초록

A rear suspension architecture is provided for coupled rear suspension systems.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A snowmobile having a coupled suspension, the snowmobile comprising: a chassis;at least one lower rail;at least one front control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis at a first end and pivotally coupled to the lower rail on a second end;a rear control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis rear

1. A snowmobile having a coupled suspension, the snowmobile comprising: a chassis;at least one lower rail;at least one front control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis at a first end and pivotally coupled to the lower rail on a second end;a rear control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis rear end and pivotally interconnected to the chassis and lower rail;a front linkage assembly supported by the front control arm, the front linkage assembly is comprised of a triangular link, with an upper pivot, a front lower pivot and a rear lower pivot;a rear linkage assembly supported by the rear control arm;a pull rod extending between the front and rear linkage;an LFE operatively connected between the front linkage assembly and the rear linkage assembly, and extending along a longitudinal line of action (LOA);the LFE front pivot point and a front pivot point of the pull rod being substantially along the LOA, and being spaced apart from each other, with the LFE front pivot point forward of the front pivot point of the pull rod; andthe LFE is operatively connected to the front lower pivot and the front pivot point of the pull rod is operatively connected to the rear lower pivot. 2. The snowmobile suspension of claim 1, wherein the LFE front pivot point is comprised of a C-shaped link which opens rearwardly and overlaps the front pivot point of the pull rod. 3. The snowmobile suspension of claim 1, wherein the front pivot point of the pull rod is within 0.75 inches of the LOA. 4. The snowmobile suspension of claim 1, wherein the front pivot point of the pull rod is within 0.50 inches of the LOA. 5. A snowmobile having a coupled suspension system, the snowmobile comprising: a chassis having a front and rear end;a lower rail;a front control arm defining a first length extending between first and second spaced-apart ends, the front control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis front end, the front control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis on the first end and pivotally coupled to the lower rail on the second end;a rear control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis rear end and pivotally coupled to the chassis and lower rail;a linkage assembly supported by the front control arm at a first position between the first and second ends of the front control arm, the first position being spaced-apart from the second end of the front control arm by a first distance, the first distance being defined by at least one-quarter of the length of the front control arm, the linkage assembly including a coupling link having first and second spaced-apart ends, the second end of the coupling link being operably coupled to the front control arm at the first position, and at least a portion of the first end of the coupling link extending below the front control arm; anda shock absorber and pull rod each including first and second spaced-apart ends, the first ends of the shock absorber and pull rod being operably coupled to the rear control arm, the second ends of the shock absorber and pull rod being operably coupled to the first end of the coupling link, and the second end of the shock absorber being positioned coaxially with the second end of the pull rod. 6. The snowmobile of claim 5, wherein the coupling link extends downwardly in a generally vertical direction relative to the front control arm. 7. The snowmobile of claim 5, wherein the first distance is defined by one-half of the length of the front control arm. 8. The snowmobile of claim 5, further comprising a second linkage assembly coupled to the rear control arm, the first ends of the shock absorber and the pull rod are operably coupled to the second linkage assembly such that the first end of the shock absorber is positioned above the first end of the pull rod when coupled to the second linkage assembly. 9. The snowmobile of claim 5, wherein the shock absorber extends from the rear control arm in at least a partially downward direction toward the coupling link, and the pull rod extends from the rear control arm in a generally horizontal direction toward the coupling link. 10. The snowmobile of claim 5, wherein the shock absorber is movable in a stroking motion when the coupled suspension system is compressed, and the pull rod accelerates the stroking motion of the shock absorber. 11. The snowmobile of claim 10, wherein a rear loadcase of the coupled suspension system has a progressive compression rate. 12. The snowmobile of claim 11, wherein a front loadcase of the coupled suspension system has a lower compression rate than the rear loadcase. 13. The snowmobile of claim 5, wherein the second end of the coupling link is pivotally coupled with the front control arm. 14. The snowmobile of claim 5, wherein the length of the front control arm is at least equal to a length of the rear control arm. 15. The snowmobile of claim 5, wherein the front control arm extends in at least a partially horizontal direction. 16. The snowmobile of claim 5, further comprising another front control arm to define a pair of front control arms, the front control arms are spaced apart from each other and have a parallel arrangement, wherein the linkage assembly is intermediate the front control arms. 17. The snowmobile of claim 16, further comprising another pull rod to define a pair of pull rods operably coupled with the coupling link, the pull rods are spaced apart from each other and have a parallel configuration, wherein the coupling link and the shock absorber are intermediate the pull rods, and the pull rods are intermediate the front control arms. 18. The snowmobile of claim 5, further comprising a body supported by the chassis and a seat coupled to the body, a portion of the coupled suspension system is positioned below the seat and within the body. 19. A snowmobile having a coupled suspension system, the snowmobile comprising: a chassis having a front and rear end;a lower rail;a front control arm defining a first length extending between first and second spaced-apart ends, the front control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis front end, the front control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis on the first end and pivotally coupled to the lower rail on the second end;a rear control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis rear end and pivotally coupled to the chassis and lower rail;a linkage assembly supported by the front control arm at a first position between the first and second ends of the front control arm, the first position being spaced-apart from the second end of the front control arm by a first distance, the first distance being defined by at least one-quarter of the length of the front control arm, the linkage assembly including a coupling link having first and second spaced-apart ends, the second end of the coupling link being operably coupled to the front control arm at the first position, and at least a portion of the first end of the coupling link extending below the front control arm; anda shock absorber and pull rod each including first and second spaced-apart ends, the second ends of the shock absorber and pull rod being operably coupled to the coupling link at a position spaced apart from the second end of the coupling link, and the first ends of the shock absorber and pull rod being operably coupled to the rear control arm, with the first end of the shock absorber being positioned above the first end of the pull rod. 20. The snowmobile of claim 19, wherein the second ends of the shock absorber and the pull rod are coaxially coupled to the coupling link. 21. The snowmobile of claim 19, wherein the second end of the shock absorber is spaced apart from the second end of the pull rod when coupled to the coupling link. 22. The snowmobile of claim 19, wherein the first distance is defined by one-half of the length of the front control arm. 23. The snowmobile of claim 19, wherein a rear loadcase of the coupled suspension system has a progressive compression rate. 24. The snowmobile of claim 19, further comprising: another front control arm to define a pair of front control arms, the front control arms are spaced apart from each other and have a parallel arrangement, and the linkage assembly is intermediate the front control arms; and another pull rod to define a pair of pull rods operably coupled with the coupling link, the pull rods are spaced apart from each other and have a parallel configuration such that the coupling link and the shock absorber are intermediate the pull rods, and the pull rods are intermediate the front control arms. 25. A snowmobile having a coupled suspension system, the snowmobile comprising: a chassis having a front and rear end;a lower rail;a front control arm defining a first length extending between first and second spaced-apart ends, the front control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis front end, the front control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis on the first end and pivotally coupled to the lower rail on the second end;a rear control arm having first and second spaced-apart ends, the rear control arm positioned adjacent to the chassis rear end, the rear control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis on the first end and pivotally coupled to the lower rail on the second end;a linkage assembly supported by the front control arm at a first position between the first and second ends of the front control arm, the first position being spaced-apart from the second end of the front control arm by a first distance, the first distance being defined by at least one-quarter of the length of the front control arm, the linkage assembly including a coupling link having first and second spaced-apart ends, the second end of the coupling link being operably coupled to the front control arm at the first position, and at least a portion of the first end of the coupling link extending below the front control arm;a shock absorber having a rod operably coupled to a cylinder, the cylinder being operably coupled to the rear control arm and including a first end of the shock absorber, and the rod being operably coupled to the coupling link and including a second end of the shock absorber; anda pull rod including first and second spaced-apart ends, the first end of the pull rod being operably coupled to the rear control arm, and the second end of the pull rod being operably coupled to the coupling link. 26. The snowmobile of claim 25, wherein the second ends of the shock absorber and the pull rod are coaxial. 27. The snowmobile of claim 25, wherein the second end of the pull rod is intermediate the second end of the coupling link and the second end of the shock absorber. 28. The snowmobile of claim 25, wherein the first end of the shock absorber is positioned above the first end of the pull rod when coupled to the rear control arm, the second end of the shock absorber extends in at least a partially downward direction toward the coupling link, and the second end of the pull rod extends in a generally horizontal direction toward the coupling link. 29. The snowmobile of claim 25, further comprising a second linkage assembly coupled to the rear control arm, the first ends of the shock absorber and the pull rod are operably coupled to the second linkage assembly. 30. The snowmobile of claim 29, wherein the first end of the rear control arm is operably coupled to the second linkage assembly intermediate the first end of the pull rod and the first end of the shock absorber, such that the first end of the rear control arm is positioned above the first end of the pull rod and below the first end of the shock absorber. 31. The snowmobile of claim 25, wherein the length of the front control arm is at least equal to a length of the rear control arm.