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EP-4321416-B1 - RUBBER CRAWLER AND CORE

EP4321416B1EP 4321416 B1EP4321416 B1EP 4321416B1EP-4321416-B1

Inventors

  • MIZUSAWA, TAKASHI

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230804

Claims (4)

  1. A rubber crawler (1) comprising: an endless crawler body (12) made of rubber, and a plurality of cores (13) embedded in the crawler body (12) and arranged along a crawler circumferential direction (CD), wherein each of the cores (13) comprises: a base portion (13B) extending in a crawler width direction (WD), a pair of horn portions (13C) extending from the base portion (13B) to a crawler inner circumferential side (IS), a pair of first projections (13P1) extending from the base portion (13B) to a crawler circumferential direction first side (CD1), and a pair of second projections (13P2) extending from the base portion (13B) to a crawler circumferential direction second side (CD2), wherein the pair of first projections (13P1) of each of the cores (13) respectively face the pair of second projections (13P2) of another core (13) adjacent to the core (13) on the crawler circumferential direction first side (CD1) in the crawler width direction (WD), at least a first projection (13P1) on a crawler width direction first side (WD1) in the pair of first projections (13P1) of each of the cores (13) has a first recess (R1) on a surface (13P1a) facing the second projection (13P2) of another core (13) of surfaces on two sides in the crawler width direction (WD), the first recess (R1) is configured such that an end (R1t) on a side of a tip (13P1t) of the first projection (13P1) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD) of the first recess (R1) is positioned closer to a side of a root (13P1r) of the first projection (13P1) than a tip (13P1t) of the first projection (13P1) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD), the first recess (R1) is configured such that, in a portion including at least an end (R1t) on a side of a tip (13P1t) of the first projection (13P1) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD), a length (L1) in the crawler width direction (WD) increases as it goes toward a side of a root (13P1r) of the first projection (13P1) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD), the first recess (R1) is open on a crawler inner circumferential side (IS) and closed on a crawler outer circumferential side (OS), and the first recess (R1) has a substantially triangular prism shape.
  2. The rubber crawler (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first recess (R1) is configured such that a length (M1) in a crawler thickness direction (TD) increases as it goes toward a side of a root (13P1r) of the first projection (13P1) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD).
  3. The rubber crawler (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least a second projection (13P2) on a crawler width direction second side (WD2) in the pair of second projections (13P2) of each of the cores (13) has a second recess (R2) on a surface (13P2a) facing the first projection (13P1) of another core (13) of surfaces on two sides in the crawler width direction (WD), the second recess (R2) is configured such that an end (R2t) on a side of a tip (13P2t) of the second projection (13P2) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD) of the second recess (R2) is positioned closer to a side of a root (13P2r) of the second projection (13P2) than a tip (13P2) of the second projection (13P2) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD), the second recess (R2) is configured such that, in a portion including at least an end (R2t) on a side of a tip (13P2t) of the second projection (13P2) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD), a length (L2) in the crawler width direction (WD) increases as it goes toward a side of a root (13P2r) of the second projection (13P2) in the crawler circumferential direction (CD), the second recess (R2) is open on a crawler inner circumferential side (IS) and closed on a crawler outer circumferential side (OS), and the second recess (R2) has a substantially triangular prism shape.
  4. The core (13) used in the rubber crawler (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to a rubber crawler and a core. BACKGROUND In a conventional rubber crawler, a core may include a projection extending in the crawler circumferential direction that protrudes from a base portion extending in the crawler width direction, to prevent side slip or the like (for example, see JP 2005-212741 A (PTL 1)). PTL 2 relates to a rubber crawler. PTL 3 discloses a rubber crawler with cores and recesses near the base of the protrusions. CITATION LIST Patent Literature PTL 1: JP 2005-212741 APTL 2: JP H09 2346 APTL 3: JP 2010 264850 A SUMMARY When a conventional rubber crawler is bent around a sprocket or the like, the cores are close to each other, and the clearance (gap) between the projections of adjacent cores is too narrow. As a result, the flexural rigidity of the rubber crawler is too high, which may make it difficult to wind the rubber crawler around a rotator and increase the loss of driving force. It could thus be helpful to provide a rubber crawler and a core which can enlarge the clearance between projections of adjacent cores when a rubber crawler is bent around a sprocket or the like. [1] A rubber crawler comprising: an endless crawler body made of rubber, anda plurality of cores embedded in the crawler body and arranged along a crawler circumferential direction, whereineach of the cores comprises: a base portion extending in a crawler width direction,a pair of horn portions extending from the base portion to a crawler inner circumferential side,a pair of first projections extending from the base portion to a crawler circumferential direction first side, anda pair of second projections extending from the base portion to a crawler circumferential direction second side, whereinthe pair of first projections of each of the cores respectively face the pair of second projections of another core adjacent to the core on the crawler circumferential direction first side in a crawler width direction,at least a first projection on a crawler width direction first side in the pair of first projections of each of the cores has a first recess on a surface facing the second projection of another core of surfaces on two sides in a crawler width direction,in the first recess, an end on a side of a tip of the first projection in a crawler circumferential direction of the first recess is positioned closer to a side of a root of the first projection than a tip of the first projection in a crawler circumferential direction,for the first recess, in a portion including at least an end on a side of a tip of the first projection in a crawler circumferential direction, a length in a crawler width direction increases as it goes toward a side of a root of the first projection in a crawler circumferential direction,the first recess is open on a crawler inner circumferential side and closed on a crawler outer circumferential side, andthe first recess has a substantially triangular prism shape.[4] The core used in the rubber crawler described above. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a rubber crawler and a core which can enlarge the clearance between projections of adjacent cores when a rubber crawler is bent around a sprocket or the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a rubber crawler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as viewed from the crawler inner circumferential side;FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1, illustrating a cross section of A-A of the rubber crawler of FIG. 1;FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of adjacent cores when the rubber crawler in FIG. 1 is in a flat state;FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 3, illustrating a cross section of B-B of the plurality of cores of FIG. 3;FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a core in FIG. 3 when viewed from the side of a first projection;FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of the first projection in FIG. 5, FIG. 6B is a C-arrow view illustrating the first projection in FIG. 5 when viewed in the direction of the C arrow, and FIG. 6C is a D-arrow view illustrating the first projection in FIG. 5 when viewed in the direction of the D arrow;FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a core in FIG. 3 when viewed from the side of a second projection;FIG. 8A is an enlarged view of the second projection in FIG. 7, FIG. 8B is an E-arrow view illustrating the second projection in FIG. 7 when viewed in the direction of the E arrow, and FIG. 8C is an F-arrow view illustrating the second projection in FIG. 7 when viewed in the direction of the F arrow;FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of adjacent cores when the rubber crawler in FIG. 1 is bent around a sprocket or the like;FIG. 10 is a G-arrow view illustrating the plurality of cores in FIG. 9 when viewed in the direction of the G arrow; andFIG. 11 is a drawing corresponding to FIG. 4, which is