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US 12,208,856 B2Granted
Snow vehicle
AssigneeArctic Cat Inc.
InventorDavid L. Vigen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a snow vehicle including an engine mounted on a frame, a drive track in contact with the frame, a drive train operatively interconnecting the engine with the drive track for delivering propulsive power to the drive track, a fork connected to the frame, one or more skis connected to the fork, a drop fork component positioned between a fork and handlebars, and an exhaust system. The drive train includes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) positioned within a CVT housing.
Claims18
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a frame including an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion, the lower frame portion including a first lower front frame component and a second lower front frame component spaced laterally apart;
- at least one front ski;
- a steering mechanism coupled to the frame, the steering mechanism including a handlebar pivotable on a handlebar axis to steer the at least one front ski;
- a tunnel including a driven track shaft and a track rotatably coupled to the driven track shaft within the tunnel;
- a two-stroke engine including a crankshaft and an exhaust pipe positioned entirely rearward of the handlebar axis, wherein the exhaust pipe is disposed laterally between the first lower front frame component and the second lower front frame component;
- and
- a continuously variable transmission including a primary clutch and a secondary clutch, wherein the continuously variable transmission is disposed entirely between the handlebar axis, the driven track shaft, the upper frame portion, and the lower frame portion
- wherein the secondary clutch is disposed between the two-stroke engine and the upper frame portion of the frame.
5 more elements
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a frame including an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion, the upper frame portion including a first upper front frame member and a second upper front frame member spaced laterally apart, the lower frame portion including a first lower front frame member and a second lower front frame member spaced laterally apart;
- at least one front ski;
- a steering mechanism including a handlebar operably coupled to a fork, the handlebar pivotable on a handlebar axis to steer the at least one front ski;
- a steering mount operably coupling the fork to the frame;
- a tunnel including a driven track shaft and a track rotatably coupled to the driven track shaft within the tunnel;
- and
- a two-stroke engine including a crankshaft disposed entirely rearward of the handlebar axis,
- wherein the first upper front frame member, the second upper front frame member, the first lower front frame member, and the second lower front frame member are coupled to a tubular bracket of the steering mount.
5 more elements
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- an engine mounted on a frame;
- a single front ski;
- a steering mechanism including a handlebar operably coupled to a fork, the handlebar pivotable on a handlebar axis to steer the single front ski, wherein a longitudinal centerline of the fork is aligned with the handlebar axis;
- a steering mount operably coupling the fork to the frame;
- and
- a tunnel including a driven track shaft and a track rotatably coupled to the driven track shaft within the tunnel,
- wherein the fork is pivotally coupled to the single front ski at a location entirely below the tunnel.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.