • Patent number: 6609771
    Abstract: A novel mountain snowmobile comprises a frame, an engine disposed on the frame, at least one ski disposed on the frame, a seat disposed on the frame, a steering device disposed on the frame forward of the seat that is operatively connected to the at least one ski for steering the snowmobile, and a novel long length drive track disposed below the frame and connected operatively to the engine for propulsion of the snowmobile. The novel drive track comprises an endless body having a ground-engaging outer surface with a central portion flanked by first and second lateral portions, a plurality of longitudinally spaced reinforcing rods disposed in the body along a transverse direction of the body. The rods define a plurality of pitches, and a plurality of profiles project from the outer surface of the body along the plurality of pitches. A plurality of non-profile regions is defined along the plurality of pitches, and the profiles and profile-free regions define a pattern for each pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Bombardier Inc.
    Inventors: Denis Morin, Chris Ruske, Mark B. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6609770
    Abstract: A caterpillar made from elastomer material and having a plurality of guide teeth projecting from the inside surface of the caterpillar, the said guide teeth having lateral faces and front and rear faces in the longitudinal direction of the caterpillar, with at least one insert arranged inside each guide tooth, the caterpillar being characterized in that each insert located inside each guide tooth has a generally hollow shape enclosing a free volume to absorb in large measure the expansion of the elastomer material of the guide tooth during the molding and cross-linking of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Gilbert Gauthier
  • Patent number: 6588862
    Abstract: This invention relates to a molded crawler track comprising metallic core bars set in an endless rubber belt. The core bars comprise first and second wings (2, 4) extending in a transverse direction to the axis of the track and, between the wings, a sprocket part (3) which is engaged by a drive sprocket. A protrusion (5, 15) is provided on either side of the sprocket part, i.e. protruding out of the plane of the wings towards the guide wheel for the track. The protrusions serve to guide the track over the guide wheels. The protrusions are inclined; one forward, one towards the rear; The relative dimensions of the elements of the core bars, are given. This combination of features reduces the occurrence of fatigue fractures and cracks in the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Inventor: Koenraad Pringiers
  • Patent number: 6575540
    Abstract: The endless track is made of a reinforced rubber material with longitudinally spaced and transversely disposed ridges or lugs. It is particularly well-adapted for recreational snowmobiles having a single track. The track is characterized in that the rubber material of the central portion of the body has a hardness of between 75 and 90 duro A while the rubber material of the opposite band portions of the body has a hardness between 55 and 75 duro A. Such track facilitates the steering capabilities of a snowmobile, particularly when the snowmobile is traveling on hard and abrasive surfaces. It also improves the durability of the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Soucy International Inc.
    Inventors: Gilles Soucy, Yves St-Pierre, André Deland
  • Patent number: 6568769
    Abstract: The present invention is an elastic flat tread which can prevent an elastic solid from cracking even if the vehicle runs on a protruding object during traveling. For this purpose, the elastic flat tread is provided with any core (1, 11, 115) of a core (1, 11) attached to a link (6) and a core (115) attached to a metal plate (9A) which is attached to a link (8), and end portions (1a, 1b; 11a, 11h; 115a, 115b) in a longitudinal direction of the aforesaid any core (1, 11, 115) are bent toward the side not in contact with the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Kazutoshi Hori, Teiji Yamamoto, Tomihiro Tagawa, Kenji Taira
  • Patent number: RE44643
    Abstract: This invention relates to an endless traction band that is used to propel tracked vehicles and, more particularly, to an improved traction band made from a polymer adapted to travel over a drive sprocket, a plurality of guide wheels and a tension wheel. The inner surface of the endless traction band includes a different lug configuration which allows for the endless traction band to be installed more efficiently on a tracked vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Soucy International, Inc.
    Inventors: Andre Deland, Francois Duquette