Snow groomer track and snow groomer featuring such a track
A track for a snow groomer having a plurality of grousers spaced apart, extending crosswise to the traveling direction of the track, and each having a grip portion configured to grip the terrain, and a blunt edge opposite the grip portion. A chain is connected to the blunt edges of the grousers so as to be engaged, in use, by a drive sprocket of a snow groomer.
1. A snow groomer track comprising:
a plurality of spaced apart grousers extending crosswise to a traveling direction of the snow groomer track, each grouser having:
a grip portion configured to grip a terrain, and
a blunt edge opposite the grip portion;
a chain connected to the blunt edges of the grousers, said chain configured to be engaged, in use, by a drive sprocket of a snow groomer; and
a plurality of elastically deformable connectors configured to connect the chain to the grousers to permit controlled relative rotation of the grousers with respect to the chain in a plane crosswise to the traveling direction of the snow groomer track.
2. The snow groomer track of claim 1 , wherein the elastically deformable connectors include:
a plurality of threaded pins projecting from the blunt edges of respective grousers and inserted through a plurality of respective fastening holes in the chain;
a plurality of nuts fitted to respective threaded pins; and
a plurality of first bushes of resilient material, housed in the fastening holes, about the respective threaded pins.
3. The snow groomer track of claim 1 , wherein the elastically deformable connectors include a plurality of strips of resilient material, each interposed between a respective grouser and a respective connecting portion of the chain.
4. The snow groomer track of claim 1 , wherein the chain includes a plurality of links, and a plurality of hinge connectors configured to hinge connect pairs of adjacent links about a respective hinge axes crosswise to the traveling direction of the snow groomer track, said hinge connectors are elastically deformable to permit controlled relative rotation of any two adjacent links about a plurality of axes not coincident with the respective hinge axis of said two adjacent links.
5. The snow groomer track of claim 4 , wherein each of the hinge connectors includes a connecting pin between pairs of adjacent links in the chain and a hinge bush of resilient material inserted between each link in the chain and the connecting pin.
6. The snow groomer track of claim 5 , wherein each link includes at least a first and second hinge hole at opposite ends in the traveling direction of the snow groomer track, and each link has a first end connected to a first adjacent link by a first connecting pin inserted inside the first hinge hole, and a second end opposite the first end and connected to a second adjacent link by a second connecting pin inserted inside the second hinge hole.
7. The snow groomer track of claim 6 , wherein the first hinge holes and the second hinge holes of each link house respective hinge bushes.
8. The snow groomer track of claim 4 , wherein each link is connected to a respective grouser, and has a seat conformal in shape to the blunt edges of the grousers.
9. The snow groomer track of claim 1 , wherein each grouser includes:
a support bar defining the blunt edge of the grouser and fixed to the chain crosswise to the traveling direction of the snow groomer track; and
a blade fitted to the support bar on the opposite side to the blunt edge and defining the grip portion of the grouser.
10. The snow groomer track of claim 1 , which includes at least one flexible belt connecting the grousers to one another.
11. A snow groomer comprising:
a snow groomer track including:
a plurality of spaced apart grousers extending crosswise to a traveling direction of the snow groomer track, each grouser having a grip portion configured to grip a terrain, and a blunt edge opposite the grip portion;
a chain connected to the blunt edges of the grousers, said chain configured to be engaged, in use, by a drive sprocket of a snow groomer; and
a plurality of elastically deformable connectors configured to connect the chain to the grousers to permit controlled relative rotation of the grousers with respect to the chain in a plane crosswise to the traveling direction of the snow groomer track.
12. The snow groomer of claim 11 , including at least one drive sprocket engaging the chain of said snow groomer track.
13. A snow groomer track comprising:
a plurality of spaced apart grousers having a plurality of respective longitudinal cavities and extending crosswise to a traveling direction of the snow groomer track, each grouser having:
a grip portion configured to grip a terrain, and
a blunt edge opposite the grip portion;
a chain connected to the blunt edges of the grousers, said chain configured to be engaged, in use, by a drive sprocket of a snow groomer; and
a plurality of elastically deformable connectors configured to connect the chain to the grousers to permit controlled relative rotation of the grousers with respect to the chain in a plane crosswise to the traveling direction of the snow groomer track, wherein the elastically deformable connectors include:
a plurality of threaded pins projecting from the blunt edges of respective grousers and inserted through a plurality of respective fastening holes in the chain, the threaded pins of each grouser being carried by a respective strip housed inside the longitudinal cavity of the grouser, and being inserted through at least one opening formed in the blunt edge of the grouser,
a plurality of nuts fitted to respective threaded pins, and
a plurality of first bushes of resilient material, housed in the fastening holes, about the respective threaded pins.
14. A snow groomer track comprising:
a plurality of spaced apart grousers extending crosswise to a traveling direction of the snow groomer track, each grouser having:
a grip portion configured to grip a terrain, and
a blunt edge opposite the grip portion; and
a chain connected to the blunt edges of the grousers, said chain including a plurality of links, and a plurality of hinge connectors configured to hinge connect pairs of adjacent links about a respective hinge axes crosswise to the traveling direction of the snow groomer track, said hinge connectors are elastically deformable to permit controlled relative rotation of any two adjacent links about a plurality of axes not coincident with the respective hinge axis of said two adjacent links and each of the hinge connectors including a connecting pin between pairs of adjacent links in the chain and a hinge bush of resilient material inserted between each link in the chain and the connecting pin, said chain configured to be engaged, in use, by a drive sprocket of a snow groomer.
15. The snow groomer track of claim 14 , wherein each link includes at least a first and second hinge hole at opposite ends in the traveling direction of the snow groomer track, and each link has a first end connected to a first adjacent link by a first connecting pin inserted inside the first hinge hole, and a second end opposite the first end and connected to a second adjacent link by a second connecting pin inserted inside the second hinge hole.
16. The snow groomer track of claim 15 , wherein the first hinge holes and the second hinge holes of each link house respective hinge bushes.