Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Traction increasing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-06
2001-08-14
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Traction increasing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273517
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a wheel mounted traction device arranged to be mounted on a wheel of a vehicle for providing added traction.
BACKGROUND
When using an all terrain vehicle off road, the vehicle frequently encounters soft terrain, for example mud, sand or snow. When the vehicle encounters soft terrain the tires are typically known to sink slightly into the terrain resulting in poor traction. The use of heavily treaded tires or an all wheel drive transmission generally aren't always sufficient to enhance the traction such that the vehicle may occasionally become stuck when encountered with soft terrain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,183 to Gant provides a military wheel tire assembly. The tires include as an auxiliary feature a series of paddles which are integrally mounted on the wheel rims to assist with traction of the vehicle in mud, sand or other soft terrain. The paddles however are integrally mounted with the wheel rims such that installation on a vehicle requires replacement of the entire rim of each wheel and thus the paddles are not adjustable for use on varying types of vehicles. Furthermore, the paddles must be retracted when the vehicle is used on hard terrain as the rigid construction of the paddles would cause the paddles to be damaged if they engaged a solid debris such as a rock.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided traction device for use with a wheel having a wheel rim with a wheel axis, the traction device comprising:
a frame member having a frame axis;
an adjustable clamping element mounted on the frame member for selectively clamping the frame member on the wheel rim substantially in alignment with the wheel axis thereof; and
a plurality of paddles mounted on the frame member in a circumferentially spaced relationship about the frame axis, each paddle including a mounting portion and a flange portion extending outward from the mounting portion to a free end spaced radially outward from the frame axis past a periphery of the frame member.
The use of a clamping element on the traction device allows the device to be easily adapted to existing rims and clamped securely thereon. The device can thus be easily installed or removed from varying types of wheel rims in a simple procedure using common tools without requiring replacement of any existing parts such as the wheel rims of the vehicle on which the device is to be installed.
The frame member preferably includes an inwardly facing mounting face mounting the paddles thereon and an outwardly facing engaging face for engagement with an inner surface of the wheel rim. The frame member can thus be recessed within the wheel rim.
The mounting portion of each paddle preferably extends axially outward from the frame member and the flange portion preferably extends radially outward from the mounting portion. This permits the frame member to be recessed within the wheel rim.
When the wheel rim includes a peripheral rim flange, the frame member preferably includes a plurality of mounting flanges extending radially outward therefrom for being received within the rim flange of the wheel rim. The mounting flanges provide axial support between the frame member and the wheel rim.
When the wheel rim includes an annular groove about an inner surface thereof, the frame member preferably includes a peripheral raised protrusion for being received within the annular groove of the wheel rim. The peripheral raised protrusion provides axial support between the frame member and the wheel rim similarly to the mounting flanges.
The frame member may comprise a plurality of arcuate sections selectively coupled to each other at respective ends thereof. In the preferred embodiment there is provided two arcuate sections.
There may be provided a clamping element coupling each adjacent pair of ends of the arcuate sections together such that mounting the clamping elements under compression engages the frame member within the wheel rim.
Each clamping element may comprise a threaded member secured between a corresponding pair of arcuate sections.
There may be provided a plurality of channels mounted on the frame member arranged to slidably mount the respective paddles therein such that the paddles are selectively separable therefrom.
There may be provided a locking member arranged to be mounted on each channel member for selectively mounting the corresponding paddle in a fixed relationship thereon.
The paddles are preferably formed of resilient material.
There may be provided a plurality of radially extending ridges mounted along respective sides of each paddle to resist bending of the paddle in a radial direction.
A thickness of each paddle may be tapered towards the free end thereof such that the resiliency of each paddle increases towards the free end thereof.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a traction device for use with a wheel having a wheel rim supporting a tire thereon, the traction device comprising:
a plurality of channel members arranged to be mounted in a circumferentially spaced relationship about a central axis for mounting on the wheel rim;
a paddle associated with each channel member, each paddle having a mounting portion slidably received within the corresponding channel member to extend axially outward therefrom and a flange portion extending outward from the mounting portion to a free end spaced radially outward from the central axis past the corresponding channel member; and
a locking member arranged to be mounted on each channel member for selectively mounting the corresponding paddle in a fixed relationship thereon such that the paddles are selectively separable from the respective channel members.
The use of a locking member on each paddle of the traction device allows the individual paddles to be removed and replaced without removing the frame member or the channels supporting the paddles thereon from the wheel rim of the vehicle. This further simplifies installation and removal of the paddles for accommodating different applications of the vehicle having the traction device installed on the wheels thereof. The individual construction of each paddle may thus also be varied without replacing the frame member supporting the paddles thereon. The use of paddles made of resilient material is particularly useful such that the paddles are able to deflect when engaging large debris such as rocks without damaging the paddles.
Each channel member preferably comprises a tubular member of rectangular cross section having a longitudinal axis arranged to extend substantially parallel to the central axis.
Each locking member may comprise an elongate member extending through co-operating apertures in the corresponding channel member and paddle respectively.
The paddles are preferably formed of resilient material.
There may be provided a plurality of radially extending ridges mounted along respective sides of each paddle to resist bending of the paddle in a radial direction.
A thickness of each paddle may be tapered towards the free end thereof such that the resiliency of each paddle increases towards the free end thereof.
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patent: 5692810 (1997-12-01), Granryd
patent: 5846053 (1998-12-01), Hagihara
patent: 14590 (1934-04-01), None
patent: 102416 (1937-11-01), None
patent: 193506 (1938-01-01), None
patent: 1107104 (1961-05-01), None
patent: 2117331 (1983-10-01), None
patent: 36995 (1939-08-01), None
Battison Adrian D.
Hubscher Farms Ltd.
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Bao
Williams Michael R.
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