Support element for a vehicle accessory, support element for track systems, track system having same, vehicle having same, accessory kit, method of making same and attachment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409893-B2
Application number	US-202217976277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 28, 2021
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A support element for a vehicle accessory or for a vehicle track system, the support element comprising: an elongate body defining a hollow passage therein, the elongate body having a plurality of faces such that a transverse cross-sectional profile of the elongate body across a longitudinal axis of the elongate body has a polygonal configuration, a wall thickness of each face being uniform.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A support element for a vehicle accessory or for a vehicle track system, the support element comprising an elongate body defining a hollow passage therein, the elongate body having a plurality of faces such that a transverse cross-sectional profile of the elongate body across a longitudinal axis of the elongate body has a polygonal configuration, wherein the plurality of faces is configured such that in the transverse cross-sectional profile, the plurality of faces can be encased in a reference member having a circular cross-section of a given diameter, the given diameter being substantially equivalent to a widest dimension of the transverse cross-sectional profile of the elongate body between two opposing points, and
the elongate body has:
a first bending rigidity measured as a moment of inertia about an x-axis of the elongate body; and
a second bending rigidity measured as a moment of inertia about a y-axis of the elongate body, and

at least one of the first bending rigidity and the second bending rigidity is greater than a bending rigidity of the reference member, the reference member having the given diameter
and a cross-sectional surface area substantially equivalent to a cross-sectional surface area of the elongate member.

2. The support element of claim 1 , wherein at least one face of the plurality of faces, in the transverse cross-sectional profile, defines at least one chord extending between two respective points in the reference member encasing the plurality of faces.

3. The support element of claim 1 , wherein the faces of the elongate body are configured such that an overall width of the support element is greater than an overall height of the support element.

4. The support element of claim 3 , wherein a ratio of the overall width of the support element to the overall height of the support element is one of (i) between about 1 and about 2; (ii) between about 1 and about 3, and (iii) between about 2 and about 3.

5. The support element of claim 1 , wherein the polygonal configuration of the plurality of faces of the elongate body is a convex polygon.

6. The support element of claim 1 , wherein the given diameter is 1.75 inches.

7. The support element of claim 5 , wherein the convex polygon is an irregular octagon having eight faces.

8. The support element of claim 7 , wherein the eight faces define a chamfered rectangular configuration in the transverse cross-sectional profile, the transverse cross-sectional profile comprising:
a first pair of sides which are oppositely facing each other,
a second pair of sides which are oppositely facing each other, the first pair of sides being longer than the second pair of sides;
a third pair of sides which are oppositely facing each other, and each connect a respective one of the first pair of sides to a respective one of the second pair of sides, and
a fourth pair of sides which are oppositely facing each other, and each connect a respective other one of the first pair of sides to a respective other one of the second pair of sides.

9. The support element of claim 8 , wherein the second pair of sides are perpendicular to the first pair of sides, the third pair of sides are each at an obtuse angle to respective adjacent sides of the first pair of sides and the second pair of sides, and the fourth pair of sides are each at an obtuse angle to respective adjacent sides of the first pair of sides and the second pair of sides.

10. The support element of claim 1 , wherein a tensile resistance along the longitudinal axis of the support element is the same as a tensile resistance of the reference member along a longitudinal axis of the support element.

11. The support element of claim 1 , further comprising a bend along the longitudinal axis.

Assignees

• Soucy Int Inc

Inventors

• Aube Nicolas
• Leblanc Etienne
• Roy Normand
• Morin Vincent
• Normand Maxime
• Jaillet-Gosselin Philippe
• Brunet John-Marc
• Chauvin Christian

Classifications

• B62D21/183

  specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts (tubular skeleton B62D23/005) · CPC title

• B62D23/005 Primary

  with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like (B62D33/044 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D55/10

  Bogies; Frames (track-tensioning means B62D55/30) · CPC title

• B62D25/00 Primary

  Superstructure {or monocoque structure} sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for {(having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; running-boards, steps, or the like as superstructure sub-unit B60R3/00)} · CPC title