IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,383,774
Granted Patent B2
US 11,383,774 · App. 16/574,120 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Track kit

Inventor: Morten Kjellmann (Alta, NO)
Assignee: MK Evol AS
B62D55/084B60G17/005B62D55/10B62D55/104B62D55/14B62D55/244B62D55/26B62M27/02B62M2027/025B62M2027/027
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,383,774
App. No.
16/574,120
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A track kit for a vehicle, the track kit having two track assemblies, each track assembly featuring an endless track and a pinch wheel in contact with the external side of the endless track, the pinch wheel having a pinch wheel axle being rigidly connectable to a chassis of the vehicle.

Claims (24)

1. A track kit for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a chassis, a rear drive axle featuring two opposite wheel hub units and a rear suspension, and the track kit comprises two track assemblies, each track assembly comprises an endless track, a front idler wheel, an intermediate support member comprising at least one track engaging element, a rear idler wheel, a drive wheel, at least one swing arm and a shock absorber connecting assembly, wherein

the endless track comprises an external side featuring ground lugs for ground engagement and an internal side featuring drive lugs for engagement with the drive wheel, and the internal side is circumferentially trained around and in contact with the front idler wheel, the at least one track engaging element, the rear idler wheel and the drive wheel;

the drive wheel is connectable to one of the wheel hub units;

the front idler wheel is arranged at a level above the at least one track engaging element and comprises a front idler wheel axle rigidly connectable to the chassis;

the at least one swing arm is pivotably connected to the intermediate support member and pivotably connectable to the chassis;

the shock absorber connecting assembly is connected to the intermediate support member and operably connectable to a lower end of a shock absorber having an upper end operably connected to the chassis; and

each track assembly comprises a pinch wheel in contact with the external side of the endless track and arranged adjacent to the drive wheel and rear of the front idler wheel, wherein the pinch wheel comprises a pinch wheel axle being rigidly connectable to the chassis.

2. The track kit according claim 1 , wherein the shock absorber connecting assembly comprises a shock connecting arm having a first end pivotably connected to the intermediate support member and a second end pivotably connectable to the chassis, and the shock connecting arm is operably connectable to the lower end of the shock absorber via a connection arranged between the first end and the second end.

3. The track kit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one track engaging element comprises at least one intermediate idler wheel, a slide rail or any combination thereof.

4. The track kit according to claim 1 , comprising a rear suspension locking device arrangeable to prevent vertical movement of the wheel hub units relative to the chassis during use.

5. The track kit according to claim 4 , wherein the rear suspension locking device is a part of the shock absorber connecting assembly and comprises a first connection for the upper end of the shock absorber.

6. The track kit according to claim 4 , wherein the rear suspension locking device comprises a second connection for a vertically moveable portion of the rear suspension and a third connection for connecting the rear suspension locking device to the chassis.

7. The track kit according to claim 1 , wherein each track assembly comprises a front shock absorber operably connected to a front section of the intermediate support member and operably connectable to the chassis.

8. The track kit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one swing arm comprises a front swing arm and a rear swing arm, the front swing arm is pivotably connected to a front section of the intermediate support member and pivotably connectable to the chassis, and the rear swing arm is pivotably connected to a rear section of the intermediate support member and pivotably connectable to the chassis.

9. The track kit according to claim 1 , comprising a support framework rigidly connectable to the chassis and to which the front idler wheel axle of each track assembly is rigidly connected and the at least one swing arm of each track assembly is pivotably connected.

10. The track kit according to claim 9 , wherein the front shock absorber of each track assembly is operably connected to the support framework, and/or the pinch wheel axle of each track assembly is rigidly connected to the support framework.

11. The track kit according to claim 9 , wherein the support framework is modular.

12. The vehicle comprising a track kit according to any one of the claims 1 - 11 .

13. A method of converting a wheel-drive vehicle to a belt-drive vehicle, the vehicle comprising a chassis, a rear drive axle featuring two opposite wheel hub units and a rear suspension, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the track kit according to any one of the claims 1 - 11 ;

connecting the drive wheel of each track assembly to a corresponding wheel hub unit;

rigidly connecting the front idler wheel axles to the chassis;

pivotably connecting the at least one swing arms to the chassis; and

operably connecting the lower end of at least one the shock absorber to the shock absorber connecting assemblies.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2019
From: KJELLMANN, MORTEN
To: MK EVOL AS
Reel/Frame 051057/0574 →
Priority Claims (2)
NO 20181357 · Oct 23, 2018 · national
NO 20181380 · Oct 25, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200122791A1 · Apr 23, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,233,968