Track for traction of an off-road vehicle such as a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle (atv)

Abstract

A track for traction of an off-road vehicle such as a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). The track comprises an inner surface, a ground-engaging outer surface, and a plurality of traction projections projecting from the ground-engaing outer surface. The track may be very thin and/or the traction projections may be very high.

1 .- 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A track of traction of a vehicle, the track being mountable around a plurality of wheels for driving and guiding the track around the wheels, the track being elastomeric to be flexible around the wheels, the track comprising:
 a ground-engaging outer surface;   an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface; and   a plurality of traction projections projecting from the ground-engaging outer surface;   wherein: the track includes a plurality of layers of elastomeric material forming at least part of the ground-engaging outer surface and the inner surface; and the track includes a plurality of distinct pieces of elastomeric material separate from the layers of elastomeric material before molding of the track, consolidated with at least part of the layers of elastomeric material during the molding of the track, and forming at least part of respective ones of the traction projections.   
     
     
         46 . The track of  claim 45 , comprising a reinforcement embedded between the ground-engaging outer surface and the inner surface. 
     
     
         47 . The track of  claim 46 , wherein the reinforcement is a plurality of transversal stiffening rods extending transversally to a longitudinal direction of the track and spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track. 
     
     
         48 . The track of  claim 46 , wherein: the reinforcement is a first reinforcement; and the track comprises a second reinforcement embedded between the ground-engaging outer surface and the inner surface and spaced from the first reinforcement in a thickness-wise direction of the track. 
     
     
         49 . The track of  claim 48 , wherein: the first reinforcement is a plurality of transversal stiffening rods extending transversally to a longitudinal direction of the track and spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track; and the second reinforcement is a reinforcing fabric. 
     
     
         50 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein a ratio of (i) a height of each traction projection of the traction projections over (ii) a thickness of the track from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface is at least 15. 
     
     
         51 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein a ratio of (i) a height of each traction projection of the traction projections over (ii) a thickness of the track from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface is at least 20. 
     
     
         52 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein a height of each traction projection of the traction projections is greater than 3 inches. 
     
     
         53 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein a height of each traction projection of the traction projections is at least 3.5 inches. 
     
     
         54 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein a thickness of the track from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface is no more than 0.2 inches. 
     
     
         55 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein: the traction projections are arranged in a plurality of traction-projection rows that are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track; and a pattern of the traction projections repeats at every two or more of the traction-projection rows. 
     
     
         56 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein: the track comprises a plurality of holes extending from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface; and central ones of the traction projections are located between respective ones of the holes in a widthwise direction of the track. 
     
     
         57 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein: the track comprises a plurality of holes extending from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface; central ones of the traction projections are located between respective ones of the holes in a widthwise direction of the track; and lateral ones of the traction projections are located between the holes and lateral edges of the track in the widthwise direction of the track. 
     
     
         58 . The track of  claim 45 , wherein the track comprises a plurality of drive/guide projections projecting from the inner surface. 
     
     
         59 . The track of  claim 58 , wherein respective ones of the drive/guide projections are arranged in a plurality of drive/guide-projection rows that extend along a longitudinal direction of the track and are spaced apart in widthwise direction of the track. 
     
     
         60 . The track of  claim 59 , wherein the drive/guide-projection rows include at least four drive/guide-projection rows. 
     
     
         61 . A track of traction of a vehicle, the track being mountable around a plurality of wheels for driving and guiding the track around the wheels, the track being elastomeric to be flexible around the wheels, the track comprising:
 a ground-engaging outer surface;   an inner surface opposite to the ground-engaging outer surface;   a plurality of traction projections projecting from the ground-engaging outer surface; and   a plurality of transversal stiffening rods extending transversally to a longitudinal direction of the track and spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track;   wherein: the track includes a plurality of layers of elastomeric material forming at least part of the ground-engaging outer surface and the inner surface; the transversal stiffening rods are embedded between respective ones of the layers of elastomeric material; the track includes a plurality of distinct pieces of elastomeric material separate from the layers of elastomeric material before molding of the track, consolidated with at least part of the layers of elastomeric material during the molding of the track, and forming at least part of respective ones of the traction projections; and a ratio of (i) a height of each traction projection of the traction projections over (ii) a thickness of the track from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface is at least 15.   
     
     
         62 . A method of manufacturing a track for a vehicle, the track being mountable around a plurality of wheels for driving and guiding the track around the wheels, the track being elastomeric to be flexible around the wheels, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of layers of elastomeric material in a mold;   providing a plurality of distinct pieces of elastomeric material in the mold, the distinct pieces of elastomeric material being spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction of the track; and   molding the track in the mold such that:
 i. the layers of elastomeric material form at least part of an inner surface of the track and a ground-engaging outer surface of the track; and 
 ii. the distinct pieces of elastomeric material form at least part of respective ones of a plurality of traction projections projecting from the ground-engaging outer surface of the track. 
   
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , comprising providing a reinforcement in the mold, wherein the molding is such that the reinforcement is embedded between the ground-engaging outer surface and the inner surface of the track. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the reinforcement is a plurality of transversal stiffening rods extending transversally to the longitudinal direction of the track and spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein: the reinforcement is a first reinforcement; the method comprises providing a second reinforcement in the mold; and the molding is such that the second reinforcement is embedded between the ground-engaging outer surface and the inner surface of the track and spaced from the first reinforcement in a thickness-wise direction of the track. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein: the first reinforcement is a plurality of transversal stiffening rods extending transversally to the longitudinal direction of the track and spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the track; and the second reinforcement is a reinforcing fabric. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein a ratio of (i) a height of each traction projection of the traction projections over (ii) a thickness of the track from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface is at least 15. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein a ratio of (i) a height of each traction projection of the traction projections over (ii) a thickness of the track from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface is at least 20. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein a height of each traction projection of the traction projections is greater than 3 inches. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein a height of each traction projection of the traction projections is at least 3.5 inches. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein a thickness of the track from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface is no more than 0.2 inches. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein: the traction projections are arranged in a plurality of traction-projection rows that are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track; and a pattern of the traction projections repeats at every two or more of the traction-projection rows. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein: the track comprises a plurality of holes extending from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface; and central ones of the traction projections are located between respective ones of the holes in a widthwise direction of the track. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein: the track comprises a plurality of holes extending from the ground-engaging outer surface to the inner surface; central ones of the traction projections are located between respective ones of the holes in a widthwise direction of the track; and lateral ones of the traction projections are located between the holes and lateral edges of the track in the widthwise direction of the track. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the molding is such that the track comprises a plurality of drive/guide projections projecting from the inner surface. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein respective ones of the drive/guide projections are arranged in a plurality of drive/guide-projection rows that extend along a longitudinal direction of the track and are spaced apart in widthwise direction of the track. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the drive/guide-projection rows include at least four drive/guide-projection rows.