# US 11,028,883 B2 · Off-road recreational vehicle

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- Number: US 11,028,883 B2
- Document ID: US11028883B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/102,135
- Filed: 2018-08-13
- Published: 2019-05-16
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-11-13
- Assignees: Arctic Cat Inc.
- Applicants: Arctic Cat Inc.
- Inventors: Kyle Douglas Olason
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028883B2

## CPC

- F16D 3/223: the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts
- B60K 17/08: of mechanical type
- B60K 17/22: characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft
- B60K 17/24: Arrangement of mountings for shafting
- B60K 17/35: including arrangements for suppressing or influencing the power transfer, e.g. viscous clutches
- B60K 17/352: {manually operated}
- B60K 23/08: for changing number of driven wheels {, for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles (B60K17/3515 takes precedence)}
- B62D 23/005: {with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like (B62D33/044 takes precedence)}
- B60G 2200/1322: with a wishbone or triangular arm
- B60G 2200/144: with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
- B60G 2200/422: Driving wheels or live axles
- B60G 2300/07: Off-road vehicles
- B60K 17/34: for driving both front and rear wheels, e.g. four wheel drive vehicles
- B60K 2023/0883: {manually actuated}
- B60Y 2200/124: Buggies, Quads
- B60Y 2200/20: Off-Road Vehicles
- F16D 2003/22313: {Details of the inner part of the core or means for attachment of the core on the shaft}
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00})
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

Embodiments relate to an off-road vehicle comprising a frame, including at a frame, a passenger compartment, a driveline that includes at least a drive system and a driven system, and a constant velocity (CV) joint for coupling the driven system to the drive system. The CV joint includes a housing, a coupling shaft, a detent, a plunge pin and an actuation pin, wherein the actuation pin has a first end that is accessible via an aperture in the housing, wherein actuation of the actuation pin determines whether the plunge pin is in the first position or the second position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An off-road vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a passenger compartment;
a driveline that includes at least a drive system and a driven system;
a constant velocity (CV) joint coupled to the drive system and the driven system, wherein the CV-joint comprises:
a housing having a first end for engaging a driven shaft and a second end opposite the first end;
a coupling shaft located at the second end of the housing, the coupling shaft configured for engagement with the drive system;
a detent extending to an outer periphery of the coupling shaft and configured to maintain engagement between the coupling shaft and the drive system;
a plunge pin disposed at least partially within the coupling shaft and movable relative thereto, the plunge pin having a first position that maintains the detent in an engaged position with the drive system and a second position in which the plunge pin is moved away from the first end of the housing to permit disengagement of the detent with the drive system; and
an actuation pin located adjacent to the plunge pin and extending in a direction non-parallel to the plunge pin, wherein the actuation pin has a first end that is accessible via an aperture in the housing, wherein actuation of the actuation pin determines whether the plunge pin is in the first position or the second position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein, when the plunge pin is in the first position the actuation pin is oriented in a first configuration and when the plunge pin is in the second position, the actuation pin is oriented in a second configuration; the second configuration being rotated about its centerline axis relative to the first configuration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The off-road vehicle of claim 2, wherein the actuation pin is rotated approximately 90 degrees to actuate the plunge pin between the first position and the second position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the actuation pin includes a first portion recessed from an outer periphery of the actuation pin that is in contact with the plunge pin when the plunge pin is in the first position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The off-road vehicle of claim 4, wherein the plunge pin is in contact with the outer periphery of the actuation pin when the plunge pin is in the second position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The off-road vehicle of claim 5, wherein the actuation pin rotates about a centerline axis to selectively place the plunge pin in contact with the first portion of the actuation pin or the outer periphery of the actuation pin.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The off-road vehicle of claim 5, wherein the actuation pin moves in an axial direction transverse to an axis of the plunge pin to selectively place the plunge pin in contact with the first portion of the actuation pin or the outer periphery of the actuation pin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The off-road vehicle of claim 7, wherein the actuation pin has a second end opposite the first end, wherein a bias spring is in contact with the second end, wherein the bias spring is compressed to place the plunge pin in contact with the outer periphery of the actuation pin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plunge pin further includes a bias spring that is uncompressed when the plunge pin is in the first position and compressed when the plunge pin is in the second position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive system is a transaxle and the driven system includes a rear half-shaft and a joint.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The off-road vehicle of claim 10, wherein the joint is a constant velocity (CV) joint.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive system is a front differential and the driven system includes a front half-shaft and a joint.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The off-road vehicle of claim 12, wherein the joint is a constant velocity (CV) joint.

### Claim 14

A constant velocity joint comprising:
a housing having a first end for engaging a driven shaft and a second end opposite the first end;
a coupling shaft located at the second end of the housing, the coupling shaft configured for engagement with a drive system;
a detent extending to an outer periphery of the coupling shaft and configured to maintain engagement between the coupling shaft and the drive system during operation;
a plunge pin disposed at least partially within the coupling shaft and movable relative thereto, the plunge pin having a first position that maintains the detent in an engaged position with the drive system and a second position in which the plunge pin is moved away from the first end of the housing to permit disengagement of the detent with the drive system; and
an actuation pin located adjacent to the plunge pin and extending in a direction non-parallel to the plunge pin, wherein the actuation pin has a first end that is accessible via an aperture in the housing, wherein actuation of the actuation pin determines whether the plunge pin is in the first position or the second position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The constant velocity joint of claim 14, wherein the actuation pin includes a first portion recessed from an outer periphery of the actuation pin that is in contact with the plunge pin when the plunge pin is in the first position.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The constant velocity joint of claim 15, wherein the plunge pin is in contact with the outer periphery of the actuation pin when the plunge pin is in the second position.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The constant velocity joint of claim 16, wherein the actuation pin is rotated to selectively place that plunge pin in contact with the first portion of the actuation pin or the outer periphery of the actuation pin.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The constant velocity joint of claim 16, wherein the actuation pin is moved in an axial direction transverse to an axis of the plunge pin to selectively place the plunge pin in contact with the first portion of the actuation pin or the outer periphery of the actuation pin.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The constant velocity joint of claim 18, wherein the actuation pin has a second end opposite the first end, wherein a bias spring is in contact with the second end, wherein the bias spring is compressed to place the plunge pin in contact with the outer periphery of the actuation pin.

### Claim 20

A constant velocity (CV) joint assembly comprising:
a CV housing having a radially extending aperture and coupling shaft extending from the housing, the coupling shaft defining a hollow portion therein;
a plunge pin extending within at least a portion of the hollow portion of the coupling shaft, the plunge pin having a first configuration and a second configuration in which the plunge pin is axially offset from the first configuration; and
an actuation pin extending within the aperture, the actuation pin having a recessed portion, wherein at least a portion of the plunge pin is in contact with the actuation pin in both the first and second configurations and, in the first or second configuration at least a portion of the plunge pin is in contact with the recessed portion.