Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10960937-B2
Application number	US-201715662674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Mar 16, 2007
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A utility vehicle includes at least one front ground-engaging member, at least one rear ground-engaging member, and a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and supported by the at least one front ground-engaging member and the at least one rear ground-engaging member. The utility vehicle also includes an operator area supported by the frame assembly and a powertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly. The powertrain assembly includes at least an engine and a gearbox operably coupled to the engine. The utility vehicle also includes a cooling assembly fluidly coupled to at least the engine and supported by a front portion of the frame assembly. The cooling assembly includes a radiator with a lower portion positioned forward of an upper portion of the radiator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A utility vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members, including at least first and second ground-engaging members defining front ground-engaging members and third and fourth ground-engaging members defining rear ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and being supported by at least one of the front ground-engaging members and at least one of the rear ground-engaging members;
an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including side-by-side seating;
a powertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly and including at least an engine and a transmission operably coupled to the engine and to at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging members;
a cooling assembly fluidly coupled to at least the engine and supported by a front portion of the frame assembly, the cooling assembly including a radiator having a lower end positioned forward of an upper end of the radiator; and
a front suspension assembly operably coupled to the at least one of the front ground-engaging members, the front suspension assembly including at least a shock absorber, and the lower end of the radiator is below a mid-portion of the shock absorber when the vehicle is at rest.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the engine and the transmission is positioned rearward of the side-by-side seating.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the powertrain assembly is positioned within the operator area.

4. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion of the radiator is horizontally below an upper surface of each of the first and second ground-engaging members when the vehicle is at rest.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the radiator is stationary relative to the front portion of the frame assembly.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a width of the radiator extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

7. A utility vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members, including at least first and second ground-engaging members defining front ground-engaging members and third and fourth ground-engaging members defining rear ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and being supported by at least one of the front ground-engaging members and at least one of the rear ground-engaging members;
an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including side-by-side seating;
a powertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly and including at least an engine and a transmission operably coupled to the engine and to at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging members; and
a cooling assembly fluidly coupled to at least the engine and including a radiator having an upper end angled rearwardly relative to a lower end, and a first end of the radiator is positioned forward of an axis of rotation of the at least one of the front ground-engaging members,
wherein an entirety of the radiator is positioned forward of the axis of rotation of the at least one of the front ground-engaging members.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the radiator is angled rearwardly by approximately 45° relative to the longitudinal axis.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the radiator is positioned at a forwardmost portion of the frame assembly.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the engine and the transmission is positioned rearward of the side-by-side seating.

11. A utility vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members, including at least first and second ground-engaging members defining front ground-engaging members and third and fourth ground-engaging members defining rear ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and being supported by at least one of the front ground-engaging members and at least one of the rear ground-engaging members;
an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including side-by-side seating;
a powertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly and including at least an engine and a transmission operably coupled to the engine and to at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging members; and
a cooling assembly fluidly coupled to at least the engine and including a radiator having an upper end angled rearwardly relative to a lower end, and a first end of the radiator is positioned forward of an axis of rotation of the at least one of the front ground-engaging members, wherein the frame assembly includes an upper frame assembly extending upwardly relative to the operator area, and at least a portion of the upper frame assembly is configured to move between a raised position and a lowered position.

12. A utility vehicle, comprising:
at least one front ground-engaging member having an axis of rotation and being configured to engage a ground surface;
at least one rear ground-engaging member having an axis of rotation and being configured to engage the ground surface;
a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and being supported by the at least one front ground-engaging member and the at least one rear ground-engaging member;
an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including side-by-side seating;
a powertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly and including at least an engine and a transmission operably coupled to the engine and to at least one of the front and rear ground-engaging members;
a cooling assembly fluidly coupled to at least the engine and including a radiator angled rearwardly wherein a lower end of the radiator is positioned forward of an upper end of the radiator, and the radiator is positioned at a vertical height, relative to the ground surface, greater than that of the axis of rotation of the at least one front ground-engaging member when the vehicle is at rest; and
a front suspension assembly operably coupled to the at least one front ground-engaging member, the front suspension assembly including at least a shock absorber, and the lower end of the radiator is at a vertical height of a lower end of the shock absorber.

13. The utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the lower end of the radiator vertically overlaps an upper portion of the at least one front ground-engaging member when the vehicle is at rest.

14. The utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein a portion of the radiator is positioned at a forwardmost location of the frame assembly.

15. The utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the radiator is fixed to a front portion of the frame assembly.

16. The utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the engine and the gearbox is positioned rearward of the side-by-side seating.

17. The utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the frame assembly includes lower longitudinally-extending frame members defining a lower extent of the frame assembly, and the radiator is positioned above the lower longitudinally-extending frame members.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Novotny Shane
• Schlangen Adam J
• Morisch Bradley R
• Maki Richard R
• Villafan Rojas Carlos A
• Raska Jason K
• Leonard Josh J
• Strobach Daniel P
• Goffman Daniel L
• Hetland Jonathan M
• Kass Alex F
• Leonard Jed P
• Luoma Aaron T

Classifications

• B60G15/06 Primary

  and fluid damper · CPC title

• B62D61/12

  with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels (for manoeuvring purposes only B60S) · CPC title

• B60G2206/0114

  Independent suspensions on subframes · CPC title

• B60R21/13

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

• B60G15/067

  characterised by the mounting on the vehicle body or chassis of the spring and damper unit · CPC title