Snowmobile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9682746-B2
Application number	US-201514842858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2015
Priority date	Sep 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A snowmobile includes a vehicle body frame including a left engine support portion that supports an engine. The left engine support portion includes a first layer made of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material, a second layer made of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material, and an intermediate layer located between the first layer and the second layer. The first layer, the intermediate layer and the second layer are provided with a through-hole into which a securing member that secures the engine and the vehicle body frame to each other is inserted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A snowmobile comprising:
an engine including a crankshaft;
a driving shaft rotatable together with the crankshaft;
an endless track belt drivable by the driving shaft; and
a vehicle body frame including an engine support portion that supports the engine; wherein
the engine support portion includes a first layer made of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material, a second layer made of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material, and an intermediate layer enclosed by the first layer and the second layer; and
at least one of the first layer and the second layer is provided with a through-hole in which a securing member that secures the engine and the vehicle body frame to each other is located.

2. The snowmobile according to claim 1 , wherein the through-hole is provided in the first layer, the second layer and the intermediate layer.

3. The snowmobile according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer includes at least one layer made of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material.

4. The snowmobile according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer is a metal layer made of a metal material.

5. The snowmobile according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer, the second layer and the intermediate layer are integral with each other and defined by a single unitary member.

6. The snowmobile according to claim 1 , wherein
the vehicle body frame includes a wall portion that defines an engine room in which the engine is located;
the engine support portion is provided in the wall portion; and
the wall portion includes a first portion in which the engine support portion is provided and a second portion located to the front of the first portion, the second portion having a size in a vehicle width direction smaller than a size of the first portion in the vehicle width direction.

7. The snowmobile according to claim 6 , wherein
the wall portion includes a left wall portion located to the left of the engine and a right wall portion located to the right of the engine;
an end of the crankshaft is located in a recessed portion located in the left wall portion or the right wall portion; and
a peripheral portion along the recessed portion in the left wall portion or the right wall portion includes the first layer, the second layer and the intermediate layer.

8. The snowmobile according to claim 7 , wherein
the wall portion includes a connection wall portion located at least above or below the engine;
the connection wall portion is connected to the left wall portion and the right wall portion; and
the engine support portion is provided in each of the left wall portion and the right wall portion.

9. The snowmobile according to claim 8 , wherein the connection wall portion, the left wall portion and the right wall portion are integral with each other and defined by a single unitary member.

10. The snowmobile according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a left ski located to the front of the engine;
a right ski located to the front of the engine and to the right of the left ski;
a left arm including a left ski connection portion swingably connected to the left ski and a left frame connection portion swingably connected to the vehicle body frame; and
a right arm including a right ski connection portion swingably connected to the right ski and a right frame connection portion swingably connected to the vehicle body frame; wherein
the vehicle body frame includes a left arm connection portion connected to the left frame connection portion and a right arm connection portion connected to the right frame connection portion; and
a portion, of the vehicle body frame, on which the left arm connection portion and the right arm connection portion are provided includes at least the first layer and the second layer.

11. The snowmobile according to claim 10 , wherein
the left arm connection portion is provided on a left third portion of the vehicle body frame, the left third portion being made of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material;
a portion of the left arm that is between the left ski and the left arm connection portion is at least partially made of a material having a malleability higher than that of the left third portion;
the right arm connection portion is provided on a right third portion of the vehicle body frame, the right third portion being made of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material; and
a portion of the right arm that is between the right ski and the right arm connection portion is at least partially made of a material having a malleability higher than that of the right third portion.

12. The snowmobile according to claim 11 , wherein
the left arm connection portion includes a first left arm connection portion and a second left arm connection portion located below the first left arm connection portion;
the left arm includes a first left arm including a first left frame connection portion connected to the first left arm connection portion, and a second left arm located below the first left arm, the second left arm including a second left frame connection portion connected to the second left arm connection portion;
a portion of the second left arm that is between the left ski and the second left arm connection portion is at least partially made of a material having a malleability higher than that of the left third portion;
the right arm connection portion includes a first right arm connection portion and a second right arm connection portion located below the first right arm connection portion;
the right arm includes a first right arm including a first right frame connection portion connected to the first right arm connection portion, and a second right arm located below the first right arm, the second right arm including a second right frame connection portion connected to the second right arm connection portion; and
a portion of the second right arm that is between the right ski and the second right arm connection portion is at least partially made of a material having a malleability higher than that of the right third portion.

13. The snowmobile according to claim 12 , wherein
the vehicle body frame includes a wall portion that defines an engine room in which the engine is located;
the wall portion includes a bottom wall portion located below the engine;
the snowmobile includes a protection member located below the bottom wall portion, the protection member protecting the bottom wall portion; and
the second left arm connection portion and the second right arm connection portion are provided on the protection member.

14. The snowmobile according to claim 10 , further comprising
a left shock absorber including a left top end portion swingably connected to the vehicle body frame and a left bottom end portion swingably connected to the left arm; and
a right shock absorber located to the right of the left shock absorber, the right shock absorber including a right top end portion swingably connected to the vehicle body frame and a right bottom end portion swingably connected to the right arm; wherein
the vehicle body frame includes a left shock absorber connection portion connected to the left top end portion and a right shock absorber connection portion connected to the right top end portion; and
a portion, of the vehicle body frame, on which the left shock absorber connection portion and the right shock absorber connection portion are provided includes at least the first layer and the second layer.

15. The snowmobile according to claim 14 , wherein
the vehicle body frame includes a wall portion that defines an engine room in which the engine is located

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yasuda Atsushi
• Ogura Kotaro

Classifications

• B62M2027/023

  Snow mobiles characterised by engine mounting arrangements · CPC title

• B62M27/02 Primary

  power driven · CPC title

• B62M2027/026

  Snow mobiles characterised by the suspension means · CPC title

• B62M2027/028

  Snow mobiles characterised by chassis or bodywork · CPC title