Utility vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10766533-B2
Application number	US-201815888443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Dec 10, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle includes a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members, and a seating area supported by the frame assembly and configured to support at least an operator and a passenger. The vehicle also includes a cargo area positioned rearward of the seating area and including a floor configured to support cargo thereon. Additionally, the vehicle includes a powertrain assembly including an engine and a transmission operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging members. A heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the engine. The heat exchanger is angled relative to the floor of the cargo area and positioned along a lateral side of the cargo area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members;
a seating area supported by the frame assembly and configured to support at least an operator and a passenger;
a cargo area positioned rearward of the seating area and including a floor configured to support cargo thereon;
a powertrain assembly including an engine and a transmission operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging members;
a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the engine, the heat exchanger being angled relative to the floor of the cargo area and positioned along a lateral side of the cargo area; and
an air intake assembly having a first air intake fluidly coupled to the engine and a second air intake fluidly coupled to the transmission, and both the first and second air intakes are positioned along a side of the cargo area.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a housing removably coupled to a portion of the cargo area and configured to support the heat exchanger therein; and at least one fan fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the at least one fan includes a first fan and a second fan, and both the first and second fans are angled relative to the floor of the cargo area.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the first fan is angled relative to the second fan.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the air intake assembly is positioned laterally outward of the seating area.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the air intake assembly is configured to vent air rearwardly from the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising a housing removably coupled to a portion of the cargo area and configured to include the first air intake, the second air intake, and the heat exchanger, and the housing includes a first vent positioned at a forward portion of the housing and a second vent positioned at a rearward portion of the vehicle, and the second vent is configured to expel air rearwardly from the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the housing further includes a third vent positioned longitudinally intermediate the first and second vents, and the first vent is configured to provide air to the engine and the transmission and the third vent is configured to provide air to the heat exchanger.

9. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members including at least one front ground-engaging member and at least one rear ground-engaging member;
a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members and extending between a forward frame portion and a rearward frame portion along a longitudinal axis;
a cargo area supported on the rearward frame portion of the frame assembly;
a powertrain assembly supported on the rearward frame portion of the frame assembly and including an engine and a transmission operably coupled to at least one of the front and rear ground-engaging members;
a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the engine and positioned above the at least one rear ground-engaging member; and
a housing configured to include the heat exchanger, a first air intake fluidly coupled to the engine, and a second air intake fluidly coupled to the transmission, and the housing is positioned above the at least one rear ground-engaging member.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the cargo area extends laterally between a first lateral side and a second lateral side and includes a generally continuous floor portion extending between the first and second lateral sides and configured to receive cargo thereon, and the heat exchanger and the first and second air intakes are laterally spaced apart from the generally continuous floor portion.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising a seating area supported by the frame assembly, and at least a portion of the housing is positioned laterally outward of the seating area.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the housing is removably coupled to a portion of the cargo area, and the housing includes a first vent configured to receive air into the housing and a second vent configured to expel air from the housing, and the second vent is configured to expel air in a rearward direction from the housing.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger is angled relative to the longitudinal axis.

14. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis;
a seating area supported by the frame assembly and configured to support an operator and at least one passenger;
a cargo area supported on the frame assembly and positioned rearward of the seating area;
a powertrain assembly supported on a rearward frame portion of the frame assembly and including an engine and a transmission operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging members; and
an air intake assembly fluidly coupled to the engine and the transmission and positioned rearward of at least a portion of the seating area, and the air intake assembly comprises:
a housing;
a first air intake fluidly coupled to the engine and positioned within the housing;

and
a second air intake fluidly coupled to the transmission and positioned within the housing.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the housing is removably coupled to a portion of the cargo area.

16. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is positioned laterally outward of the seating area.

17. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the housing includes a wall separating the first air intake and the second air intake.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the air intake assembly further comprises a heat exchanger supported within the housing, and the first and second air intakes are positioned forward of the heat exchanger.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the heat exchanger is angled relative to the longitudinal axis and is angled relative to a vertical axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the air intake assembly further comprises at least one fan angled fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger and angled relative to the longitudinal axis.

21. The vehicle of claim 20 , wherein the at least one fan includes a first fan and a second fan, and the first fan is angled relative to the second fan.

22. The vehicle of claim 19 , wherein housing includes a first vent fluidly coupled to at least one of the engine and the transmission and a second vent fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger.

23. The vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the housing further includes a third vent configured to expel air rearwardly from the housing.

24. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members;
a seating area supported by the frame assembly and configured to support at least an operator and a passenger;
a cargo area positioned rearward of the seating area and including a floor configured to support cargo thereon;
a powertrain assembly including an engine and a transmission operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging members;
a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the engine, the heat exchanger being angled relative to the floor of the cargo area and positioned along a lateral side of the cargo ar

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Houkom Austin L
• Schounard Kyle J
• Hicke David J
• Peterson Shawn D
• Ellefson Travis J

Classifications

• B62D21/183 Primary

  specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts (tubular skeleton B62D23/005) · CPC title

• B60R21/13

  Roll-over protection (electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01) · CPC title

• B62D21/11

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title

• B62D21/02 Primary

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title