Snowmobile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035554-B2
Application number	US-201313798105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Feb 8, 2010
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to snowmobiles. More particularly, the present invention relates to the components of a snowmobile such as the frame, running boards and various other assemblies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A snowmobile, comprising:
a frame;
a foot grip assembly supported by the frame and including a toe clip, a back wall proximate a rider's footwear, and a shroud having a rear edge, the shroud generally surrounding the toe clip and the back wall;
the toe clip extending rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the shroud and being fixedly coupled to the frame, and the back wall including a plurality of openings, and a majority of the openings of the back wall extending to a height greater than a height of the toe clip;
wherein the foot grip assembly includes a frame member extending rearwardly of the back wall and has a first end and a second end, and the toe clip is coupled to the frame member beyond the rear edge of the shroud, and the second end of the frame member extends rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the shroud.

2. The snowmobile of claim 1 , further comprising a power train and wherein heat produced by the power train dissipates rearwardly through the plurality of openings of the back wall and toward the rider's footwear.

3. The snowmobile of claim 2 , wherein an opening is defined between an outer edge of the shroud and an outer edge of the back wall, the opening being positioned to dissipate heat from the power train.

4. The snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein a height of at least a portion of the openings of the back wall is greater than half of a height of the back wall.

5. The snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein the rear edge of the shroud is approximately vertical to maximize the lateral distance between the toe clip and an outer edge of the shroud.

6. The snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein the back wall and the rear edge of the shroud are generally coincident to prevent accumulation of snow within the shroud.

7. The snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein a majority of the openings of the back wall has a length which extends continuously from below the toe clip to a height greater than the height of the toe clip.

8. A foot grip assembly for a snowmobile, comprising:
a back wall;
a toe clip positioned rearward of the back wall;
a first frame member coupled to a first end of the toe clip and extending around a front face of the back wall;
a second frame member coupled to a second opposing end of the toe clip; and
a shroud generally surrounding the back wall, the first frame member, and the toe clip;
wherein the first frame member extends in a diagonal direction between an inner edge and an outer edge of the front face of the back wall, and the toe clip couples to the first frame member at a position approximately half the height of the back wall, and the toe clip couples to the second frame member at a position beyond a rear edge of the shroud.

9. The foot grip assembly of claim 8 , wherein the back wall and the shroud are configured to prevent snow accumulation in the foot grip assembly.

10. The foot grip assembly of claim 8 , wherein a rear edge of the shroud is approximately vertical to maximize a lateral distance between the toe clip and the shroud.

11. The foot grip assembly of claim 8 , wherein the back wall includes a plurality of openings.

12. The foot grip assembly of claim 11 , wherein the openings extend to a height greater than a height of the toe clip.

13. The foot grip assembly of claim 8 , wherein the toe clip extends rearwardly from a rear edge of the shroud.

14. The foot grip assembly of claim 13 , wherein the back wall is proximate the rear edge of the shroud.

15. The foot grip assembly of claim 8 , wherein an opening is defined between an outer edge of the back wall and an outer edge of the shroud.

16. The foot grip assembly of claim 8 , wherein an outer edge of the shroud is angled forwardly.

17. A snowmobile, comprising:
a frame;
a power train supported by the frame;
a foot grip assembly supported by the frame rearwardly of the powertrain and including a toe clip, a back wall proximate a rider's footwear positioned rearward of the back wall, a first frame member coupled to a first end of the toe clip and extending around a front face of the back wall, a second frame member coupled to a second opposing end of the toe clip, and a shroud having a rear edge and generally surrounding the back wall, the first frame member, and the toe clip;
the toe clip extending rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the shroud, and the back wall including at least one opening; and
the shroud extending rearwardly from the powertrain to a position proximate the back wall and generally surrounding the toe clip and the back wall, wherein a lateral spacing is defined between an outer edge of the shroud and an outer edge of the back wall, the spacing being positioned to dissipate heat from the power train, wherein heat produced by the power train dissipates rearwardly through the spacing and opening and toward the rider's footwear, and wherein the back wall and the rear edge of the shroud are generally coincident to prevent accumulation of snow within the shroud; and
wherein the first frame member extends in a diagonal direction between an inner edge and an outer edge of the front face of the back wall, and the toe clip couples to the first frame member at a position approximately half the height of the back wall, and the toe clip couples to the second frame member at a position beyond a rear edge of the shroud.

18. The snowmobile of claim 17 , wherein a height of at least a portion of the openings of the back wall is greater than half of a height of the back wall.

19. The snowmobile of claim 17 , wherein the rear edge of the shroud is approximately vertical to maximize the lateral distance between the toe clip and an outer edge of the shroud.

20. The snowmobile of claim 17 , wherein the at least one opening of the back wall comprises a plurality of openings on the back wall.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Mertens Dustin A
• Sampson Martin E

Classifications

• Y10T403/70

  Interfitted members · CPC title

• B62M27/02 Primary

  power driven · CPC title

• B62J25/00 Primary

  Foot-rests; Knee grips; Passenger hand-grips · CPC title

• B62J25/06

  Bar-type foot rests · CPC title