IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0409176
(2009-03-23)
|
등록번호 |
US-8382125
(2013-02-26)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Sunsdahl, Richard Larry
- Deckard, Aaron David
- Tullemans, Marcus Johannes
- Eck, Richard E.
- Plugge, Jason Carl
- Meyer, Alan A.
- Rengel, Laurie Jean
- White, Geoffrey G.
- Parks McCoubrey, Thomas Samuel
- Safranski, Brian Michael
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
12 인용 특허 :
53 |
초록
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 trail compliant side-by-side all terrain vehicles.
대표청구항
▼
1. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame, comprising a front frame portion, a mid frame portion and a rear frame portion;a front suspension supported by the front frame portion;at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;a front torsion bar supported by the front frame and couple
1. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame, comprising a front frame portion, a mid frame portion and a rear frame portion;a front suspension supported by the front frame portion;at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;a front torsion bar supported by the front frame and coupled to the front suspension;a front differential supported by the front frame portion and drivingly coupled to the front wheels;side by side seats, having a seat back and a seat bottom, the seat bottom having a top seating surface and a bottom mounting surface, the side by side seats further comprising a driver seating surface and a passenger seating surface;a rear suspension supported by the rear frame portion;at least two rear wheels coupled to the rear suspension;a rear torsion bar supported by the rear frame portion and coupled to the rear suspension;a rear differential supported by the rear frame portion and drivingly coupled to the rear wheels;an engine supported by the frame, the engine comprising at least one cylinder having a cylinder head, said at least one cylinder being positioned rearwardly of the seating area and the top of the cylinder head of said at least one cylinder being positioned higher than the seat bottom mounting surface, and with the at least one cylinder head positioned forwardly of the rear differential;a transmission coupled to the engine;a front drive shaft extending between the transmission and the front differential for coupling the transmission to the front wheels;a rear drive shaft extending between the transmission and the rear differential for coupling the transmission to the rear wheels;a fuel tank positioned below the one of the passenger seating surface and driver seating surface; andthe overall vehicle width is less than 54 inches. 2. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, wherein the front drive shaft extends laterally intermediate the side by side seats. 3. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a cab receiving the pair of side by side seats, the cab including a center console. 4. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, wherein the side by side seats are defined by a pair of bucket seats. 5. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle width is approximately 50 inches. 6. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 5, wherein the vehicle width is defined by the outer sides of the front wheels. 7. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, further including a protective panel positioned between the side by seats and the engine. 8. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, further defining a weight and a power to weight ratio, the power to weight ratio being equal to at least 0.045/1 horsepower/pound. 9. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, further including a battery positioned vertically below the other one of the passenger seating surface and driver seating surface. 10. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, further including an adjustable steering wheel adapted to actuate the pair of front wheels. 11. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 10, further comprising an adjustment device configured to lock the steering wheel in a selected position, the adjustment device being continuously adjustable within a range of motion. 12. An all-terrain vehicle including: a frame, comprising a front frame portion, a mid frame portion and a rear frame portion, the rear frame portion comprising a lower rear frame portion and an upper rear frame portion, the lower rear frame portion is comprised of lower cross members and the upper rear frame portion is comprised of at least one cross member, the upper rear frame portion at least partially extending over at least one of the engine or transmission and wherein the upper rear frame portion further comprises a rear brace positioned over the engine and transmission, wherein the rear brace is coupled to the frame rear portion;a front suspension supported by the front frame portion;at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;a front torsion bar supported by the front frame and coupled to the front suspension, the front torsion bar being configured to transmit at least a portion of an upward force exerted on one of the front wheels to the other of the front wheels;a front differential supported by the front frame portion and drivingly coupled to the front wheels;side by side seats including a driver seating surface and a passenger seating surface;an engine supported by the frame;a transmission coupled to the engine, the transmission comprising a continuously variable transmission;a rear suspension supported by the rear frame portion;at least two rear wheels coupled to the rear suspension;a rear torsion bar supported by the rear frame portion and coupled to the rear suspension, the rear torsion bar being configured to transmit at least a portion of an upward force exerted on one of the rear wheels to the other of the rear wheels;a rear differential supported by the rear frame portion and drivingly coupled to the rear wheels;a front drive shaft extending between the transmission and the front differential for coupling the front wheels to the transmission;a rear drive shaft extending between the transmission and the rear differential for coupling the transmission to the rear wheels;a fuel tank positioned below one of the seating surfaces; anda battery positioned below the other of the seating surfaces. 13. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, wherein the seating area is comprised of side-by-side bucket seats having a seat back and a seat bottom. 14. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 13, wherein the bottom has a seating surface and a low point of the seating surface is below a top of the engine. 15. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a transmission shift lever extending through a floor board and positioned between the side by side seats. 16. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, wherein an engine cover is positioned over and is supported by the upper rear frame portion. 17. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, further comprising an outer body panel supported by the frame. 18. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 17, wherein the outer body panel comprises a front body panel and a hood. 19. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a front storage area positioned under the hood. 20. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a protective panel positioned between the pair of side by side seats and the engine. 21. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20, wherein the front driveshaft extends under the protective panel. 22. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, wherein the front driveshaft extends laterally between the fuel tank and the battery. 23. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, wherein each of the at least two front wheels are operably coupled to the frame by way of a control arm. 24. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 23, wherein the front torsion bar is comprised of a transverse bar portion and left and right ends coupled to the wheels. 25. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 24, wherein the transverse bar portion is forward of, and raised above, an axis through a center of the wheels. 26. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 25, wherein the left and right ends of the torsion bar are coupled to the wheels through links. 27. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 12, wherein the front wheels are operably coupled to the frame by way of control arms. 28. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 27, wherein the front torsion bar is comprised of a transverse bar portion and left and right ends coupled to the wheels. 29. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 28, wherein the transverse bar portion is forward of, and raised above, an axis through a center of the wheels. 30. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 29, wherein the left and right ends of the torsion bar are coupled to the wheels through links. 31. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame, comprising a front frame portion, a mid frame portion and a rear frame portion;a front suspension supported by the front frame portion;at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;a front torsion bar supported by the front frame and coupled to the front suspension;a front differential supported by the front frame portion and drivingly coupled to the front wheels;side by side seats, having a seat back and a seat bottom, the seat bottom having a top seating surface and a bottom mounting surface, the side by side seats further comprising a driver seating surface and a passenger seating surface;a rear suspension supported by the rear frame portion;at least two rear wheels coupled to the rear suspension;a rear torsion bar supported by the rear frame portion and coupled to the rear suspension;a rear differential supported by the rear frame portion and drivingly coupled to the rear wheels;an engine supported by the frame, the engine comprising at least one cylinder having a cylinder head, said at least one cylinder being positioned rearwardly of the seating area and the top of the cylinder head of said at least one cylinder being positioned higher than the seat bottom mounting surface, and with the at least one cylinder head positioned forwardly of the rear differential;a transmission coupled to the engine;a front drive shaft extending between the transmission and the front differential for coupling the transmission to the front wheels;a rear drive shaft extending between the transmission and the rear differential for coupling the transmission to the rear wheels;a fuel tank positioned below the one of the passenger seating surface and driver seating surface; anda battery positioned vertically below the other one of the passenger seating surface and driver seating surface. 32. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 31, wherein the front drive shaft extends laterally intermediate the side by side seats. 33. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 31, further comprising a cab receiving the pair of side by side seats, the cab including a center console. 34. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 31, wherein the side by side seats are defined by a pair of bucket seats. 35. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 31, wherein the vehicle width is less than 54 inches. 36. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 35, wherein the vehicle width is defined by the outer sides of the front wheels. 37. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 31, further including a protective panel positioned between the side by seats and the engine. 38. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 31, further defining a weight and a power to weight ratio, the power to weight ratio being equal to at least 0.045/1 horsepower/pound. 39. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 31, further including an adjustable steering wheel adapted to actuate the pair of front wheels. 40. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 39, further comprising an adjustment device configured to lock the steering wheel in a selected position, the adjustment device being continuously adjustable within a range of motion.
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