Snowmobile Drive Sprocket Offset Timing and Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional snowmobiles experience noise and premature wear of the track belt due to the synchronous engagement of drive and driven components, particularly when these components are made of steel, leading to reduced durability and increased noise levels.
Innovation Solution
The design modifies the timing of engagement between driven projections and window drive portions on the track belt, using a hub damper and periphery dampers to absorb impacts and reduce noise, while also employing a wear-resistant cover to minimize wear and noise generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the projection drive portion and window drive portion are positioned at the same angle around the sprocket periphery, then the drive mechanism is simplified, but noise increases due to synchronous engagement of steel-covered track belt components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by offsetting the angular positions of the projection drive portion and window drive portion on the sprocket. This offset positioning ensures that the engagement of driven projections with projection drive portions occurs at a different time than the engagement of driven windows with window drive portions, preventing synchronous collision and reducing noise before it can be generated.
2Reliability
If steel cladding is applied to the track belt surface, then durability is improved, but impact noise increases due to harder collision between drive and driven parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element by using the offset timing of engagement between drive and driven portions. This temporal separation acts as a mediator that prevents direct simultaneous collision between steel cladded components, reducing impact noise while preserving the durability benefits of steel cladding.
3Device complexity
If synchronous engagement of driven projections and driven windows occurs, then the drive mechanism is compact, but wear on the window drive portion increases due to collision with steel-covered track belt
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the window drive portion and projection drive portion at different angular locations on the sprocket. This ensures that the engagement sequences are staggered, preventing simultaneous collision and reducing wear on the window drive portion while maintaining a compact overall drive mechanism design.
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
This solution effectively reduces noise and extends the lifespan of the track belt by dispersing forces and minimizing wear on the drive sprocket and track belt components, enhancing the overall performance and durability of the snowmobile.
Implementation Method 1
using a hub damper and periphery dampers to absorb impacts and reduce noise
Data Source
AI summary
A snowmobile includes a track belt and a drive sprocket that couple with each other to propel the snowmobile with reduced noise and wear. The track belt has a plurality of driven projections and a plurality of driven windows at regular intervals along the direction of movement of the track belt. The drive sprocket has a projection drive portion and for engaging the driven projections and a window drive portion for engaging edges of the driven windows. In some embodiments, the driven projection, the driven window, the projection drive portion, and the window drive portion can be positioned so that the time when the driven projection and the projection drive portion contact each other is different from the time when the edge of the driven window and the window drive portion contact each other. Additionally, in some embodiments a damper is placed between the drive sprocket and the drive shaft. In some embodiments, a damper is coupled with at least a portion of a peripheral surface of at least one of the drive sprocket, the projection drive portion, and the window drive portion.