Snow groomer or other tracked vehicle and systems therefor

Abstract

A snow groomer or other tracked vehicle, such as tracked carrier to carry and enable use of work equipment on various terrains, is provided. The snow groomer may comprise a chassis, an operator cabin mounted to the chassis from which operation of the snow groomer is controlled, track assemblies for causing the snow groomer to advance, a power plant in a driving relationship with the track assemblies, and a tiller assembly attached at the rear of the chassis. The operator cabin comprises a seating system that includes an operator seat, a base, and a seat carriage mounted to the base, which allows the operator seat both to move in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the snow groomer, and to pivot about an axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seat system for a snow groomer, comprising:
 a base; and   a seat carriage mounted to the base and movable in a direction transverse to a direction of forward movement of the snow groomer, the seat carriage comprising a pivot system for permitting a swiveling motion of a seat mounted to the seat carriage via the pivot system.   
     
     
         2 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the seat carriage is movable along the base, and wherein as the seat carriage moves along the base, the seat acquires a plurality of different positions along the direction transverse to the direction of forward movement of the snow groomer. 
     
     
         3 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 2 , wherein as the seat carriage moves along the base, the seat also acquires a plurality of different positions along the direction of forward movement of the snow groomer. 
     
     
         4 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the pivot system is configured to permit said swiveling motion of the seat when in at least some of said positions in the direction transverse to the direction of forward movement of the snow groomer. 
     
     
         5 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the pivot system is configured to permit said swiveling motion of the seat when in each of said positions in the direction transverse to the direction of forward movement of the snow groomer. 
     
     
         6 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot locking device for controllably retaining the seat carriage in a desired one of a plurality of angular positions about a pivot axis. 
     
     
         7 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot locking device for controllably restricting rotational movement of the seat about a pivot axis. 
     
     
         8 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising an electrically controlled actuator for controllably inducing rotational movement of the seat about said pivot axis. 
     
     
         9 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an electrically controlled actuator for controllably inducing translational movement of the seat carriage along the base. 
     
     
         10 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising a control switch electrically connected to the actuator, for selectively applying power to the actuator according to input from a user of the seat, thereby to allow the user to control movement of the seat carriage along the base. 
     
     
         11 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a controllable locking device for controllably restricting movement of the seat carriage along the direction transverse to the direction of forward movement of the snow groomer. 
     
     
         12 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the controllable locking device comprises an electrically controlled latch. 
     
     
         13 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising a controller to detect when a condition is met, wherein the locking device is controlled to prevent movement of the seat carriage when the controller detects that the condition is met 
     
     
         14 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the controller detects that the condition is met by comparing outputs of one or more sensors to stored values. 
     
     
         15 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the condition being met comprises the snow groomer being in motion. 
     
     
         16 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the condition being met comprises at least one cabin door of the snow groomer being open. 
     
     
         17 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the condition being met comprises brakes of the snow groomer not having been applied. 
     
     
         18 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the seat carriage includes side walls and wherein the base includes sliding elements for interfacing with the side walls of the seat carriage, thereby to allow the seat carriage to move slidably along the base. 
     
     
         19 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface mounted to the seat carriage and movable together therewith along the base. 
     
     
         20 . A seat system for a snow groomer as defined in  claim 19 , the user interface including at least one of a control panel and a joystick. 
     
     
         21 . A snow groomer, comprising:
 a chassis;   an operator cabin mounted to the chassis from which travel and operation of the snow groomer are controlled;   a plurality of track assemblies for causing the snow groomer to advance in snow;   a power plant mounted on the chassis behind the operator cabin, the power plant being in a driving relationship with the track assemblies; and   a tiller assembly in a rear portion of the snow groomer;   wherein the cabin comprises a seat system that includes a base and a seat carriage mounted to the base and movable in a direction transverse to a direction of forward movement of the snow groomer, the seat carriage comprising a pivot system for permitting a swiveling motion of a seat mounted to the seat carriage via the pivot system.   
     
     
         22 - 326 . (canceled)