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US 10,899,415 B2Granted
Snow vehicle
AssigneePolaris Industries Inc.
InventorsAllen M. Mangum, Jimmy D. Brooks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snow vehicle is disclosed comprising a uni-body frame having a forward engine compartment, a propulsion unit coupled to the frame, and a front ski steered by a steering mechanism. The snow vehicle has a chain coupling the sprocket of the propulsion unit located outside of the frame and directly coupled to the belt drive.
Claims47
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle frame, the frame having an engine compartment having sidewalls;
- a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the powertrain being housed between the sidewalls;
- the transmission comprising a driveshaft protruding through one of the sidewalls;
- a drive coupler attached to the driveshaft and positioned on an opposite side of the one sidewall as said powertrain;
- a rear suspension;
- a drive belt coupled to the rear suspension;
- a propulsion driven member supported by the frame and coupled to the belt, the propulsion driven member rotating about a belt drive axis;
- a driven coupler positioned adjacent to the drive coupler and coupled to the propulsion driven member;
- and
- a linear element coupling the drive coupler and the driven coupler to drive the drive belt.
7 more elements
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- a steering system supported by the vehicle frame and having a handle bar, where the handle bar has a handle bar grip;
- a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising a driveshaft;
- a drive coupler attached to the driveshaft;
- a rear suspension;
- a drive belt coupled to the rear suspension;
- a propulsion driven member supported by the frame and coupled to the belt, the propulsion driven member rotating about a belt drive axis;
- operator foot supports, wherein the operator foot supports comprise foot pegs, wherein the belt drive axis is forward of the foot supports by a distance X1;
- and
- a transmission shifter positioned adjacent to one of the foot supports, wherein a distance X6 from the handle bar grip to the front edge of the foot pegs is in the range of 12 to 16 inches.
7 more elements
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- a steering system supported by the vehicle frame and having a handle bar, where the handle bar has a handle bar grip;
- a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising a driveshaft;
- a drive coupler attached to the driveshaft;
- a rear suspension;
- a drive belt coupled to the rear suspension;
- a propulsion driven member supported by the frame and coupled to the belt, the propulsion driven member rotating about a belt drive axis;
- operator foot supports, wherein the operator foot supports comprise foot pegs, wherein the belt drive axis is forward of the foot supports by a distance X1;
- and
- a transmission shifter positioned adjacent to one of the foot supports, wherein a distance X6 from the handle bar grip to the front edge of the foot pegs is approximately 10 inches.
7 more elements
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising a driveshaft;
- a drive coupler attached to the driveshaft;
- a rear suspension;
- a drive belt coupled to the rear suspension;
- a propulsion driven member supported by the frame and coupled to the belt, the propulsion driven member rotating about a belt drive axis;
- a driven coupler positioned adjacent to the drive coupler and coupled to the propulsion driven member;
- and a linear element coupling the drive coupler and the driven coupler to drive the drive belt;
- and
- operator foot supports, wherein the belt drive axis is forward of the foot supports by a distance X1;
- wherein the frame has an engine compartment having sidewalls, and the powertrain being housed between the sidewalls, and the driveshaft protrudes through one of the sidewalls and is positioned on an opposite side of the one sidewall as said powertrain.
8 more elements
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- a powertrain comprising an engine coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising a driveshaft;
- a drive coupler attached to the driveshaft;
- a rear suspension;
- a drive belt coupled to the rear suspension;
- a propulsion driven member supported by the frame and coupled to the belt, the propulsion driven member rotating about a belt drive axis;
- operator foot supports, wherein the operator foot supports comprise foot pegs wherein the belt drive axis is forward of the foot supports by a distance X1;
- and
- a steering system having a handle bar, where the handle bar has a handle bar grip, and wherein a distance X6 from the handle bar grip to the front edge of the foot pegs is in the range of 12 to 16 inches.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.