Vehicle operation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10450968-B2
Application number	US-201514875957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2015
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A snowmobile includes a frame with a tunnel, a fuel tank disposed thereon and an engine connected thereto. A throttle body fluidly communicates with the engine. A throttle valve is disposed in the throttle body for regulating fluid flow through the throttle body into the engine, a position of the throttle valve being movable between an open position and a closed position. A throttle operator connected to the frame to control the position of throttle valve is moveable between an idle position and a drive position. A throttle valve actuator operatively connected to the throttle valve and the throttle operator controls a position of the throttle valve based at least in part on the throttle operator position, the throttle valve actuator being an electric throttle valve actuator and disposed longitudinally between the fuel tank and the engine. Vehicles and methods of operating the vehicles are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A snowmobile comprising:
a frame comprising a longitudinally extending tunnel;
a fuel tank disposed on the tunnel, the fuel tank comprising a portion extending forwardly and upwardly from a top of the tunnel;
an engine connected to the frame;
a throttle body fluidly communicating with the engine;
a throttle valve disposed in the throttle body for regulating fluid flow through the throttle body into the engine, a position of the throttle valve being movable between an open position and a closed position;
a throttle operator connected to the frame to control the position of the throttle valve, the throttle operator being moveable between an idle position and a drive position; and
a throttle valve actuator operatively connected to the throttle valve and the throttle operator, the throttle valve actuator controlling the position of the throttle valve based at least in part on a position of the throttle operator, the throttle valve actuator being an electric throttle valve actuator, the throttle valve actuator being disposed longitudinally between the fuel tank and the engine, the throttle valve actuator being disposed below the portion of the fuel tank so that the portion of the fuel tank overlaps the throttle valve actuator longitudinally and laterally.

2. The snowmobile of claim 1 , further comprising a seat disposed at least partly on the tunnel, the seat comprising an upper surface disposed higher than the throttle valve actuator.

3. The snowmobile of claim 2 , wherein the seat further comprises a left lateral surface and a right lateral surface, the throttle valve actuator being disposed laterally between the left lateral surface and the right lateral surface.

4. The snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein the frame further comprises:
an engine compartment extending forwardly from the tunnel; and
an upper structure comprising:
a rear assembly extending upwardly and forwardly from the tunnel,
a front assembly extending forwardly and downwardly from the rear assembly; and
the upper structure forming a pyramidal structure, the throttle valve actuator being disposed within the pyramidal structure.

5. A snowmobile comprising:
a frame comprising:
a longitudinally extending tunnel; and
an upper structure forming a pyramidal structure, the upper structure comprising:
a rear assembly extending upwardly and forwardly from the tunnel, the rear assembly comprising:
a rear left brace extending upwardly, forwardly and rightwardly from the tunnel; and
a rear right brace extending upwardly, forwardly and leftwardly from the tunnel;

and
a front assembly extending forwardly and downwardly from the rear assembly, the front assembly comprising:
a front left brace extending upwardly, rearwardly and rightwardly from a suspension module; and
a front right brace extending upwardly, rearwardly and leftwardly from the suspension module,

the front left brace, the front right brace, the rear left brace and the rear right brace being joined together to form an apex of the pyramidal structure,

a fuel tank disposed on the tunnel;
an engine connected to the frame;
a throttle body fluidly communicating with the engine;
a throttle valve disposed in the throttle body for regulating fluid flow through the throttle body into the engine, a position of the throttle valve being movable between an open position and a closed position;
a throttle operator connected to the frame to control the position of the throttle valve, the throttle operator being moveable between an idle position and a drive position; and
a throttle valve actuator operatively connected to the throttle valve and the throttle operator, the throttle valve actuator controlling the position of the throttle valve based at least in part on a position of the throttle operator, the throttle valve actuator being an electric throttle valve actuator, the throttle valve actuator being disposed longitudinally between the fuel tank and the engine, the throttle valve actuator being disposed within the pyramidal structure, the apex being disposed vertically higher than the throttle valve actuator, and at least one of the front left brace, the front right brace, the rear left brace and the rear right brace extending vertically lower than the throttle valve actuator.

6. The snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein the engine comprises:
a cylinder defining a cylinder axis;
an exhaust outlet defined in a forward portion of the cylinder; and
an air inlet defined in a rearward portion of the cylinder, the throttle body fluidly communicating with the air inlet.

7. The snowmobile of claim 6 , further comprising:
a primary air box fluidly connecting the throttle body to the air inlet; and
a secondary air box fluidly communicating with the throttle body and receiving air from outside the engine, at least a portion of the secondary air box being disposed above the engine, at least a portion of the secondary air box being disposed forwardly of the engine.

8. The snowmobile of claim 1 , further comprising a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the CVT comprising:
a drive pulley connected to the engine and rotatable about a drive pulley rotation axis;
a driven pulley rotatable about a driven pulley rotation axis;
an endless belt coupling the driven pulley to the drive pulley,
wherein the throttle valve actuator is disposed rearward of a CVT plane containing the drive pulley rotation axis and the driven pulley rotation axis.

9. The snowmobile of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the throttle valve actuator is disposed longitudinally within a projection of a circumferential edge of the driven pulley on a longitudinally extending vertical plane.

10. The snowmobile of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the throttle valve actuator is disposed vertically within a projection of the circumferential edge of the driven pulley on a longitudinally extending vertical plane.

11. A snowmobile comprising:
a frame comprising a longitudinally extending tunnel;
a fuel tank disposed on the tunnel;
an engine connected to the frame;
a throttle body fluidly communicating with the engine;
a throttle valve disposed in the throttle body for regulating fluid flow through the throttle body into the engine, a position of the throttle valve being movable between an open position and a closed position;
a throttle operator connected to the frame to control the position of the throttle valve, the throttle operator being moveable between an idle position and a drive position;
a throttle valve actuator operatively connected to the throttle valve and the throttle operator, the throttle valve actuator controlling the position of the throttle valve based at least in part on a position of the throttle operator, the throttle valve actuator being an electric throttle valve actuator, the throttle valve actuator being disposed longitudinally between the fuel tank and the engine;
a continuously variable transmission (CVT) comprising:
a drive pulley connected to the engine and rotatable about a drive pulley rotation axis;
a driven pulley rotatable about a driven pulley rotation axis; and
an endless belt coupling the driven pulley to the drive pulley, and

a countershaft connected between the driven pulley and a gear reduction drive, wherein the throttle valve actuator is disposed longitudinally rearward of the countershaft.

12. The snowmobile of claim 11 , further comprising:
a track operatively connected to the engine via the CVT; and
a sprocket engaging the track and defining a sprocket axis, wherein the throttle valve actuator is disposed longitudinally forward of the sprocket axis.

13. A snowmo

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Bernier Michel
• Pion Benoit
• Milot Pierre-Luc
• Pard Jean-Sebastien
• Lefebvre Michel

Classifications

• F02N11/101

  for preventing engine starter actuation or engagement · CPC title

• F02M35/162

  Motorcycles; All-terrain vehicles, e.g. quads, snowmobiles; Small vehicles, e.g. forklifts · CPC title

• F02D11/10

  of the electric type · CPC title

• B62M27/02 Primary

  power driven · CPC title

• F02D2009/0277

  Fail-safe mechanisms, e.g. with limp-home feature, to close throttle if actuator fails, or if control cable sticks or breaks · CPC title