Snow vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10202169-B2
Application number	US-201815873986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Nov 6, 2015
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A snow vehicle is disclosed comprising a vehicle frame, a propulsion unit coupled to the frame, and a front ski steered by a steering mechanism. The front of the vehicle includes a first front suspension and a second front suspension coupled to the ski. The rear suspension includes a bumper assembly preventing bottoming out of the rear suspension. The rear suspension is coupled to the vehicle frame such that the longitudinal spacing between the vehicle frame and rear suspension is adjustably controllable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A kit for converting a motorcycle into a snow vehicle, comprising:
at least one front ski;
a front suspension for dampened coupling between a frame of the motorcycle and the at least one ski, the front suspension comprising:
a coupler for coupling the front suspension to the ski;
a spindle body;
at least one control arm coupled to the ski;
a knuckle coupled to the ski, and
a linear force element is coupled between the knuckle and the spindle body;

a rear suspension for coupled to the frame of the motorcycle, the rear suspension comprising:
at least one slide rail;
at least one control arm coupled between the slide rail and the frame;
at least one linear force element coupled between the slide rail and the frame; and
at least one carrier roller coupled to one of the slide rail and the frame; and

a drive system comprising a drive track slidably guided by the at least one slide rail and drivably coupled to a propulsion unit of the motorcycle.

2. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one control arm comprises two control arms coupled between the knuckle and the spindle.

3. The kit of claim 2 , wherein the two control arms extend from the spindle in a generally rearward direction, and wherein the two control arms upon collapse, move the ski rearwardly and upwardly.

4. A kit for converting a motorcycle into a snow vehicle, comprising:
at least one front ski;
a front suspension for dampened coupling between a frame of the motorcycle and the at least one ski, the front suspension comprising a coupler for coupling the front suspension to the ski and at least one control arm coupled to the ski, wherein the control arm upon collapse, moves the ski rearwardly and upwardly;
a rear suspension for coupled to the frame of the motorcycle, the rear suspension comprising:
at least one slide rail;
at least one control arm coupled between the slide rail and the frame;
at least one linear force element coupled between the slide rail and the frame; and
at least one carrier roller coupled to one of the slide rail and the frame; and

a drive system comprising a drive track slidably guided by the at least one slide rail and drivably coupled to a propulsion unit of the motorcycle.

5. The kit of claim 4 , wherein the front suspension further comprises a spindle body.

6. The kit of claim 5 , wherein the front suspension coupler comprises a knuckle coupled to the ski, and the at least one control arm comprises two control arms coupled between the knuckle and the spindle, and a linear force element is coupled between the knuckle and the spindle.

7. The kit of claim 6 , wherein the two control arms extend from the spindle in a generally rearward direction, and wherein the two control arms upon collapse, move the ski rearwardly and upwardly.

8. A kit for converting a motorcycle into a snow vehicle comprising:
at least one front ski;
a front suspension for dampened coupling between a frame of the motorcycle and the at least one ski, the front suspension comprising:
a spindle body having coupling members for coupling front forks of the motorcycle to the spindle body;
at least one control arm coupled between the spindle body and the ski;
a knuckle coupled to the ski;
a linear force element is coupled between the knuckle and the spindle body; and
a coupler for coupling the front suspension to the ski; and

a rear suspension for coupled to the frame of the motorcycle, the rear suspension comprising:
at least one slide rail;
at least one control arm coupled between the slide rail and the frame;
at least one linear force element coupled between the slide rail and the frame; and
at least one carrier roller coupled to one of the slide rail and the frame; and

a drive system comprising a drive track slidably guided by the at least one slide rail and drivably coupled to a propulsion unit of the motorcycle.

9. The kit of claim 8 , wherein the at least one control arm comprises two control arms coupled between the knuckle and the spindle.

10. The kit of claim 9 , wherein the two control arms extend from the spindle in a generally rearward direction, and wherein the two control arms upon collapse, move the ski rearwardly and upwardly.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Mangum Allen M
• York Justin R

Classifications

• B62M27/02 Primary

  power driven · CPC title

• B62M2027/026

  Snow mobiles characterised by the suspension means · CPC title

• B62M9/16

  Tensioning or adjusting equipment for chains, belts or the like · CPC title

• B62M2027/021

  Snow bikes resembling conventional motorcycles · CPC title

• B62K13/08

  Frames · CPC title