Utility vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9566858-B2
Application number	US-201414577908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame supported by the ground-engaging members, and a powertrain assembly. The powertrain assembly includes an engine, a shiftable transmission, a continuously variable transmission, and a charger. Additionally, the utility vehicle may include a cooling assembly fluidly coupled to at least the engine and the charger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A utility vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members;
a lower frame supported by the ground-engaging members and having a front portion and a rear portion;
an open-air seating area supported by the lower frame between the front and rear portions;
an upper frame coupled to the lower frame and extending above the seating area;
a powertrain assembly supported by the lower frame and including an engine, a shiftable transmission, and a continuously variable transmission; and
a cooling assembly operably coupled to the powertrain assembly and extending from the front portion to the rear portion of the lower frame, the cooling assembly having a first cooling circuit configured to alter a temperature of the engine and a second cooling circuit configured to alter a temperature of intake air received within the engine.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first cooling circuit includes a mechanical pump and the second cooling circuit includes an electric pump.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first cooling circuit includes a first plurality of cooling lines and the second cooling circuit includes a second plurality of cooling lines, and a diameter of each of the second plurality of cooling lines is less than a diameter of each of the first plurality of cooling lines.

4. The utility vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising a first side wall extending generally parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the utility vehicle, a second side wall generally opposite the first side wall and extending generally parallel to the centerline, and an upper wall coupled to the first and second side walls to define an interior volume extending along the centerline, the first plurality and second plurality of cooling lines are coupled to the lower frame within the interior volume.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the first cooling circuit includes a radiator fluidly coupled to the first plurality of cooling lines and the second cooling circuit includes an intercooler fluidly coupled to the second plurality of cooling lines.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the intercooler is a liquid-to-air cooled heat exchanger.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first cooling circuit includes a radiator and the second cooling circuit includes an intercooler and a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the intercooler, the radiator is positioned rearward of the heat exchanger and an upper surface of the radiator is positioned above an upper surface of the heat exchanger.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first cooling circuit includes a radiator supported positioned forward of the seating area and the second cooling circuit includes an intercooler positioned rearward of the seating area.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the cooling assembly includes a coolant reservoir fluidly coupled to the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the coolant reservoir is a pressurized coolant bottle.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the coolant bottle includes a first opening for receiving a cooling fluid, a second opening for supplying a first portion of the cooling fluid to the first cooling circuit, and a third opening for supplying a second portion of the cooling fluid to the second cooling circuit.

12. The utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the coolant bottle includes a first compartment fluidly coupled to the first cooling circuit, a second compartment fluidly coupled to the second cooling circuit, and an internal wall separating the first compartment and the second compartment.

13. A utility vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly supported by the ground-engaging members and having a lower frame and an upper frame, the lower frame having a front portion and a rear portion;
an open-air operator area supported by the frame assembly;
a powertrain assembly supported by the rear portion of the lower frame and including an engine, an intake manifold coupled to the engine, a shiftable transmission, and a clutch assembly; and
a cooling assembly including a first heat exchanger positioned at the front portion of the lower frame for cooling the engine and a second heat exchanger positioned at the rear portion of the lower frame for cooling intake air for the engine, and the second heat exchanger is removably coupled to the intake manifold.

14. The utility vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the cooling assembly includes a first pump operably coupled to the engine and fluidly coupled to the first heat exchanger, and a second pump fluidly coupled to the second heat exchanger.

15. The utility vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the second pump is an electrical pump.

16. The utility vehicle of 13 , wherein the cooling assembly includes a third heat exchanger positioned at the front portion of the lower frame and fluidly coupled to the second heat exchanger.

17. The utility vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the powertrain assembly further includes a forced-air inducer fluidly coupled to the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger.

18. The utility vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the second heat exchanger is a liquid-to-air intercooler.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Hicke David
• Schlangen Adam J
• Nugteren Daniel J
• Bjerketvedt Eric D
• Ripley Anthony J

Classifications

• B60K17/00

  Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles · CPC title

• B60K11/04 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds · CPC title

• B60K5/00

  Arrangement or mounting of internal-combustion or jet-propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• B60K11/02 Primary

  with liquid cooling · CPC title

• B60K2005/006

  the internal combustion or jet propulsion unit is arranged behind the rear axle · CPC title