Snow vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11814136-B2
Application number	US-202016995960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2020
Priority date	Aug 20, 2019
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A snow vehicle includes a frame comprising an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion, a handlebar comprising a handlebar axis, said handlebar coupled to said upper frame portion and said lower frame portion and a tunnel comprising having a driven track shaft and a track rotatably coupled to the driven track shaft within the tunnel. A two-stroke engine includes a crankshaft and a tuned pipe coupled to the engine. The engine and the tuned pipe are positioned between the handlebar axis and the driven track shaft. A continuously variable transmission is disposed between the handlebar axis, the upper frame portion of the frame and the lower frame portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A snow vehicle comprising:
a frame comprising an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion, said lower frame portion comprising a first member and a second member spaced laterally apart;
a handlebar comprising a handlebar axis, said handlebar coupled to said upper frame portion and said lower frame portion;
a tunnel comprising a driven track shaft and a track rotatably coupled to the driven track shaft within the tunnel;
a two-stroke engine comprising a crankshaft and a tuned pipe coupled to the engine, said engine and said tuned pipe being positioned entirely between the handlebar axis and the driven track shaft, said tuned pipe laterally disposed laterally between the first member of the lower frame and the second member of the lower frame, at least a portion of the tuned pipe extending forward of the first member and the second member in a space between the lower frame portion and the handle bar axis; and
a continuously variable transmission disposed entirely between the handlebar axis, the driven track shaft, the upper frame portion of the frame and the lower frame portion.

2. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein the continuously variable transmission comprising a primary clutch and a secondary clutch, said primary clutch sharing a rotational axis with the crankshaft.

3. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 2 wherein said secondary clutch disposed between the engine and the upper frame portion.

4. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 2 further comprising a secondary shaft, said secondary shaft coupling the secondary clutch to the driven track shaft, said secondary shaft disposed longitudinally rearward of the driven track shaft.

5. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 2 further comprising a secondary shaft, said secondary shaft coupling the secondary clutch to the driven track shaft, said secondary shaft disposed longitudinally forward of the driven track shaft.

6. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein the handlebar is coupled to a ski having ski width.

7. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 6 wherein said first member and said second member having a lateral width not greater than the ski width.

8. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 7 wherein the tuned pipe is disposed entirely between the first member of the lower frame and the second member of the lower frame.

9. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 7 wherein the tuned pipe is disposed entirely laterally between the first member of the lower frame, the second member of the lower frame and below a width of the seat.

10. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 further comprising a foot peg disposed longitudinally between the driven track shaft and the handlebar axis.

11. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 further comprising a first foot peg coupled to the tunnel at a first point and a second foot peg coupled to the tunnel at a second point, a foot peg width defined between the first point and the second point, said engine comprising an engine width, a ratio of said engine width to foot peg width ranging from 0.9 to 1.1.

12. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein said track comprising a track width and said engine comprising an engine width, wherein a ratio of the engine width to track width ratio ranging from 0.9 to 1.2.

13. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 further comprising a first foot peg coupled to the tunnel at a first point and a second foot peg coupled to the tunnel at a second point, a foot peg width defined between the first point and the second point, and wherein said track comprising a track width, wherein a first ratio of the track width to foot peg width and a second ratio of engine width to track width ranging from 0.9 to about 1.2.

14. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein the track comprises a track width and wherein the tunnel comprises a maximum outside width between 0.5 inches and 1.0 inches wider than the track width.

15. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein the track comprises a track width and wherein the tunnel comprises a maximum outside width ranging from 0.75 inches to 1.0 inches wider than the track width.

16. The snow vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein the handlebar is coupled to a ski through a ski bolt, wherein a longitudinal distance between the ski bolt and the driven track shaft ranging from 32 inches to 33.5 inches.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Fuchs Michael
• Telford Cody

Classifications

• B62M27/02 Primary

  power driven · CPC title

• B62M2027/023

  Snow mobiles characterised by engine mounting arrangements · CPC title

• B62M2027/025

  Snow mobiles characterised by the skis · CPC title

• B62M2027/026

  Snow mobiles characterised by the suspension means · CPC title

• B62M2027/027

  Snow mobiles characterised by the tracks · CPC title