Track assembly for a towed vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299220-B2
Application number	US-201816619787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2018
Priority date	Jul 11, 2017
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A track system for use with a towed vehicle has an attachment assembly and a multi-member frame assembly. The multi-member frame assembly includes a primary frame member connected to the attachment assembly, at least one wheel-bearing frame member pivotably connected to the primary frame member about a pivot located within a recess, and at least one resilient bushing assembly located within the recess and engaging the pivot. The at least one bushing assembly is resiliently deformable in a circumferential direction to permit pivoting of the pivot with respect to the recess, and is fixedly connected within the recess to resiliently bias the pivot towards a rest position with respect to the recess. The track system further includes leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies rotatably connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, and an endless track.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A track system for use with a towed vehicle having a chassis and an axle extending laterally outwardly from the chassis suitable for connection to the track system, the track system comprising:
an attachment assembly rotatably connectable to the axle of the vehicle;
a multi-member frame assembly disposed laterally outwardly from the attachment assembly, configured to be pivotable about the axle of the vehicle, and the multi-member frame assembly including:
a primary frame member connected to the attachment assembly;
at least one wheel-bearing frame member pivotably connected to the primary frame member about a pivot located within a recess; and
at least one resilient bushing assembly located within the recess and engaging the pivot, the at least one bushing assembly being resiliently deformable in a circumferential direction to permit pivoting of the pivot with respect to the recess, the at least one resilient bushing assembly being fixedly connected within the recess to resiliently bias the pivot towards a rest position with respect to the recess;

a leading idler wheel assembly rotatably connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, the leading idler wheel assembly pivoting with respect to the primary frame member with the at least one wheel-bearing frame member;
a trailing idler wheel assembly rotatably connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, the trailing idler wheel assembly pivoting with respect to the primary frame member with the at least one wheel-bearing frame member; and
an endless track extending around the primary frame member, the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, and the leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies.

2. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel-bearing frame member is movable with respect to the primary frame member via resilient deformation of the at least one bushing assembly in a radial direction.

3. The track system of claim 2 , further comprising a plate having a vertically extending slotted hole, the plate being connected to the primary frame member, the pivot extending through the slotted hole of the plate, and the at least one wheel-bearing frame member being vertically movable with respect to the primary frame member via the resilient deformation of the at least one bushing assembly in the radial direction.

4. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel-bearing frame member is pivotable with respect to the primary frame member by an angle ranging between about −10 to +10 degrees with respect to the rest position.

5. The track system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one support wheel assembly rotatably connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, the at least one support wheel assembly being disposed intermediate the leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies, the at least one support wheel assembly pivoting with respect to the primary frame member with the at least one wheel-bearing frame member.

6. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the primary frame member defines the recess, the recess extending along a longitudinal axis of the track system.

7. The track system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one bushing assembly defines a bushing axis, the bushing axis being coaxial with the longitudinal axis.

8. The track system of claim 6 , wherein:
the recess is a leading recess,
the pivot is a leading pivot defined by a leading pin assembly,
the at least one resilient bushing assembly is a leading resilient bushing assembly,
the leading resilient bushing assembly is located within the leading recess,
the leading pin assembly has a first portion engaging an inner surface of the leading bushing assembly and a second portion extending outside of the leading recess, and
the at least one wheel-bearing frame member is at least indirectly connected to the second portion of the leading pin assembly; and
further comprising:
a trailing recess defined by the primary frame member,
a trailing pin assembly defining a trailing pivot, the at least one wheel-bearing frame member pivotably connected to the primary frame member about the trailing pivot located within the trailing recess,
a trailing resilient bushing assembly located within the trailing recess and engaging the trailing pivot, the at least one trailing resilient bushing assembly being resiliently deformable in a circumferential direction to permit pivoting of the trailing pivot with respect to the trailing recess, the trailing resilient bushing assembly being fixedly connected within the trailing recess to resiliently bias the trailing pivot towards a rest position with respect to the trailing recess,
the trailing pin assembly having a first portion engaging an inner surface of the trailing resilient bushing assembly and a second portion extending outside of the trailing recess, and
the at least one wheel-bearing frame member being at least indirectly connected to the second portion of the trailing pin assembly.

9. The track system of claim 8 , wherein:
the at least one wheel-bearing frame member includes a leading wheel-bearing frame member and a trailing wheel-bearing frame member;
the leading wheel-bearing frame member is at least indirectly connected to the second portion of the leading pin assembly; and
the trailing wheel-bearing frame member is at least indirectly connected to the second portion of the trailing pin assembly.

10. The track system of claim 9 , wherein the leading and trailing wheel-bearing frame members are independently pivotable with respect to the primary frame member.

11. The track system of claim 10 , wherein the leading and trailing wheel-bearing frame members are independently vertically movable with respect to the primary frame member.

12. The track system of claim 8 , wherein the leading pin assembly is slidably engaged to the inner surface of the leading bushing assembly, and the trailing pin assembly is slidably engaged to the inner surface of the trailing bushing assembly.

13. The track system of claim 8 , further comprising a threaded rod operatively connected to the first portions of the leading and trailing pin assemblies, and wherein the leading and trailing wheel-bearing frame members are pivotable together with respect to the primary frame member.

14. The track system of claim 8 , wherein the multi-member frame assembly further includes:
a leading secondary frame member and a trailing secondary frame member;
the leading secondary frame member being connected between the leading pin assembly and the leading wheel-bearing frame member; and
the trailing secondary frame member being connected between the trailing pin assembly and the trailing wheel-bearing frame member.

15. The track system of claim 14 , wherein:
the leading wheel-bearing frame member is pivotably connected to the leading secondary frame member; and
the trailing wheel-bearing frame member is pivotably connected to the trailing secondary frame member.

16. The track system of claim 14 , further comprising a damper assembly pivotably connected between the leading secondary frame member and the trailing secondary frame member.

17. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bushing assembly includes an inner jacket, an outer jacket and a resilient bushing disposed between the inner and outer jackets.

Assignees

• Soucy Int Inc

Inventors

• Sauvageau Yves
• Laflamme Francois
• Nanac Branislav
• Gauthier Patrick
• Halstead Eric
• Nadeau Marc
• Martineau-Rousseau Philippe
• Barry David

Classifications

• B60G2204/41

  Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings · CPC title

• B60G2204/4102

  having a pin or stud extending perpendicularly to the axis of the elastic mount · CPC title

• B60G2204/17

  Mounting of bogies, e.g. for trailers · CPC title

• B62D55/24

  of continuously flexible type, e.g. rubber belts · CPC title

• B62D63/06

  Trailers (vehicles comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping or like vehicles B60P3/32) · CPC title