U.S. patent application number 10/483191 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-02 for track-shoe of amphibious caterpillar vehicle.
Invention is credited to Lee, Chung-Chul.
Application Number | 20040239182 10/483191 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19711961 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040239182 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee, Chung-Chul |
December 2, 2004 |
Track-shoe of amphibious caterpillar vehicle
Abstract
The present invention provides a track-shoe of an amphibious
caterpillar vehicle and more particularly, a track-shoe of an
amphibious caterpillar vehicle with mobility on land and water,
which comprises a space inside the track-shoe for conferring
buoyancy to the track-shoe while simultaneously forming an
arc-shaped groove for pushing out water at the frontal side of the
track-shoe. The track-shoe of the present invention, in relation to
the track-shoe of a caterpillar, which is placed over and between a
driving wheel and a driven wheel at the respective frontal and rear
sides of the two lateral sides of the main body of an amphibious
caterpillar vehicle, comprises connection brackets, each forming a
protrusion, side by side, on the front and the rear sides of the
body of the track-shoe, for connecting two contiguous sections of
the track-shoe; an angular protrusion at the lower side of the body
of said track-shoe; an arc-shaped groove on the frontal side of the
body of said track-shoe in the direction of rotation of the
track-shoe of the caterpillar; and a hollow space inside the body
of said track-shoe.
Inventors: |
Lee, Chung-Chul; (Jayu Apt,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOWE HAUPTMAN GILMAN AND BERNER, LLP
1700 DIAGONAL ROAD
SUITE 300 /310
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
19711961 |
Appl. No.: |
10/483191 |
Filed: |
July 13, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
July 9, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR02/01261 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
305/192 ;
440/12.64 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60F 3/0015 20130101;
B62D 55/286 20130101; B62D 55/202 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
305/192 ;
440/012.64 |
International
Class: |
B63H 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 9, 2001 |
KR |
2001-40937 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A track-shoe of a caterpillar of an amphibious caterpillar
vehicle, the caterpillar being installed between a driving wheel
and a driven wheel which can rotate on both sides of the vehicle,
and the track-shoe including: a connection bracket formed
protruding on the front and rear sides of the track-shoe body to
interconnect adjacent track-shoes; a hill-shaped protrusion formed
below the track-shoe body; an arc-shaped groove formed on the front
side of the track-shoe body the hollow surface being in the
direction of rotation of the caterpillar; and a hollow space formed
inside the track-shoe body.
2. The track-shoe of claim 1, wherein the hollow space formed
inside the track-shoe body is filled with buoyant material with low
specific weight.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELDS
[0001] The present invention relates to a track-shoe for an
amphibious caterpillar vehicle. More particularly, the invention
relates to a track-shoe for an amphibious caterpillar vehicle with
mobility on land and water, wherein hollow space is formed inside
the track-shoe in order to provide buoyancy to the track-shoe and
wherein an arc-shaped groove is formed at the frontal side of the
track-shoe in order to push out water.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Conventional amphibious caterpillar vehicle uses a driving
wheel (for example sprocket) and a driven wheel (for example
sprocket) which can rotate at the frontal and rear sides of the
main body respectively, and a caterpillar in which a plurality of
track shoes are interconnected like chain is rolled on the outside
of the driving wheel and driven wheel.
[0003] In this conventional amphibious caterpillar vehicle, the
caterpillar, which is rolled like chain at the driving wheel and
driven wheel, is rotated according to the rotation of the driving
wheel. At this time, the rotating caterpillars which contact the
ground pushes forward the amphibious caterpillar vehicle that it
moves in the rotating direction of the caterpillar.
[0004] Tanks or construction heavy equipments which move on the
ground are examples of the conventional amphibious caterpillar
vehicle. In these vehicles, the track shoe of the caterpillar is
made of metal or metal combined with rubber.
[0005] Also the amphibious caterpillar vehicle with mobility on
land and water such as armored car, as show in FIG. 7, employs a
track shoe wherein a connecting bracket 7 is formed on the frontal
and rear side so that adjacent track-shoes 5 can be interconnected
by using pin, and wherein a plurality of square shaped ribs 11 are
formed on the outside of the track-shoe body 6 in the protruding
form interconnecting each other.
[0006] In this type of track-shoe, the rib 11 on the center portion
of in said ribs 11 has a groove 12 with predetermined depth between
the inside surface of the rib 11 and outside surface of the
track-shoe body 6. In this groove 12, rubber materials 13 are
inserted to prevent damage of road and to absorb vibration. In
addition, a sprocket catching hole 14 is formed on the track-shoe
body in the same place of the rib between the rib 11 on the center
and a rib on the edge, and with the same shape as the shape of the
interior portion. After the track-shoes are interconnected forming
a caterpillar, driving wheel is inserted in the sprocket catching
hole 14 to rotate the caterpillar of the vehicle.
[0007] The function of track-shoe 5 installed on the conventional
amphibious caterpillar vehicle with mobility on land and water
which is the same as the track-shoe installed on the tank and
construction heavy equipments in that the track-shoe pushes forward
the vehicle by the rotation of caterpillar. However, the track shoe
of amphibious caterpillar vehicle has additional function of
pushing out water by the ribs 11 and grooves 12 formed by the ribs
11.
[0008] By the way, the amphibious caterpillar vehicle with mobility
on land and water is in the form of ship to confer buoyancy to the
vehicle. However, since metallic track-shoe 5 is used in
conventional amphibious caterpillar vehicle, the caterpillar which
is made by interconnecting the track-shoes like chain is very
heavy, and too much power is required to propel the vehicle in the
water.
[0009] Further, this problem restricts the development of
amphibious caterpillar vehicle for leisure employing caterpillar
for amphibious vehicle such as an armored vehicle, so conventional
caterpillar vehicles for leisure is used only on ground or on the
water.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a
track-shoe for the caterpillar of amphibious caterpillar vehicle
mobility on land and water, which helps the vehicle float on the
water and reduces the required power for propelling the vehicle, by
forming the track-shoe with structure that can makes the track-shoe
easily float and by forming an arc-shaped groove in order to push
out the water.
[0011] To accomplish this object, the present invention provides a
track-shoe of a caterpillar of an amphibious caterpillar vehicle,
the caterpillar being installed between a driving wheel and a
driven wheel which can rotate on both sides of the vehicle, and the
track-shoe including: a connection bracket formed protruding on the
front and rear sides of the track-shoe body to interconnect
adjacent track-shoes; an hill-shaped protrusion formed below the
track-shoe body; an arc-shaped groove formed on the front side of
the track-shoe body the hollow surface being in the direction of
rotation of the caterpillar, and a hollow space formed inside the
track-shoe body.
[0012] Also the present invention provides a track-shoe wherein the
hollow space formed inside the track-shoe body is filled with
buoyant material with low specific weight
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic plane view of an amphibious
caterpillar vehicle installed according to the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a side view of track-shoe of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the connection of
the driving wheel and the body of the amphibious caterpillar
vehicle;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a sectional view cut through A-A line in FIG. 1
illustrating the winding of the caterpillar to the driving
wheel;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a bottom prospective view of the track-shoe
according to the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of enlarged "B" part in
the FIG. 4; and
[0019] FIG. 7 is a prospective view of the track-shoe of the
conventional amphibious armored car with mobility on land and
water.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0020] The a track-shoe of the amphibious caterpillar vehicle
according to the present invention will be described in detail with
reference to the preferable embodiment along with the attached
drawings.
[0021] The track-shoe of this embodiment is, as shown in FIGS. 1
and 2, a part constructing a caterpillar 3 which is made of
track-shoes 5 interconnected like a chain, and which is installed
between a driving wheel 1 and a driven wheel 2 which can rotate on
both sides of the vehicle 4.
[0022] A connecting bracket 7 is formed protruding on the front and
rear side of the track-shoe body 6 for interconnecting adjacent
track-shoes 5 by using a pin 5a, and the hill-shaped protrusion 8
is formed below the track-shoe body 6. The hill-shaped protrusion 8
is preferably built in a body with the track-shoe body 6.
[0023] An arc-shaped groove 9 is formed on the front side of the
track-shoe body 6, i.e. the surface seen from the direction of
rotation of the caterpillar 3. This arc-shaped groove 9 has the
function of pushing out water so that the vehicle can be propelled
when the caterpillar 3 rotates. The arc-shaped groove 9 is
preferably built in a body with the track-shoe body 6. Also, hollow
space is formed inside the arc-shaped groove 9 and the track-shoe
body 6, reducing the weight of the caterpillar and enabling the
vehicle easily float on the water.
[0024] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the hollow space
formed inside the track-shoe body 6 is filled with buoyant material
15 having low specific weight such as foamed polystyrene or foamed
urethane to increase buoyancy.
[0025] As mentioned above, the track-shoes form the caterpillar 3
by interconnecting adjacent track-shoes through connection brackets
7 by using pin 5a, and the caterpillar 3 is installed rolling on
the driving wheel 1 and driven wheel 2 of the amphibious
caterpillar vehicle as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6.
[0026] The driving wheel 1 and driven wheel 2 may have the
structure that can rotate the caterpillar 3, and in the embodiment
of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, a cylindrical pipe 17
is installed in the center between two circular boards 16 providing
buoyancy to the driving wheel 1 and driven wheel 2. Also, a
plurality of rollers 18 are installed with predetermined interval
on the outer surfaces of two circular boards 16 outside the
cylindrical pipe 17 so that hill-shaped protrusion 8 formed below
the track-shoe body 6 can be hooked making it possible to rotate
the caterpillar by using the roller 18 and hill-shaped protrusion
8.
[0027] The driving wheel 1 and driven wheel 2 are connected to
rotating axis 19 respectively, and a driven gear 20 is installed on
one of the rotating axes 19 and the driven gear 20 is connected to
driving gear part 22 through chain 21 which are built on the body 4
of the amphibious caterpillar vehicle.
[0028] The driving gear 22 is constructed so that driving power is
transferred to the driven gear 20 by using motor or by using a
passenger pedal a hand-operated pedal of bicycle-type.
[0029] The part 24 which has not yet described is a support of the
caterpillar 3 which is formed protruding outside the both sides of
the body 4 of the amphibious caterpillar vehicle. A supporting
roller 25 which prevents the caterpillar 3 from slacking is formed
on the caterpillar by a supporting bracket 24.
[0030] Now the installation of the caterpillar using the track-shoe
of the present invention and the operation of the amphibious
caterpillar vehicle using the caterpillar will be described with
reference to FIGS. 1 and 6.
[0031] The caterpillar 3, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, are
constructed by interconnecting the track-shoes in the form of a
chain by overlapping connection brackets formed at the front and
rear side of the body 5 by inserting a pin 5a
[0032] The caterpillar 3 is installed rolling the driving wheel 1
and driven wheel 2 of the amphibious caterpillar vehicle. In this
step, the hill-shaped protrusion 8 formed below the track-shoe body
6 is placed contacting the driving wheel 1 and driven wheel 2 (See
FIGS. 4 and 6), and each hill-shaped protrusion 8 is placed between
the rollers 18 which are formed with predetermined interval on the
driving wheel 1 and driven wheel 2 respectively.
[0033] In this state, as shown in FIG. 3, by operating the driving
gear part 22, driving power of the driving gear is transferred to
the driven gear 21 through the chain 21 and the transferred driving
power of the driven gear 20 rotates the driving wheel 1 formed on
both sides of the upper ends of the rotating axis.
[0034] Since the hill-shaped protrusion 8 of track shoe body 6 is
hooked on the rollers 18 installed on the driving wheel 1 and
driven wheel 2, the driven wheel 2 and the caterpillar 3 can rotate
by the rotation of the driving wheel, propelling the amphibious
vehicle 10.
[0035] And, the arc-shaped groove on the front side of the track
shoe body composing the caterpillar pushes out water when the
caterpillar rotates in the water and propels the amphibious
caterpillar vehicle.
[0036] Although the material and shape of the body of the
amphibious caterpillar vehicle are not described in this
embodiment, any material that can make the body of the amphibious
caterpillar vehicle float on the water may be used in the
embodiment, and the shape of the body is preferably the shape that
can maintain stable state while having less propelling resistance
such as the shape of a ship.
[0037] The amphibious-caterpillar vehicle 10 using the track-shoe
of the present invention, as described above, is propelled by the
hill-shaped groove in the water, and on the ground such as sand, it
is propelled by the track shoe contacting the ground.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0038] According to the present invention, by installing the
caterpillar composed of track-shoes having a hollow space inside,
the vehicle can float with ease and also can be propelled by the
arc-shaped groove at the front side of the track-shoe.
[0039] In addition, when the track-shoe is applied to the
amphibious caterpillar vehicle for leisure with mobility on land
and water, the use of the amphibious caterpillar vehicle can
extended and can give much interests to the passenger.
* * * * *