JP2010132185A - Snowmobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a snowmobile improved in turning performance and capable of turning at higher speed and in a smaller turning circle. <P>SOLUTION: This snowmobile includes: a vehicle body 1; an engine 2; a driving unit 4; a pair of left and right skis 5, 6; suspension mechanisms 7, 8; and a steering mechanism 10. The driving unit 4 includes a track belt 3 and is driven by the engine 2. The suspension mechanisms 7, 8 are mechanisms to support the left and right skis 5, 6 free to move in the vertical direction against the vehicle body 1 and capable of tilting the vehicle body 1 by interlocking a pair of the skis 5, 6 so that the other ski 6 falls against the vehicle body 1 when the one ski 5 rises against the vehicle body 1. The steering mechanism 10 is a mechanism having a handle 9 provided free to revolve above the vehicle body 1 and to steer the left and right skis 5, 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a snow vehicle, and more particularly to a snow vehicle having a pair of left and right skis and a running track belt.

  In general, a snow vehicle includes a pair of left and right skis arranged at the front of the vehicle body, a running track belt provided from the center to the rear of the vehicle, and a drive source such as an engine that drives the track belt. (See, for example, Patent Document 1). The left and right skis are supported by the vehicle body through a suspension mechanism including an arm member, a shock absorber, and the like so as to be movable up and down. The left and right skis are steered via a steering mechanism such as a steering column and a link rod connected to the steering wheel and the steering wheel. An engine as a drive source is housed in an engine room at the front of the vehicle body. And the crankshaft of an engine is connected with the track belt via CVT (continuously variable transmission), for example.

Such a snow vehicle can run by rotating the track belt by driving the engine and generating traction between the track belt and the snow surface. Further, by turning the left and right skis in the direction of turning with the handle, turning in a desired direction becomes possible.
JP 2005-254979 A

  A conventional snow vehicle suspension mechanism mainly includes a support leg having a ski connected to the lower end, an arm member having one end connected to the support leg and the other end connected to the vehicle body, one end being an arm member, and the other end being a vehicle body. And a coupled shock absorber.

  In a snow vehicle having a suspension mechanism having such a structure, the load is biased toward the outer suspension mechanism and the ski due to centrifugal force during turning. Therefore, in order to turn at a high speed and with a smaller turning radius, for example, the rider needs to move the weight greatly inward, or further move the weight to float the outer ski.

  However, such operation requires skill.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a snow vehicle capable of improving turning performance and capable of turning at a higher speed and with a smaller turning radius.

  A snow vehicle according to the present invention includes a vehicle body having a seat at an upper portion thereof, a drive source disposed on the vehicle body, a drive unit, a pair of left and right skis, a suspension mechanism, and a steering mechanism. The drive unit includes a circulating track belt disposed at the lower part of the vehicle body and is driven by a drive source. A pair of left and right skis are arranged at the front of the vehicle body. The suspension mechanism supports a pair of skis so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle body, and when one of the pair of skis rises with respect to the vehicle body, the other ski descends with respect to the vehicle body. In this way, the vehicle body can be tilted by interlocking a pair of skis. The steering mechanism is a mechanism for steering a pair of skis, having a handle that is pivotably provided above the vehicle body.

  In this snow vehicle, the track belt of the drive unit is driven by a drive source such as an engine and can travel on the snow surface. On the rough snow surface, the left and right skis are moved vertically with respect to the vehicle body by the suspension mechanism to absorb the unevenness of the snow surface, thereby stabilizing the posture of the vehicle body.

  Here, in the suspension mechanism of the present invention, the left and right skis are interlocked by the suspension mechanism, and when one ski is raised relative to the vehicle body, the other ski is lowered relative to the vehicle body. For this reason, it is possible to easily tilt the vehicle body when turning. Therefore, when turning, the vehicle body can be tilted inward by the rider tilting the body to the turning side.

  By tilting the vehicle body during turning in this way, the center of gravity of the entire vehicle can be positioned inside the turning direction while both the left and right skis are firmly in contact with the snow surface. For this reason, at the time of turning, it is possible to travel at a high speed and with a small turning radius.

  Further, when turning, the rider leaning on the turning side is similar to the rider's feeling of driving a two-wheeled vehicle. Therefore, even a rider who has little experience in driving a snow vehicle can easily tilt the vehicle body, and the turning operation is facilitated.

  According to the snow vehicle of the present invention as described above, turning performance is improved, and turning is possible at a higher speed and with a smaller turning radius.

[overall structure]
1 to 3 show the appearance of a snow vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. This snow vehicle includes a vehicle body 1 having a frame and a cover, an engine 2 as a drive source disposed inside the vehicle body 1, and a drive unit 4 including a track belt 3 that is circulated and driven by the engine 2. Have. A pair of left and right skis 5 and 6 are provided at the front of the vehicle body 1, and the pair of skis 5 and 6 are supported by the vehicle body 1 by left and right suspension mechanisms 7 and 8, respectively. Further, the snow vehicle is provided with a steering mechanism 10 including a handle 9 provided above the front portion of the vehicle body 1.

[Body]
The vehicle body 1 has a frame, a front cover 15 on the front side, and left and right side covers 16 and 17 on a lower side portion of the front cover 15. In addition, a seat 18 for a rider to sit on is disposed on the upper portion of the vehicle body 1. Between the seat 18 and the handle 9, the engine 2 is mounted on the frame as described above, and components such as a fuel tank are disposed inside the vehicle body 1. Further, left and right footrest portions 19 and 20 are provided below the seat 18 so as to be separated from each other. That is, this snow vehicle is a saddle riding type vehicle.

[Drive unit]
The drive unit 4 has a CVT (continuously variable transmission: not shown) connected to the crankshaft of the engine 2. The CVT has a well-known structure, and has a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a belt stretched around these pulleys. A driven wheel is attached to the driven pulley, and a driving wheel for driving is connected to the driven wheel via a chain. A track belt 3 is wound around the drive wheel. Details of the track belt 3 will be described later.

[Skiing]
The left and right skis 5 and 6 have the same configuration, and one of the skis 5 is shown enlarged in FIGS. 4 is a view of the ski as seen from the front (front), and FIG. 5 is a view of the ski as seen from the bottom. This ski 5 has a keel 5a protruding downward at the center in the width direction (left-right direction = vehicle width direction). That is, the central keel 5a portion is located at the lowest position, and both end portions in the width direction are located above the keel 5a. The keel 5a and both end portions 5b in the width direction are flat surfaces having a predetermined width. A curved portion 5c is formed between the keel 5a and both end portions 5b in the width direction. Runners 24 a to 24 c having a predetermined length are fixed to the keel 5 a and both ends 5 b along the longitudinal direction of the ski 5. The runner 24a fixed to the keel 5a is longer than the runners 24b and 24c provided on both sides thereof. Further, chips 25a to 25c having a predetermined length formed of a cemented carbide protruding downward are fixed to substantially the center in the longitudinal direction of the runners 24a to 24c.

[Suspension mechanism]
The left and right suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 support the corresponding skis 5 and 6 movably in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle body 1, and are provided at the front portion of the vehicle body 1. The drive unit 4 provided with the track belt 3 is also provided with a rear-side suspension mechanism. However, the rear-side suspension mechanism is the same as a well-known configuration used in the related art, and will be described here. Is omitted.

  Here, since the left and right suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 are symmetrically configured, only one suspension mechanism 7 will be described as a common member, and the same reference numerals are given to the left and right mechanisms.

  FIG. 6 shows an extracted portion related to the suspension mechanism. The suspension mechanism 7 is a double wishbone type mechanism and includes a connecting member 28, an upper arm 29, a lower arm 30, a shock absorber 31, and a swing member 32 common to both suspension mechanisms 7 and 8. Has been. Of these members, the members other than the swing member 32 are also provided in the other suspension mechanism 8 in exactly the same arrangement.

  The connecting member 28 includes a main body member 34 having a U-shaped cross section that opens on the inner side of the vehicle body, and an attachment member 35 fixed to the lower end of the main body member 34. The main body member 34 is formed of an aluminum extrusion member, and is arranged so that the lower side is inclined toward the vehicle front side. The main body member 34 includes a first surface 34a perpendicular to the vehicle width direction disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, a second surface 34b extending from the front and rear ends of the first surface 34a toward the vehicle body 1 and the second surface 34b. 3 surface 34c (the 3rd surface 34c appears in the other suspension mechanism 8). The second surface 34b and the third surface 34c are parallel to each other and parallel to the swing axis X (described later) of the skis 5 and 6, and the mounting member 35 is separated from the main body member 34. On the contrary, it arrange | positions so that the downward direction may be located in the vehicle rear side compared with upper direction, and the hole penetrated in a vehicle width direction is formed in the lower end part. Both ends of the pin 36 that passes through the through hole are fixed to the ski 5, and the ski 5 can swing around the axis (swing axis) X of the pin 36.

  The upper arm 29 and the lower arm 30 are each formed of a V-shaped member that opens on the vehicle body 1 side (inner side) and is connected to the side away from the vehicle body 1 (outer side). The inner ends of the arms 29 and 30 are attached to the frame of the vehicle body 1 so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The outer end of the upper arm 29 is supported on the upper end of the connecting member 28 via a spherical bearing 37, and the outer end of the lower arm 30 is supported on a substantially intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the connecting member 28 via a spherical bearing 38. Has been.

  The upper arm 29 has a smaller inner opening angle than a normal double wishbone type upper arm, and is disposed on the rear side of the shock absorber 31 in the vehicle body. With the shape and arrangement of the upper arm 29 as described above, a space for arranging other members on the front side of the vehicle body is secured in the upper part of the suspension mechanism 7. On the other hand, the opening angle of the inner portion of the lower arm 30 is larger than that of the upper arm 29, and a reinforcing arm 30c for connecting the two members 30a and 30b is provided on the inner portion. The shock absorber 31 is located between the two members 30a and 30b of the lower arm 30 in plan view.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the spherical bearings 37 and 38 have spherical bearing bodies 37a and 38a and mounting shafts 37b and 38b extending from the bearing bodies 37a and 38a in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The mounting shafts 37 b and 38 b are fixed to the second surface 34 b and the third surface 34 c of the main body 34 of the connecting member 28.

  In this way, the outer ends of the upper arm 29 and the lower arm 30 are attached to the connecting member 28 via the spherical bearings 37, 38, and the mounting shafts 37b, 38b of the spherical bearings 37, 38 are along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Therefore, the connecting member 28 can pivot in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 6 and the arms 29 and 30 can freely move in the vertical direction. In particular, since the connecting member 28 is formed in a U-shaped cross section that opens to the vehicle body 1 side, there is no restriction on the vertical stroke of each arm 29, 30 and a large stroke of the suspension mechanism 7, 8 is ensured. can do.

  The shock absorber 31 has a lower end connected to the outer end of the lower arm 30 and an upper end connected to the swing member 32. Each connecting portion is connected by a pin extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Therefore, the upper and lower connecting end portions of the shock absorber 31 can be rotated around the axis of the pin.

  As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 8, the swing member 32 is an upper part of the plates 40, 41 that are formed in a substantially inverted triangle and are spaced apart from each other and the upper portions of these plates 40, 41. Plate 42. FIG. 8 shows the swing member 32 and its related components extracted. Holes 40a and 41a are formed at the same position at the lower ends of the front and rear plates 40 and 41, and the rod 43 passes through these holes 40a and 41a. The rod 43 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the rear end is fixed to the frame of the vehicle body 1. Therefore, the upper part of the swing member 32 can swing left and right (vehicle width direction) with the rod 43 as a fulcrum. The rod 43 is positioned substantially at the center in the vertical direction of the connection point between the upper arm 29 and the lower arm 30 with the vehicle body 1. Note that the upper end of the shock absorber 31 is inserted between the front and rear plates 40 and 41 in the vicinity of both vertices of the upper portion of the inverted triangle in the swing member 32 and is rotatably mounted.

  Here, as described above, since the opening angle of the upper arm 29 is relatively small and a space is secured in front, the upper portion of the shock absorber 31 and the shock absorber 31 are connected to the space in front of the upper arm 29. A swing member 32 is arranged.

  As described above, in the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 of the present embodiment, the upper end portion of the shock absorber 31 is mounted on the swing member 32 and is not mounted directly on the vehicle body 1. The swing member 32 to which the upper ends of the left and right shock absorbers 31 are attached can swing in the left-right direction with respect to the vehicle body 1. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, when the left ski 5 is raised relative to the vehicle body 1 when turning left, for example, the right ski 6 The skis 5 and 6 are interlocked. Thereby, it becomes possible to tilt the vehicle body 1 easily.

  Here, even when the vehicle body 1 is tilted to the maximum extent (see FIG. 10), the swing support point (rod 43) of the swing member 32 is the connection point between the upper arm 29 and the lower arm 30 with the vehicle body 1 (that is, the upper end of the suspension mechanism). ).

  As shown by a broken line in FIG. 10, a torsion spring 44 is provided around the rod 43. In the tilted state of the vehicle body 1 as shown in FIG. 10, the torsion spring 44 has one end locked to the swing member 32 and the other end locked to the frame of the vehicle body 1. The vehicle body 1 and the swing member 32 are biased by the torsion spring 44 so that the vehicle body 1 is in an upright posture (hereinafter also referred to as a neutral position) as shown in FIG. In other words, the torsion spring 44 provides a resistance force against the tilt of the vehicle body 1 and can function as a member for tilt recovery.

[Tilt stopper mechanism and tilt lock mechanism]
As described above, the vehicle body 1 can be tilted in the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 of the present embodiment. However, if excessive tilting is allowed, there are problems such as the footrests 19 and 20 and a part of the vehicle body 1 coming into contact with the snow surface. In addition, it is more convenient to prohibit tilting when parked on snow or when getting on and off. Therefore, a tilt stopper mechanism 48 for restricting the tilt of the vehicle body 1 to a certain angle and a tilt lock mechanism 49 for prohibiting the tilt are provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the tilting stopper mechanism 48 includes a resin stopper block 50 provided on the swing member 32 and a contact portion 51 formed on the vehicle body 1. The stopper block 50 is fixed to both left and right end portions on the upper surface of the upper plate 42 constituting the swing member 32. Further, the contact portion 51 is formed in a contact block 52 provided at the center of the vehicle body 1 in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the contact block 52 is formed in an inverted U shape in a side view, and a contact portion 51 having an inverted triangular shape in a front view is formed on the upper inner wall surface. The swing member 32 is disposed inside the contact block 52.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, when the vehicle body 1 tilts and the swing member 32 swings relative to the vehicle body 1, the stopper block 50 fixed to the upper portion thereof contacts the contact portion 51. The swinging of the swinging member 32 is restricted. That is, the tilt of the vehicle body 1 is restricted.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the tilt lock mechanism 49 is formed on the rod 54 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the drive mechanism 55 of the rod 54, and the front and rear plates 40 and 41 constituting the swing member 32. And holes 40b and 41b (shown in FIG. 10). The rod 54 is supported by a base member 56 provided on the vehicle body 1 so as to be able to advance and retreat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The lock release position (position moved forward) shown in FIG. 8 and the lock shown in FIG. The position (position moved backward) can be taken. The drive mechanism 55 includes a motor 57 provided below the base member 56, a pinion gear 58 that is rotated by the motor 57, and a rack 59 that is formed on the rod 54 and meshes with the pinion gear 58. The holes 40b and 41b are formed at positions where the rod 54 can be inserted when the vehicle body 1 is in a neutral position (upright posture) where the vehicle body 1 is not tilted. The motor 57 can rotate forward and backward by operating a lock button (not shown) provided on the handle 9.

  With the configuration as described above, if the rod 54 is moved rearward by the drive mechanism 55 while the vehicle body 1 is in the neutral position, the rod 54 is inserted into the holes 40b and 41b formed in the swing member 32. It moves to the lock position and the swinging of the swinging member 32 is prohibited. That is, the tilt of the vehicle body 1 is locked.

  Here, when the snow vehicle is stopped and no external force is applied, the vehicle body 1 is biased toward the neutral position by the tilt restoring function of the torsion spring 44 as described above. Further, the vehicle body 1 may be positioned at the neutral position by setting the urging force of the torsion spring 44 to be large. Therefore, normally, the rod 54 can move to the locked position smoothly. However, the vehicle body 1 may not be restored to the neutral position even when the vehicle body 1 is tilted for some reason and the snow vehicle is stopped. Thus, when the vehicle body 1 is not restored to the neutral position, the position where the rod 54 is provided does not match the position of the holes 40b and 41b formed in the swing member 32. If the motor 57 is rotated in such a state, that is, in a state in which the rod 54 cannot move by hitting the plate 40 of the swing member 32, the motor 57 or the like may be broken.

  Therefore, the tilt lock mechanism 49 is provided with a mechanism for absorbing the rotational force of the motor 57. Specifically, a spring (not shown) for transmitting the rotation of the motor 57 to the pinion gear 58 is provided between the motor 57 and the pinion gear 58. When the pinion gear 58 cannot be rotated for some reason even though the motor 57 is rotating, the spring absorbs the rotation of the motor 57 by contraction of the spring. That is, when the position of the rod 54 and the positions of the holes 40b and 41b do not match, the rotational force of the motor 57 is absorbed once the spring is compressed. After that, when the vehicle body 1 is restored to the neutral position and the position of the rod 54 and the positions of the holes 40b and 41b are aligned, the rod 54 is moved to the lock position by the force stored in the spring, and the hole 40b , 41b.

  The tilt stopper mechanism 48 or the tilt lock mechanism 49 as described above constitutes a self-supporting device that regulates the tilt of the vehicle body 1 so that the center of gravity of the vehicle does not deviate from a predetermined region. More specifically, the tilting of the vehicle body 1 is regulated by the tilting stopper mechanism 48 or the tilting lock mechanism 49. For this reason, the center of gravity of the vehicle is, as shown in FIG. The ground contact points Fl and Fr of the left and right skis 5 and 6 (planar projection points of connection points of the skis 5 and 6 and the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8) are within a triangular region.

  The above points B, Fl, and Fr indicate points when the vehicle body 1 is in the neutral position, but the same applies when the vehicle body 1 tilts. For example, when the vehicle body 1 tilts to the right, the rear end of the grounding portion of the track belt 3 moves to the turning side and is positioned at point B ′ in FIG. 11, and the ski 5 outside the turning direction moves away from the vehicle body 1. The ski 6 on the inner side in the turning direction moves to the side closer to the vehicle body 1 and is located at the point Fr ′. Even in such a case, the center of gravity of the vehicle falls within a triangular area connecting the rear end B ′ of the ground contact portion of the track belt 3 and the ground contact points Fl ′ and Fr ′ of the left and right skis 5 and 6. .

[Steering mechanism]
FIG. 12 shows the steering mechanism 10. The steering mechanism 10 includes a handle 9, upper and lower support shafts 62, 63, a pair of tie rods 64, 65, a link mechanism 66 for transmitting the operation of the handle 9 to the pair of tie rods 64, 65, And a pair of connecting members 28 to which tie rods 64 and 65 are connected. The pair of connecting members 28 are members constituting the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 as described above, but are also members constituting the steering mechanism 10.

  The handle 9 is fixed to an upper portion of a support member 67 that can turn with respect to the vehicle body 1. An upper support shaft 62 is fixed to the lower end of the support member 67, and the upper support shaft 62 extends downward.

  The link mechanism 66 is a mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the upper support shaft 62 to the lower support shaft 63. The link mechanism 66 connects the first rod 68 and the second rod 69 and the two rods 68 and 69 and rotates. A moving member 70 and an arm 71 are provided. One end of the first rod 68 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the upper support shaft 62 and the other end is connected to the rotating member 70. In addition, the second rod 69 is rotatably connected at one end to the rotating member 70 and at the other end to the tip of the arm 71. The rotating member 70 is rotatably supported by a part of the vehicle body 1. The base end of the arm 71 is fixed to the upper end of the lower support shaft 63.

  The lower support shaft 63 extends in the vertical direction, and the lower end is fixed to the L-shaped bracket 72. Then, one end of the left and right tie rods 64, 65 is rotatably connected to the L-shaped bracket 72.

  The left and right tie rods 64 and 65 are connected to the left and right connecting members 28 at the other ends. Specifically, first, the attachment member 74 is fixed to the connecting member 28 at a substantially middle portion in the vertical direction. The attachment member 74 is L-shaped, and includes a first attachment portion 74a extending in the front-rear direction and a second attachment portion 74b extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear end of the first attachment portion 74a. Yes. The first attachment portion 74 a is fixed to the first surface 34 a of the connecting member 28. The second mounting portion 74 b is disposed with a gap from the rear surface of the third surface 34 c of the connecting member 28, and the other ends of the tie rods 64 and 65 are supported by the spherical bearing 75 in this gap. The mounting shaft of the spherical bearing 75 extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 1 in the same manner as the spherical bearings 37 and 38 that support the arms 29 and 30 on the connecting member 28 (see FIG. 7).

  In such a steering mechanism 10, as shown in FIG. 13, a line Z connecting the centers of spherical bearings 37 and 38 that support the outer ends of the upper arm 29 and the lower arm 30 of the left and right connecting members 28 is steered. It is the axis. As shown in FIG. 13, the steering axis Z passes forward of the swing axis X (the axis of the pin 36), which is the connection point between the skis 5, 6 and the connecting member 28. In other words, the steering axis Z is positioned in front of the ground contact point G that is a plan view projection point of the connection point (swing axis X) between the skis 5 and 6 and the connection member 28.

[Track belt]
As described above, the track belt 3 is wound around the drive wheel of the drive unit 4. As shown in FIG. 14, the track belt 3 includes an annular belt base 82, a plurality of paddles 83 that protrude outwardly from the belt base 82, and a drive belt formed inside the belt base 82. A plurality of locking pieces 84. Each of the plurality of paddles 83 is provided so as to extend in the belt width direction (vehicle width direction), and is formed at a predetermined interval in the belt circulation direction.

  FIG. 14 shows two typical paddle configurations, but each paddle 83 has a plurality of protrusions formed side by side in the belt width direction. As shown in FIG. Has a pattern.

That is, the paddle of pattern A (hereinafter referred to as paddle A) is opposite to the first protrusion 83a ₁ formed at the center in the belt width direction and the second protrusion 83a ₂ formed at one end in the belt width direction. And a third protrusion 83a ₃ formed at the other end of the side. The first protrusion 83a ₁ is formed in a trapezoidal shape and has the highest height among the three protrusions. The second protrusion 83a ₂ is formed in a triangular shape having a height that decreases toward the side (end in the belt width direction), and the grounding portion (trapezoidal shape) of the first protrusion 83a ₁ is the highest. Lower than the upper side). Similarly to the second protrusion 83a ₂ , the third protrusion 83a ₃ has a height that decreases toward the side (end in the belt width direction), and the highest part is the apex of the second protrusion 83a ₂ . The height is lower than the part.

The paddle of pattern B (hereinafter referred to as paddle B) has first to third protrusions 83b _{1 to} 83b ₃ , and paddle B is formed symmetrically with paddle A. That is, the first protrusion 83b ₁ of the paddle B has the same shape as the first protrusion 83a ₁ of the paddle A, the second protrusion 83b ₂ of the paddle B has a symmetrical shape with the third protrusion 83a ₃ of the paddle A, The third protrusion 83b ₃ of the paddle B is symmetrical to the second protrusion 83a ₂ of the paddle A.

The paddle of pattern C (hereinafter referred to as paddle C) has first to third protrusions 83c _{1 to} 83c ₃ . In this paddle C, the arrangement and shape of the second and third protrusions are the same as those of the paddle B, and the protrusions corresponding to the first protrusions are different. That is, the second protrusion 83c ₂ and the third protrusion 83c ₃ of the paddle C have the same shape as the second protrusion 83b ₂ and the third protrusion 83c ₃ of the paddle B, respectively. Further, the paddle C, not formed protrusions in the central portion of the belt width direction, the first protrusion 83c deviate to one end ₁ is formed. Specifically, the first protrusion 83c ₁ of the paddle C is disposed between the center of the belt width and the second protrusion 83c ₂ provided on one end side, is substantially trapezoidal, and the upper side portion is on the side portion. The height is getting lower as you go. However, the lowest portion of the first upper portion of the projection 83c ₁ is higher than the second highest portion of the protrusion 83c _2. Further, the first to the upper side portion of the protrusion 83c ₁ (tip outer peripheral portion extending in the belt width direction), two notches 83c ₁₁ are formed.

The paddle of the pattern D (hereinafter referred to as the paddle D) has first to third protrusions 83d _{1 to} 83d ₃ , and the paddle D is formed symmetrically with the paddle C. That is, the first projection 83d ₁ of the paddle D is the shape of the first protrusion 83c ₁ and symmetric paddles C, second protrusion 83d ₂ of the paddle D is a symmetrical shape and the third protrusion 83c ₃ of the paddle C Yes (the same shape as the second protrusion 83a ₂ of the paddle A), and the third protrusion 83d ₃ of the paddle D is symmetrical to the second protrusion 83c ₂ of the paddle C (the third protrusion 83a ₃ of the paddle A and the third protrusion 83a ₃ ). Is the same shape).

  And in the paddles of all patterns, the height of the central part is higher than the side part. Precisely, each paddle has a height from the friction sliding surface higher than the side portion in the shape of a cross section perpendicular to the friction sliding surface and circulation direction of the belt. Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the line connecting the outer peripheral portions of the protrusions constituting one paddle (tip outer peripheral portion extending in the belt width direction) has an arc shape having a predetermined radius R, In FIG. 14, the central portion has a mountain shape that swells downward (in FIG. 14, upward).

  In the protrusions of each paddle, the hatched portion is a portion where the thickness (length in the belt circulation direction) is thinner than the portion not shaded, and the thickness gradually decreases toward the tip. ing.

  Moreover, the shape of the outer peripheral part of the front end extending in the belt width direction of the paddle adjacent to the circulation direction of the track belt 3 is different, and the same shape paddle is repeated at unequal intervals in the circulation direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 16, each paddle is arranged in the circulation direction as “A → C → D → B → D → C → A → C → D → B → D → C”. C → D → B → D → C ”is defined as one group, and this group is repeated in the circulation direction.

[Operation]
When this snow vehicle is parked, the tilt lock mechanism 49 can be turned on by operating a lock button (not shown) provided on the handle 9. That is, when the rider operates the lock button, the motor 57 rotates in one direction, and the pinion gear 58 connected to the motor 57 rotates. By the rotation of the pinion gear 58, the rack 59 that meshes with the pinion gear 58, that is, the rod 54 moves to the rear of the vehicle body. Then, the rod 54 enters the holes 40 b and 41 b of the plates 40 and 41 before and after the rocking member 32. Thus, the tilt of the vehicle body 1 is prohibited by the rod 54 moving to the lock position.

  When the snow vehicle is stopped, the vehicle body 1 is urged to the neutral position by the tilt restoring function of the torsion spring 44. In particular, by setting the urging force of the torsion spring 44 large, the vehicle body 1 is positioned to the neutral position. Can be made. Therefore, normally, the rod 54 can move to the locked position smoothly. However, when the vehicle body 1 is not restored to the neutral position even when the snow vehicle is stopped, the rotational force of the motor 57 is absorbed by the rotational force absorbing mechanism by the spring provided in the tilt lock mechanism 49. When the vehicle body 1 is restored to the neutral position, the rod 54 is moved to the lock position by the force stored in the spring.

  Next, when the rider gets on, for example, the rider puts one foot on the left footrest 19 and gets on the seat 18. At this time, since the tilting of the vehicle body 1 is prohibited by the tilt lock mechanism 49 as described above, the vehicle body 1 is maintained at the neutral position even if the rider puts his / her foot on the footrest 19 and can easily get on. it can.

  Even in a state where the tilt lock mechanism 49 is unlocked, the rider can get on with one foot on the footrest 19 and straddle the seat 18. That is, when the tilt lock mechanism 49 is unlocked, when the rider places his / her foot on the footrest 19, the vehicle body 1 tilts to the left. However, the tilt of the vehicle body 1 is restricted to a predetermined angle by the tilt stopper mechanism 48. Even in a state where tilting is restricted by the tilting stopper mechanism 48, the center of gravity of the vehicle is within the region shown in FIG. Therefore, the rider can ride safely.

  The above situation is the same when the rider gets off from a snow vehicle, and can get off with the vehicle body stabilized.

  When traveling next time, the tilt lock mechanism 49 is released by operating the lock button, and the engine is started. Alternatively, the engine is started and the tilt lock mechanism 49 is released. When the release operation of the tilt lock mechanism 49 is performed, the motor 57 rotates in the opposite direction, and the rod 54 moves to the front lock release position via the pinion gear 58 and the rack 59. Thereby, the swinging member 32 can freely tilt with respect to the vehicle body 1.

  By operating the accelerator lever in such a state, the track belt 3 rotates and the vehicle moves forward. Even if the vehicle body 1 is tilted, if the handle 9 is left free to some extent, a steering force is generated in the vehicle body tilt direction by tilting the vehicle body 1, and the vehicle body tilt direction is operated by operating the accelerator lever to move forward. The turn begins. When the turn starts, the vehicle body naturally rises due to the centrifugal force and returns to the neutral position.

  The operations of the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 during the straight running are substantially the same as those in the prior art. When the upper arm 29 and the lower arm 30 move up and down with respect to the vehicle body 1 together with the connecting members 28 and the skis 5 and 6, the shock absorber 31 is also moved. By expanding and contracting, unevenness on the snow surface is absorbed and the posture of the vehicle body 1 is stabilized.

  Next, for example, in the case of turning left during traveling, the rider tilts his / her body to the left, and the vehicle body 1 tilts to the left as shown in FIG. When the vehicle body 1 tilts to the left in this way, a force that pushes the skis 5 and 6 acts on the ground contact portion G of the left and right skis 5 and 6 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the vehicle body 1 tilts. Since the ground contact portion G of the skis 5 and 6 on which this force acts is located behind the steering shaft Z (see FIG. 13), the skis 5 and 6 are steered in the direction in which the vehicle body 1 is tilted. Become. For this reason, turning can be performed smoothly, and turning can be performed at a high speed and with a small radius. Even when the vehicle body 1 is tilted during such turning, the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 function as usual.

  In this snow vehicle, both the left and right skis 5 and 6 are in contact with the snow surface even when the vehicle body 1 is tilted to one side. Furthermore, the skis 5 and 6 have a keel 5a in the center, and both left and right ends are positioned higher than the center. For this reason, the skis 5 and 6 can be grounded to the snow surface by the center portion and one end portion when turning, and can firmly capture the snow surface. Further, since the track belt 3 is formed in a mountain shape, even when the vehicle body 1 is tilted, the contact point of the track belt 3 moves smoothly and the amount of movement is small. For this reason, smooth running is possible even when turning or running on rough snow.

  When the vehicle body 1 is tilted, the vehicle body 1 and the swing member 32 swing relative to each other. However, when the tilt angle is large, the stopper block 50 provided on the swing member 32 is It abuts on the abutment portion 51 on the one side. For this reason, the swinging of the swinging member 32, that is, the tilting of the vehicle body 1 is restricted, and further tilting is prohibited.

  In this embodiment, the paddle 83 of the track belt 3 has four patterns, and these are repeated at unequal intervals in the circulation direction. For this reason, even if a paddle with a certain pattern does not provide sufficient traction on the snow surface due to the condition of the snow surface, paddles with different patterns will scratch the snow surface one after another, causing slip. It is suppressed.

[Characteristic]
The characteristics of the present embodiment are summarized as follows.

  (1) Since the vehicle body 1 can be easily tilted during turning, the left and right skis 5, 6 are steered in the turning direction by so-called self-steering, and at this time, the left and right skis 5, 6 are both in contact with the snow surface. Therefore, it becomes possible to turn at a high speed with a small radius compared to a conventional snow vehicle, and the turning performance is improved.

  (2) In this snow vehicle, since the paddle 83 of the track belt 3 is formed in a mountain shape, even if the vehicle body 1 is tilted or the snow surface is rough, the paddle 83 and the snow surface The grounding part of the battery does not move greatly. For this reason, it is easy to maintain the posture of the vehicle body 1 while traveling, even though it is a snow vehicle capable of tilting the vehicle body. Further, since the outer peripheral portion of the tip end of the paddle 83 is curved, the movement of the contact point in the left-right direction becomes smaller, and the posture during traveling can be more easily maintained.

  (3) Since the notch is formed in the paddle 83 of the track belt 3, good traction can be obtained even when the snow surface is frozen, and the side slip of the track belt 3 can be suppressed. it can.

  (4) In the track belt 3, the shapes of paddles adjacent to each other in the circulation direction are different, and the paddles having the same pattern are repeated at unequal intervals in the circulation direction. For this reason, even if the condition of the snow surface changes, the snow surface can be appropriately scratched by the paddle, and stable running performance can be obtained.

  (5) When the torsion spring 44 having a biasing force sufficient to hold the swing member 32 in the neutral position is provided, the vehicle body 1 is held in a straight posture in a free state where no external force is applied to the vehicle body 1. be able to.

  (6) In this snow vehicle, the vehicle body 1 can be easily tilted when turning, but the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 function as usual even when the vehicle body 1 is tilted. That is, even when the vehicle body 1 is tilted, the left and right skis 5 and 6 can move up and down without any problem, and are configured to absorb unevenness on the snow surface. For this reason, riding comfort does not deteriorate by making the vehicle body 1 tiltable easily.

  (7) The upper arm 29 constituting the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 has a smaller opening angle on the inside compared to a normal double wishbone type upper arm, and a space for arranging other members in front is secured. . For this reason, the swinging member 32 for tilting the vehicle body 1 can be arranged in a compact manner, and the space occupied by the suspension mechanisms 7 and 8 as a whole can be reduced despite the vehicle body 1 being tiltable.

[Other Embodiments]
(a) FIG. 17 shows another embodiment of the suspension mechanism. The left and right suspension mechanisms 90 and 91 according to this embodiment are double wishbone type mechanisms as in the above-described embodiment, and each include a connecting member 92, an upper arm 93, and a lower arm 94. The suspension mechanisms 90 and 91 have a shock absorber 95 that is connected to link the left and right lower arms 94 together.

  The connecting member 92 and the upper arm 93 have the same configuration as the connecting member 28 and the upper arm 29 in the above embodiment. Further, the configuration in which the arms 93 and 94 are supported by the connecting member 92 via the spherical bearings 96 and 97 is the same as in the above embodiment.

  Each of the left and right lower arms 94 has a pair of first members 94a, a single second member 94b, and a pair of third members 94c disposed below. The first member 94a is a V-shaped member in which the vehicle body 1 side (inner side) is opened and the side away from the vehicle body 1 (outer side) is connected to each other. The inner end portion of the first member 94a is attached to the frame of the vehicle body 1 so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Further, the outer end portion of the first member 94 a is supported by a substantially intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the connecting member 92 via a spherical bearing 97. The second member 94b has an outer end fixed to the outer end of the first member 94a, and extends obliquely upward from the outer end toward the vehicle body 1 side. And the 3rd member 94c is provided so that between each inner part of a pair of 1st member 94a and the inner side edge part of the 2nd member 94b may be connected.

  The shock absorber 95 is mounted on the inner end of the second arm 94b that constitutes the left and right lower arms 94 at both ends so as to be rotatable about an axis in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The shock absorber 95 is not supported by the vehicle body 1 and can freely move with respect to the vehicle body 1.

  In such a suspension mechanism, the vehicle body 1 can be easily tilted as in the above-described embodiment. Accordingly, the turning performance is improved. Further, in the suspension mechanism of this embodiment, the shock absorption and the interlocking of the left and right suspension mechanisms 90 and 91 are realized by a single shock absorber, so that the configuration is simpler than that of the above embodiment.

  (b) The shape, arrangement, and the like of the track belt 3 in the paddle 83 are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

(c) In the above embodiment, the paddle shape is configured by a plurality of protrusions formed side by side in the belt width direction. However, the paddle shapes are not intended to be limited to such a shape, it may be constituted by a single projection having a plurality of notches 83c ₁₁ are formed on the outer periphery. In this case, the different shape for each paddle may be such that the contour shape in the portion going from the center in the belt width direction to both ends is different.

  (d) In the above embodiment, the description has been given by taking the double wishbone type having the upper arm and the lower arm as an example of the suspension mechanism applied to the present invention. However, the suspension mechanism is not limited to this configuration, and is a strut type. Various suspension types such as a multi-link type can be applied to the present invention.

The left view of the snow vehicle by one Embodiment of this invention. The front view of a snow vehicle. Top view of snow vehicle. The front view of the ski with which the snow vehicle was mounted | worn. The bottom view of the ski. The external appearance perspective view of a suspension mechanism. The external view of the spherical bearing provided in the suspension mechanism. The figure which shows the rocking | swiveling member of a suspension mechanism, a tilt lock mechanism (lock release state), and a tilt stopper mechanism. The figure which shows the rocking | swiveling member of a suspension mechanism, a tilt lock mechanism (lock state), and a tilt stopper mechanism. The figure which shows the state which the vehicle body tilted to the maximum. The figure which shows the relationship between a snow vehicle and a gravity center. The external appearance perspective view which shows a steering mechanism. The figure which shows the relationship between a steering shaft, the rocking | swiveling axis | shaft of a ski, and the grounding part of a ski. The figure which shows the paddle of a track belt. The figure which shows the pattern of a paddle. The figure which shows the arrangement | sequence order of the paddle of a track belt. The figure which shows other embodiment of a suspension mechanism.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car body 2 Engine 3 Track belt 4 Drive unit 5, 6 Ski 7, 8, 90, 91 Suspension mechanism 9 Handle 10 Steering mechanism 18 Seat 28, 92 Connecting member 29, 93 Upper arm 30, 94 Lower arm 31, 95 Shock absorber 32 Swing Moving member 82 Belt base 83 Paddle 83c ₁₁ Notch

Claims (8)

A vehicle body with a seat on the top;
A drive source disposed on the vehicle body;
A drive unit including a circulating track belt disposed at a lower portion of the vehicle body and driven by the drive source;
A pair of left and right skis arranged at the front of the vehicle body;
The pair of skis are supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle body, and when one of the pair of skis rises with respect to the vehicle body, the other ski descends with respect to the vehicle body. A suspension mechanism that allows the vehicle body to tilt by interlocking the pair of skis,
A steering mechanism for steering the pair of skis, the steering wheel having a handle rotatably provided above the vehicle body;
Snow vehicle equipped with. The suspension mechanism is
A pair of coupling members to which each of the pair of skis is connected;
A pair of arm members, one end of which is connected to the connecting member and the other end is connected to the vehicle body, and each of the pair of skis is supported so as to be movable up and down with respect to the vehicle body;
An impact absorbing mechanism that is coupled to each of the pair of arm members and absorbs an impact acting on the pair of skis without interlocking with tilting of the vehicle body;
Having
The snow vehicle according to claim 1. The shock absorbing mechanism is
A swing member provided on the vehicle body and swinging about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body;
A pair of impact absorbing members each having one end connected to the pair of arm members and the other end connected to the swing member;
The snow vehicle according to claim 2, comprising:   2. The track belt according to claim 1, wherein a height of the track belt from the friction sliding surface is higher than a side portion in a shape of a cross section in a direction perpendicular to the friction sliding surface and the circulation direction of the belt. The listed snow car. The track belt includes an annular belt base, and a plurality of paddles that protrude outwardly from the belt base and extend in the belt width direction and are formed at predetermined intervals in the belt circulation direction.
The tip outer peripheral portion extending in the belt width direction of the paddle includes a curved portion,
The snow vehicle according to claim 4. The track belt includes an annular belt base, and a plurality of paddles that protrude outwardly from the belt base and extend in the belt width direction and are formed at predetermined intervals in the belt circulation direction.
A notch is formed in the outer periphery of the tip extending in the belt width direction of the paddle.
The snow vehicle according to claim 4 or 5. The track belt includes an annular belt base, and a plurality of paddles that protrude outwardly from the belt base and extend in the belt width direction and are formed at predetermined intervals in the belt circulation direction.
Of the plurality of paddles, adjacent paddles have different shapes in the circulation direction.
The snow vehicle according to claim 4 or 5. Each of the plurality of paddles has a different shape at the outer peripheral end portion extending in the belt width direction, and the same shape paddles are repeated at unequal intervals in the circulation direction.
The snow vehicle according to claim 5.

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