Vehicle with upper and lower frame portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11130539-B2
Application number	US-201816612920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2018
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes a frame including a lower frame portion made from a first material and an upper frame portion made from a second material different from the first material, a center of gravity of the upper frame portion being above a center of gravity of the lower frame portion, at least one front suspension system connected to the lower frame portion, at least one front ground engaging member connected to the front suspension systems, at least one rear suspension system connected to the lower frame portion, at least one rear ground engaging member operatively connected to the rear suspension system, a power pack connected to and supported by the lower frame portion, a seat connected to and supported by at least one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion, and at least one body panel connected to and supported by the upper frame portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a frame comprising:
a lower frame portion made from a first material, and
an upper frame portion connected to the lower frame portion, the upper frame portion being made from a second material different from the first material,
a center of gravity of the upper frame portion being above a center of gravity of the lower frame portion;

two front suspension systems connected to the lower frame portion;
two front ground engaging members, each ground engaging member being operatively connected to one of the front suspension systems;
at least one rear suspension system connected to the lower frame portion;
at least one rear ground engaging member operatively connected to the at least one rear suspension system;
a power pack for providing power to at least one of:
the at least one front ground engaging member, and
the at least one rear ground engaging member,

the power pack being connected to and supported by the lower frame portion;
at least one seat connected to and supported by at least one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion; and
at least one body panel connected to and supported by the upper frame portion,
a front portion of the lower frame portion including:
a plurality of suspension mounts for connecting the two front suspension systems thereto, the plurality of suspension mounts including:
at least two mounts for connecting two pivoting arms of the two front suspension systems, and
at least two mounts for connecting two shock absorbers of the two front suspension systems.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first material has a higher density then the second material.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein a density of the first material is at least 2.5 times a density of the second material.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the density of the first material is at least 7.5 times the density of the second material.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a center of gravity of the power pack is above the center of gravity of the lower frame portion.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a steering system operatively connected to the ground engaging members for steering the vehicle, the steering system comprising:
a steering column rotatably supported by the upper frame portion.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein:
the steering column is rotatably connected to the upper frame portion at an upper portion of the steering column;
a bottom portion of the steering column is pivotably connected to the lower frame portion; and
the steering column extends upward and rearward from the bottom end of the steering column to the upper portion of the steering column.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the power pack comprises:
an internal combustion engine, and
a transmission system; and

the internal combustion engine and the transmission system are rigidly connected to each other.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper frame portion extends over a top of the power pack; and
the upper frame portion is connected to the lower frame portion near a front of the power pack and behind the power pack.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper frame portion is selectively fastened to the lower frame portion by a plurality of fasteners;
upon removal of at least some of the plurality of fasteners, the upper frame portion is upwardly pivotable with respect to the lower frame portion; and
when the upper frame portion has been pivoted upward with respect to the lower frame portion, a rear side of the power pack is accessible.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper frame portion includes a seat portion;
the at least one seat is connected to the seat portion of the upper frame portion; and
the lower frame portion extends rearward below seat portion for supporting the at least one seat and the seat portion of the upper frame portion.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a radiator connected to and supported by a forward portion of the lower frame portion.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the power pack is connected to the lower frame portion by a plurality of vibration absorbing mounts.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of body panels connected to the upper frame portion.

15. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first material is a metal and the lower frame portion comprises a plurality of lower frame members welded together.

16. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the upper frame portion comprises a plurality of molded upper frame members fastened together.

17. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a yield strength of the first material is at least ten times a yield strength of the second material.

18. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a Young's modulus of the first material is at least twenty times a Young's modulus of the second material.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the Young's modulus of the first material is at least fifty times the Young's modulus of the second material.

20. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a Poisson's ratio of the second material is at least 1.3 times a Poisson's ratio of the first material.

21. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a highest vertical point of the lower frame portion is lower than a highest vertical point of the upper frame portion.

22. A vehicle comprising:
a frame comprising:
a lower frame portion made from a first material, and
an upper frame portion connected to the lower frame portion, the upper frame portion being made from a second material different from the first material,
a center of gravity of the upper frame portion being above a center of gravity of the lower frame portion;

at least one front suspension system connected to the lower frame portion;
at least one front ground engaging member, the at least one ground engaging member being operatively connected to the at least one front suspension system;
at least one rear suspension system connected to the lower frame portion;
at least one rear ground engaging member operatively connected to the at least one rear suspension system;
a power pack for providing power to at least one of:
the at least one front ground engaging member, and
the at least one rear ground engaging member,

the power pack being connected to and supported by the lower frame portion;
at least one seat connected to and supported by at least one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion;
at least one body panel connected to and supported by the upper frame portion; and
at least one headlight connected to the upper frame portion,
the upper frame portion comprising a plurality of molded upper frame members fastened together; and
the upper frame portion defining at least one recess for receiving the at least one headlight.

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Laberge Nicolas
• Maltais-Larouche Emile
• Cote Andre
• Lavoie Sebastien

Classifications

• B62K5/06 Primary

  Frames for tricycles · CPC title

• B62K5/027 Primary

  Motorcycles with three wheels (specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023) · CPC title

• B62J25/06

  Bar-type foot rests · CPC title

• B62J25/04

  Floor-type foot rests · CPC title

• B62K19/24

  Screwed joints · CPC title