Utilizing a suspension protector to deflect debris away from a set of suspension components of a tracked vehicle
AssigneeHowe & Howe Inc.
InventorsForrest Joel Tripp, Michael Howe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques are directed to utilizing a suspension protector to deflect debris away from a set of suspension components of a tracked vehicle. The tracked vehicle includes a vehicle body, a suspension, and a set of suspension protectors. The suspension couples with the vehicle body and is constructed and arranged to control movement of the vehicle body using tracks. Each suspension protector couples with the vehicle body and is disposed a predefined distance from a respective wheel of the suspension to deflect debris thrown from the respective wheel and a respective track away from a respective set of suspension components of the suspension.
Claims20
A tracked vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body;
- a suspension coupled with the vehicle body, the suspension being constructed and arranged to control movement of the vehicle body using tracks;
- a set of suspension protectors, each suspension protector of the set of suspension protectors coupling with the vehicle body and being disposed a predefined distance from a respective wheel of the suspension to deflect debris thrown from the respective wheel and a respective track away from a respective set of suspension components of the suspension;
- wherein each suspension protector of the set of suspension protectors includes a deflector plate and a bracket that mounts the deflector plate to the vehicle body;
- wherein at least one of the deflector plates is a particular deflector plate that includes a seam, a first flat section extending away from the seam, and a second flat section extending away from the seam to provide the deflector plate with a V-shaped cross-section;
- and
- wherein the first flat section of the particular deflector plate extends in a downward direction away from the vehicle body to deflect debris encountered from above in a downward direction and away from the suspension.
A suspension protector for a tracked vehicle, the suspension protector comprising:
- a deflector plate;
- a bracket constructed and arranged to mount the deflector plate to a vehicle body of the tracked vehicle;
- and
- hardware constructed and arranged to fasten the deflector plate to the bracket;
- the deflector plate defining a profile to reside at a predefined distance from a wheel of a suspension of the tracked vehicle to deflect debris thrown from the wheel and a track away from a set of suspension components of the suspension when the hardware fastens the deflector plate to the bracket and the bracket couples with the vehicle body;
- wherein the deflector plate includes a seam, a first flat section extending away from the seam, and a second flat section extending away from the seam to provide the deflector plate with a V-shaped cross-section;
- and
- wherein the first flat section of the particular deflector plate extends in a downward direction away from the vehicle body to deflect debris encountered from above in a downward direction and away from the suspension.
A method of protecting a suspension of a tracked vehicle, the method comprising:
- coupling a bracket to a vehicle body of the tracked vehicle;
- aligning a deflector plate with the bracket;
- and
- while the deflector plate is aligned with the bracket, fastening the deflector plate to the bracket using hardware, the deflector plate residing at a predefined distance from a wheel of a suspension of the tracked vehicle to deflect debris thrown from the wheel and a track away from a set of suspension components of the suspension;
- wherein the deflector plate includes a seam, a first flat section extending away from the seam, and a second flat section extending away from the seam to provide the deflector plate with a V-shaped cross-section;
- and
- wherein the first flat section of the particular deflector plate extends in a downward direction away from the vehicle body to deflect debris encountered from above in a downward direction and away from the suspension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.