259results about "Wheel attachments" patented technology

A track (10) for a vehicle is typically carried by a plurality of wheels (12, 14, 16). Tread-wheel vibration is created when the track (10) passes between a wheel and the ground over which the vehicle is traveling. A track (10) includes a plurality of external lugs (32) that engage the ground when the track (10) is in use. Each external lug (32) has a tread angle (a) indicating the angle at which the lug is disposed to the longitudinal axis (34) of the track (10), a tread pitch (P) and a lug width (H). A wheel (16) contacting the interior of the track (10) has a width (B). A tread design that minimizes tread-wheel vibration has the pitch (P) of the lugs (32) substantially equal to the wheel width (B) multiplied by the tangent of the tread angle (a).

This invention refers to the traction lugs of reinforced elastomeric endless traction bands, and more particularly to those which are used on heavy vehicles like defense vehicles or for skid steer vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to traction lugs which are angled with respect to the transversal axis of the traction band and preferably disposed in chevrons, which optimize the band's traction while reducing the occurrences of teeth skipping and the level of vibrations and noise induced by the interaction of the traction band with the sprocket.

A wheel assembly includes a circular frame arranged about a hub of a hub assembly, and shock absorbers coupling the hub assembly to the circular frame for providing relative motion between the circular frame and the hub assembly. Each of the shock absorbers extends along a tangent line to a circle that is coaxial with respect to the circular frame and the hub for providing tangential shock absorption along each tangent line.

An endless belt for use with a heavy duty track vehicle comprises a body made of polymeric material wherein a series of longitudinally spaced guide members are integrally formed to the inner surface thereof while two rows of longitudinally spaced tread members are integrally formed to the outer surface thereof. Each tread member in each row has an outer edge area adjacent the outer edge of the body and an inner edge area terminating substantially at mid-section of the body. Each tread member of the first row is longitudinally offset relative to an adjacent tread member of the second row. Each inner edge area of the tread members is in vertical alignment with a corresponding one of the guide members of the inner surface of the body. Also, the pitch defined by two successive guide members differs in value from other pitches along the outer surfaces of the belt. This particular geometry of tread members and drive members is such as to reduce slitting damages to the track when driven as well as vibration.

An emergency traction device is easily and securely fitted on vehicles having tires of different diameters and widths. A single winch sizes and secures the traction device for the proper tire diameter and then for the proper tire width.

The present turbine fan rim, turbine fan airless tire and turbine fan hubcap designs are configured to remove air from under the underside of a moving vehicle when rotated in a particular direction, typically in a forward direction. This air movement can create a vacuum below the vehicle, which can create a down force on the vehicle increasing traction between the vehicle's tires and the road surface and lowering the vehicle's center of gravity. This downward force and partial vacuum can thus increase as the rotational velocity of the tires increases, providing greater traction at higher speeds. An additional benefit to these wheel, airless tire, and hubcap designs is the cooling effect that would be created by the flowing air on brake parts that are located near wheels of nearly all vehicles.

The present turbine fan rim, turbine fan airless tire and turbine fan hubcap designs are configured to remove air from under the underside of a moving vehicle when rotated in a particular direction, typically in a forward direction. This air movement can create a vacuum below the vehicle, which can create a down force on the vehicle increasing traction between the vehicle's tires and the road surface and lowering the vehicle's center of gravity. This downward force and partial vacuum can thus increase as the rotational velocity of the tires increases, providing greater traction at higher speeds. An additional benefit to these wheel, airless tire, and hubcap designs is the cooling effect that would be created by the flowing air on brake parts that are located near wheels of nearly all vehicles.

A continuous track with replaceable components permits a light weight tracked vehicle to benefit from the cost savings associated with repairable tracks. Each repairable track includes two parallel continuous belts, each belt includes embedded plates to reinforce the belts and distribute the load applied by the vehicle drive train and the load applied by the shoe to the belts. Each shoe assembly engages the parallel belts and includes a track guide, a shoe plate and a shoe. The number, separation and orientation of the shoe assemblies are preset for a set of parallel belts, however shoe assemblies and the elements of the shoe assemblies may be used for many different belt sets. Any suitable fasteners may be used to secure each shoe assembly to the belts.

A sprocket for a tracked vehicle. The sprocket has a plurality of sockets for engaging drive lugs on an inner surface of a track driven by the sprocket. The sprocket also including a support surface for engaging with an inner surface of the track and which is in rolling contact with the inner surface of the track.

A shock absorber includes an external control valve which controls the damping characteristics of the shock absorber. The external control valve controls the flow of fluid between the lower working chamber of the shock absorber and the reservoir chamber and between the upper working chamber of the shock absorber. The damping characteristics are dependent on the amount of current being applied to a solenoid valve which controls a fluid valve assembly. A soft fluid valve assembly is disposed in series with the fluid valve assembly to allow for the tuning of the damping forces at low current levels provided to the solenoid valve.

An endless track comprising a plurality of links which are releasably, rotatably coupled together to form an endless track, and wherein each of the links has a male linking end, an opposite female linking end, and an outwardly facing surface, and wherein the male linking end of a first link releasably couples and decouples from the female linking end of an adjacent second link when the angular relationship between the first and second links as measured between the outwardly facing surfaces thereof lies in a range of greater than about 45 degrees to less than about 110 degrees, and wherein the first and second links freely rotate one relative to the other when the angular relationship between the first and second links lies in a range of greater than about 110 degrees to less than about 270 degrees.

Rubber crawler traveling equipment (1) capable of reducing the weight and cost of a rubber crawler, and commonizing a light-speed traveling to a traveling according to a tire specification and a traveling to a traveling according to a crawler specification, wherein core members (5) formed of plastic material are embedded in a rubber crawler (2) instead of metallic core members embedded in a conventional rubber crawler and the rubber crawler (2) is suspendedly installed on tires (3, 4), whereby the rubber crawler (2) can be easily attached and detached and the extension thereof can also be adjusted by regulating the internal pressure of the hollow tire (3).

In a rolling element (10) for the polydirectional travel of a vehicle on a magnetically attractive underlying surface (19), a compact, robust and simple design is made possible in that the rolling element (10) has a spherical element (11) and at least one permanent magnet (14). The spherical element (11) supports the at least one permanent magnet (14) in such a way that the at least one permanent magnet (14) maintains its spatial orientation when the spherical element (11) rolls on the underlying surface (19), and the spherical element (11) is held in contact against the underlying surface (19) by the magnetic interaction of the at least one permanent magnet (14) with the underlying surface (19).

The problem of damage sustained to a traction device and the extendable traction elements thereof due to tire-roadway interaction forces exerted on the traction elements while extended over the tire tread area is solved by resiliently coupling a traction assembly within a tire rim to permit movement and repositioning of the traction assembly relative to the rim and biasing back to the original position. Preferably the traction assembly is mounted to a traction hub through a resilient coupling, and with the traction hub permitted to rotate relative to the rim. Also preferably, the invention provides for full retraction and extension of the curved traction elements by use of a linear actuator. The present device delivers increased traction in slippery conditions while protecting the traction device and surrounding mechanics from damage due to the impact of roadway forces, and the device is effectively stowed within the rim when not in use.

The invention provides a hydraulic type composite vehicle wheel and belongs to vehicle wheel structures. The hydraulic type composite vehicle wheel is composed of a wheel hub (5), an inner ring vehicle wheel body, an outer ring vehicle wheel body, an inner ring hydraulic wheel arm (8) and an outer ring hydraulic wheel arm (7). The hydraulic type composite vehicle wheel is simple in structure, a hydraulic pump on a vehicle can be used for adding pressure on the hydraulic wheel arms, double working modes can be achieved, high-speed driving can be achieved on a common road face and a road face where slipping can happen easily, and good damping performance is achieved.

A labyrinth-guard arrangement for a joint between a compactor wheel and a machine that protects against intrusion of wire wrap into a central cavity of the wheel is disclosed. The labyrinth-guard is formed by a cooperation between a first flange connected to an inner cylindrical portion of the wheel, and a second flange connected to a guard plate. The first and second flanges, along with other surrounding components, cooperate to form the labyrinth-guard.

Disclosed is a variable-diameter wheel including a wheel having a folding pattern in which a unit cell is repeated and configured to be expanded or contracted so that a wheel diameter is varied; a spoke fixedly coupled to both longitudinal ends of the wheel and configured to be expanded or contracted according to a change in a distance between both sides, such that the wheel diameter is varied; and a variable induction shaft rotatably coupled with one of the both spokes to move the spoke in at least one lengthwise direction and configured to vary a distance between one spoke and the other spoke.

The invention discloses a robot chassis with switchable walking wheels. The robot chassis comprises a chassis body, and the walking wheels are arranged on the chassis body in an inserted mode. Each walking wheel comprises a hub part; six spokes are evenly formed on each hub part; anti-slide grooves are evenly formed in the outer walls of wheel rims; splicing blocks are inserted in the anti-slide grooves; and a connecting rod is formed on each splicing block. The splicing blocks on each wheel rim are divided into six sets corresponding to the spokes, each set of splicing blocks form a fan-shaped structure, the splicing blocks between every two adjacent sets of splicing blocks are overlapped with the connecting rods, three of the overlapped connecting rods extend into the spokes and are fixed to piston rods of shifting air cylinders, and the connecting rod of the splicing block in the middle of each set of splicing blocks is arranged in the wheel rim; a fulcrum shaft is fixed to the hub part in an inserted mode, one end of the fulcrum shaft is hinged to a support, a driving motor is fixed on the support, and a rotary shaft of the driving motor is fixedly connected with the fulcrum shaft. The robot chassis can achieve switching of the contact faces between the walking wheels and the ground so as to adapt to special situations of the road surface.