Off-road recreational vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11787279-B2
Application number	US-202117470080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2021
Priority date	Aug 23, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

Embodiments relate to an off-road vehicle comprising a frame, including at least one cargo box support member, a suspension movably coupled to the frame, a passenger compartment, an engine, a transmission operatively coupled to the engine, and a cargo box. The cargo box includes a floor and a plurality of upwardly extending sidewalls, wherein at least a portion of the cargo box floor extends over the at least one cargo box support member and wherein the cargo box is removably coupled to the at least one cargo box support members and is removable from the off-road vehicle via the removal of fewer than eight fasteners.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An off-road vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a suspension movably coupled to the frame;
a passenger compartment;
an engine having an engine block;
a transmission operatively coupled to the engine; and
an engine cradle, the engine cradle having a first portion extending forwardly of the engine block and a second portion extending rearwardly of the engine block, wherein the first portion of the engine cradle includes first and second cradle uprights secured to the engine and wherein the second portion of the engine cradle includes first and second cradle legs extending rearwardly from the first and second cradle uprights, respectively.

2. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cradle uprights each include one or more bolt holes for securing the engine to the first and second cradle uprights.

3. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the engine cradle includes cradle uprights, wherein the engine cradle further includes a cradle support coupled to the first and second cradle uprights, wherein the cradle support is located forward of the first and second cradle uprights, and wherein the engine cradle further includes front isolators, wherein the front isolators couple the cradle support to the frame.

4. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the engine cradle further includes a hoop member, having one or more tabs for supporting an intake assembly.

5. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , further including a cradle bridge member coupled to the second portion of the engine cradle, wherein the cradle bridge member is located rearward of the engine cradle.

6. The off-road vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the engine is coupled to the cradle bridge member.

7. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , further including a transmission support member coupled to the frame, wherein the transmission support member is coupled to the transmission.

8. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the suspension includes a front suspension comprising upper A-arms and lower A-arms, wherein the upper A-arms are movably coupled to the frame via a front upper A-arm support member.

9. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , further including side-by-side seats arranged within the passenger compartment.

10. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes at least one cargo box support member.

11. The off-road vehicle of claim 10 , further including a cargo box, wherein the cargo box is removably coupled to the at least one cargo box support member.

12. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a driveshaft is coupled to the transmission, wherein one or more portions of the driveshaft extends beneath a portion of the engine.

13. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , further including an exhaust assembly.

14. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , further including:
a radiator;
a first coolant line extending from a front of the radiator to the engine, wherein the first coolant line provides coolant from the radiator to the engine; and
a second coolant line extending from a back of the radiator to the engine, wherein the second coolant line provides coolant from the engine to the radiator.

15. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the suspension includes a rear suspension, and wherein the rear suspension includes a wishbone trailing arm attachment to the frame.

16. An off-road vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a suspension movably coupled to the frame;
a passenger compartment;
an engine having an engine block;
a transmission operatively coupled to the engine;
an engine cradle, the engine cradle having a first portion extending forwardly of the engine block and a second portion extending rearwardly of the engine block; and
a cradle bridge member coupled to the second portion of the engine cradle, wherein the cradle bridge member is located rearward of the engine cradle, wherein the engine is coupled to the cradle bridge member.

17. The off-road vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of the engine cradle includes first and second cradle uprights secured to the engine and wherein the second portion of the engine cradle includes first and second cradle legs extending rearwardly from the first and second cradle uprights, respectively, wherein the engine cradle further includes a cradle support coupled to the first and second cradle uprights, wherein the cradle support is located forward of the first and second cradle uprights, and wherein the engine cradle further includes front isolators, wherein the front isolators couple the cradle support to the frame.

Assignees

• Arctic Cat Inc

Inventors

• Ward Nicholas Keegan
• Williams Chadwick Allen
• Baker Luke Adam
• Nygren Ross Leonard
• Swanson Aaron Lee
• Kallock Cody Tove
• Olason Kyle Douglas
• Purcell Lucas Grant
• Anderson Reid Dale
• Root Casey Leland
• Lupelow Michael Jeffrey
• Brausen Thomas Robert
• Deck Stephen Tyler
• Kruse Shane Dean
• Gordon Robby

Classifications

• B60K5/1275 Primary

  Plastically deformable supports · 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

• B60G7/003

  of adjustable length · CPC title