Track assembly for an all-terrain vehicle

Abstract

The present invention is concerned with track assemblies for an all-terrain vehicle, which make it maneuverable and effective upon a variety of unstable, uneven, stable and even surfaces, while designed to maintain tension upon the endless track belts to keep them in their due course and prevent accidental loosening while having a punctually localized surface contact with a ground surface, and at the same time reducing the damages inflicted on the terrain.

1 . An all-terrain vehicle comprising at least two track assemblies to support the all-terrain vehicle onto a ground surface, each one of said at least two track assemblies comprising: 
 a longitudinal endless track belt having an inner surface provided with a plurality of inner lugs and an outer surface provided with a plurality of external lugs;    a track driving wheel having a peripheral portion operatively engaged with said endless track belt to drive said endless track belt;    at least one inside wheel and at least one outside wheel, each having a peripheral portion in contact with said endless track belt, said endless track belt being wounded around said track driving wheel, said at least one inside wheel, and said at least one outside wheel, the lower peripheral portion of said at least one inside wheel and said at least one outside wheel in contact with said endless track belt being above the lower peripheral portion of said track driving wheel in contact with said endless track belt;    a mounting structure to mount said longitudinal endless track belt to said vehicle, said longitudinal endless track belt mounted on said mounting structure defining substantially a scalene triangle;    whereby, when said vehicle is disposed on a flat surface only a portion of said endless track bell under said track driving wheel is in contact with said flat surface.    
     
     
         2 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said mounting structure comprises at least one interconnecting arm between said track driving wheel and said at least one inside wheel and said at least one outside wheel.  
     
     
         3 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one interconnecting arm comprises an angled connecting element provided with a short arm having a free end to which said at least one inside wheel is rotatably mounted and a long arm having a free end to which said at least one outside wheel is rotatably mounted.  
     
     
         4 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least one interconnecting arm further includes an elbowed connection element interconnecting said at least one inside wheel and said at least one outside wheel, whereby said at least one inside wheel is rotatably mounted to a first end of said elbowed connection element while said at least one outside wheel is rotatably mounted to a second end thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal endless track belt has an overall transversal profile generally convex.  
     
     
         6 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal endless track belt further include at least one transversal stiffening rod.  
     
     
         7 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 6 , wherein said stiffening rod includes fiber glass material.  
     
     
         8 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of external lugs form a lug arrangement comprising at least two successive transverse rows of lugs arranged in a staggered relationship.  
     
     
         9 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 8 , wherein said lug arrangement comprises a first row of lugs and a second row of lugs, said first row of lugs being arranged in a first sequence comprising a first lateral lug, a central lug and a second lateral lug; said second row of lugs being arranged in a second sequence comprising a first intermediate lug, a first external lug and a second intermediate lug.  
     
     
         10 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein track driving wheel comprises equidistant teeth contacting the inner surface of the endless track belt, said teeth being so located as to cooperate in a meshing engagement with said inner lugs of the endless track belt.  
     
     
         11 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein said track driving wheel includes a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate mounted thereto by a bolt and spacer assembly supporting said teeth.  
     
     
         12 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one inside wheel is at least one inside idler wheel.  
     
     
         13 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outside wheel is at least one outside idler wheel.  
     
     
         14 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said track driving wheel is mounted to a hub of the all-terrain vehicle.  
     
     
         15 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein said endless track belt is under a tension that may be adjusted by a tension adjusting assembly mounted to said at least one interconnecting arm.  
     
     
         16 . The all-terrain vehicle according to  claim 15 , wherein said tension adjusting assembly includes: a cam element rotatably and slidably mounted to a slotted aperture of said at least one interconnecting arm; 
 and a pin fixedly mounted to said at least one interconnecting arm to contact the cam element; wherein one of said inside and outside wheels is so rotatably mounted to said cam elements as to be moved by a rotation of said cam element, thereby adjusting the tension of said endless track belt.    
     
     
         17 . An endless track belt assembly comprising: 
 a track driving wheel having a peripheral portion provided with a plurality of teeth;    an endless track belt provided with an inner surface having a plurality of inner lugs and an outer surface having a plurality of external lugs, said inner lugs of said endless track belt operatively engaging said teeth of said track driving wheel; and    at least one inside wheel and at least one outside wheel, each having a peripheral portion in contact with said endless track belt, said endless track belt being wounded around said track driving wheel, said at least one inside wheel, and said at least one outside wheel and defining substantially a scalene triangle, the lower portion of said at least one inside wheel and said at least one outside wheel in contact with said endless track belt being above the lower portion of said track driving wheel in contact with said endless track belt.    
     
     
         18 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 17 , comprising at least one interconnecting arm between said track driving wheel, said at least one inside wheel and said at least one outside wheel.  
     
     
         19 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said at least one interconnecting arm comprises an angled connecting element provided with a short arm having a free end to which said at least one inside wheel is rotatably mounted and a long arm having a free end to which said at least one outside wheel is rotatably mounted.  
     
     
         20 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said at least one inside wheel and said at least one outside wheel are further connected by an elbowed connection element, whereby said at least one inside wheel is rotatably mounted to a first end of said elbowed connection element while said at least one outside wheel is rotatably mounted to a second end thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said longitudinal endless track belt has an overall transversal profile generally convex.  
     
     
         22 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said longitudinal endless track belt further include at least one transversal stiffening rod.  
     
     
         23 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 22 , wherein said stiffening rod includes fiber glass material.  
     
     
         24 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said at least one inside wheel is at least one inside idler wheel.  
     
     
         25 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said at least one outside wheel is at least one outside idler wheel.  
     
     
         26 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said endless track belt is under a tension that may be adjusted by a tension adjusting assembly mounted to said at least one interconnecting arm.  
     
     
         27 . The endless track belt assembly according to  claim 26 , wherein said tension adjusting assembly includes: a cam element rotatably and slidably mounted to a slotted aperture of said at least one interconnecting arm; and a pin fixedly mounted to said at least one interconnecting arm to contact the cam element; wherein one of said inside and outside wheels is so rotatably mounted to said cam elements as to be moved by a rotation of said cam element, thereby adjusting the tension of said endless track belt.  
     
     
         28 . A method for mounting an endless track belt on an all-terrain vehicle, comprising the acts of: 
 providing an endless track belt having inner lugs and external lugs;    providing a track driving wheel being operatively engaged with said endless track belt;    interconnecting said track driving wheel to at least one inside wheel and at least one outside wheel, said at least one inside wheel being mounted closer to said track driving wheel than said at least one outside wheel;    tensioning said endless track belt around said track driving wheel, said at least one inside wheel, and said at least one outside wheel, each having a peripheral portion in contact with said endless track belt, the lower peripheral portion of said at least one inside wheel and said at least one outside wheel in contact with said endless track belt being above the lower peripheral portion of said track driving wheel in contact with said endless track belt.