US 6,981,563 B2
Vehicle drive device with flexible crawler and vehicle thus obtained
Olivier Phely, Thenisy (France); and Denis Piou, Villeblevin (France)
Assigned to OTICO, Longueville (France)
Filed on Jun. 27, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/607,267.
Claims priority of application No. 02 08490 (FR), filed on Jul. 05, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0017107 A1, Jan. 29, 2004
Int. Cl. B62D 55/04 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 180—9.21 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Drive device with for a vehicle comprising a chassis having a first side and a second side, at least one drive shaft operably attached to said chassis, a supporting hub disposed at one end of said at least one drive shaft, comprising:
a ready to fit unit detachably installed on either said first side or said second side of said chassis,
a support frame comprising an internal part removably attached to said chassis away from said at least one drive shaft, an intermediate part attached to said internal part, and an external part attached to intermediate part,
a drive wheel removably mounted on said supporting hub of said drive shaft and having a bearing disposed on said external part,
a tension wheel supported by said intermediate part, and,
a flexible crawler wound around said drive wheel and said tension wheel.