Engine access panels for off-highway vehicle
AssigneeArctic Cat Inc.
InventorsJared Spindler, Derek Sorenson, Peter Schoenecker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A recreational off-highway vehicle includes side-by-side passenger and driver seats held within a chassis. The seats sit low in the chassis and are covered by a roll cage. Grab handles are positioned on the sides of the passenger seat. Select large round tubing protects the vehicle, while rectangular tubing frames the portions of the vehicle beneath body panels. The vehicle is powered by an engine rearward of the seats that is connected to a transaxle. A radiator is positioned above the engine. A cover with an access panel is situated between the engine and the passenger seats. The vehicle is suited for rough terrain travel.
Claims20
A side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicle having two front wheels and at least two rear wheels, the vehicle comprising:
- a chassis having a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion;
- the front portion being coupled to the front wheels, the rear portion being coupled to the rear wheels, and the middle portion surrounding an occupant compartment having at least two side-by-side seats for a driver and at least one passenger;
- an engine secured to the rear portion of the chassis, the engine having a crankcase;
- a transmission secured to the engine;
- a drive unit operably coupled to the transmission, the drive unit drivingly coupled to the rear wheels;
- a cover between the engine and the occupant compartment to separate the engine from the occupant compartment;
- and
- at least one access panel secured within the cover, the at least one access panel being movable to access engine components.
A side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicle having two front wheels and at least two rear wheels, the vehicle comprising:
- a chassis having a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion;
- the front portion being coupled to the front wheels, the rear portion being coupled to the rear wheels, and the middle portion surrounding an occupant compartment having at least two side-by-side seats for a driver and at least one passenger;
- an engine secured to the rear portion of the chassis;
- a transmission secured to the engine;
- a drive unit operably coupled to the transmission, the drive unit drivingly coupled to the rear wheels;
- a cover between the engine and the occupant compartment to separate the engine from the occupant compartment;
- and
- at least one access panel secured within the cover, the at least one access panel being movable to access engine components;
- wherein the rear portion of the chassis includes a cross member for securing a front of the engine, the cross member extending transverse to a longitudinal axis of the chassis and being elevated above a lowest portion of the chassis, the at least one access panel opening forward of and above the cross member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.