Off road vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11766932-B2
Application number	US-202217670681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2022
Priority date	Aug 23, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

An off-road vehicle includes a frame, a front suspension, and a rear suspension. In some examples of the off-road vehicle, the rear suspension includes trailing arms with are pivotally attached to the frame rearward of an operator area. Further, the frame can include a front subframe assembly and a rear subframe assembly which are easily removable from the main frame of the vehicle to permit access to various components of the off-road vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame;
a rear subframe, wherein the rear subframe is removable from the vehicle frame;
a rear bulkhead, the rear bulkhead located forwardly of a rear of the rear subframe,
wherein the rear bulkhead is connected to the vehicle frame and wherein
removal of the rear subframe allows access to the rear bulkhead;

an engine, the engine being transverse to a longitude of the vehicle; and
a transmission, wherein the rear bulkhead is coupled to a rear of the transmission.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a front differential.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising a rear differential.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a rear cradle, the rear cradle suspending the engine above lower frame members.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the rear cradle suspends the engine above a portion of the rear subframe.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the engine, transmission, bulkhead are removable from the vehicle as a first assembly.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising an oil tank that is remote from the engine.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the oil tank is removable as part of the first assembly without disconnecting oil lines.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising a radiator, wherein the radiator is removable as part of the first assembly without disconnecting coolant lines.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a wishbone trailing arm suspension attached to the frame at two locations.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the wishbone trailing arm suspension is coupled to the frame via an adjuster, the adjuster configured to dynamically adjust camber angle during operation of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the adjuster comprises an actuator.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame;
a rear subframe;
a rear bulkhead, the rear bulkhead forwardly of a rear of the rear subframe;
a rear engine cradle connected to the vehicle frame and the rear subframe; and
an engine, the engine being transverse to a longitude of the vehicle and coupled to the rear engine cradle, wherein the rear engine cradle suspends the engine above a portion of the rear subframe, wherein the rear engine cradle is U-shaped and attaches to both a front and rear of the engine.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , further including a front subframe, wherein the front subframe and the rear subframe are removable from the vehicle frame.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , further including a transmission, wherein the rear cradle is further attached to a front of the transmission.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the rear bulkhead is attached to a rear of the transmission.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the engine is attached to the rear cradle with vibration isolating mounts.

Assignees

• Arctic Cat Inc

Inventors

• Harris Brian
• Macdonald Todd
• Kallock Cody
• Gordon Robby
• Niemiec Mike
• Mckeen Michael

Classifications

• B60K17/34 Primary

  for driving both front and rear wheels, e.g. four wheel drive vehicles · CPC title

• B60G3/145

  the arm forming the axle housing · CPC title

• B60G3/185

  the arms being essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60G3/207

  the arms being essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60G7/006

  Attaching arms to sprung or unsprung part of vehicle, characterised by comprising attachment means controlled by an external actuator, e.g. a fluid or electrical motor (B62D7/146 takes precedence) · CPC title