Amphibious vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10406878-B2
Application number	US-201716063402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

An amphibious vehicle according to some embodiments includes a vehicle body, a plurality of wheels disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body, a crawler disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body so as to surround the plurality of wheels, and one or more wheel covers mounted to an outer side or an inner side of at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels so as to cover a side surface of the wheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An amphibious vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a plurality of wheels disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body;
a crawler disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body so as to surround the plurality of wheels; and
one or more wheel covers mounted to an outer side or an inner side of at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels so as to cover a side surface of the wheel
wherein the wheel cover is mounted to at least one of a sprocket wheel or an idler wheel of the plurality of wheels.

2. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 1 ,
wherein an outer surface of the wheel cover is a flat surface.

3. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a suspension via which the wheels are supported on the vehicle body,
wherein the wheel cover is disposed so as to cover a junction between the at least one wheel and the suspension.

4. An amphibious vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a plurality of wheels disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body;
a crawler disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body so as to surround the plurality of wheels;
one or more wheel covers mounted to an outer side or an inner side of at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels so as to cover a side surface of the wheel; and
a sealing part disposed between the at least one wheel and the wheel cover,
wherein a watertight space is formed between the wheel cover and the wheel by the sealing part.

5. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 4 ,
wherein the sealing part includes a first packing disposed on an outer peripheral edge of the wheel cover, and
wherein the at least one wheel includes a groove for receiving the first packing disposed on the outer peripheral edge of the wheel cover.

6. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 4 ,
wherein the at least one wheel includes:
a rim part; and
an inward flange part projecting inwardly in a radial direction of the wheel from the rim part, and

wherein the sealing part includes a second packing closing a clearance between the inward flange part of the wheel and the wheel cover.

7. An amphibious vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a plurality of wheels disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body;
a crawler disposed on each of both sides of the vehicle body so as to surround the plurality of wheels;
one or more wheel covers mounted to an outer side or an inner side of at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels so as to cover a side surface of the wheel; and
a suspension via which the wheels are supported on the vehicle body,
wherein the one or more wheel covers include an inner wheel cover mounted to an inner side of the wheel, and
wherein the inner wheel cover has a through hole through which the suspension penetrates.

8. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 7 ,
wherein the inner wheel cover has a divided structure including:
a first cover section having a first recess; and
a second cover section having a second recess, and

wherein the through hole is formed by the first recess and the second recess.

9. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 7 , comprising a third packing for filling a clearance between the suspension and an inner peripheral edge of the through hole of the inner wheel cover.

10. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of vehicle body side-covers disposed on both sides of the vehicle body so as to cover an outer side surface of the crawler.

11. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising a pair of vehicle body side-covers disposed on both sides of the vehicle body so as to cover an outer side surface of the crawler.

12. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 7 , further comprising a pair of vehicle body side-covers disposed on both sides of the vehicle body so as to cover an outer side surface of the crawler.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Oshima Takaaki
• Matsunaga Takashi
• Sato Shinichi

Classifications

• B60F3/0015 Primary

  comprising tracks specially adapted therefor · CPC title