Patent ID: 8915501
Filing Date: 2014-12-23
Classification: B62B

Abstract:
1. A wheel-ski system for a vehicle adapted for travel in a forward travel direction on road and snow-covered surfaces, the system having a ski-engaging travel mode and a wheel-engaging travel mode, the system including: an elongated ski having a ground-engageable undersurface, the ski extending in a longitudinal direction, which longitudinal direction is substantially parallel to the forward travel direction; a back plate to be rigidly connected to the vehicle; a supporting leg having a top end and a bottom end, the top end of the supporting leg to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle about a first transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the supporting leg being pivotable about the first transversal pivot axis between a first position and a second position, the first position corresponding to the ski-engaging travel mode and the second position corresponding to the wheel-engaging travel mode, the bottom end of the supporting leg being pivotally coupled to the ski about a second transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction; a wheel having a ground-engageable outer surface; a first lever arm having opposite first and second ends, the first end of the first lever arm being in a torque-transmitting engagement with the supporting leg; an actuator mounted between the back plate and the first lever arm, the actuator at least generating a force urging the supporting leg to pivot towards its first position when the system is in the ski-engaging travel mode; a pair of second lever arms having opposite first and second ends, the first ends of the second lever arms being pivotally coupled to the supporting leg about a third transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the third transversal pivot being located above the ski and on a front side of the supporting leg with reference to the forward travel direction; a wheel-supporting axle around which the wheel is mounted for rotation, the wheel-supporting axle extending transversally between the second ends of the second lever arms and along a fourth transversal pivot axis that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the wheel-supporting axle being movable between an upper position and a bottom position, the upper position corresponding to the ski-engaging travel mode and the bottom position corresponding to the wheel-engaging travel mode; and a positioning device mounted between the first lever arm and one of the second lever arms, the positioning device positioning the wheel-supporting axle into the upper position when the supporting leg is in its first position, and positioning the wheel-supporting axle into the bottom position when the supporting leg is in its second position.