All-terrain vehicle having six wheels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555702-B2
Application number	US-201414899699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle has a frame, a motor, two front wheels, a first driveshaft operatively connected to the motor, and a first gear assembly operatively connected to the first driveshaft. The first gear assembly includes a first bevel gear operatively connected to the first driveshaft, a second bevel gear meshed with the first bevel gear, and a third bevel gear meshed with the second bevel gear. Two intermediate wheels are operatively connected to the second bevel gear. A second driveshaft is operatively connected to the third bevel gear. A second gear assembly is operatively connected to the second driveshaft. Two rear wheels are operatively connected to the second gear assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a motor connected to the frame;
two front wheels operatively connected to the frame;
a first driveshaft having a first end operatively connected to the motor;
a first gear assembly operatively connected to a second end of the first driveshaft, the first gear assembly being disposed rearward of the motor, the first gear assembly including:
a first bevel gear operatively connected to the second end of the first driveshaft, the first bevel gear being rotatable about a first gear axis;
a second bevel gear meshed with the first bevel gear, the second bevel gear being rotatable about a second gear axis perpendicular to the first gear axis; and
a third bevel gear meshed with the second bevel gear, the third bevel gear being rotatable about a third gear axis perpendicular to the second gear axis;

two intermediate wheels operatively connected to the second bevel gear, the two intermediate wheels being disposed rearward of the two front wheels;
a second driveshaft having a first end operatively connected to the third bevel gear;
a second gear assembly operatively connected to a second end of the second driveshaft, the second gear assembly being disposed rearward of the first gear assembly; and
two rear wheels operatively connected to the second gear assembly, the two rear wheels being disposed rearward of the intermediate wheels.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third driveshaft having a first end operatively connected to the motor; and
a third gear assembly operatively connected to a second end of the third driveshaft, the third gear assembly being disposed forward of the motor;
wherein the two front wheels are operatively connected to the third gear assembly.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a continuously variable transmission operatively connecting the motor to the first end of the first driveshaft.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising a transmission operatively connecting the continuously variable transmission to the first end of the first driveshaft.

5. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the continuously variable transmission and the first end of the first driveshaft are disposed on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a straddle seat connected to the frame.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the straddle seat is disposed between the two front wheels and the two intermediate wheels in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first and third gear axes are coaxial.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising two intermediate drive axles, each intermediate drive axle operatively connecting the second bevel gear to a corresponding one of the two intermediate wheels.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first universal joint operatively connecting the second end of the first driveshaft to the first bevel gear; and
a second universal joint operatively connecting the first end of the second driveshaft to the third bevel gear.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second gear assembly includes:
a fourth bevel gear operatively connected to the second end of the second driveshaft, the fourth bevel gear being rotatable about a fourth gear axis; and
a fifth bevel gear meshed with the fourth bevel gear and operatively connected to the two rear wheels, the fifth bevel gear being rotatable about a fifth gear axis perpendicular to the first gear axis.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the second gear assembly further includes:
a sixth bevel gear meshed with the fifth bevel gear, the sixth bevel gear being rotatable about a sixth gear axis perpendicular to the fifth gear axis; and
a connector connected to and rotatable with the sixth bevel gear.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the fourth gear axis is parallel to the first and third gear axes.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising two rear drive axles, each rear drive axle operatively connecting the fifth bevel gear to a corresponding one of the two rear wheels.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising:
a universal joint operatively connecting the second end of the second driveshaft to the fourth bevel gear.

16. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the second and fifth bevel gears are disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane containing an axis of rotation of the second driveshaft.

17. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first bevel gear is rotatable in a direction opposite a direction of rotation of the third and fourth bevel gears; and
wherein the second and fifth bevel gears are rotatable in a same direction.

18. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the second bevel gear is disposed on one of a right side and a left side of the first and third bevel gears; and
wherein the fifth bevel gear is disposed on another one of the right side and the left side of the fourth bevel gear.

19. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first, third and fourth bevel gears are identical; and
wherein the second and fifth bevel gears are identical.

20. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first and second driveshafts are eccentric and skewed relative to one another.

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Olli Jukka

Classifications

• B60K17/34 Primary

  for driving both front and rear wheels, e.g. four wheel drive vehicles · CPC title

• B62D61/10 Primary

  with more than four wheels {(tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002)} · CPC title

• B60K17/36

  for driving tandem wheels · CPC title

• B60K17/344

  having a transfer gear · CPC title

• B60K17/22

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