Retractable Wheel Double Pivot Snowmobile Ski
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional snowmobile wheel systems require significant physical effort and time to lift the skis off the ground and engage the wheels, making the process inefficient and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A retractable wheel system with a double-pivot actuation mechanism that includes a support plate, a driver segment, and a driven segment, where the wheel is coupled to the driven segment and can pivot between a stowed and deployed position, using a coupler channel and resilient elements to facilitate automatic engagement and disengagement with the ground.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual actuation is used to engage the wheel system, then the wheel can be positioned to provide lift to the ski, but significant physical effort and time are required from the rider
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel system employs a dynamic double-pivot actuation mechanism that transforms a small input motion from the driver segment into a large output motion for wheel deployment. The driver segment pivots about a first pivot while the driven segment pivots about a second pivot, creating a mechanical advantage that automatically positions the wheel without requiring the rider to manually lift or position it, thus reducing both effort and time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be self-actuating through the double-pivot mechanism. When the driver segment is actuated, the coupled driven segment automatically moves the wheel into the deployed position through the pivot geometry. The resilient element provides automatic return to the stowed position, eliminating the need for manual intervention in both deployment and retraction operations.
2Productivity
If the wheel is manually positioned and engaged, then the ski can be lifted off the ground, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The double-pivot mechanism creates a dynamic mechanical advantage where the driver segment's small pivoting motion is amplified through the coupled driven segment to produce the larger motion needed to lift the ski. This dynamic transformation of motion reduces the physical effort required from the rider while increasing the speed of ski lift-off.
Solution Approach 2:
The driven segment acts as an intermediary between the driver segment and the wheel. It transfers and amplifies the motion from the driver segment to the wheel, enabling the wheel to be deployed and the ski to be lifted with minimal direct physical effort from the rider. The resilient element serves as another intermediary that provides the return motion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system allows for efficient and automatic transition between ski and wheel modes, reducing the effort required to lift the skis and engage the wheels, enabling smoother operation and reduced fatigue for the rider.
Implementation Method 1
The actuating assembly can include a resilient element configured to bias the wheel to the stowed position
Data Source
AI summary
A retractable wheel system for a snowmobile ski is provided. The system includes a support plate connectable to the snowmobile ski, an actuator operatively coupled to the support plate and having a driver segment and a driven segment adapted to cooperate to define a double-pivot assembly, and a wheel coupled to the double-pivot assembly. The wheel is movable along a first trajectory between a stowed position, where the wheel is spaced from a ground surface, and an intermediary position, where the wheel contacts the ground surface. The wheel is further movable along a second trajectory between the intermediary position and a deployed position, where the wheel is in engagement with the ground surface and provides lift to the snowmobile ski relative to the ground surface.