Drive Wheel Side Support Structure to Prevent Track Detracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endless tracks in track systems experience premature wear and detracking due to lateral forces when traversing uneven terrain or obstacles, particularly when connected to vehicles with a camber angle.
Innovation Solution
A drive wheel design featuring a hub portion, rim portion, engaging members, recesses, and side supports that engage with the inner lugs of the endless track, providing structural support and guiding the track to mitigate wear and detracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional drive wheels are used, then the structure is simple, but the track system experiences premature wear and detracking due to lateral forces
Solution Approach 1:
The drive wheel is segmented into multiple functional components: engaging members for track engagement, side supports for lateral guidance, and recesses for lug reception. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, reducing wear and preventing detracking while maintaining manageable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The side supports act as intermediary elements between the drive wheel and the track, providing lateral guidance and distributing lateral forces. These intermediary structures prevent direct harmful interactions between the track and the main drive wheel body, thereby improving reliability without requiring complete redesign of the entire system
2Force
If the drive wheel engages firmly with the track, then traction is improved, but wear on track components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engaging members are designed with specific local qualities - hardened surfaces for engagement points, optimized contact areas, and strategic positioning. This local quality enhancement concentrates wear-resistant properties exactly where force transmission occurs, maximizing traction while minimizing overall wear through targeted material properties and geometry
Data Source
AI summary
A drive wheel, which is for a track system, includes hub and rim portions, engaging members, recesses, a side support and a side opening. The rim portion is connected to, and disposed radially outwardly from, the hub portion. The engaging members are connected to, and extend radially outwardly from, the rim portion, are angularly spaced from one another. Each one of the recesses is defined between two adjacent engaging members, and is configured to receive an inner lug of an endless track. The side support is connected to one of the engaging members, extends toward an adjacent engaging member, and is radially spaced from the rim portion. The side opening is by the side support, a corresponding one of the plurality of engaging members, and part of the rim portion.