Track system with a support member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11835119-B2
Application number	US-202117179170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2021
Priority date	Feb 21, 2020
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

An anchor for a support member of a track system may include an anchor body and a toothed anchor portion. The anchor body may be connectable to said support member. The toothed anchor portion may include a plurality of anchor teeth configured to engage a plurality of track teeth of a toothed portion of a track assembly. The anchor body and the toothed anchor portion may be connected to one another to collectively form a hook portion configured to engage said toothed portion of said track assembly. At least a subset of anchor teeth of the plurality of anchor teeth may be disposed one after another in a curved or angled configuration to define a curved or angled row of anchor teeth.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An anchor for a support member of a track system, comprising:
an anchor body connectable to said support member;
a toothed anchor portion including a plurality of anchor teeth configured to engage a plurality of track teeth of a toothed portion of a track assembly; and
wherein the anchor body and the toothed anchor portion are connected to one another to collectively form a hook portion configured to engage said toothed portion of said track assembly; and
wherein at least a subset of anchor teeth of the plurality of anchor teeth includes a curved or angled row of anchor teeth.

2. The anchor of claim 1 , wherein:
the anchor body includes a rotation axis disposed at or about a first end of the anchor body;
the anchor body includes a tilt axis extending substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis; and
the toothed anchor portion and the tilt axis are disposed at or about a second end of the anchor body, which is disposed opposite the first end of the anchor body.

3. The anchor of claim 2 , wherein the tilt axis is disposed offset from a center of the anchor body.

4. The anchor of claim 1 , including an anchor shaft connected to the anchor body;
wherein the anchor shaft defines a rotation axis about which the toothed anchor portion is rotatable; and
the anchor shaft is configured to tilt such that the rotation axis tilts.

5. The anchor of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of anchor teeth extend from the toothed anchor portion generally toward a rotation axis of the anchor body; and
at least some anchor teeth of the curved or angled row of anchor teeth are disposed farther from the rotation axis than other anchor teeth of the curved or angled row of anchor teeth.

6. The anchor of claim 5 , wherein a distance between the rotation axis and the curved or angled row of anchor teeth increases in a direction toward an edge of the toothed anchor portion.

7. The anchor of claim 1 , wherein a second subset of anchor teeth of the plurality of anchor teeth are disposed one after another in a substantially linear manner to define a substantially linear row of anchor teeth.

8. A track system, comprising:
a track assembly including a toothed portion having a plurality of track teeth; and
a support assembly including a removable support member adjustably connected to the track assembly;
wherein the support member includes at least two anchors configured to connect the support assembly to the track assembly;
the at least two anchors include a first anchor and a second anchor;
the first anchor includes a plurality of first anchor teeth configured to engage the plurality of track teeth;
the second anchor includes a plurality of second anchor teeth configured to engage the plurality of track teeth;
the plurality of first anchor teeth includes a first subset of first anchor teeth and a second subset of first anchor teeth; and
the second subset of first anchor teeth are disposed one after another in a curved or angled configuration.

9. The track system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first anchor is adjustable into a first anchor engaged position in which at least some of the plurality of first anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth; and
the second anchor is adjustable into a second anchor engaged position in which the plurality of second anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth.

10. The track system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first anchor includes a first rotation axis;
the second anchor includes a second rotation axis; and
the first anchor includes a tilt axis extending substantially perpendicular to the first rotation axis.

11. The track system of claim 8 , wherein the first subset of first anchor teeth are disposed one after another in a substantially linear manner to define a substantially linear row of first anchor teeth.

12. The track system of claim 11 , wherein:
the first anchor is adjustable about a tilt axis to a default position and to a tilted position;
when the first anchor is in the default position, the first subset of first anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth and the second subset of first anchor teeth are not engaged with the plurality of track teeth; and
when the first anchor is in the tilted position, at least some of the second subset of first anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth.

13. The track system of claim 12 , wherein:
the second anchor is adjustable into an engaged position in which the plurality of second anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth; and
when the first anchor is in the tilted position, the second anchor is in the engaged position and is pressed against a body of the support member to reduce play between the support assembly and the track assembly.

14. A method of operating the track system of claim 8 , the method comprising:
inserting the support member into the track assembly in a substantially vertical direction;
adjusting the first anchor into a first anchor engaged position in which at least some of the plurality of first anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth; and
adjusting the second anchor into a second anchor engaged position in which the plurality of second anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the second anchor into the engaged position includes providing sufficient resistance to dynamic events to substantially prevent unintended movement of the support assembly.

16. The method of claim 14 , including pressing a body of the support member against the second anchor to reduce play between the support assembly and the track assembly via tilting the first anchor into contact with the body of the support member.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein tilting the first anchor includes tilting the first anchor about an offset tilt axis that is offset from a force vector associated with contact between a tilt protrusion of the first anchor and an anchor cam; and
the offset tilt axis extends substantially perpendicular to the first anchor.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the first subset of first anchor teeth are disposed one after another in a substantially linear manner to define a substantially linear row of first anchor teeth; and
adjusting the first anchor into the first anchor engaged position includes adjusting the first anchor such that the second subset of first anchor teeth are not engaged with the plurality of track teeth and the first subset of first anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth.

19. The method of claim 18 , including adjusting the first anchor about an offset tilt axis from the first anchor engaged position toward a tilted position such that at least some of the second subset of first anchor teeth are engaged with the plurality of track teeth.

20. The method of claim 19 , including engaging an anchor cam protrusion of an anchor cam with a tilt protrusion of the first anchor, via rotating the anchor cam, to adjust the first anchor about the offset tilt axis;
wherein adjusting the first anchor about the offset tilt axis includes applying a substantially longitudinal force to a body of the support member to cause the body of the support member to contact the second anchor and reduce play between the second anchor and the support member.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Moulin Antoine

Classifications

• F16H55/26 Primary

  Racks · CPC title

• B60N2/0722

  Constructive details · CPC title

• B60N2/08

  characterised by the locking device · CPC title

• B61B13/02

  Rack railways · CPC title

• B61C11/04

  tractive effort applied to racks · CPC title