US 10,919,388 B2 · ATV with ratcheting four wheel drive actuator

Abstract

A system for and method of shifting a drive configuration of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is provided. The system includes a shifter assembly, a gear case, and a linkage assembly extending therebetween. The shifter assembly includes a trigger lever for receiving a mechanical user input, thereby moving the shifter assembly between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. The linkage assembly translates the user input to the gear case, thereby causing the gear case to shift between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, respectively. A linkage biasing member provides mechanical flexibility between the shifter assembly and the gear case, facilitating shifting on the fly. The trigger lever is operated by toggling it from a rest position to a deployed position. Upon user release, the trigger lever is automatically returned to its rest position for future engagement by the user.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) having a linkage assembly extending between a shifter assembly and a gear case so as to facilitate mechanical shifting of the ATV between first and second drive configurations, wherein power is directed to a first number of wheels when the ATV is in the first drive configuration and to a second number of wheels when the ATV is in the second drive configuration, the second number of wheels being greater than the first number of wheels, wherein the shifter assembly is secured to a handlebar of the ATV and comprises a trigger assembly having a trigger lever extending from a housing of the shifter assembly, the trigger lever being moveable between first and second positions,

wherein a distal end of the trigger lever is displaced from the handlebar when the trigger lever is in the first position, and
wherein the distal end of the trigger lever is positioned adjacent to the handlebar when the trigger lever is in the second position.

An all-terrain vehicle comprising:

a frame;
a suspension movably coupled to the frame;
a plurality of ground engaging members rotatably coupled to the suspension, the plurality of ground engaging members including front ground engaging members and rear ground engaging members;
a front differential assembly, the front differential assembly having a first configuration wherein power is transmitted to the front ground engaging members and a second configuration wherein power is not transmitted to the front ground engaging members;
and
a shifter assembly, the shifter assembly having a movable position indicator and a trigger member, the position indicator having a first position and a second position, when the position indicator is in the first position, the front differential assembly is in the first configuration and when the position indicator is in the second position, the front differential assembly is in the second configuration,
wherein the trigger member is moveable relative to the position indicator, and
wherein the shifter assembly further comprises at least one pawl, the at least one pawl being one of an advancement pawl and a stop pawl.

5 more elements

A method of mechanically shifting an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) between first and second drive configurations, the method comprising:

moving a trigger assembly of a shifter assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration so as to move a cam of the shifter assembly from a first position to a second position;
disengaging the shifter assembly from the cam while retaining the cam at its second position;
reengaging the trigger assembly with the cam;
and
moving the cam from its second position to its first position,
wherein moving the cam between its first and second positions causes the ATV to move between its first and second drive configurations, respectively,
wherein power is directed to a first number of wheels when the ATV is in its first drive configuration, and
wherein power is directed to a second number of wheels when the ATV is in its second drive configuration, the second number of wheels being greater than the first number of wheels.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

ATV with ratcheting four wheel drive actuator

Life of this patent

ATV with ratcheting four wheel drive actuator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11