Off-road vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084145-B2
Application number	US-202217745767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2022
Priority date	Nov 18, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments include an off-road vehicle with a straddle seat, a plurality of ground engaging members, a prime mover and a frame having a removable frame portion overlying the prime mover, wherein at least a portion of the engine extends above at least a portion of the removable frame portion, and wherein at least a portion of the straddle seat extends over the removable frame portion and the prime mover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An off-road vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of front ground engaging members;
an engine; and
a steering assembly, the steering assembly comprising a steering post mechanically coupled to a plurality of front ground engaging members, each of the front ground engaging members coupled to the frame via a steering control arm,
wherein the steering control arm comprises a parallel portion and an angled portion, the parallel portion is connected to the frame and the angled portion is connected to a ground engaging member assembly;
wherein the parallel portion is substantially parallel to a ground plane and the angled portion is angled relative to the ground plane,
wherein the parallel portion extends a lateral distance that is greater than a lateral width of the frame.

2. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a ball joint is mechanically coupled to each of the front ground engaging members and to the steering control arm.

3. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the ball joint is disposed at an angle nonorthogonal to the ground plane.

4. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the parallel portion extends a lateral distance from a longitudinal centerline of the off-road vehicle that is greater than a lateral width of the frame from the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

5. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the angled portion is disposed at an angle relative to the ground plane within an angular range of about 10° -30° .

6. The off-road vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of steering control arms connect to each of the front ground engaging members.

7. An off-road vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of front ground engaging members;
an engine; and
a steering assembly, the steering assembly comprising a steering post mechanically coupled to a plurality of front ground engaging members, each of the front ground engaging members coupled to the frame via a steering control arm, wherein the steering control arm comprises a parallel portion and an angled portion, the parallel portion is connected to the frame and the angled portion is connected to a ground engaging member assembly, wherein the parallel portion is substantially parallel to a ground plane and the angled portion is angled relative to the ground plane, and wherein the parallel portion of the steering control arm is positioned at a first vertical distance from the ground plane and wherein a lowermost portion of the frame is positioned at a second vertical distance from the ground plane, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance-
and wherein the parallel portion extends a lateral distance from a longitudinal centerline of the off-road vehicle that is greater than a lateral width of the frame from the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

8. The off-road vehicle of claim 7 , wherein a ball joint is mechanically coupled to each of the front ground engaging members and to the steering control arm at a third distance from the ground plane, wherein the third distance is less than the second distance.

9. The off-road vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the ball joint is disposed at an angle nonorthogonal to the ground plane.

10. The off-road vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the parallel portion extends a lateral distance from a longitudinal centerline of the off-road vehicle that is greater than a lateral width of the frame from the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

11. The off-road vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the angled portion is disposed at an angle relative to the ground plane within an angular range of about 10° -30° .

Assignees

• Arctic Cat Inc

Inventors

• Sorenson Derek
• Gilge Brent
• Simenson Chuck
• Evans Christopher J
• Macdonald Todd Ethan

Classifications

• B62K5/01 Primary

  Motorcycles with four or more wheels (specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/003) · CPC title

• B62J35/00

  Fuel tanks specially adapted for motorcycles or engine-assisted cycles; Arrangements thereof (fuel tanks forming part of cycle frames B62K11/00; tanks in general B60K {; closure caps for fuel tanks B60K15/0406}) · CPC title

• B62J41/00

  Arrangements of radiators, coolant hoses or pipes on cycles · CPC title

• B62J40/10

  characterised by air duct arrangements · CPC title

• B62J50/30

  Means for ventilation within devices provided on the cycle, e.g. ventilation means in a battery container · CPC title