Snow track for a snowmobile
An endless track for use in propelling a snowmobile. The endless track extends between a first lateral side and a second lateral side and includes an inner drive surface and an outer ground-engaging surface. The inner drive surface includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced inner drive lugs used to drive and rotate the endless track. The outer ground-engaging surface includes a plurality of treads, where each tread extends continuous and uninterrupted along a constant height from the first lateral side to the second lateral side a full width of the endless track.
1 . An endless track for use in propelling a snowmobile, comprising:
an inner drive surface extending between a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the inner drive surface having a plurality of inner drive lugs to drive and rotate the endless track; and
an outer ground-engaging surface extending between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the outer ground-engaging surface having a plurality of treads extending from the outer ground-engaging surface, at least one tread extending continuous and uninterrupted from the first lateral side to the second lateral side a full width of the endless track;
wherein the track includes a first track window at a first position along the width of the endless track and a second track window at a second position along the width of the endless track,
wherein the at least one tread defines three cup-shaped front concave surfaces extending between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, wherein a first of the three cup-shaped front concave surfaces is centered on the first track window with respect to the width of the endless track and a second of the three cup-shaped front concave surfaces is centered on the second track window with respect to the width of the endless track;
wherein the at least one tread includes a plurality of vertically extending stiffening members spaced apart laterally along the at least one tread, and
wherein the at least one tread has a continuous height substantially the full width of the endless track from the first lateral side to the second lateral side.
2 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein the continuous height is 1.75 inches.
3 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein the continuous height is at least 1 inch.
4 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein the height extends from the outer ground-engaging surface between a range of 1 inch to 4 inches.
5 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein each tread of the plurality of treads is longitudinally spaced at every other pitch of the endless track.
6 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tread is contained within a lateral boundary defined by two parallel planes that are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the endless track, and wherein the two parallel planes are separated by a dimension in a range from 0.5 inches to 2 inches.
7 . The endless track of claim 6 , wherein the two parallel planes are separated by a dimension of 1 inch.
8 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein an area between a pair of treads and the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface is 60 square inches.
9 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein an area between a pair of treads and the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface is between 30 square inches and 112 square inches.
10 . The endless track of claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcing rod extending laterally between the first lateral side and the second lateral side at each pitch of the endless track.
11 . The endless track of claim 10 , wherein the first track window and the second track window are positioned between one of the at least one tread and the reinforcing rod.
12 . An endless track for use in propelling a snowmobile, comprising:
an inner drive surface extending between a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the inner drive surface having a plurality of longitudinally spaced inner drive lugs to drive and rotate the endless track; and
an outer ground-engaging surface extending between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the outer ground-engaging surface having a plurality of treads, each tread extending continuous and uninterrupted from the first lateral side to the second lateral side a full width of the endless track, each tread having a full continuous height extending substantially the full width of the endless track;
wherein each tread of the plurality of treads comprises a plurality of stiffening members, each of the stiffening members having a conically tapered shape, and
wherein each tread of the plurality of treads is longitudinally spaced at every other pitch of the endless track.
13 . The endless track of claim 12 , wherein the continuous height of each tread is 1.75 inches.
14 . An endless track for use in propelling a snowmobile, comprising:
an inner drive surface extending between a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the inner drive surface having a plurality of longitudinally spaced inner drive lugs to drive and rotate the endless track; and
an outer ground-engaging surface extending between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the outer ground-engaging surface having a plurality of treads, wherein each tread extends continuously and uninterrupted from the first lateral side to the second lateral side a full width of the endless track, each tread having a full continuous height substantially the full width of the endless track;
wherein each tread includes a plurality of stiffening members, the plurality of stiffening members arranged to form three arcuate concave contours,
wherein an area of the outer ground engaging surface between a pair of treads and the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface is between 30 square inches and 112 square inches.
15 . The endless track of claim 14 , wherein each tread of the plurality of treads is longitudinally spaced at every other pitch of the endless track.
16 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tread includes a first tapered portion extending from the first lateral side to a planar top surface of the tread having the full continuous height, and a second tapered portion extending from the planar top surface to the second lateral side.
17 . The endless track of claim 12 , wherein each tread includes a first tapered portion extending from the first lateral side to a planar top surface of the tread having the full continuous height, and a second tapered portion extending from the planar top surface to the second lateral side.
18 . The endless track of claim 14 , wherein each tread includes a first tapered portion extending from the first lateral side to a planar top surface of the tread having the full continuous height, and a second tapered portion extending from the planar top surface to the second lateral side.
19 . The endless track of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tread comprises a plurality of stiffening members, each of the stiffening members having a conically tapered shape.
20 . The endless track of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of stiffening members are arranged to form three arcuate concave contours.