Utility vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415412-B2
Application number	US-202217992394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2022
Priority date	Nov 22, 2022
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A utility vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a traveling drive source, a mount bracket for mounting the traveling drive source on the vehicle body frame, and a related component connected to the traveling drive source. The related component is supported by the mount bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A utility vehicle comprising: a vehicle body frame; a traveling drive source; a mount bracket for mounting the traveling drive source on the vehicle body frame; and a propeller shaft connected to the traveling drive source, and extending in a vehicle body front-rear direction, the propeller shaft being configured to transmit power from the traveling drive source to a front wheel, wherein at least a portion of the propeller shaft is located at a position overlapping the traveling drive source when viewed from a position above the vehicle body frame, wherein the propeller shaft extends forward from behind the traveling drive source and is supported by the mount bracket at a position forward of the position overlapping the traveling drive source when viewed from the position above the vehicle body frame, and wherein: the mount bracket is rigidly connected to the traveling drive source and is elastically connected to the vehicle body frame, and the propeller shaft is rotatably supported by the mount bracket via a bearing.

2. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the mount bracket includes:
a drive source connection portion at a first axial end of an output shaft of the traveling drive source in the mount bracket and connected to the traveling drive source,
a frame connection portion at a second axial end of the output shaft of the traveling drive source in the mount bracket and connected to the vehicle body frame, and
a related component connection portion formed between the drive source connection portion and the frame connection portion and connected to the propeller shaft.

3. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the mount bracket includes:
a drive source connection portion in an upper portion of the mount bracket and connected to the traveling drive source,
a frame connection portion in a lower portion of the mount bracket and connected to the vehicle body frame, and
a related component connection portion at least partially between the drive source connection portion and the frame connection portion in a vertical direction and connected to the propeller shaft.

4. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the propeller shaft is arranged adjacent to the traveling drive source in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of an output shaft of the traveling drive source, and the related component is arranged to overlap the traveling drive source at an axial direction position.

5. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the mount bracket is connected to a side portion of the traveling drive source on an output side in an axial direction of an output shaft of the traveling drive source.

6. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the mount bracket includes a drive source connection portion connected to the traveling drive source and a frame connection portion connected to the vehicle body frame, and the mount body extends in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the propeller shaft,
the drive source connection portion and the frame connection portion are arranged apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the propeller shaft, and
the propeller shaft is supported between the drive source connection portion and the frame connection portion of the mount bracket via a bearing in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the propeller shaft.

7. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the traveling drive source has a portion recessed from an outer side to an inner side in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the propeller shaft, and
the propeller shaft is supported by the mount bracket in the recessed portion.

8. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmission including an input shaft to which power from the traveling drive source is transmitted, a front wheel output shaft for transmitting power from the traveling drive source to the front wheel, and a rear wheel output shaft for transmitting power from the traveling drive source to a rear wheel,
wherein the propeller shaft is configured to transmit the power transmitted to the input shaft to the front wheel.

9. The utility vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein:
the transmission further includes a two-wheel drive four-wheel drive switching device, and
the two-wheel drive four-wheel drive switching device is configured to be switchable between a two wheel drive state in which the input shaft and the rear wheel output shaft are connected and a four wheel drive state in which the input shaft, the front wheel output shaft, and the rear wheel output shaft are connected.

10. A utility vehicle comprising:
an engine having a crankcase supporting a crankshaft;
a propeller shaft arranged below the crankcase, and
a mount bracket for mounting the engine on a vehicle body frame,
wherein the crankcase includes a recessed portion in which a lower portion of the crankcase is recessed upward and a remaining portion excluding the recessed portion in an axial direction of the crankshaft,
wherein at least a part of the propeller shaft is arranged in a space defined below the recessed portion, and positioned further on an upper side than a lower end portion of the crankcase,
wherein the propeller shaft is supported by the mount bracket,
wherein the engine includes a plurality of cylinders arranged side by side in a vehicle width direction,
wherein the recessed portion is formed at a position corresponding to one of the plurality of cylinders, and
wherein the remaining portion is formed at a position corresponding to a remaining one of the plurality of cylinders.

11. The utility vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein:
the engine includes an oil pan in a lower portion of the crankcase,
the crankcase has an opening opened downward of the crankcase in the remaining portion and a bottom portion closing a lower side of the crankcase in the recessed portion, and
the oil pan is attached to a lower surface of the remaining portion.

12. The utility vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the crankcase has a passage for guiding lubricant guided to a bottom portion of the recessed portion to the opening of the remaining portion.

13. The utility vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein:
the mount bracket is rigidly connected to the engine and is elastically connected to the vehicle body frame, and
the propeller shaft is rotatably supported by the mount bracket via a bearing.

14. The utility vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the mount bracket is connected to a side portion of the engine on an output side in an axial direction of an output shaft of the engine.

15. A utility vehicle comprising:
an engine having a crankcase supporting a crankshaft;
a propeller shaft arranged below the crankcase, and
a mount bracket for mounting the engine on a vehicle body frame,
wherein the crankcase includes a recessed portion in which a lower portion of the crankcase is recessed upward and a remaining portion excluding the recessed portion in an axial direction of the crankshaft,
wherein at least a part of the propeller shaft is arranged in a space defined below the recessed portion, and positioned further on an upper side than a lower end portion of the crankcase,
wherein the propeller shaft is supported by the mount bracket, and
wherein a rib portion connecting a lower surface of the recessed portion and a side surface on the remaining portion side of the recessed portion is formed on the lower surface of the recessed portion.

16. The utility vehicle according to claim 1

Assignees

• Kawasaki Motors Ltd

Inventors

• Takagi Jun

Classifications

• B60K17/22

  characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft · CPC title

• F01M11/02 Primary

  Arrangements of lubricant conduits · CPC title

• F01M11/0004

  Oilsumps · CPC title

• B60H1/3229

  characterised by constructional features, e.g. housings, mountings, conversion systems (B60H1/3227, B60H1/3233 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60K17/04

  characterised by arrangement, location or kind of gearing · CPC title