Exhaust assembly for a utility vehicle
AssigneePolaris Industries Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Purdy, Ryan D. Carlson, Ralph W. Lauzze, III, Ryan M. Lacanne, Jake A. Stafford, Stephen Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A utility vehicle includes an exhaust assembly fluidly coupled to an engine. Depending on various parameters, such as the size and/or performance of the vehicle, the exhaust assembly is required to meet certain emissions regulations. Such emissions regulations may be met by increasing the temperature within the exhaust assembly, however, at particularly high temperatures, a catalyst of the exhaust assembly may be damaged. Therefore, the exhaust assembly includes various options for cooling portions thereof to remove heat from the assembly.
Claims20
A utility vehicle, comprising:
- a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an operator area;
- a plurality of ground-engaging members supporting the frame assembly and including front ground-engaging members and rear ground-engaging members;
- at least one wheel well supported by the rear ground-engaging members;
- a powertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly and including at least an engine and a transmission operably coupled to the engine, wherein the engine is longitudinally rearward of the operator area;
- and
- an exhaust assembly comprising:
- an exhaust conduit fluidly coupled to the engine;
- a catalyst fluidly coupled to exhaust conduit and configured to receive exhaust gas from the exhaust conduit;
- and
- a cooling mechanism configured to provide cooling fluid to a portion of the exhaust assembly, wherein the cooling mechanism comprises a deflection mechanism positioned at the at least one wheel well of the rear ground-engaging members to direct air from the at least one wheel well towards the portion of the exhaust assembly,
- wherein a rate of the cooling air directed to the portion of the exhaust assembly increases as a speed of the utility vehicle increases.
A utility vehicle, comprising:
- a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an operator area;
- a plurality of ground-engaging members supporting the frame assembly and including front ground-engaging members and rear ground-engaging members;
- at least one wheel well supported by the rear ground-engaging members;
- a powertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly and including at least an engine and a transmission operably coupled to the engine, wherein the engine is longitudinally rearward of the operator area;
- and
- an exhaust assembly comprising:
- an exhaust conduit fluidly coupled to the engine;
- a catalyst fluidly coupled to exhaust conduit and configured to receive exhaust gas from the exhaust conduit, and the exhaust conduit, the engine, and the catalyst are positioned adjacent each other along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a cooling mechanism configured to cool a portion of the exhaust assembly, the cooling mechanism including a deflection mechanism to direct air from the at least one wheel well toward the portion of the exhaust assembly,
- wherein a rate of the cooling air directed to the portion of the exhaust assembly increases as a speed of the utility vehicle increases.
An exhaust assembly for a utility vehicle, the utility vehicle having a front portion, a rear portion, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, and a powertrain assembly including at least an engine and a transmission operably coupled to the engine, the exhaust assembly comprising:
- an exhaust conduit fluidly coupled to the engine;
- a catalyst fluidly coupled to exhaust conduit and configured to receive exhaust gas from the exhaust conduit, wherein the exhaust conduit, the engine, and the catalyst are positioned adjacent each other along a longitudinal axis of the utility vehicle;
- and
- a cooling mechanism configured to cool a portion of the exhaust assembly, the cooling mechanism including a deflection mechanism to direct air from a rear portion of the vehicle toward the portion of the exhaust assembly, wherein the air is directed toward the portion of the exhaust assembly from at least two wheel wells of the utility vehicle;
- and wherein a rate of the cooling air directed to the portion of the exhaust assembly increases as a speed of the utility vehicle increases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.