A drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles

Abstract

This utility model discloses a drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles, mainly comprising a flat-bottomed boat plate, a linkage assembly, a sliding pin-slide groove assembly, and a drive cylinder. Through a unique lifting mechanism, the drive cylinder extends and retracts, causing the sliding pin to move horizontally within the slide groove. This horizontal movement is then precisely converted into the vertical lifting and lowering movement of the flat-bottomed boat plate via an X-shaped linkage, ensuring it remains horizontal at all times. When navigating on water, the boat plate lowers to be flush with the tracks, creating a smooth bottom and significantly reducing the water-facing area and navigation resistance, while also preventing debris from being drawn in. When navigating on land, the boat plate rises back to its original position. This utility model achieves efficient drag reduction with a simple mechanical structure, avoiding modifications to key load-bearing components, and boasts advantages such as high safety, low cost, and high reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of all-terrain vehicle technology, specifically to a drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] When amphibious all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) perform waterborne missions, the tracks generate significant resistance, reducing their speed. A traditional method to mitigate this is to retract the tracks along with the track rollers, reducing the ATV's surface area exposed to water and thus lowering drag. While this method is effective, the track rollers are crucial load-bearing components; they must support the entire vehicle's weight when the ATV is on land and remain securely fixed. Switching between the retracted and extended track states requires a high-flow, high-pressure, large-diameter hydraulic lifting system, which is technically demanding and expensive. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a drag-reducing flat-bottom boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles. This mechanism standardizes the chassis structure of the all-terrain vehicle, making it form a flat-bottom boat structure, thereby reducing the driving resistance of the all-terrain vehicle. At the same time, this mechanism can reduce the amount of marine debris that gets caught in the bottom of the all-terrain vehicle. This mechanism has a lower load requirement, is cheaper to manufacture, and has a higher cost performance.

[0004] The technical solution of this utility model is: a drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles, including a flat boat plate, a lifting mechanism connecting the vehicle frame and the boat plate, and a drive cylinder mounted on the vehicle frame. The lifting mechanism includes a scissor lift unit, which consists of at least one pair of X-shaped intersecting and hinged links in the middle. One side of the scissor lift unit forms a sliding pair with sliding grooves respectively provided on the frame and the boat plate through sliding pins at its upper and lower ends; the other side of the scissor lift unit forms a rotating pair with the frame and the boat plate through pins at its upper and lower ends. The piston rod end of the drive cylinder is hinged to any sliding pin at the upper end of the scissor unit. By extending and retracting the drive cylinder, the sliding pin is driven to move along the slide groove, causing the scissor unit to fold or unfold, thereby driving the boat plate to rise and fall relative to the frame.

[0005] Furthermore, the scissor unit is composed of a first link and a second link, which are rods of equal length. The two links intersect in the middle region and are connected by a third pin to form a rotating pair, thus forming a telescopic scissor-like structure.

[0006] Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of one side of the scissor-shaped structure are respectively hinged to an ear plate base by a first pin and a second pin; the ear plate base is symmetrically fixedly installed on the vehicle frame and the ship plate.

[0007] Furthermore, the other side of the scissor-shaped structure is pivotally connected to a first sliding pin and a second sliding pin at its upper and lower ends, respectively; the first sliding pin is slidably engaged in a first sliding groove provided on the frame, and the second sliding pin is slidably engaged in a second sliding groove provided on the boat plate.

[0008] Furthermore, the cylinder body end of the drive cylinder is hinged to the vehicle frame via a fixed pin.

[0009] Furthermore, the maximum distance between the vehicle frame and the ship plate is limited by the maximum allowable sliding distance of the first sliding pin in the first sliding groove and the second sliding pin in the second sliding groove. When the sliding pin slides to the maximum allowable sliding distance, the vertical distance between the vehicle frame and the ship plate reaches the maximum distance.

[0010] Furthermore, the extension of the hydraulic cylinder drives the first sliding pin to slide along the first sliding groove towards the first pin shaft; the sliding of the first sliding pin drives the third pin shaft to rotate around the axis of the first pin shaft and descend through the second connecting rod; the descent of the third pin shaft directly drives the second pin shaft to descend, and on the other hand, drives the second sliding pin to slide along the second sliding groove and descend through the first connecting rod. The coordinated descent movement of the second pin shaft and the second sliding pin together drives the flat-bottomed boat plate to descend to a position flush with the vehicle's tracks. The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This utility model, through a cleverly designed lifting flat-bottomed boat plate mechanism, achieves multiple goals such as efficient drag reduction, maintaining structural rigidity, and preventing garbage from being rolled in, through a simpler, more reliable, and economical technical approach. It successfully solves the problems of poor safety, system complexity, and high cost of traditional track-retracting solutions, and provides an excellent solution for improving the water performance of amphibious all-terrain vehicles. Attached Figure Description

[0011] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flat-bottomed boat of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge point of the flat-bottomed boat mechanism of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lowering state of the flat-bottomed boat mechanism of this utility model; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the flat-bottomed boat mechanism of this utility model in the raised state.

[0013] Reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-frame, 2-boat plate, 3-first pin, 4-second pin, 5-first sliding pin, 6-second sliding pin, 7-third pin, 8-first connecting rod, 9-second connecting rod, 10-first slide groove, 11-second slide groove, 12-fixed pin, 13-cylinder, 14-fourth pin. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. However, it should not be construed that the scope of the subject matter of the present invention is limited to the following embodiments. Any modifications, substitutions and alterations made based on ordinary technical knowledge and conventional means in the art without departing from the above-described technical concept of the present invention are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0015] This utility model consists of a flat bottom plate 2, a first pin 3, a second pin 4, a first sliding pin 5, a second sliding pin 6, a third pin 7, a first connecting rod 8 and a second connecting rod 9 of equal length, a first sliding groove 10, a second sliding groove 11, a fixing pin 12, an oil cylinder 13, and a fourth pin 14.

[0016] The first slide groove 10 and the fixing pin 12 are fixed to the frame 1, the second slide groove 11 is fixed to the flat bottom plate 2, the first connecting rod 8 is connected to the frame 1 through the first pin 3, the second connecting rod 9 is connected to the flat bottom plate 2 through the second pin 4, the first connecting rod 8 and the second connecting rod 9 are also connected through the third pin 7, the length between the third pin 7 and the first pin 3 and the length between the third pin 7 and the second pin 4 are equal, at the same time, the first connecting rod 8 and the second slide groove 11 are connected through the second sliding pin 6, the second sliding pin 6 can slide along the groove of the first slide groove 11, the second connecting rod 9 and the first slide groove 10 are connected through the first sliding pin 5, the first sliding pin 5 can slide along the groove of the first slide groove 10; the hydraulic cylinder 13 and the first sliding pin 5 are connected through the fourth pin 14, and the hydraulic cylinder 13 is fixed at one end by connecting with the fixing pin 12. Figure 1 As shown.

[0017] Principle Explanation: The hydraulic cylinder 13, fixed pin 12, and first sliding pin 5 are located on the same horizontal plane. Fixed pin 12 and first sliding pin 5 are located at one end of hydraulic cylinder 13. The position of fixed pin 12 remains constant, while the length of hydraulic cylinder 13 is variable. Therefore, first sliding pin 5 can move according to the change in length of hydraulic cylinder 13. The lengths between first pin 3 and first sliding pin 5, first sliding pin 5 and third pin 7, and first pin 3 and third pin 7 form a triangle. The length between first pin 3 and first sliding pin 5 is variable, while the lengths of the other two are variable. The positions of the first pin 3 and the first sliding pin 5 and the third pin 7 are fixed, while the third pin 7 can rotate around the first pin 3. The lengths between the first pin 3 and the second pin 4, the lengths between the first pin 3 and the third pin 7, and the lengths between the second pin 4 and the third pin 7 form a triangle. The length between the first pin 3 and the second pin 4 is variable, while the lengths of the other two are fixed. The lengths between the third pin 7 and the first pin 3, and the lengths between the third pin 7 and the second pin 4 are equal, forming an isosceles triangle. With their positions fixed, and the first pin 3 and the second pin 4 on the same vertical plane, the second pin 4 will move in a straight line vertically around the first pin 3. The lengths between the first sliding pin 5 and the third pin 7, the first sliding pin 5 and the second sliding pin 6, and the second sliding pin 6 and the third pin 7 form a triangle. The length between the first sliding pin 5 and the second sliding pin 6 is variable but lies in the same vertical plane, while the other two lengths are fixed and equal, forming an isosceles triangle. Therefore, the horizontal movement of the first sliding pin 5 will cause the second sliding pin 6 to move vertically. Linear motion; the lengths between the first pin 3 and the second pin 4, the length between the first pin 3 and the second sliding pin 6 (i.e., the length of connecting rod 8), and the lengths between the second pin 4 and the second sliding pin 6 form a triangle; the lengths between the first pin 3 and the second pin 4, the lengths between the second pin 4 and the first sliding pin 5 (i.e., the length of connecting rod 9), and the lengths between the first pin 3 and the first sliding pin 5 form a triangle; since the lengths of the first connecting rod 8 and the second connecting rod 9 are equal, then the lengths between the second pin 4 and the second sliding pin 6, and the lengths between the first pin 3 and the first sliding pin 5 are equal. The lengths between the first pin 3 and the second pin 4, the lengths between the second sliding pin 6 and the first sliding pin 5, the lengths between the first pin 3 and the first sliding pin 5, and the lengths between the second pin 4 and the second sliding pin 6 form a quadrilateral. The lengths between the first pin 3 and the second pin 4, and the lengths between the second sliding pin 6 and the first sliding pin 5 are vertical and parallel to each other. The first pin 3 is fixed in position. When the second sliding pin 5 moves horizontally, the second pin 4 and the second sliding pin 6 move vertically by equal distances. This means the flat-bottomed boat plate 2 remains horizontal while moving vertically, thus achieving the lifting function of the flat-bottomed boat plate 2. Figure 2 As shown.

[0018] The specific principle is as follows: Drive phase: The extension or retraction of the hydraulic cylinder 13 directly drives the first sliding pin 5 to perform horizontal linear movement within the first sliding groove 10.

[0019] The first stage of motion transformation: The horizontal movement of the first sliding pin 5 drives the third pin 7 to perform an arc motion around the fixed first pin 3 via the second connecting rod 9. Due to geometric constraints, this arc motion can be decomposed into a significant horizontal displacement component and a significant vertical displacement component.

[0020] Second stage of motion conversion: The vertical displacement component of the third pin 7 is directly transmitted to the second pin 4, which is rigidly connected to it, driving it to make vertical motion.

[0021] Motion coupling and maintaining horizontality: The horizontal displacement component of the third pin 7 is transmitted to the second sliding pin 6 through the first connecting rod 8, driving it to move vertically along the second sliding groove 11. Since the first connecting rod 8 and the second connecting rod 9 are of equal length, and the entire linkage system always satisfies the geometric condition of a parallelogram during motion, the vertical displacement of the second pin 4 and the second sliding pin 6 remains absolutely consistent at all times. This constrains the flat-bottomed boat plate 2 connected to both to only perform vertical translational motion and always remain horizontal.

[0022] Action Relationship Explanation: The descent mechanism of the flat-bottomed boat: (Refer to...) Figure 3 The cylinder 13 extends, pushing the first sliding pin 5 along the first sliding groove 10 towards the first pin 3, and the distance between the first sliding pin 5 and the first pin 3 continuously decreases. The first sliding pin 5 pushes the second connecting rod 9, causing the third pin 7 to rotate around the first pin 3 and continuously descend. The descent of the third pin 7 causes the second pin 4 to descend. At the same time, the third pin 7 causes the first connecting rod 8 to rotate around the first pin 3. The first connecting rod 8 causes the second sliding pin 6 to slide along the second sliding groove 11 and rotate around the first pin 3, also continuously descending. The second pin 4 and the second sliding pin 6 descend together, causing the flat-bottomed boat plate 2 to descend until the flat-bottomed boat plate 2 is flush with the vehicle's tracks, completing the descent of the flat-bottomed boat mechanism. When the flat-bottomed boat mechanism rises, the movements of each component are opposite, such as... Figure 4 As shown.

[0023] This invention ensures both high-efficiency drag reduction and the rigidity and safety of the entire vehicle structure. It employs a streamlined chassis design rather than retracting key load-bearing components. Through a lifting, flat-bottomed boat-like mechanism, the chassis is wrapped into a smooth hull structure upon entering the water, significantly reducing the water-facing area and drag, effectively increasing speed. Most importantly, this solution involves absolutely no movement or unlocking of core load-bearing components such as track rollers and tracks, ensuring the vehicle's load-bearing rigidity and structural stability when driving on land, fundamentally eliminating the safety risks that may arise from repeatedly retracting and extending load-bearing components.

[0024] This invention achieves complex functions at a lower cost and with lower technical barriers through ingenious mechanical structure design. It abandons the complex hydraulic lifting systems with high flow rates, high pressures, and large cylinder diameters required by traditional solutions. Its core lies in a linkage mechanism composed of multiple triangular linkage units connected in series. By controlling the extension and retraction of a single cylinder, horizontal or rotational motion is precisely converted into vertical translation of the ship's deck using geometric constraints. This purely mechanical transmission system is simple in structure, reliable, and has extremely low requirements for the hydraulic system, significantly reducing manufacturing costs, energy consumption, and maintenance difficulty, resulting in extremely high cost-effectiveness.

[0025] This invention achieves pure vertical lifting and lowering of the hull plank while maintaining a horizontal posture, optimizing drag reduction and layout space. The lifting mechanism is designed to strictly constrain the flat-bottomed hull plank to translate only in the vertical direction, maintaining a horizontal posture throughout the entire lifting process. This not only avoids additional water flow resistance caused by hull plank tilting, ensuring an optimal drag-reducing shape, but also reduces the space occupied on both sides of the vehicle body, making the mechanism layout more compact and reasonable.

[0026] This invention enhances the environmental adaptability of all-terrain vehicles. When the flat-bottomed hull is lowered, it forms a complete protective cover, effectively preventing marine debris such as seaweed and fishing nets from getting caught in the complex running gear under the vehicle. This avoids damage to parts, jamming, or reduced efficiency caused by such debris, further improving the reliability and passability of the vehicle in water operations.

[0027] This utility model's mechanism features low load, long service life, and outstanding economic efficiency. Because the flat-bottomed boat mechanism itself does not bear the enormous weight of the entire vehicle, but only needs to overcome water flow resistance and its own weight, its requirements for material strength, rigidity, and actuator power are far lower than those for track-retracting solutions. This allows the mechanism to be made lighter, with less wear on components, a longer overall service life, and significantly improved overall economic efficiency.

[0028] The above provides a detailed description of the drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles provided by this utility model. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the structure and working principle of this utility model. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core idea of ​​this utility model. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this utility model without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles, characterized in that: It includes a flat boat plate (2), a lifting mechanism connecting the frame (1) and the boat plate (2), and a drive cylinder (13) mounted on the frame (1). The lifting mechanism includes a scissor lift unit, which is composed of at least one pair of X-shaped intersecting and hinged links in the middle. One side of the scissor lift unit forms a sliding pair with the sliding grooves respectively provided on the frame (1) and the boat plate (2) through the sliding pins at its upper and lower ends; the other side of the scissor lift unit forms a rotating pair with the frame (1) and the boat plate (2) through the pins at its upper and lower ends. The piston rod end of the drive cylinder (13) is hinged to any sliding pin at the upper end of the scissor unit. By extending and retracting the drive cylinder (13), the sliding pin is driven to move along the slide groove, so that the scissor unit is folded or unfolded, thereby driving the boat plate (2) to rise and fall relative to the frame (1).

2. The drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scissor unit consists of a first link (8) and a second link (9). The first link (8) and the second link (9) are rods of equal length. They intersect in the middle region and are connected by a third pin (7) to form a rotating pair. The whole unit forms a telescopic scissor-shaped structure.

3. The drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper and lower ends of one side of the scissor-shaped structure are respectively hinged to an ear plate base by a first pin (3) and a second pin (4); the ear plate base is symmetrically fixed on the frame (1) and the boat plate (2).

4. The drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper and lower ends of the other side of the scissor-shaped structure are pivotally connected to a first sliding pin (5) and a second sliding pin (6); the first sliding pin (5) is slidably fitted in a first sliding groove (10) on the frame (1), and the second sliding pin (6) is slidably fitted in a second sliding groove (11) on the boat plate (2).

5. The drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cylinder end of the drive cylinder (13) is hinged to the frame (1) by a fixed pin (12).

6. The drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The maximum distance between the frame (1) and the boat plate (2) is limited by the maximum allowable sliding distance of the first sliding pin (5) in the first sliding groove (10) and the second sliding pin (6) in the second sliding groove (11). When the sliding pin slides to the maximum allowable sliding distance, the vertical distance between the frame (1) and the boat plate (2) reaches the maximum distance.

7. The drag-reducing flat-bottomed boat mechanism for amphibious all-terrain vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The extension of the drive cylinder (13) drives the first sliding pin (5) to slide along the first sliding groove (10) towards the first pin shaft (3); The sliding of the first sliding pin (5) drives the third pin (7) to rotate and descend around the axis of the first pin (3) through the second connecting rod (9); The descent of the third pin (7) directly drives the second pin (4) to descend, and on the other hand, the second sliding pin (6) is driven to slide and descend along the second sliding groove (11) through the first connecting rod (8). The coordinated descent of the second pin (4) and the second sliding pin (6) together drive the flat bottom plate (2) to descend to the work position flush with the track of the vehicle.

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