Track system for traction of a vehicle
AssigneeCamso Inc.
InventorsFrancois Nadeau, Jean Turcotte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A track system for a vehicle on a ground, wherein the track system comprises a track and is designed to enhance how its track is tensioned, such as by including a plurality of tensioners that exert opposite forces on the track at its front and rear regions and/or lack hydraulic or pneumatic elements, allowing to reduce its dimensions (e.g., sizes of its components, “packaging” or envelope) and its weight, while protecting against ratcheting of the track, reducing its energy consumption, costs and/or maintenance requirements, increasing durability of the track, and/or improving other aspects of the track system and/or the vehicle.
Claims18
A track system for traction of a vehicle on a ground, the track system comprising:
- a track that is elastomeric and comprises a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground and an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface;
- a track assembly comprising a frame supporting a plurality of track-contacting wheels configured to drive and guide the track around the track-contacting wheels, the track being configured to flex about respective ones of the track-contacting wheels;
- and
- a tensioning mechanism configured to control a tension of the track and comprising:
- a first tensioner including a resilient element configured to exert a force on a front one of the track-contacting wheels;
- and
- a second tensioner including a resilient element spaced from the resilient element of the first tensioner in a longitudinal direction of the track system and configured to exert a force on a rear one of the track-contacting wheels,
- wherein at least one of the first and second tensioners comprises a link comprising an upper pivot rotatably connected to an upper portion of the frame, a lower pivot rotatably connected to a first end of the resilient element and a housing receiving an axle of the corresponding track-contacting wheel;
- wherein the resilient element is elongated and has a second end opposite to the first end, the second end being connected to a lower portion of the frame;
- wherein the resilient element is extendible in a longitudinal direction of the track system;
- and
- wherein the lower pivot of the link is leveled with or lower than the second end of the resilient element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.