Side-by-side vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9701346-B2
Application number	US-201414171635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 15, 2009
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to side-by-side all terrain vehicles having plural rows of seats.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A utility vehicle, comprising:
a frame extending in a generally longitudinal direction;
a drive train supported by the frame, the drive train comprising an engine and a continuously variable transmission;
a plurality of ground engaging members operably coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the engine through the continuously variable transmission, the plurality of ground engaging members including front wheels and rear wheels;
a first seating area positioned at a first longitudinal position including a first plurality of side-by-side seats, a first seat of the first plurality of side-by-side seats includes a first seat bottom and a first seat back, the first seat being completely forward of the engine;
a second seating area positioned at a second longitudinal position rearward of the first longitudinal position and longitudinally forward of the rear wheels, the second seating area including a second plurality of side-by-side seats, a second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats includes a second seat bottom and a second seat back, the second seat bottom being positioned higher than the first seat bottom of the first seat of the first plurality of side-by-side seats and spaced apart from the first plurality of side-by-side seats, the engine and the continuously variable transmission both being positioned completely rearward of a front edge of the second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats, and a seating position of the second seat bottom being positioned below an upper surface of the engine; and
a roll cage supported by the frame, the roll cage having a front portion mounted to the frame forward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats and a rear portion mounted to the frame rearward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats, and a middle portion positioned higher than the first plurality of side-by-side seats and the second plurality of side-by-side seats.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a plurality of front roll cage mounting sections which support the front portion of the roll cage and a plurality of rear roll cage mounting sections which support the rear portion of the roll cage, the plurality of rear roll cage mounting sections being elevated relative to the front roll cage mounting sections.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the middle portion of the roll cage is removably coupled to the front portion of the roll cage at a first plurality of connection joints and the middle portion of the roll cage is removably coupled to the rear portion of the roll cage at a second plurality of connection joints.

4. The utility vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of connection joints are provided rearward of a front edge of the first seat of the first plurality of side-by-side seats and forward of the front edge of the second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the second plurality of connection joints are provided rearward of the front edge of the second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the front portion of the roll cage is comprised of front upright portions and a transverse portion, the front upright portions being mounted to the frame forward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats; the rear portion of the roll cage is comprised of rear upright portions and a transverse portion, the rear upright portions being mounted to the frame rearward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats; and the middle portion of the roll cage is comprised of middle upright portions and a transverse portion, the middle upright portions being mounted to the frame intermediate the front upright portions and the rear upright portions.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the front portion of the roll cage is comprised of front upright portions and a transverse portion, the front upright portions being mounted to the frame forward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats; the rear portion of the roll cage is comprised of rear upright portions and a transverse portion, the rear upright portions being mounted to the frame rearward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats; and the middle portion of the roll cage is comprised of middle upright portions and a transverse portion, the middle upright portions being mounted to the frame intermediate the front upright portions and the rear upright portions.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 7 , further comprising a hand hold bar extending between the middle upright portions of the middle portion and positioned behind the first seat back of the first seat and forward of the second seat back of the second seat.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the hand hold bar is mounted to the middle upright portion of the center portion of the roll cage.

10. A utility vehicle, comprising:
a frame extending in a generally longitudinal direction;
a drive train supported by the frame, the drive train comprising an engine and a continuously variable transmission;
a plurality of ground engaging members operably coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the engine through the continuously variable transmission, the plurality of ground engaging members including front wheels and rear wheels;
a first seating area positioned at a first longitudinal position including a first plurality of side-by-side seats, a first seat of the first plurality of side-by-side seats includes a first seat bottom and a first seat back, the first seat being completely forward of the engine;
a second seating area positioned at a second longitudinal position rearward of the first longitudinal position and longitudinally forward of the rear wheels, the second seating area including a second plurality of side-by-side seats, a second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats includes a second seat bottom and a second seat back, the second seat bottom being positioned higher than the first seat bottom of the first seat of the first plurality of side-by-side seats and spaced apart from the first plurality of side-by-side seats, the engine and the continuously variable transmission both being positioned completely rearward of a front edge of the second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats, and a seating position of the second seat bottom being positioned below an upper surface of the engine;
a roll cage supported by the frame, the roll cage having a first set of upright portions mounted to the frame forward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats, a second set of upright portions mounted to the frame rearward of the first plurality of side-by-side seats, and a third set of upright portions mounted to the frame between the first set of upright portions and the second set of upright portions;
a front floorboard positioned forward of the first seat of the first plurality of side-by-side seats and lower than the first seat bottom of the first seat;
a rear floorboard positioned forward of the second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats and lower than the second seat bottom of the second seat; and
a longitudinally extending support which is positioned proximate the second seat of the second plurality of side-by-side seats and extends from the an upright portion of the third set of upright portions rearward to an upright portion of the second set of upright portions to enclose a passenger riding in the second seat.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the longitudinally extending support is coupled to the upright portion of the third set of upright portions at a first height and is coupled to the upright portion of the second set

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Deckard Aaron D
• Safranski Brian M
• Sunsdahl Richard L

Classifications

• B60N2/01

  Arrangement of seats relative to one another · CPC title

• B60N2/38

  specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles · CPC title

• B60R21/13

  Roll-over protection (electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01) · CPC title

• Y10T403/5773

  Interfitting · CPC title

• Y10T403/66

  Interfitted members with external bridging piece · CPC title