Track system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12103609-B2
Application number	US-201917272815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2019
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A track system for use with a vehicle includes an attachment assembly connectable to the chassis of the vehicle having a first pivot extending vertically and defining a yaw pivot axis of the track system, and a second pivot extending laterally and defining a pitch pivot axis of the track system. A frame assembly is disposed laterally outwardly from the attachment assembly and connected thereto. The frame assembly includes at least one wheel-bearing frame member. The track system further includes at least one actuator connected between the attachment assembly and the frame assembly for pivoting the frame assembly about the yaw pivot axis, a leading idler wheel assembly at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, a trailing idler wheel assembly at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, at least one support wheel assembly, and an endless track.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A track system for use with a vehicle having a chassis, the track system comprising:
an attachment assembly connectable to the chassis of the vehicle, the attachment assembly including:
a first pivot extending vertically and defining a yaw pivot axis of the track system, the first pivot being defined by a cylindrical projection suitable for being received in an axle casing of the attachment system and a base of the attachment system, and
a second pivot extending laterally and defining a pitch pivot axis of the track system, the second pivot extends through at least one tab defined in the base,

a frame assembly disposed laterally outwardly from the attachment assembly and connected to the attachment assembly, the frame assembly including at least one wheel-bearing frame member;
at least one actuator connected between the attachment assembly and the frame assembly for pivoting the frame assembly about the yaw pivot axis;
a leading idler wheel assembly at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member;
a trailing idler wheel assembly at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member;
at least one support wheel assembly at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member and disposed between the leading idler wheel assembly and the trailing idler wheel assembly;
an endless track extending around the leading idler wheel assembly, the trailing idler wheel assembly, and the at least one support wheel assembly; and
a sprocket wheel operatively connectable to the vehicle, the sprocket wheel defining a rotation axis;
wherein the second pivot is disposed below the axis of rotation defined by the sprocket wheel.

2. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the attachment assembly further includes a third pivot extending longitudinally and defining a roll pivot axis of the track system, the frame assembly being further pivotable about the roll pivot axis upon operation of the at least one actuator.

3. The track system of claim 2 , wherein the attachment assembly includes:
a yoke,
a pivot arm pivotally connected to the yoke by the third pivot and pivoting about the roll pivot axis,
a plate connected to the pivot arm by the first pivot and pivoting about the yaw pivot axis,
the second pivot projecting from the plate, and
the plate being pivotable about the roll and yaw pivot axes relative to the yoke.

4. The track system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one actuator is a first, second and third actuators, the first actuator being operable for pivoting the frame assembly about the roll pivot axis, and the second and third actuators being operable for pivoting the frame assembly about the yaw pivot axis.

5. The track system of claim 4 , wherein the second actuator is a leading tracking actuator located forward of the second pivot, and the third actuator is a trailing tracking actuator located rearward of the second pivot.

6. The track system of claim 1 , wherein:
the frame assembly is a multi-member frame assembly including
a leading frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the second pivot for pivoting about the pitch pivot axis,
a trailing frame member pivotably connected to the attachment assembly via the second pivot for pivoting about the pitch pivot axis, the trailing frame member pivoting independently from the leading frame member;
the at least one wheel-bearing frame member is a leading wheel-bearing frame member and a trailing wheel-bearing frame member,
the leading wheel-bearing frame member being at least indirectly pivotably connected to the leading frame member,
the trailing wheel-bearing frame member being at least indirectly pivotably connected to the trailing frame member; and
the track system further includes
a leading damper interconnecting the axle casing and leading frame member, and
a trailing damper interconnecting the axle casing and the trailing frame member.

7. The track system of claim 6 , wherein the endless track has an amount of ground contact area that increases as a load borne by the track system increases.

8. The track system of claim 6 , wherein a load supported by the trailing wheel-bearing frame member is greater than a load supported by the leading wheel-bearing frame member.

9. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle has a drive shaft extending laterally outwardly of the chassis, and the sprocket wheel at least indirectly connects to the drive shaft for driving the endless track.

10. The track system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one monitoring sensor for determining, at least indirectly, at least one of a state of the track system and a ground surface condition; and
a track system controller communicating with the at least one monitoring sensor for receiving a first signal indicative of the at least one of the state of the track system and the ground surface condition, the track system controller being configured to connect to and to control the operation of the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the state of the track system and the ground surface condition.

11. The track system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one monitoring sensor includes at least one of a load sensor, temperature sensor, accelerometer, strain gauge, fluid property sensor, inclinometer, actuator assembly position sensor, geographical location sensor, hygrometer, penetrometer, sonar device, ultrasonic device, microwave-based device, radar device, and lidar device.

12. The track system of claim 10 , wherein the track system controller controls the operation of the at least one actuator in response to a second signal received from a manual override, a master control unit mounted to the vehicle, a remote processing unit, or a remote master control unit.

13. The track system of claim 10 , wherein the track system controller controls the operation of the at least one actuator in accordance with a predetermined objective.

14. The track system of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined objective is distributing a load supported by the track system across a surface of a ground engaging segment of the endless track for at least one of reducing soil compaction and improving traction of the endless track.

15. The track system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one idler actuator for adjusting the pivotal positioning of at least one of the leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies relative to the frame assembly including raising the at least one of the leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies to reduce an amount of endless track in flat ground contact and lowering the at least one of the leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies to increase the amount of endless track in flat ground contact, and the track system controller is further configured to connect to and to control the operation of the at least one idler actuator based on the at least one of the state of the track system and the ground surface condition.

16. A vehicle comprising first and second track systems as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the track system controller of the first track system is at least indirectly connected to the track system controller of the second track system, and the track system controller of the first track system controls the operation of the at least one actuator of the first track system based on at least one of the state of the second track system and the ground surface condition determined by the at least one monitoring sensor of the second track system.

Assignees

• Soucy Int Inc

Inventors

• Sauvageau Yves
• Pepin Pierre-Yves
• Nadeau Marc
• Nanac Branislav
• Therrien Genevieve
• Todd Andre
• Alliguie Cedric
• Lapalme Jonathan
• Dubuc Nicolas
• Jaillet-Gosselin Philippe

Classifications

• B62D55/065 Primary

  Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks {(soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C)} · CPC title

• B62D55/084 Primary

  Endless-track units or carriages mounted separably, adjustably or extensibly on vehicles, e.g. portable track units (B62D55/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D55/24

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

• B62D55/14

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title

• B62D55/1125

  Hydro-pneumatic or pneumatic, e.g. air-cushioned · CPC title