Wheel of track system for traction of a vehicle
A wheel of a track system for traction of a vehicle (e.g., an agricultural vehicle) may be configured to protect a track of the track system by reducing stress induced in the track by the wheel. For example, a circumferential surface of the wheel may be uneven (e.g., curved) in a widthwise direction of the wheel (e.g., to have a crown) and/or a covering of the wheel may be asymmetrical about a midpoint of the covering in the widthwise direction of the wheel (e.g., include corners that are shaped differently).
1 . A wheel for a track system of a vehicle, the track system comprising a track-engaging assembly that includes the wheel and a track movable around the track-engaging assembly, the track being elastomeric to flex around the track-engaging assembly, the track comprising a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground and an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface, the wheel comprising:
a body including a rim portion and a hub portion;
a covering affixed to the body of the wheel;
a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposed to one another; and
a circumferential surface disposed between the first lateral side and the second lateral side and configured to contact the inner surface of the track, the covering including the circumferential surface and comprising:
a first tapered portion tapered toward the first lateral side;
a second tapered portion tapered toward the second lateral side;
wherein the first and second tapered portions define an apex wherein a radial dimension of the wheel is maximal, the apex being centered in the widthwise direction of the wheel and is located in a central portion of the wheel.
2 . The wheel of claim 1 , wherein a taper angle of at least one of the first and second tapered portions relative to an axis of the wheel is at least 2°.
3 . The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the body of the wheel is a metallic body and the covering is a polymeric covering.
4 . The wheel of claim 1 , wherein taper angles of the first and second tapered portions are equal.
5 . The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the covering is asymmetrical about a midpoint of the covering in the widthwise direction of the wheel.
6 . The wheel of claim 1 , wherein: the covering includes a first corner adjacent to the first lateral side of the wheel and a second corner adjacent to the second lateral side of the wheel; and the first corner and the second corner of the covering are shaped differently.
7 . The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the covering includes a rounded corner adjacent to the first lateral side of the wheel.
8 . The wheel of claim 1 , wherein: the track comprises a plurality of wheel-contacting projections projecting from the inner surface of the track; the wheel is configured to roll on a part of the inner surface of the track from a lateral edge of the track to the wheel-contacting projections; and the circumferential surface occupies at least a majority of a width of the part of the inner surface of the track from the lateral edge of the track to the wheel-contacting projections.
9 . A track system comprising the wheel of claim 1 .
10 . A wheel for a track system of a vehicle, the track system comprising a track-engaging assembly that includes the wheel and a track movable around the track-engaging assembly, the track being elastomeric to flex around the track-engaging assembly, the track comprising a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground and an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface, the wheel comprising:
a body including a rim portion and a hub portion;
a covering affixed to the body of the wheel;
a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposed to one another; and
a circumferential surface disposed between the first lateral side and the second lateral side and configured to contact the inner surface of the track, the covering including the circumferential surface;
wherein the covering comprises first and second portions made of different materials, the first and second portions being one of disposed one over another in a radial direction or one next to the other in the widthwise direction.
11 . The wheel of claim 10 , wherein the first and second portions are made of different first and second polymeric materials.
12 . The wheel of claim 11 , wherein the first and second polymeric materials have different mechanical properties.
13 . The wheel of claim 10 , wherein the body of the wheel is a metallic body and the covering is a polymeric covering.
14 . A wheel for a track system of a vehicle, the track system comprising a track-engaging assembly that includes the wheel and a track movable around the track-engaging assembly, the track being elastomeric to flex around the track-engaging assembly, the track comprising a ground-engaging outer surface for engaging the ground and an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface, the wheel comprising:
a body including a rim portion and a hub portion;
a covering affixed to the body of the wheel;
a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposed to one another; and
a circumferential surface disposed between the first lateral side and the second lateral side and configured to contact the inner surface of the track, the covering including the circumferential surface and comprising:
a first tapered portion tapered toward the first lateral side;
a second tapered portion tapered toward the second lateral side;
wherein the first and second tapered portions define an apex wherein a radial dimension of the wheel is maximal,
wherein a thickness of the covering varies in the widthwise direction of the wheel.
15 . The wheel of claim 14 , wherein the thickness of the covering at the apex of the circumferential surface is greater than the thickness of the covering at each of the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion of the circumferential surface.
16 . The wheel of claim 14 , wherein taper angles of the first and second tapered portions are equal.
17 . The wheel of claim 16 , wherein the taper angles of the first and second tapered portions relative to an axis of the wheel are at least 2°.