US 11,807,292 B2
Band track with fiber reinforced living hinges
Robert James Hart, Bruce Township, MI (US); and Andrew Quintin Smail, Shelby Township, MI (US)
Assigned to Government of the United States, as Represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/130,416.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194498 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B62D 55/28 (2006.01); B62D 55/24 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01)
CPC B62D 55/244 (2013.01) [B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B62D 55/28 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A band track comprising:
a band having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first side surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface, and a second side surface opposite of the first side surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;
a plurality of teeth, extending from the inner surface and spaced apart circumferentially around the inner surface, constructed and arranged to engage with a plurality of teeth on a drive wheel;
a plurality of lugs extending from the outer surface and each spaced a distance apart circumferentially around the outer surface;
a plurality of living hinges defined within the band circumferentially between each of the plurality of teeth;
at least one fiber-reinforcement disposed circumferentially within a neutral plane of the plurality of living hinges; and
wherein each of the plurality of teeth have a width that tapers as it extends outward causing narrowing of a portion of the band between each tooth, forming a single hinge point defined within the band between each tooth such that flexibility at each hinge point in the band track is uniform throughout an entire length of the band.
 
9. A band track segment comprising:
a band segment having an inner face, an outer face opposite of the inner face, a first side face extending between the inner face and the outer face, a second side face opposite of the first side face extending between the inner face and the outer face, a first end face extending between the inner face and the outer face perpendicular to the first side face and the second side face, and a second end face opposite of the first end face extending between the inner face and the outer face and perpendicular to the first side face and the second side face, wherein the first end face includes a first mating feature and the second end face includes a second mating feature, and wherein the first mating feature and the second mating feature are constructed and arranged to interlock;
a plurality of lugs extending outward from the outer face of the band segment and spaced apart a distance along a width of the outer face;
a plurality of teeth, extending from the inner face of the band segment and spaced apart a distance along a width of the inner face, constructed and arranged to engage with a plurality of teeth on a drive wheel;
a plurality of living hinges defined within the band segment between each of the plurality of teeth; and
at least one fiber reinforcement disposed within a neutral plane of the plurality of living hinges.