Tunnel And Battery Structure For A Snow Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024253714-A1
Application number	US-202418410486-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2024
Priority date	Jan 27, 2023
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tunnel and battery box assembly for a snow vehicle includes a tunnel covering at least a portion of an endless track. The tunnel also includes a first heat exchanger coupled to the first sidewall; a second heat exchanger coupled to the second sidewall, a fuel tank, a first thermal cover coupled to the first heat exchanger between the first heat exchanger and the fuel tank, a first insulating layer disposed on an upper surface of the first thermal cover, a second thermal cover coupled to the second heat exchanger between the second heat exchanger and the fuel tank, and a second insulating layer disposed on an upper surface of the second thermal cover. The vehicle may also include a battery box structure having a battery receiver receiving the battery, and a fuel tank mount integrally formed in the battery box structure coupling the battery box to fuel tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle comprising:
a tunnel covering at least a portion of an endless track, said tunnel comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending longitudinally relative to the vehicle; a first heat exchanger coupled to the first sidewall; a fuel tank; a first thermal cover coupled to the first heat exchanger between the first heat exchanger and the fuel tank; and a first insulating layer disposed on an upper surface of the first thermal cover.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first T-slot therein.

3 . The vehicle of claim 2 wherein a lower surface of the first thermal cover comprises a first T-extension received within the first T-slot.

4 . The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the first T-slot is disposed in an upper-facing edge of the first heat exchanger.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a second heat exchanger coupled to a second sidewall and a second thermal cover coupled to the second heat exchanger between the second heat exchanger and the fuel tank; and
a second insulating layer disposed on an upper surface of the second thermal cover.
a second heat exchanger coupled to the second sidewall.

6 . The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the first thermal cover and the second thermal cover are rigid.

7 . The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a second T-slot therein.

8 . The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the second T-slot is disposed in an upper-facing edge of the second heat exchanger.

9 . The vehicle of claim 8 wherein a lower surface of the second thermal cover comprises a second T-extension received within the second T-slot.

10 . The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the first thermal cover comprises an inside edge comprising a first discontinuous area portion and the second thermal cover comprises a second discontinuous area portion, wherein the first discontinuous area portion and the second discontinuous area portion are sized to receive at least a portion of a battery box structure, said battery box structure coupled to and between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

11 . The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the first thermal cover comprises a first rearward end comprising a first fastener receiver and the second thermal cover comprises a second rearward end comprising a second fastener receiver, and further comprising a first fastener coupling the first rearward end and a tunnel cover to the first heat exchanger and a second fastener coupling the second rearward end and the tunnel cover to the second heat exchanger.

12 . The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a wire clip integrally formed in the upper surface of the first thermal cover.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 wherein the wire clip comprises an electrical wire coupled thereto, and wherein the fuel tank comprises a lower surface comprising a longitudinally extending channel receiving the electrical wire at least partially therein.

14 . A vehicle having a battery comprising
a tunnel covering at least a portion of an endless track, said tunnel comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending longitudinally relative to the vehicle; a fuel tank; a battery box structure coupled between the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprising a battery receiver receiving the battery therein; and a fuel tank mount integrally formed in the battery box structure coupling the battery box to fuel tank.

15 . The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a first heat exchanger coupled to the first sidewall, a second heat exchanger coupled to the second sidewall and wherein the battery box structure is coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall by the first heat exchanger and second heat exchanger.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the battery box structure comprises a base extending outward from the battery receiver coupled to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

17 . The vehicle of claim 14 wherein said fuel tank comprises a flange coupled to the fuel tank mount.

18 . The vehicle of claim 17 wherein the fuel tank mount comprises a first fuel tank mount and a second fuel tank mount, wherein the flange comprises a first flange coupled to the first fuel tank mount and a second flange coupled to the second fuel tank mount.

19 . The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a solenoid mount integrally formed into the battery box, said solenoid mount receiving a solenoid therein.

20 . The vehicle of claim 19 wherein the solenoid mount extends from a longitudinally extending wall of the battery receiver.

21 . The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a fuse box receiver is integrally formed in the battery box structure.

22 . The vehicle of claim 21 wherein the fuse box receiver is integrally formed with the battery receiver.

23 . The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a seat support panel coupled to the battery box structure, wherein the fuel tank has retainer posts extending therefrom, said retainer posts and said seat support coupling a seat to the tunnel.

24 . The vehicle of claim 23 further comprising a port coupled to the seat support panel.

25 . The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a rear tunnel cover and wherein the battery box structure comprises flanges extending beneath and fastened to the rear tunnel cover.

26 . The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the battery box structure comprises an accessory receiver port integrally formed therein.

27 . A vehicle comprising a battery comprising:
a tunnel covering at least a portion of an endless track, said tunnel comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending longitudinally relative to the vehicle; a first heat exchanger coupled to the first sidewall; a second heat exchanger coupled to the second sidewall; a fuel tank; a first thermal cover coupled to the first heat exchanger between the first heat exchanger and the fuel tank; a first insulating layer disposed on an upper surface of the first thermal cover; a second thermal cover coupled to the second heat exchanger between the second heat exchanger and the fuel tank; and a second insulating layer disposed on an upper surface of the second thermal cover.

28 . The vehicle of claim 27 further comprising a battery box structure coupled to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, said battery box structure comprising a battery receiver receiving the battery therein;

29 . The vehicle of claim 28 further comprising a fuel tank mount integrally formed in the battery box structure coupling the battery box to fuel tank.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Edwards Benjamin
• Johnson Barry
• Kern Peter
• Huot Cory
• Edwards Lindsay
• Gupta Virendra
• Mertens Dustin
• Hedlund Michael A

Classifications

• B60L50/66

  Arrangements of batteries · CPC title

• B62D55/07 Primary

  Mono-track vehicles · CPC title