IP Library Granted Patent US 12,037,065
Granted Patent B2
US 12,037,065 · App. 17/229,222 · Granted Jul 16, 2024

Caterpillar changing apparatus

Inventors: Min Kyo Seo (Changwon-si, KR); Ki Jeong Kim (Changwon-si, KR); Dong Su Lee (Changwon-si, KR)
Assignee: HANWHA AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
B62D55/32B66F7/26B23P2700/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,037,065
App. No.
17/229,222
Granted
Jul 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A caterpillar changing apparatus includes a floor frame; a moving fame movable with respect to the floor frame; and a supporting unit including at least one body, the supporting unit provided on the moving frame and configured to support a caterpillar to maintain a shape of the caterpillar that the caterpillar has when installed on a vehicle.

Claims (69)

1. A caterpillar changing apparatus comprising:

a floor frame;

a moving frame movable with respect to the floor frame; and

a supporting unit comprising at least one body, the supporting unit provided on the moving frame and configured to support a caterpillar to maintain a shape of the caterpillar that the caterpillar has when installed on a vehicle,

wherein the at least one body of the supporting unit comprises:

an upper supporting unit configured to support an upper portion of the caterpillar;

a lower supporting unit configured to support a lower portion of the caterpillar; and

a side supporting unit configured to support a side portion of the caterpillar, and

wherein the upper supporting unit comprises:

a main supporting unit; and

a sub supporting unit couplable or detachably coupled to the main supporting unit in a longitudinal direction of the main supporting unit.

2. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the floor frame comprises:

a first floor frame comprising a first rail providing a moving path of the moving frame; and

a second floor frame detachable from the first floor frame and comprising a second rail connected to the first rail to provide the moving path of the moving frame.

3. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the floor frame comprises:

a body frame;

a caster provided on the body frame, the caster configured to reduce friction between a ground and the body frame; and

a fixing unit comprising at least one body, the fixing unit configured to fix the body frame to the ground.

4. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the moving frame comprises:

a base frame movably coupled with respect to the floor frame such as to be configured to move in a moving direction;

an extension frame extending from the base frame in a direction different from the moving direction of the base frame; and

two wing frames rotatably coupled to two opposite side surfaces of the base frame, respectively.

5. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the base frame comprises a base roller that is configured to reduce friction with the floor frame.

6. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main supporting unit comprises:

a main bar elongated in a longitudinal direction of the caterpillar; and

a plurality of main rods elongated in a same direction as each other, provided at different points of the main bar, and configured to support the upper portion of the caterpillar.

7. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper supporting unit is coupled to the moving frame so as to be movable in a vertical direction with respect to a ground.

8. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper supporting unit is coupled to the moving frame so as to be movable in a longitudinal direction of the caterpillar.

9. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower supporting unit is coupled to the moving frame so as to be movable in a vertical direction with respect to a ground.

10. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one body of the supporting unit comprises an inclined supporting unit that is configured to support an inclined portion of the caterpillar.

11. A caterpillar changing apparatus comprising:

a floor frame;

a moving frame movable with respect to the floor frame; and

a supporting unit comprising at least one body, the supporting unit provided on the moving frame and configured to support a caterpillar to maintain a shape of the caterpillar that the caterpillar has when installed on a vehicle,

wherein the at least one body of the supporting unit comprises:

an upper supporting unit configured to support an upper portion of the caterpillar;

a lower supporting unit configured to support a lower portion of the caterpillar; and

a side supporting unit configured to support a side portion of the caterpillar, and

wherein the side supporting unit comprises:

a coupling unit coupled to the moving frame;

a posture adjusting unit coupled to the coupling unit and configured to enable posture adjustment of the side supporting unit; and

a tension unit provided with the posture adjusting unit and configured to apply pressure to the side portion of the caterpillar in a longitudinal direction of the caterpillar.

12. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the tension unit comprises:

a tension body coupled to the posture adjusting unit; and

a plurality of tension rods elongated in a same direction as each other, provided at different points of the tension body, and configured to apply the pressure to the side portion of the caterpillar.

13. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of tension rods are arranged on the tension body with a predetermined curvature so as to correspond to a shape of the side portion of the caterpillar.

14. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the tension unit is rotatably coupled to the posture adjusting unit.

15. A caterpillar changing apparatus comprising:

a floor frame;

a moving frame movable with respect to the floor frame; and

a supporting unit comprising at least one body, the supporting unit provided on the moving frame and configured to support a caterpillar to maintain a shape of the caterpillar that the caterpillar has when installed on a vehicle,

wherein the at least one body of the supporting unit comprises an inclined supporting unit that is configured to support an inclined portion of the caterpillar, and

wherein the inclined supporting unit comprises:

a coupling unit coupled to the moving frame; and

a main posture adjusting unit coupled to the coupling unit and configured to enable posture adjustment of the inclined supporting unit and support the inclined portion of the caterpillar.

16. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

the main posture adjusting unit is coupled to the coupling unit such as to enable the posture adjustment, and

the inclined supporting unit further comprises a sub posture adjusting unit that is configured to support the inclined portion of the caterpillar.

17. A caterpillar changing apparatus comprising:

a floor frame;

a moving frame movable with respect to the floor frame; and

a supporting unit comprising at least one body, the supporting unit provided on the moving frame and configured to support a caterpillar to maintain a shape of the caterpillar that the caterpillar has when installed on a vehicle,

wherein the at least one body of the supporting unit comprises:

an upper supporting unit configured to support an upper portion of the caterpillar;

a lower supporting unit configured to support a lower portion of the caterpillar; and

a side supporting unit configured to support a side portion of the caterpillar, and

wherein the upper supporting unit is detachable from the moving frame, or the upper supporting unit comprises a lug that is configured to be connected to a hook or a wire.

18. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the upper supporting unit comprises the lug that is configured to be connected to the hook or the wire.

19. The caterpillar changing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the upper supporting unit is detachable from the moving frame.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Dec 23, 2022
From: HANWHA DEFENSE CO., LTD.
To: HANWHA AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062198/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2021
From: SEO, MIN KYO; KIM, KI JEONG; LEE, DONG SU
To: HANWHA DEFENSE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056124/0723 →