JP2010052670A - Elastic crawler - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an elastic crawler capable of effectively removing a foreign matter clamped between lugs during circulation. <P>SOLUTION: An inclined one end side 34A and an inclined the other end side 34B of the lug 34 are inclined in a width direction. Further, a short lug part 34S having short lug length L1 is formed on an intermediate portion in a width direction of the lug 34, thereby, a portion having relatively long lug bottom length L2 is present on a lug bottom part 36 at an intermediate portion 36M in a width direction and rigidity locally becomes low. Thereby, since a deformation mode is varied when a space 40 between the lugs 34 is reached to a winding portion 42 to a drive wheel or a driven wheel, discharge of the foreign matter clamped between the lugs 34 can be promoted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an elastic crawler.

  In an elastic crawler composed of an elastic body such as rubber, a lug is generally provided on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic crawler body. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an elastic crawler having a structure in which a lug is formed by a left-right sorting arrangement and a bulge portion covers a wing portion of a core metal.

By the way, foreign matter such as mud may be caught between the lugs of the elastic crawler, so that the foreign matter can be effectively removed during the circulation of the elastic crawler without particularly removing work. It is desirable to do.
Japanese Patent No. 3483787

  In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain an elastic crawler capable of effectively removing foreign matter sandwiched between lugs during circulation.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the elastic crawler main body formed endlessly by the elastic body and the outer peripheral surface of the elastic crawler are protruded intermittently in the circumferential direction. A plurality of lugs that are divided into portions and arranged in two rows, a lug bottom configured as a part of the elastic crawler body between the lugs adjacent in the circumferential direction, and the circumferential direction of the lugs Are formed on at least one end of the elastic crawler body, and are formed in an inclined portion inclined with respect to the width direction of the elastic crawler body, and an intermediate portion of the lug in the width direction, and the length of the lug measured in the circumferential direction is And a short lug portion shorter than the end portion in the width direction.

  In this elastic crawler, a plurality of lugs are intermittently formed in the circumferential direction of the elastic crawler main body, and between the lugs, a lug bottom is configured as a part of the elastic crawler main body.

  In the lug, when seen in the circumferential direction of the elastic crawler body, linear or curved end sides appear on one end side and the other end side in the circumferential direction. At least one of the end sides is the width of the elastic crawler body. An inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the direction is configured. Therefore, in the portion where the elastic crawler is wound around the driving wheel or the driven wheel of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “winding portion”), the elastic crawler main body is deformed (curved) convex outward in the circumferential direction. Due to the configuration of the inclined portion, a time difference occurs at the start of the bending.

  Moreover, in this elastic crawler, the short lug part is formed in the intermediate part of the width direction of a lug, and the length of the lug measured in the circumferential direction is shorter than the edge part of the width direction. Therefore, the portion of the lug bottom corresponding to the short lug portion has a relatively long lug bottom, and has a low rigidity. Therefore, at the initial stage of winding, there are portions that are curved with different curvatures in the winding portion at the bottom of the lug.

  As described above, the space between the adjacent lugs is compared with the configuration in which the inclined portion and the short lug portion are not provided in the winding portion due to the inclined portion provided on the lug and the short lug portion formed on the lug. And slightly deformed. For this reason, even when foreign matter such as mud is sandwiched between the spaces, that is, the lugs, the discharge of the foreign matter is promoted when the elastic crawler body circulates and curves at the winding portion.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the lug bottom portion is provided with a low-rigidity portion that is partially less rigid than other portions of the lug bottom portion.

  That is, in this elastic crawler, a low-rigidity portion is provided at the bottom of the lug, and the intermediate portion in the width direction is also partially low-rigidity by this low-rigidity portion. Compared with a configuration in which the low-rigidity portion is not provided, a portion that curves with a different curvature can be more reliably generated in the winding portion.

  In addition, the term “other part” here means that it is only necessary that a low-rigidity part having relatively low rigidity and a part having relatively high rigidity exist at the bottom of the lug. This highly rigid portion becomes the “other portion”.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the low-rigidity portion is configured by making the elastic crawler main body constituting the lug bottom portion thin.

  In this way, the low-rigidity portion can be configured with a simple structure in which the elastic crawler main body is only partially thinned.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect of the present invention, the elastic crawler main body is arranged at regular intervals along the circumferential direction of the elastic crawler main body in the elastic crawler main body. A plurality of cores for elastic crawlers having a wheel passing surface formed thereon, and the low-rigidity portion is configured to straddle the adjacent cores for elastic crawlers.

  The elastic crawler is reinforced by the elastic crawler cored bar. Particularly, since the roller crawler passage surface is formed in the core for elastic crawler, the roller can be passed stably.

  The low-rigidity portion is configured to straddle the adjacent elastic crawler cores. In other words, the low-rigidity portion is continuous between the adjacent core bars. For this reason, the deformation of the space between the lugs at the winding portion is more likely to occur.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, the low-rigidity portion is configured at an intermediate portion in the width direction at the lug bottom.

  In the present invention, since the lugs are formed in two rows, the width direction ends (both side portions) of the lug bottom portion become the center portion or the end portion in the width direction when viewed from the elastic crawler body. And, by configuring the low-rigidity portion in the intermediate portion in the width direction at the bottom of the lug, since the low-rigidity portion does not exist at the center and end in the width direction when the elastic crawler main body is viewed as a whole, The rigidity is relatively high.

  Generally, it is assumed that a large load acts at the center in the width direction of the elastic crawler body, but the rigidity of this portion is relatively high. Also, since there is no elastic crawler core at the end of the elastic crawler body in the width direction, the elastic crawler main body is often required to have strength. The width direction end of the core for elastic crawler is reinforced.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, an elastic crawler capable of effectively removing foreign matter sandwiched between lugs during circulation is obtained.

  FIG. 1 partially shows the elastic crawler 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a plan view. Further, FIG. 2 shows the elastic crawler 10 in a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

  The elastic crawler 10 according to the first embodiment has an elastic crawler main body 32 made of an elastic body such as rubber. The elastic crawler main body 32 is formed into an endless belt shape, and is wound around a driving wheel and a driven wheel (both not shown) of a crawler wheel (not shown). Hereinafter, the “circumferential direction” of the elastic crawler 10 refers to the longitudinal direction of the elastic crawler body 32. Further, the “width direction” of the elastic crawler 10 refers to the width direction of the elastic crawler body 32 and is indicated by an arrow W. This width direction is orthogonal to the circumferential direction. Furthermore, “inner circumference side” and “outer circumference side” refer to the inner circumference side and the outer circumference side when the elastic crawler body 32 is wound, and are indicated by arrows IN and OUT, respectively.

  In the elastic crawler main body 32, a plurality of elastic crawler cores 12 are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. The elastic crawler cored bar has a central portion 14 and a pair of wing portions 16 extending from the central portion 14 in a direction away from each other. In the state where the elastic crawler core 12 is disposed on the elastic crawler main body 32, the width direction of the elastic crawler main body 32 coincides with the extending direction of the wing portion 16.

  A pair of wheel passing projections 20 is formed from the boundary portion between the central portion 14 and the wing portion 16. Each of the wheel passing projections 20 is formed in a substantially block shape, and at least the top surface 20 </ b> T is exposed from the elastic crawler main body 32. The top surface 20T is a wheel passing surface through which a wheel (not shown) of the crawler wheel comes into contact.

  An engaging portion 24B and an engaging portion 24D that protrude in opposite directions are formed below the wheel passing protrusion 20. Within the elastic crawler, a plurality of elastic crawler cores 12 are arranged side by side in the circumferential direction. In this state, the engaging portions 24B and 24D of the adjacent elastic crawler cores 12 are engaged with each other. This is a so-called high-stiff structure. By engaging the engagement portions 24B and 24D in this manner, the relative displacement of the elastic crawler core 12 is limited, and the anti-wheeling resistance is improved.

  On the outer peripheral surface of the elastic crawler main body 32, a plurality of lugs 34 are formed at regular intervals (intermittently) in the circumferential direction by partially protruding the outer peripheral surface. In the present embodiment, the elastic crawler main body 32 is arranged in one row on the left and right sides with the center line CL in the width direction as the center. Further, the positions of the lugs 34 in the circumferential direction are shifted from each other on the left and right. Here, “right” and “left” are for convenience, and the left and right are interchanged depending on the viewing direction.

  As can be seen from FIG. 1, each of the lugs 34 has an inner side 34 </ b> C parallel to the center line CL at a position close to the center line CL. In addition, the side on one end side in the circumferential direction is an inclined one end side 34A inclined with respect to the width direction (arrow W direction), and the side on the other end side in the circumferential direction is different from the inclined one end side 34A. The other end side 34B is inclined at an angle. Further, between the adjacent lugs 34, a space 40 in which the lugs 34 are not formed is formed in the elastic crawler body 32, and a lug bottom portion 36 is configured. In particular, in the first embodiment, both the inclined one end side 34A and the inclined other end side 34B are curved.

  The top surface of the lug 34 is a lug surface 34T that contacts the ground. Here, the length of the lug surface 34T measured along the circumferential direction is defined as the lug length L1. The lug length L1 in each lug 34 gradually decreases as it moves away from the position close to the center line CL, and reaches the intermediate portion in the width direction (the short lug portion 34S according to the present invention), but starts to increase from this intermediate portion. Thereafter, it gradually increases toward both ends in the width direction. In other words, as the lug length L1 changes from the long portion to the long portion again through the short portion as it goes away from the center line CL in the width direction, the slant one end side 34A and the slant other end side 34B of the lug 34 The shape (in particular, the curved shape) is determined.

  And by forming the lug 34 of such a shape, the length (this is defined as lug bottom length L2) which aimed the lug bottom part 36 along the circumferential direction is separated from the position near the centerline CL. It gradually increases, but starts increasing in the middle, and then gradually decreases. That is, the lug bottom portion 36 includes a portion having a relatively long lug bottom length L2 between the center position and the end position in the width direction (intermediate portion 36M). Since the lug bottom length L2 is relatively long as described above, the rigidity of the intermediate portion 36M is locally lower than that of the portion other than the intermediate portion 36M (both side portions 36E).

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the elastic crawler 10 is viewed in a cross section in the width direction, a thin concave portion 38 is formed in the intermediate portion 36M of the lug bottom portion 36 by locally reducing the thickness of the elastic body of the elastic crawler body 32. Is formed. The thin recessed portion 38 is a low rigidity portion according to the present invention, and the rigidity of the lug bottom portion 36 is locally low in the intermediate portion 36M.

  As can be seen from FIG. 1, the thin-walled recesses 38 are formed so that the elastic crawler main body 32 is viewed in plan (as viewed in the normal direction), and the elastic crawler main body 32 partially overlaps two adjacent elastic crawler cores 12. It is configured to straddle the crawler core 12.

  Next, the operation of the elastic crawler 10 of the first embodiment will be described.

  In the vehicle on which the elastic crawler 10 is mounted, the traveling direction, that is, the circulation direction of the elastic crawler 10 is not limited, but here, for convenience of explanation, the elastic crawler 10 circulates in the arrow R1 direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inclined one end side 34A and the inclined other end side 34B of the lug 34 of the elastic crawler 10 are inclined with respect to the width direction. Here, consider the change or deformation of the lug bottom 36 (the space 40 between adjacent lugs 34) when the elastic crawler 10 circulates in the direction of arrow R1 as shown in FIG.

  Due to the circulation (movement) of the elastic crawler 10 in the direction of the arrow R1, in the space 40, a portion 34P of the inclined other side 34B first reaches the winding portion 42 around the driving wheel or the driven wheel (not shown), and the driving wheel Or it starts to bend along the driven wheel. Then, as the elastic crawler 10 circulates, the curved portion moves to the other portion (outside in the width direction) and spreads. As described above, a time difference occurs at the start of the bending at the inclined other end 34B of the lug 34, so that the space 40 between the adjacent lugs 34 is also locally curved at a portion corresponding to the portion 34P. The part spreads to other parts.

  In addition, the lug bottom portion 36 is curved in the thickness direction when reaching the winding portion 42, but in the first embodiment, the lug bottom length L2 is relatively long in the intermediate portion 36M of the lug bottom portion 36, Accordingly, the rigidity of the intermediate portion 36M is lower than that of the both side portions 36E. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, at the initial stage when the lug bottom 36 reaches the winding portion 42, the curvature of curvature at the intermediate portion 36M (see the two-dot chain line L3) is the curvature of curvature at the side portions 36E (two Slightly larger than the dotted line L4). In FIG. 4, in order to clarify this point, the degree of bending at the intermediate portion 36M is emphasized. Such a difference in curvature occurs only when the lug bottom 36 reaches the winding portion 42 as described above. For example, all of the lug bottom 36 is wound around the winding portion 42. In such a state, such a difference in curvature does not occur.

  In addition, in the first embodiment, the thin concave portion 38 is formed in the intermediate portion of the lug bottom portion 36, and the intermediate portion 36M also has low rigidity due to the thin concave portion 38, so that it deforms more than the both side portions 36E. It's easy to do. Therefore, as compared with the configuration in which the thin recessed portion 38 is not formed, the above-described difference in curvature at the initial stage of winding, that is, a portion curved with a different curvature is more reliably generated.

  As described above, in the elastic crawler 10 according to the first embodiment, the slug end 34B is formed on the lug 34, and the short lug portion 34T is formed on the lug 34 so that the lug bottom 36 is locally rigid. By providing the lower portion, the deformation mode of the space 40 between the lugs 34 changes and the space 40 is slightly deformed compared to an elastic crawler that does not employ such a configuration. . In other words, the space 40 is deformed so that a slight twist is generated. Accordingly, even when the foreign matter DD such as mud (see FIG. 3) is sandwiched in the space 40, when the elastic crawler main body 32 reaches the winding portion 42, discharge of such foreign matter DD can be promoted. .

  Furthermore, in the first embodiment, since the thin recess 38 (low rigidity portion) is formed in the lug bottom portion 36, the space 40 is easily twisted and the discharge of the foreign matter DD can be further promoted. In particular, in the first embodiment, the thin concave portion 38 is configured to straddle two adjacent elastic crawler cores 12, and the low-rigidity portion is continuous in the circumferential direction between the elastic crawler cores 12. Will be. Therefore, as compared with the configuration in which the thin concave portion 38 is not disposed across the two adjacent elastic crawler cores 12 (the low rigidity portion is interrupted without being continuous), the deformation of the space 40 is further improved. It tends to occur.

  In the first embodiment, since the thin recessed portion 38 is formed in the intermediate portion 36M in the width direction so as to have low rigidity, the both side portions 36E in the width direction have relatively high rigidity. That is, when the elastic crawler 10 is viewed as a whole, it can be seen that the lug bottom portion 36 is relatively highly rigid at the intermediate portion 36M and both side portions 36E in the width direction.

  Here, when the elastic crawler 10 is viewed as a whole, as shown in FIG. 1, since the load from the vehicle acts directly on the central portion 10 </ b> C in the width direction, the rigidity is high. However, in the first embodiment, high rigidity is ensured in the central portion 10C.

  Further, the elastic crawler main body 32 is required to have high rigidity at both ends 10E in the width direction of the elastic crawler 10 because the elastic crawler core 12 is not present. In the first embodiment, the lug bottom 36 is relatively highly rigid at both end portions 10E of the entire elastic crawler 10 and is effectively reinforced.

  In the above description, the case where the elastic crawler 10 circulates in the direction of the arrow R1 has been described as an example. However, even when the elastic crawler 10 circulates in the opposite direction, a time difference occurs in the curved portion at the inclined end side 34A. . Moreover, the deformation | transformation mode of the space 40 between the lugs 34 changes with the short lug part 34T of the lug 34, and the point that the space 40 deform | transforms slightly is also the same as the case where it circulates in the arrow R1 direction. Therefore, even when the elastic crawler 10 circulates in the direction opposite to the arrow R1, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

  In general, since the elastic crawler 10 circulates in both the arrow R1 direction and the opposite direction, only one of the one end side and the other end side of the lug 34 may be inclined with respect to the width direction.

  In the present invention, the shapes of the lug and the lug bottom are not limited to those described above. In the following embodiments, examples of various shapes of lugs and lug bottoms are given. In each of these embodiments, the aspect ratio of the lug and the lug bottom (ratio of the length in the circumferential direction to the length in the width direction) is determined according to the overall shape of the elastic crawler. Hereinafter, the same components and members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  5 and 6 show an elastic crawler 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the elastic crawler 50, the lug 54 and the lug bottom 56 of the elastic crawler main body 52 are relatively short in the circumferential direction (in other words, relatively long in the width direction) as compared with the first embodiment. Has been.

  7 and 8 show an elastic crawler 60 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The elastic crawler 60 has substantially the same configuration as that of the elastic crawler 10 of the first embodiment. However, a thin recess 38 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) according to the first embodiment is formed on the lug bottom 36. The only difference is that the lug bottom 36 is flat.

  Therefore, in the elastic crawler 60 of the third embodiment, the rigidity at the intermediate portion 36M of the lug bottom 36 is lower than that of the side portions 36E only by the short lug portion 34S of the lug 34.

  Even in the elastic crawler 60 of the third embodiment having such a configuration, at the initial stage of winding, the deformation mode of the space 40 between the lugs 34 changes, and the space 40 is slightly deformed (twisting occurs). ) Accordingly, even when the foreign matter DD such as mud (see FIG. 3) is sandwiched in the space 40, when the elastic crawler main body 32 reaches the winding portion 42, discharge of such foreign matter DD can be promoted. .

  In particular, in the third embodiment, since it is not necessary to form the thin recessed portion 38, the elastic crawler body 62 can be easily formed as compared with the first embodiment and the second embodiment. On the other hand, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, since the thin recessed portion 38 is formed, the portion where the lug bottom 38 is curved with a different curvature in the initial winding stage (that is, an irregularly deformed portion of the space 40). Can be generated more reliably.

  As described above, as the shapes of the lugs and the lug bottoms, various shapes can be selected according to the type of the vehicle on which the elastic crawler is mounted, the road surface condition assumed to travel, and the like.

  In the above, the low-rigidity portion of the present invention has been described by way of example in which a thin-walled concave portion 38 is partially formed on the lug bottom. However, the central portion in the width direction of the lug bottom is partially low-rigid. If possible, the low-rigidity portion is not limited to the thin-walled recess 38. For example, the low rigidity portion may be configured by changing the material of the rubber.

  Moreover, in the above, as the inclined part of the present invention, the one in which both the one end side and the other end side in the circumferential direction of the lug are inclined (the inclined one end side 34A and the inclined other end side 34B) is mentioned. Only one end side may be inclined. That is, a vehicle equipped with an elastic crawler often moves backward as compared with a general vehicle, and the elastic crawler circulates in both directions. Therefore, even if the inclined portion is formed only on one end side in the circumferential direction, there is a high possibility that foreign matter in the space 40 is discharged while the vehicle repeats forward and backward movements.

  The inclined portion of the present invention does not need to be formed in the entire region in the width direction at the circumferential edge of the lug. That is, the edge may be inclined only in a part of the width direction, and the other part may be formed along the width direction (parallel to the width direction).

  The method for producing the elastic crawler of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, a preformed core metal for an elastic crawler is put into a mold corresponding to the elastic crawler main body, and then the inside of the mold This can be produced by vulcanizing the unvulcanized rubber. In this case, in the structure in which the thin concave portion 38 is formed as in the first and second embodiments, if the convex portion is formed in the mold corresponding to the thin concave portion, the convex portion is in the vicinity of the cored bar. As a result, heat is easily transferred from the mold to the core for the elastic crawler. Further, since heat is effectively transmitted from the core for the elastic crawler to the rubber in the mold (particularly where the rubber is thick), vulcanization can be promoted.

It is a top view which shows the elastic crawler of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 1 which shows the elastic crawler of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode that a foreign material is removed in the elastic crawler of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode that a foreign material is removed in the elastic crawler of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the elastic crawler of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the VI-VI sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 5 which shows the elastic crawler of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the elastic crawler of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is the VIII-VIII sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 7 which shows the elastic crawler of 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Elastic crawler 10C Center part 10E Both-ends part 12 Core part 14 for elastic crawlers 14 Center part 16 Wing part 20 Rolling wheel projection 20T Top surface 22 Projection part 24B Engagement recessed part 24D Engagement convex part 32 Elastic crawler main body 34 Lug 34T Lug surface 34P Part 34A Inclined one end side (inclined part)
34B Inclined other end (inclined part)
34C Inner side 34S Short lug portion 36 Lug bottom portion 36M Intermediate portion 36E Both end portions 38 Thin concave portion 40 Space 42 Wound portion 50 Elastic crawler 52 Elastic crawler main body 54 Lug 56 Lug bottom 60 Elastic crawler 62 Elastic crawler main body CL Center line L1 Lug length L2 lug bottom length

Claims (5)

An elastic crawler body formed endless by an elastic body;
A plurality of lugs that are formed by intermittently projecting the outer peripheral surface of the elastic crawler in the circumferential direction, and are arranged in two rows divided by the central portion in the width direction of the elastic crawler body;
A lug bottom configured as part of the elastic crawler body between the lugs adjacent in the circumferential direction;
An inclined portion that is configured on at least one end side of the lug in the circumferential direction and is inclined with respect to the width direction of the elastic crawler body;
A short lug portion formed in an intermediate portion in the width direction of the lug, and the length of the lug measured in the circumferential direction is shorter than an end portion in the width direction;
Elastic crawler with.   The elastic crawler according to claim 1, wherein the elastic crawler has a low-rigidity portion that is provided on the lug bottom portion and is partially less rigid than the other portions of the lug bottom portion.   The elastic crawler according to claim 2, wherein the low-rigidity portion is formed by thinning the elastic crawler main body constituting the lug bottom. In the elastic crawler body, a plurality of cores for elastic crawlers, which are arranged at regular intervals along the circumferential direction of the elastic crawler body and have a wheel passing surface formed at the center in the width direction of the elastic crawler body,
Have
The elastic crawler according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the low-rigidity portion is configured to straddle the adjacent core bars for the elastic crawler.   The elastic crawler according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the low-rigidity portion is configured at an intermediate portion in the width direction at the lug bottom.