Snow vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10899415-B2
Application number	US-201815927628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2018
Priority date	Mar 22, 2017
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A snow vehicle is disclosed comprising a uni-body frame having a forward engine compartment, a propulsion unit coupled to the frame, and a front ski steered by a steering mechanism. The snow vehicle has a chain coupling the sprocket of the propulsion unit located outside of the frame and directly coupled to the belt drive.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A snow vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame, the frame having an engine compartment having sidewalls;
a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the powertrain being housed between the sidewalls; the transmission comprising a driveshaft protruding through one of the sidewalls;
a drive coupler attached to the driveshaft and positioned on an opposite side of the one sidewall as said powertrain;
a rear suspension;
a drive belt coupled to the rear suspension;
a propulsion driven member supported by the frame and coupled to the belt, the propulsion driven member rotating about a belt drive axis;

a driven coupler positioned adjacent to the drive coupler and coupled to the propulsion driven member; and
a linear element coupling the drive coupler and the driven coupler to drive the drive belt.

2. The snow vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes side panels coupled to a center section.

3. The snow vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the sidewalls are formed on the front panel portions of the side panels and define an engine compartment.

4. The snow vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the drive and driven couplers are sprockets, and the linear element is a chain.

5. The snow vehicle of claim 4 , further comprising a chain case cover positioned over the sprockets and chain.

6. The snow vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising a cover portion coupled to the front panel portions.

7. The snow vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the cover portion and side panels substantially enclose the powertrain.

8. The snow vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising a fuel tank supported by the center section.

9. The snow vehicle of claim 8 , wherein a forwardmost position of the fuel tank is rearward of the belt drive axis.

10. The snow vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the center section and side panels define a tunnel and a rotational axis of the driveshaft is above at least a portion of the tunnel.

11. The snow vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising rider foot pegs coupled to the side panels.

12. The snow vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the belt drive axis is forward of the foot pegs by a distance X 1 .

13. The snow vehicle of claim 12 , wherein X 1 is approximately 5 inches.

14. The snow vehicle of claim 12 , wherein a rotational axis of the driveshaft is forward of the belt drive axis by a distance X 2 .

15. The snow vehicle of claim 14 , wherein X 2 is approximately 5.5 inches.

16. The snow vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising rider foot pegs coupled to the frame and a transmission shifter positioned adjacent to one of the foot pegs.

17. The snow vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the transmission shifter includes a foot treadle portion, positioned forward of the belt drive axis.

18. A snow vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame;
a steering system supported by the vehicle frame and having a handle bar, where the handle bar has a handle bar grip;
a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising a driveshaft;
a drive coupler attached to the driveshaft;
a rear suspension;
a drive belt coupled to the rear suspension;
a propulsion driven member supported by the frame and coupled to the belt, the propulsion driven member rotating about a belt drive axis;
operator foot supports, wherein the operator foot supports comprise foot pegs, wherein the belt drive axis is forward of the foot supports by a distance X 1 ; and
a transmission shifter positioned adjacent to one of the foot supports, wherein a distance X 6 from the handle bar grip to the front edge of the foot pegs is in the range of 12 to 16 inches.

19. The snow vehicle of claim 18 , wherein X 1 is in a range between 2 and 6 inches.

20. The snow vehicle of claim 19 , wherein X 1 is approximately 5 inches.

21. The snow vehicle of claim 18 , wherein a rotational axis of the driveshaft is forward of the belt drive axis by a distance X 2 .

22. The snow vehicle of claim 21 , wherein X 2 is in a range between 2 and 6 inches.

23. The snow vehicle of claim 22 , wherein X 2 is approximately 5.5 inches.

24. The snow vehicle of claim 18 , further comprising a driven coupler positioned adjacent to the drive coupler and coupled to the propulsion driven member; and a linear element coupling the drive coupler and the driven coupler to drive the drive belt.

25. The snow vehicle of claim 24 , wherein the frame has an engine compartment having sidewalls, the powertrain being housed between the sidewalls.

26. The snow vehicle of claim 25 , wherein the driveshaft protrudes through one of the sidewalls and is positioned on an opposite side of the one sidewall as said powertrain.

27. The snow vehicle of claim 25 , wherein the frame includes side panels coupled to a center section.

28. The snow vehicle of claim 27 , wherein the sidewalls are formed on the front panel portions of the side panels and define an engine compartment.

29. The snow vehicle of claim 28 , wherein the frame includes a cover portion coupled to the front panel portions.

30. The snow vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the cover portion and side panels substantially enclose the powertrain.

31. The snow vehicle of claim 27 , further comprising a fuel tank supported by the center section.

32. The snow vehicle of claim 31 , wherein a forwardmost position of the fuel tank is rearward of the belt drive axis.

33. The snow vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the center section and side panels define a tunnel and a rotational axis of the driveshaft is above at least a portion of the tunnel.

34. The snow vehicle of claim 27 , wherein the foot pegs are coupled to the side panels.

35. The snow vehicle of claim 24 , wherein the drive and driven couplers are sprockets, and the linear element is a chain.

36. The snow vehicle of claim 35 , further comprising a chain case cover positioned over the chain.

37. The snow vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the transmission shifter includes a foot treadle portion, positioned forward of the belt drive axis.

38. The snow vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the belt has a belt length of over 140 inches.

39. The snow vehicle of claim 38 , wherein the belt length is 146 inches.

40. The snow vehicle of claim 18 , further comprising a front ski wherein the front ski is coupled to the vehicle about a ski rotational axis where a distance X 4 is provided between the ski rotational axis and the belt drive axis.

41. The snow vehicle of claim 40 , wherein X 4 is in a range of 32 to 38 inches.

42. The snow vehicle of claim 41 , wherein X 4 is approximately 34 inches.

43. The snow vehicle of claim 18 , where a distance X 5 from the handle bar grip to the belt drive axis is in the range of 8 to 14 inches.

44. The snow vehicle of claim 43 , wherein the distance X 5 is 10 inches.

45. A snow vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame;
a steering system supported by the vehicle frame and having a handle bar, where the handle bar has a handle bar grip;
a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising a driveshaft;
a drive cou

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Mangum Allen M
• Brooks Jimmy D

Classifications

• B62M2027/021

  Snow bikes resembling conventional motorcycles · CPC title

• B62M2027/022

  Snow drive conversions for cycles with wheels · CPC title

• B62M2027/026

  Snow mobiles characterised by the suspension means · CPC title

• B62D55/12

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of driving sprockets · CPC title

• B62M2027/027

  Snow mobiles characterised by the tracks · CPC title