Standard component of a vehicle with a connector dedicated to connecting a track system to the vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11958549-B2
Application number	US-201816632525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A standard component of a vehicle equippable with a plurality of wheels or a plurality of track systems for engaging the ground, such as an axle housing or a frame of the vehicle, comprises a connector dedicated to connecting a given one of the track systems to the vehicle and provided during original manufacturing of the standard component of the vehicle. This may facilitate installation of the track systems on the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle equippable with a plurality of wheels or a plurality of track systems for engaging the ground, wherein a frame of the vehicle comprises a connector dedicated to connecting a given one of the track systems to the vehicle, unnecessary for a primary function of the frame of the vehicle and provided during original manufacturing of the frame of the vehicle, the connector being configured to allow the given one of the track systems to pivot relative to the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector is integral with an adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the connector is molded with the adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the connector is cast with the adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector is secured to an adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle after manufacturing of the adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector is fastened to an adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the connector is fastened to the adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle by a plurality of mechanical fasteners.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector is welded to an adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector projects from an adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the connector depends downwardly from the adjacent part of the frame of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a bracket.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a flange.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a plurality of flanges.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises an opening to receive a shaft interconnecting the connector and the given one of the track systems.

15. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises an axle and an axle housing that houses the axle, and the connector is configured to wrap about the axle housing.

16. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a construction vehicle.

17. A standard nonrotating component of a vehicle, the vehicle being equippable with a plurality of wheels or a plurality of track systems for engaging the ground and comprising an axle and an axle housing that houses the axle, the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle comprising a connector dedicated to connecting a given one of the track systems to the vehicle, unnecessary for a primary function of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle and provided during original manufacturing of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle, wherein the connector is configured to wrap about the axle housing.

18. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle is part of an axle assembly of the vehicle, the axle assembly comprising the axle and the axle housing.

19. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector is molded with the adjacent part of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle.

20. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector is cast with the adjacent part of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle.

21. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector projects from an adjacent part of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle.

22. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 21 , wherein the connector depends downwardly from the adjacent part of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle.

23. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector comprises a bracket.

24. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector comprises a flange.

25. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector comprises a plurality of flanges.

26. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector comprises an opening to receive a shaft interconnecting the connector and the given one of the track systems.

27. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector is integral with an adjacent part of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle.

28. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the connector is configured to allow the given one of the track systems to pivot relative to the vehicle.

29. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the vehicle is a construction vehicle.

30. An axle housing for housing an axle of a vehicle, the vehicle being equippable with a plurality of track systems for engaging the ground, the axle housing comprising a connector dedicated to connecting a given one of the track systems to the vehicle and provided during original manufacturing of the axle housing, wherein the connector is configured to allow the given one of the track systems to pivot relative to the vehicle.

31. The axle housing of claim 30 , wherein the connector projects from an adjacent part of the axle housing.

32. The axle housing of claim 31 , wherein the connector depends downwardly from the adjacent part of the axle housing.

33. The axle housing of claim 30 , wherein the connector comprises a bracket.

34. The axle housing of claim 30 , wherein the connector comprises a flange.

35. The axle housing of claim 30 , wherein the connector comprises a plurality of flanges.

36. The axle housing of claim 30 , wherein the connector comprises an opening to receive a shaft interconnecting the connector and the given one of the track systems.

37. The axle housing of claim 30 , wherein the connector is integral with an adjacent part of the axle housing.

38. The axle housing of claim 37 , wherein the connector is molded with the adjacent part of the axle housing.

39. The axle housing of claim 37 , wherein the connector is cast with the adjacent part of the axle housing.

40. The axle housing of claim 30 , wherein the vehicle is a construction vehicle.

41. A standard nonrotating component of a vehicle, the vehicle being equippable with a plurality of wheels or a plurality of track systems for engaging the ground, the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle comprising a connector dedicated to connecting a given one of the track systems to the vehicle, unnecessary for a primary function of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle and provided during original manufacturing of the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle, wherein the connector is configured to allow the given one of the track systems to pivot relative to the vehicle.

42. The standard nonrotating component of the vehicle of claim 41 , wherein the standard nonrotating component of the vehicle is part of an axle assembly of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Camso Inc

Inventors

• Lussier Alain
• Couture Frederic
• Poulin Etienne

Classifications

• B62D55/04 Primary

  with tracks and alternative ground wheels, e.g. changeable from endless track vehicle into wheeled vehicle and vice versa {(for multi-purpose tractors B62D49/0635)} · CPC title

• B60B35/12

  Torque-transmitting axles (independent suspension aspects B60G) · CPC title

• B60B35/16

  Axle housings · CPC title

• B62D21/186

  for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors (tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F) · CPC title

• B62D27/02

  rigid · CPC title