Side-by-side ATV

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926664-B2
Application number	US-201414478700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Jul 28, 2006
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to trail compliant side-by-side all terrain vehicles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a front suspension comprising at least one right front control arm and at least one left front control arm, the control arms being coupled to the frame, and a front torsion bar coupled between the front control arms;
at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;
a rear suspension comprising at least one right rear control arm and at least one left rear control arm, the control arms being coupled to the frame, and a rear torsion bar coupled between the rear control arms;
at least two rear wheels coupled to the rear suspension;
a seating area supported by the frame, comprising side by side seats each having a seat back and a seat bottom;
an engine supported by the frame, the engine positioned rearward of the seating area, and each seat bottom has a seating surface with a low point of the seating surface being lower than a top of the engine;
a transmission comprising a continuously variable transmission operatively coupled to the engine;
a front axle assembly supported by the frame and drivingly coupling the transmission to the front wheels;
a rear axle assembly supported by the frame and drivingly coupling the transmission to the rear wheels;
an engine cover supported by the frame over one of the engine and transmission rearward of the seating area, the engine cover comprising a floor and upstanding sidewalls;
an engine air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to the engine;
a clutch air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to a clutch housing of the continuously variable transmission, a portion of an opening of the engine air intake being laterally aligned with a portion of an opening of the clutch air intake, the portion of the opening of the engine air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover and the portion of the opening of the clutch air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover;
a storage compartment positioned forward of a steering wheel;
a cover positioned forward of the steering wheel and over the storage compartment, the cover being moveable between a closed position denying access to the storage compartment and an open position permitting access to the storage compartment, the cover being rotatable forward from the closed position to the open position, a portion of the cover being longitudinally aligned with the steering wheel; and
outermost points of the vehicle in a width-wise direction define a width of less than 54 inches.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising front tires mounted to the front wheels.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein outer surfaces of the front tires define the outermost points.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle has a front panel having front fenders, and outer surfaces of the front fenders define the outermost points.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle width is approximately 50 inches.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a battery positioned underneath one of the seat bottoms.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the engine, transmission and at least a portion of the rear axle assembly define a modular engine assembly capable of being mounted to or dismounted from the frame as a unit.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the modular engine assembly is mounted to the frame by at least first and second mounting assemblies, where the first mounting assembly is coupled to the rear axle assembly.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the first mounting assembly includes at least one bracket coupled to the portion of the rear axle assembly and a mounting plate positioned between the bracket and frame.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the second mounting assembly is coupled to the engine.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising a third mounting assembly coupling the modular engine assembly to the frame.

12. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the rear axle assembly has a rear drive axis, and the first mounting assembly is coupled to the portion of the rear axle assembly rearward of the rear drive axis.

13. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the portion of the rear axle assembly is a differential.

14. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a front suspension coupled to the frame;
at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;
a rear suspension coupled to the frame;
at least two rear wheels coupled to the rear suspension;
a seating area supported by the frame, comprising side by side seats each having a seat back and a seat bottom;
an engine supported by the frame, the engine positioned rearward of the seating area, and each seat bottom has a seating surface with a low point of the seating surface being lower than a top of the engine, the spaced-apart seating surfaces including a driver seating surface and a passenger seating surface;
a fuel tank being positioned underneath one of the seat bottoms;
a transmission comprising a continuously variable transmission operatively coupled to the engine;
a front axle assembly supported by the frame and drivingly coupling the transmission to the front wheels;
a rear axle assembly supported by the frame and drivingly coupling the transmission to the rear wheels;
a front end comprising a front body panel having outer fenders, and a hood;
a cab intermediate the front and rear wheels, the seating area being positioned within the cab;
a rear end comprising an engine cover;
a protective cage positioned over the cab including front and rear frame tubes extending upwardly from the cab to form the protective cage;
an engine air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to the engine;
a clutch air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to a clutch housing of the continuously variable transmission, a portion of an opening of the engine air intake being laterally aligned with a portion of an opening of the clutch air intake, the portion of the opening of the engine air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover and forward of the rear suspension and the portion of the opening of the clutch air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover and forward of the rear suspension; and
outermost points of the vehicle in a width-wise direction define a width of less than 54 inches.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a front console and an adjustable steering wheel.

16. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a transmission shift lever intermediate the seat bottoms.

17. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a cover, including one or more of a roof, a windshield and doors.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the cab defines an operator and passenger entry.

19. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the cab has side panels located along a front margin of the operator and passenger entry, a lower edge of the operator and passenger entry, and a rear edge of the operator and passenger entry.

20. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the engine cover is comprised of a floor and upstanding sidewalls, the engine cover being coupled to the frame and extending over the engine rearward of the seating area.

21. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a battery positioned underneath one of the seat bottoms.

22. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle width is approximately 50 inches.

23. Th

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Sunsdahl Richard Larry
• Deckard Aaron David
• Tullemans Marcus Johannes
• Plugge Jason Carl
• Meyer Alan A
• White Geoffrey G
• Safranski Brian Michael

Classifications

• B62D21/183 Primary

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

• B60K5/00

  Arrangement or mounting of internal-combustion or jet-propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• B60K17/35

  including arrangements for suppressing or influencing the power transfer, e.g. viscous clutches · CPC title

• B60N2/01 Primary

  Arrangement of seats relative to one another · CPC title

• B62D33/0617

  for tractors or off-the-road vehicles (protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors B60R21/131) · CPC title