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US 10,864,828 B2Granted
Side-by-side ATV
AssigneePolaris Industries Inc.
InventorsRichard Larry Sunsdahl, Aaron David Deckard, Marcus Johannes Tullemans, Jason Carl Plugge, Alan A. Meyer, Brian Michael Safranski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
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.
Claims27
An all-terrain vehicle, comprising:
- 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;
- a front suspension coupled to the front frame portion;
- at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;
- a rear suspension coupled to the rear frame portion;
- at least two rear wheels coupled to the rear suspension;
- a cab intermediate the front and rear wheels;
- a seating area within the cab and supported by the mid frame portion, comprising side by side seats each having a seat back and a seat bottom;
- an engine supported by the rear frame portion, the engine positioned rearwardly of the seating area, and each seat bottom having a seating surface with a low point of the seating surface being below a top of the engine, the spaced-apart seating surfaces including a driver seating surface and a passenger seating surface;
- a fuel tank being positioned underneath one of the seat bottoms;
- a transmission comprising a continuously variable transmission positioned rearwardly of the seating area;
- the front and rear wheels being drivingly coupled to the transmission;
- the lower rear frame portion supporting at least one of the engine and transmission rearward of the seating area;
- an engine cover supported by the upper rear frame portion and extending over one of the engine and transmission rearward of the seating area, the engine cover comprising a floor and upstanding sidewalls;
- a tilt steering wheel positioned forward of a driver seat back of the side by side seating and operatively coupled to the at least two front wheels, a longitudinal distance between the steering wheel and the driver seat back is adjustable while maintaining a tilt angle of the tilt steering wheel;
- an engine air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to the engine;
- a clutch air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to a clutch housing of the continuously variable transmission, a portion of an opening of the engine air intake being laterally aligned with a portion of an opening of the clutch air intake, the portion of the opening of the engine air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover and the portion of the opening of the clutch air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover;
- a storage compartment positioned forward of the steering wheel;
- a cover positioned forward of the steering wheel and over the storage compartment, the cover being moveable between a closed position denying access to the storage compartment and an open position permitting access to the storage compartment, the cover being rotatable forward from the closed position to the open position, a portion of the cover being longitudinally aligned with the steering wheel;
- and
- outermost points of the vehicle in a width-wise direction define a width of less than 54 inches.
17 more elements
An all-terrain vehicle, comprising:
- a frame;
- a front suspension coupled to the frame;
- at least two front wheels coupled to the front suspension;
- a rear suspension coupled to the frame;
- at least two rear wheels coupled to the rear suspension;
- a cab intermediate the front and rear wheels;
- a seating area within the cab and supported by the frame, comprising side by side seats each having a seat back and a seat bottom;
- a rear axle assembly that drivingly couples a transmission to the rear wheels;
- a modular engine assembly supported by the frame rearward of the seating area, the modular engine assembly being comprised of an engine, the transmission comprising a continuously variable transmission, and at least a portion of the rear axle assembly, wherein the modular engine assembly provides coupling of the engine, transmission, and portion of the rear axle assembly to fix the relative positions thereof and provides for the modular engine assembly to be mounted to or dismounted from the frame as a unit;
- a front axle assembly supported by the frame and drivingly coupling the transmission to the front wheels;
- an engine cover supported by the upper rear frame portion and extending over one of the engine and transmission rearward of the seating area, the engine cover comprising a floor and upstanding sidewalls;
- a tilt steering wheel positioned forward of a driver seat back of the side by side seating and operatively coupled to the at least two front wheels, a longitudinal distance between the steering wheel and the driver seat back is adjustable while maintaining a tilt angle of the tilt steering wheel;
- an engine air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to the engine;
- a clutch air intake positioned rearward of the side by side seats to collect and direct air to a clutch housing of the continuously variable transmission, a portion of an opening of the engine air intake being laterally aligned with a portion of an opening of the clutch air intake, the portion of the opening of the engine air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover and the portion of the opening of the clutch air intake being higher than the floor of the engine cover;
- a storage compartment positioned forward of the steering wheel;
- a cover positioned forward of the steering wheel and over the storage compartment, the cover being moveable between a closed position denying access to the storage compartment and an open position permitting access to the storage compartment, the cover being rotatable forward from the closed position to the open position, a portion of the cover being longitudinally aligned with the steering wheel;
- and
- outermost points of the vehicle in a width-wise direction define a width of less than 54 inches.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.