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;a pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported by the frame, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces including a lower seating surface having an upward facing seating surface height and a seating surface low point height, the lo

1. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame;a pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported by the frame, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces including a lower seating surface having an upward facing seating surface height and a seating surface low point height, the lower seating surface further including a lower seating surface rearmost point, the lower seating surface rearmost point being located within a vertical rear seat plane, a rearward seat height point being defined at the upward facing seating surface height within the vertical rear seat plane;an engine located rearwardly of the vertical rear seat plane,a transmission,a pair of front wheels;a pair of rear wheels spaced-apart from the pair of front wheels by a wheelbase distance, the pairs of front and rear wheels adapted to support the frame above a ground surface, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported above the frame by a seat height distance;front and rear axle attachment points that are fixed relative to the frame and are operable to respectively couple a front axle and a rear axle to the frame;a power train drivingly coupled to front and rear wheels, the power train including a front drive shaft operable to drive the front wheels, a portion of the drive shaft being located in a space that is:1) lower than the upward facing seating surface height,2) higher than a portion of the frame that supports the laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces,3) rearward of a forwardmost portion of the lower seating surfaces, and4) forward of the vertical rear seat plane; andwherein the front and rear axle attachment points define a first attachment axis therebetween, the front axle attachment point and the rearward seat height point defining a second axis therebetween, the first and second axes cooperating to define a first angle, the first angle being less than 12 degrees, further wherein a pair of outermost lateral points of the vehicle define a vehicle width of less than 54 inches. 2. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame:a pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported by the frame, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces including a lower seating surface having an upward facing seating surface height and a seating surface low point height, the lower seating surface further including a lower seating surface rearmost point, the lower seating surface rearmost point being located within a vertical rear seat plane, a rearward seat height point being defined at the upward facing seating surface height within the vertical rear seat plane;an engine located rearwardly of the vertical rear seat plane.a transmission,a pair of front wheels;a pair of rear wheels spaced-apart from the pair of front wheels by a wheelbase distance, the pairs of front and rear wheels adapted to support the frame above a ground surface, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported above the frame by a seat height distance;front and rear axle attachment points that are fixed relative to the frame and are operable to respectively couple a front axle and a rear axle to the frame;a power train drivingly coupled to front and rear wheels, the power train including a front drive shaft operable to drive the pair of front wheels, a portion of the front drive shaft being located in a space that is: 1) lower than the upward facing seating surface low point height,2) higher than a portion of the frame that supports the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces,3) rearward of a forwardmost portion of the lower seating surfaces, and4) forward of the vertical rear seat plane andwherein the front and rear axle attachment points define a first attachment axis therebetween, the front axle attachment point and the rearward seat height point defining a second axis therebetween, the first and second axes cooperating to define a first angle, the first angle being less than 12 degrees, the engine is part of a modular engine assembly having a clutch cooling inlet and an engine cooling inlet each adapted to communicate cooling air to the modular engine assembly, the clutch cooling inlet and the engine cooling inlet extending upwardly laterally between the laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces. 3. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a cab including a protective cage, the protective cage including an upper portion, the upper portion having a width less than the vehicle width. 4. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a torsion bar operably coupled between the pair of front wheels. 5. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, wherein the engine is supported by the frame and defines a power output, further wherein the all-terrain vehicle defines a weight and a power to weight ratio, the power to weight ratio being equal to at least 0.045/1 horsepower/pound. 6. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rear axle attachment point and the rearward seat height point define a third axis therebetween, the first and third axes cooperating to define a second angle, the second angle being less than 22 degrees. 7. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rear axle attachment point and the rearward seat height point define a third axis therebetween, the second and third axes cooperating to define a third angle, the third angle being greater than 147 degrees. 8. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame including a lower frame member that defines a ground clearance height for the vehicle;a pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported by the frame, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces including a lower seating surface having an upward facing seating surface height and a seating surface low point height, the lower seating surface further including a lower seating surface rearmost point, the lower seating surface rearmost point being located within a vertical rear seat plane, a rearward seat height point being defined at the upward facing seating surface height within the vertical rear seat plane;an engine located rearwardly of the vertical rear seat plane,a transmission,a pair of front wheels defining a front wheelbase vertical plane;a pair of rear wheels defining a rear wheelbase vertical plane, the front and rear wheelbase vertical planes being spaced-apart to define a wheelbase distance, the pairs of front and rear wheels adapted to support the frame above a ground surface;front and rear lower frame wheelbase points that are defined at the ground clearance height on the front and rear wheelbase vertical planes, respectively;a power train drivingly coupled to front and rear wheels, the power train including a front drive shaft operable to drive the pair of front wheels, a portion of the front drive shaft being located in a space that is: 1) lower than the upward facing seating surface low point height,2) higher than a portion of the frame that supports the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces,3) rearward of a forwardmost portion of the lower seating surfaces, and4) forward of the vertical rear seat plane; andwherein the front and rear lower frame wheelbase points define a first axis therebetween, the front lower frame wheelbase point and the rearward seat height point defining a second axis therebetween, the first and second axes cooperating to define a first angle, the first angle being less than 17 degrees, further wherein a pair of outermost lateral points of the vehicle define a vehicle width of less than 54 inches. 9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the rear lower frame wheelbase point and the rearward seat height point define a third axis therebetween, the first and third axes cooperating to define a second angle, the second angle being less than 32 degrees. 10. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 8, wherein the rear lower frame wheelbase point and the rearward seat height point define a third axis therebetween, the second and third axes cooperating to define a third angle, the third angle being greater than 131 degrees. 11. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame;a pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported by the frame, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces including a lower seating surface having a low point; an engine located rearwardly of a vertical rear seat plane containing the low point,a transmission,a pair of front wheels;a pair of rear wheels spaced-apart from the pair of front wheels by a wheelbase distance, the pairs of front and rear wheels adapted to support the frame above a ground surface, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported above the frame by a seat height distance;front and rear axle attachment points that are fixed relative to the frame and are operable to respectively couple a front axle and a rear axle to the frame;a power train drivingly coupled to front and rear wheels, the power train including a front drive shaft operable to drive the pair of front wheels, a portion of the front drive shaft being located in a space that is:1) lower than the lower seating surface low point,2) higher than a portion of the frame that supports the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces,3) rearward of a forwardmost portion of the lower seating surfaces, and4) forward of the vertical rear seat plane; andwherein the front and rear axle attachment points define a first attachment axis therebetween, the front axle attachment point and the lower seating surface low point defining a second axis therebetween, the first and second axes cooperating to define a first angle, the first angle being less than 12 degrees when viewed in a lateral plan view, further wherein a pair of outermost lateral points of the vehicle define a vehicle width of less than 54 inches. 12. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 11, wherein the rear axle attachment point and the lower seating surface low point define a third axis therebetween, the first and third axes cooperating to define a second angle, the second angle being less than 21 degrees. 13. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 11, wherein the rear axle attachment point and the lower seating surface low point define a third axis therebetween, the second and third axes cooperating to define a third angle, the third angle being greater than 147 degrees. 14. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame including a lower frame member that defines a ground clearance height for the vehicle;a pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported by the frame, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces including a lower seating surface having a low point;an engine located rearwardly of a vertical rear seat plane containing the low point,a transmission,a pair of front wheels defining a front wheelbase vertical plane;a pair of rear wheels defining a rear wheelbase vertical plane, the front and rear wheelbase vertical planes being spaced-apart to define a wheelbase distance, the pairs of front and rear wheels adapted to support the frame above a ground surface;front and rear lower frame wheelbase points that are defined at the ground clearance height on the front and rear wheelbase vertical planes, respectively;a power train drivingly coupled to front and rear wheels, the power train including a front drive shaft operable to drive the pair of front wheels, a portion of the front drive shaft being located in a space that is:1) lower than the lower seating surface low point,2) higher than a portion of the frame that supports the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces,3) rearward of a forwardmost portion of the lower seating surfaces, and4) forward of the vertical rear seat plane; and wherein the front and rear lower frame wheelbase points define a first axis therebetween, the front lower frame wheelbase point and the lower seating surface low point defining a second axis therebetween, the first and second axes cooperating to define a first angle, the first angle being less than 18 degrees when viewed in a lateral plan view, further wherein a pair of outermost lateral points of the vehicle define a vehicle width of less than 54 inches. 15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the rear lower frame wheelbase point and the lower seating surface low point define a third axis therebetween, the first and third axes cooperating to define a second angle, the second angle being less than 31 degrees. 16. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 14, wherein the rear lower frame wheelbase point and the lower seating surface low point define a third axis therebetween, the second and third axes cooperating to define a third angle, the third angle being greater than 132 degrees. 17. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: a frame including a lower frame member that defines a ground clearance height for the vehicle;a pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces supported by the frame, the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces including a lower seating surface having a low point;an engine located rearwardly of a vertical rear seat plane containing the low point,a transmission,a pair of front wheels;a pair of rear wheels, the pairs of front and rear wheels adapted to support the frame above a ground surface;front and rear wheel-axle points that are defined at centers of the front and rear wheels, respectively;a power train drivingly coupled to front and rear wheels, the power train including a front drive shaft operable to drive the pair of front wheels, a portion of the front drive shaft being located in a space that is:1) lower than the lower seating surface low point,2) higher than a portion of the frame that supports the pair of laterally spaced-apart seating surfaces,3) rearward of a forwardmost portion of the lower seating surfaces, and4) forward of the vertical rear seat plane; andwherein the front and rear wheel-axle points define a first axis therebetween, the front wheel-axle point and the lower seating surface low point defining a second axis therebetween, the first and second axes cooperating to define a first angle, the first angle being less than 15 degrees when viewed in a lateral plan view, further wherein a pair of outermost lateral points of the vehicle define a vehicle width of less than 54 inches. 18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the rear wheel-axle point and the lower seating surface low point define a third axis therebetween, the first and third axes cooperating to define a second angle, the second angle being less than 27 degrees. 19. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 17, wherein the rear wheel-axle point and the lower seating surface low point define a third axis therebetween, the second and third axes cooperating to define a third angle, the third angle being greater than 138 degrees. 20. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transmission has a forwardmost point that is not located forward of a forwardmost point of the engine. 21. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the transmission has a forwardmost point that is not located forward of a forwardmost point of the engine. 22. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the transmission has a forwardmost point that is not located forward of a forwardmost point of the engine. 23. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the transmission has a forwardmost point that is not located forward of a forwardmost point of the engine. 24. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the transmission has a forwardmost point that is not located forward of a forwardmost point of the engine.