Two-Material Outer Lugs for Heavy-Duty Endless Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional track systems for heavy vehicles suffer from low durability, particularly at the outer lugs, due to high loads and poor traction on soft, slippery, and uneven ground surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The design of an endless track with outer lugs comprising two distinct material portions - an underlying lug portion made of a more resiliently deformable material and an overlying lug portion with higher hardness, along with optimized spacing and shaping to enhance durability, and reinforced with outer lug reinforcing members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional single-material outer lugs are used, then manufacturing is simple, but durability under high loads is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The outer lugs are constructed using composite materials with a two-layer structure: a harder outer material for wear resistance and a more resilient inner material for shock absorption. This composite construction directly addresses the durability issue while managing the increased structural complexity through systematic material integration.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the outer lugs are assigned different material properties - the outer surface uses harder material for wear resistance while the inner portion uses more resilient material for shock absorption. This local differentiation of material quality optimizes performance for specific functional requirements while managing overall structure complexity.
2Strength
If outer lugs are made of hard material, then wear resistance improves, but deformation under heavy loads increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite material structure combines hard outer material for wear resistance with resilient inner material that maintains structural integrity under heavy loads. The harder outer layer resists wear while the softer inner layer absorbs shock and prevents catastrophic failure, resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer lugs feature localized material property variation where the outer surface is harder for wear resistance while the inner portion is more compliant for shock absorption. This local quality differentiation allows the same component to simultaneously achieve wear resistance and maintain structural integrity under varying load conditions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If outer lugs are made of resilient material, then shock absorption improves, but wear resistance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-material composite structure assigns shock absorption function to the inner resilient material layer while the outer harder material layer provides wear resistance. This functional separation through composite construction resolves the contradiction between shock absorption and wear resistance by allowing each material to optimize for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the outer lugs have differentiated material properties: the inner portion uses resilient material for shock absorption while the outer surface uses harder material for wear resistance. This local quality assignment allows the same component to simultaneously achieve both shock absorption and wear resistance without compromise.
Data Source
AI summary
Endless tracks for track systems and track systems having endless tracks are disclosed. One endless track includes a carcass, inner lugs extending from an inner surface of the carcass and outer lugs extending from an outer surface of the carcass. The outer lugs each include first and second outer lugs portions. The first outer lug portion, which extends from the outer surface to a junction height, has a junction interface at the junction height, has an outer lug reinforcing member, defines a base radius and is made of a first material. The second outer lug portion, which extending from the junction interface to an outer lug height, has an engaging surface at the outer lug height, and is made of a second material different from the first material. Each outer lug also has a draft angle defined by a longitudinal side thereof and a projection of its engaging surface.