Snowmobile suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE47113-E
Application number	US-201215258623-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2012
Priority date	Jul 25, 2011
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A tracked vehicle has a chassis including a tunnel. An engine is connected to the chassis. An endless drive track is disposed below the tunnel and operatively connected to the engine. A suspension assembly supports and tensions the endless drive track. The suspension assembly has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. The suspension assembly includes a rail engaging the endless drive track. The rail extends in the longitudinal direction. A suspension arm has an upper end pivotally connected to the chassis about a first lateral axis, and a lower end pivotally connected to the rail about a second lateral axis. At least one shock absorber is connected between the chassis and the rail for biasing the rail away from the chassis. The chassis is pivotally connected to the rail via the suspension assembly about a longitudinally extending axis. A suspension assembly is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A suspension assembly for a tracked vehicle having a chassis and an endless drive track, the suspension assembly having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, the suspension assembly comprising:
a pair of rails adapted for engagement with the endless drive track, the rails extending in the longitudinal direction;
a first suspension arm having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the first suspension arm being adapted for pivotally connecting to the chassis about a first lateral axis, the lower end of the first suspension arm being pivotally connected to the rails about a second lateral axis, the first suspension arm extending forwardly and upwardly from the rails;
a second suspension arm disposed rearwardly of the first suspension arm, the second suspension arm having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the second suspension arm being adapted for pivotally connecting to the chassis about a third lateral axis;
a rocker arm having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the rocker arm being pivotally connected to the rails about a fourth lateral axis, the upper end of the rocker arm being pivotally connected to the lower end of the second suspension arm about a fifth lateral axis, the second suspension arm extending forwardly and upwardly from the rocker arm;
at least one shock absorber connected between the chassis and the rails for biasing the rails away from the chassis,
at least a portion of the second suspension arm being pivotally connected to the rails about a longitudinally extending axis relative to the rails, the longitudinally extending axis being laterally centered between the rails; and
a ball joint pivotally connecting the lower end of the second suspension arm to the upper end of the rocker arm about the fifth lateral axis and the longitudinally extending axis.

2. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second suspension arm is pivotable about the longitudinally extending axis by a roll angle, and the roll angle is between 0 and 10 degrees with respect to vertical.

3. The suspension assembly of claim 2 , wherein the roll angle is between 0 and 3 degrees with respect to vertical.

4. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , further comprising another ball joint pivotally connecting the lower end of the first suspension arm to the rails about the second lateral axis and the longitudinally extending axis.

5. A tracked vehicle comprising:
a chassis including a tunnel;
an engine connected to the chassis;
an endless drive track disposed below the tunnel and operatively connected to the engine for propulsion of the tracked vehicle;
a suspension assembly supporting and tensioning the endless drive track, the suspension assembly having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, the suspension assembly including:
a pair of rails engaging the endless drive track, the rails extending in the longitudinal direction;
a suspension arm having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the suspension arm being pivotally connected to the chassis about a first lateral axis;
a rocker arm having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the rocker arm being pivotally connected to the rails about a second lateral axis, the upper end of the rocker arm being pivotally connected to the lower end of the suspension arm about a third lateral axis;
at least one shock absorber connected between the chassis and the rails for biasing the rails away from the chassis,
the chassis being pivotally connected to the rails via the suspension assembly about a longitudinally extending axis, the longitudinally extending axis being laterally centered between the rails; and
a ball joint pivotally connecting the lower end of the suspension arm to the upper end of the rocker arm about the third lateral axis and the longitudinally extending axis.

6. The tracked vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the lower end of the suspension arm is pivotable about the longitudinally extending axis by a roll angle, and the roll angle is between 0 and 10 degrees with respect to vertical.

7. The tracked vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the roll angle is between 0 and 3 degrees with respect to vertical.

8. The tracked vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the tracked vehicle is a snowmobile, the suspension assembly is a rear suspension assembly; and
further comprising at least one ski operatively connected to the chassis by a front suspension.

9. A snowmobile comprising:
a chassis including a tunnel, the tunnel having a longitudinal direction;
an engine connected to the chassis;
at least one ski connected to the chassis by a front suspension;
an endless drive track disposed below the tunnel and operatively connected to the engine for propulsion of the snowmobile; and
the rear suspension assembly of claim 1 supporting and tensioning the endless drive track.

10. A suspension assembly for a tracked vehicle having a chassis and an endless drive track, the suspension assembly having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, the suspension assembly comprising:
a pair of rails adapted for engagement with the endless drive track, the rails extending in the longitudinal direction;
a first suspension arm having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the first suspension arm being adapted for pivotally connecting to the chassis about a first lateral axis, the lower end of the first suspension arm being pivotally connected to the rails about a second lateral axis, the first suspension arm extending forwardly and upwardly from the rails;
a second suspension arm disposed rearwardly of the first suspension arm, the second suspension arm having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the second suspension arm being adapted for pivotally connecting to the chassis about a third lateral axis;
a rocker arm having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the rocker arm being pivotally connected to the rails about a fourth lateral axis, the upper end of the rocker arm being pivotally connected to the lower end of the second suspension arm about a fifth lateral axis, the second suspension arm extending forwardly and upwardly from the rocker arm;
at least one damper connected to at least one of the chassis and the rails;
at least one spring connected to at least one of the chassis, the rails, and the at least one damper,
at least a portion of the second suspension arm being pivotally connected to the rails about a longitudinally extending axis relative to the rails, the longitudinally extending axis being laterally centered between the rails; and
a ball joint pivotally connecting the lower end of the second suspension arm to the upper end of the rocker arm about the fifth lateral axis and the longitudinally extending axis.

11. The suspension assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second suspension arm is pivotable about the longitudinally extending axis by a roll angle, and the roll angle is between 0 and 10 degrees with respect to vertical.

12. The suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the roll angle is between 0 and 3 degrees with respect to vertical.

13. The suspension assembly of claim 10 , further comprising another ball joint pivotally connecting the lower end of first suspension arm to the rails about the second lateral axis and the longitudinally extending axis.

14. A rear assembly for a suspension assembly for a tracked vehicle having a chassis and an endless drive track, the rear assembly comprising:
a pair of rails adapted for engagement with the endless drive track;
a suspension arm having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being adapted for pivotally connecting to

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Mallette Bertrand

Classifications

• B62M27/02 Primary

  power driven · CPC title

• B60G7/005

  Ball joints (B60G7/006 takes precedence; for steering linkage B62D7/16; ball joints per se F16C11/06) · CPC title

• B62D55/104 Primary

  Suspension devices for wheels, rollers, bogies or frames (vehicle suspension in general B60G) · CPC title

• B62D55/07

  Mono-track vehicles · CPC title

• B62M2027/026

  Snow mobiles characterised by the suspension means · CPC title