Support mechanism for a track system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11530736-B2
Application number	US-201916452985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Jun 26, 2019
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A track system includes a track member with an elongate shaft mounted thereto. At least one support mechanism is mounted to the track member. The at least one support mechanism includes a housing. An engagement feature includes first and second engagement members spaced-apart from one another to define a receiving area therebetween. The first and second engagement members are operable between deployed and retracted positions relative to the housing. The elongate shaft is received in the receiving area when the first and second engagement members are in the deployed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track system, comprising:
a track member;
an elongate shaft mounted to the track member, wherein the elongate shaft includes a threaded cylindrical body portion having a first set of upper and lower notches disposed on opposite sides of the threaded cylindrical body portion, and a second set of upper and lower notches spaced-apart from the first set of upper and lower notches and disposed on opposite sides of the threaded cylindrical body portion;
first and second support mechanisms spaced-apart from one another and mounted to the track member, the first and second support mechanisms each comprising:
a housing; and
an engagement feature having first and second engagement members spaced-apart from one another to define a receiving area therebetween, wherein the first and second engagement members are moveable between deployed and retracted positions relative to the housing, such that the first and second engagement members extend outwardly from an interior portion of the housing when the engagement feature is in the deployed position, and further wherein the elongate shaft is received in the receiving area when the first and second engagement members are in the deployed position.

2. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second support mechanisms each include a support bracket operably coupled to the housing and the track member.

3. The track system of claim 2 , wherein the support bracket includes a rear wall having a receiving aperture disposed therethrough.

4. The track system of claim 3 , wherein the engagement features of the first and second support brackets each include a stem portion from which the first and second engagement members outwardly extend.

5. The track system of claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second support mechanisms include a biasing mechanism operably coupled between the stem portion and one of the housing and the first or second support bracket, wherein the biasing mechanism biases the first and second engagement members towards the deployed position.

6. The track system of claim 5 , wherein the stem portion is slideably received through the receiving aperture between extended and retracted positions.

7. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second engagement members of the first support mechanism are received in the first set of upper and lower notches, respectively, of the elongate shaft when the first and second engagement members of the first support mechanism are in the deployed position, and further wherein the first and second engagement members of the second support mechanism are received in the second set of upper and lower notches, respectively, of the elongate shaft when the first and second engagement members of the second support mechanism are in the deployed position.

8. The track system of claim 1 , including:
a carriage assembly operably coupled to the elongate shaft for movement therealong by a coupling assembly, wherein the coupling assembly includes a slider bracket having first and second ramp portions disposed on opposite sides thereof, wherein the first and second ramp portions contact and guide the first and second engagement members from the deployed position to the retracted position and from the retracted position to the deployed position as the carriage assembly is driven past the at least one support mechanism along the elongate shaft.

9. The track system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second ramp portions include receiving apertures disposed therethrough, and further wherein the elongate shaft is received through the receiving apertures of the first and second ramp portions.

10. The track system of claim 9 , wherein the coupling assembly further includes a gear box gearingly engaged with the threaded cylindrical body portion of the elongate shaft.

11. The track system of claim 10 , wherein the coupling assembly further includes a mounting bracket disposed around the gear box and operably coupled to the slider bracket, wherein the mounting bracket mounts the coupling assembly to the carriage assembly.

12. A track system, comprising:
a track member having an interior portion and an exterior portion;
an elongate shaft mounted within the interior portion of the track member;
at least one support mechanism mounted to the exterior portion of the track member, the at least one support mechanism comprising:
a housing;
an engagement feature having first and second engagement members spaced-apart from one another to define a receiving area therebetween, wherein the first and second engagement members are operable between deployed and retracted positions, and further wherein the elongate shaft is supported in the receiving area by the first and second engagement members when the first and second engagement members are in the deployed position, and further wherein the elongate shaft is spaced-apart from the receiving area when the first and second engagement members are in the retracted position; and

a carriage assembly operably coupled to the elongate shaft for movement therealong by a coupling assembly, wherein the coupling assembly includes a slider bracket having at least one ramp portion configured to contact and guide the first and second engagement members from the deployed position to the retracted position as the carriage assembly is driven past the at least one support mechanism along the elongate shaft, and further wherein the at least one ramp portion includes a receiving aperture disposed therethrough, and further wherein the elongate shaft is received through the receiving aperture of the at least one ramp portion.

13. The track system of claim 12 , wherein the elongate shaft includes a threaded cylindrical body portion.

14. The track system of claim 13 , wherein the elongate shaft includes first and second notches disposed on opposite sides of the threaded cylindrical body portion.

15. The track system of claim 14 , wherein the first and second engagement members are received in the first and second notches, respectively, of the elongate shaft when the first and second engagement members are in the deployed position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kish Joseph Michael
• Gauthier Joshua
• Schwope Matthew
• Caldwell Robert Clayton
• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Chieu Cung K
• Xie Changwei
• Aktas Macit
• Scott Glenn

Classifications

• F16H2001/326

  comprising linear guiding means guiding at least one orbital gear · CPC title

• F16H1/16 Primary

  comprising worm and worm-wheel · CPC title

• B60N2/067 Primary

  by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms · CPC title

• B60N2/929

  linear · CPC title

• B60N2/2231

  Worm and worm gear articulations · CPC title