Snowmobile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809195-B2
Application number	US-201314087767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2013
Priority date	Oct 10, 2008
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle is shown such as a snowmobile, where a frame includes a tunnel and a front frame portion comprised of cast halves. A suspension system is comprised of upper and lower control arms connected to the front frame portion. Some of the frame components are adhesively fixed together. A powertrain is supported by the frame, and is comprised of an engine and a clutch. The clutch includes a clutch guard supporting an oil container. The engine has an exhaust system which extends through the front frame portion. The snowmobile also has a rear snow deflector.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a frame including a tunnel and a front cast portion;
a left side ski and a right side ski supporting a front portion of the frame;
a left side front suspension and a right side front suspension, the left side front suspension being supported by the left ski and moveable relative to the left ski, the left side front suspension supporting the front cast portion of the frame and being moveable relative to the front cast portion of the frame, the right side front suspension being supported by the right ski and moveable relative to the right ski, the right side front suspension supporting the front cast portion of the frame and being moveable relative to the front cast portion of the frame;
an endless track at least partially positioned within the tunnel, the endless track supporting the frame;
an engine supported by the frame and operatively coupled to the endless track;
an exhaust system coupled to the engine including an exhaust intake coupled to the engine, an exhaust conduit coupled to the exhaust intake and extending forward within the front cast portion of the frame, and a resonator coupled to the exhaust conduit, wherein the exhaust conduit has a first portion connected to the exhaust intake, a second portion connected to the resonator, and a third portion positioned between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion of the exhaust conduit being positioned at a first side of a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle and spaced apart from the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle and the second portion of the exhaust conduit being positioned at a second side of the central longitudinal axis; and
a steering assembly operatively coupled to the right side ski and the left side ski, the steering assembly including an upper steering post, a lower steering post and a steering link, the steering link coupling the upper steering post and the lower steering post, wherein a portion of the steering link is positioned above the exhaust intake and extends from the first side of the central longitudinal axis to the second side of the central longitudinal axis.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the resonator is supported by the frame and located relative to the frame by at least one locator.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the third portion has an enlarged cross-sectional area relative to both the first portion and the second portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the exhaust conduit extends forward of a front portion of the front cast portion of the frame.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes at least one mounting lug and at least one tubular component coupled together through a structural adhesive the mounting lug including an extension portion having a diameter larger than the tubular component that overlaps the tubular component, the extension portion defining a cavity intermediate the mounting lug and tubular component, the cavity being defined by an annular recess on one of the mounting lug or the tubular component and a lip at an end of the mounting lug extension portion closing off the cavity and the vehicle further comprising at least one mechanical coupler positioned at a location spaced from the annular recess, the at least one mechanical coupler locating the tubular component relative to the mounting lug.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes at least one frame member extending between a right side of the frame and a left side of the frame, the exhaust conduit being positioned below the frame member.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the lower steering post is positioned adjacent to the exhaust intake on the first side of the central longitudinal axis.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lower steering post is positioned laterally between the exhaust intake and left side ski.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the upper steering post has a length less than a length of the lower steering post.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a bumper assembly having a first longitudinal member on a first side of the central longitudinal axis and a second longitudinal member on a second side of the central longitudinal axis, the first portion of the exhaust conduit partially overlapping in a vertical direction with the first longitudinal member and the second portion of the exhaust conduit partially overlapping in the vertical direction with the second longitudinal member.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a frame including a tunnel, at least one mounting lug, at least one tubular component and a front cast portion, wherein the at least one mounting lug and the at least one tubular component are coupled together through a structural adhesive, the mounting lug including an extension portion having a diameter larger than the tubular component that overlaps the tubular component, the extension portion defining a cavity intermediate the mounting lug and the tubular component, the cavity being defined by an annular recess on one of the mounting lug or the tubular component and a lip at an end of the mounting lug extension portion closing off the cavity;
at least one mechanical coupler positioned at a location spaced from the annular recess, the at least one mechanical coupled locating the tubular component relative to the mounting lug;
a left side ski and a right side ski supporting a front portion of the frame;
a left side front suspension and a right side front suspension, the left side front suspension being supported by the left ski and moveable relative to the left ski, the left side front suspension supporting the front cast portion of the frame and being moveable relative to the front cast portion of the frame, the right side front suspension being supported by the right ski and moveable relative to the right ski, the right side front suspension supporting the front cast portion of the frame and being moveable relative to the front cast portion of the frame;
an endless track at least partially positioned within the tunnel, the endless track supporting the frame;
an engine supported by the frame and operatively coupled to the endless track; and
an exhaust system coupled to the engine including an exhaust intake coupled to the engine and an exhaust conduit coupled to the exhaust intake and extending forward within the front cast portion of the frame, wherein the exhaust conduit extends forward of the left side front suspension and the right side front suspension.

12. A vehicle comprising:
a frame including a tunnel and a front cast portion;
a left side ski and a right side ski supporting a front portion of the frame;
a left side front suspension and a right side front suspension, the left side front suspension being supported by the left ski and moveable relative to the left ski, the left side front suspension supporting the front cast portion of the frame and being moveable relative to the front cast portion of the frame, the right side front suspension being supported by the right ski and moveable relative to the right ski, the right side front suspension supporting the front cast portion of the frame and being moveable relative to the front cast portion of the frame;
an endless track at least partially positioned within the tunnel, the endless track supporting the frame;
an engine supported by the frame and operatively coupled to the endless track;
an exhaust system coupled to the engine including an exhaust intake coupled to the engine and an exhaust conduit coupled to the exhaust intake and extending forward within the front cast portion of the frame, wherein the exhaust conduit has a first portion connected to the exhaust intake, a second portion sp

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Giese Timothy J
• Hedlund Darren J
• Kerner Richard D
• Borud Eric J
• Fisher Cameron D

Classifications

• B62M27/02

  power driven · CPC title

• B60R25/00

  Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles (locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00) · CPC title

• B60K28/00 Primary

  Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions (electric safety devices on electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00) · CPC title

• Y10T29/4997

  At least one part nonmetallic · CPC title

• Y10T403/473

  Socket or open cup for bonding material · CPC title