# US 12,600,226 B2 · Off-road vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,226 B2 - Document ID: US12600226B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/223,553 - Filed: 2023-07-19 - Published: 2025-01-23 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-19 - Assignees: Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. - Applicants: Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. - Inventors: Kengo Shimatani; Yuki Nakamura; Kenta Takada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600226B2 ## CPC - B60K 13/02: concerning intake - B60K 11/08: Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor - F16H 57/027: characterised by means for venting gearboxes, e.g. air breathers - F16H 57/0416: {Air cooling or ventilation} - F16H 57/0489: {with endless flexible members, e.g. belt CVTs} - B60K 2005/003: {the internal combustion or jet propulsion unit is arranged between the front and the rear axle} - B60Y 2200/20: Off-Road Vehicles - 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 - F16H: GEARING - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract An off-road vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, an internal combustion engine, a continuously variable transmission, a cabin, an engine intake conduit, a CVT intake conduit, and an intake box. The engine is supported by the vehicle body frame. The transmission is configured to change a speed of a driving force output from the engine. In the cabin, a passenger seat supported by the vehicle body frame is provided. The engine intake conduit has an engine inlet provided in a front space ahead of the cabin, and extends toward the engine. The CVT intake conduit has a CVT inlet provided in the front space, and extends toward the transmission. The intake box defines an internal space in which the engine inlet and the CVT inlet are provided. The intake box has an opening through which the internal space is exposed to outside the intake box. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An off-road vehicle, comprising: a vehicle body frame; an internal combustion engine supported by the vehicle body frame; a continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to change a speed of a driving force output from the internal combustion engine; a cabin in which a passenger seat supported by the vehicle body frame is provided; an intake box in a front space ahead of the cabin, the intake box defining an internal space and the intake box including an opening through which the internal space is exposed to outside the intake box; an engine intake conduit that has an engine inlet in the intake box, the engine intake conduit extending toward the internal combustion engine; and a CVT intake conduit that has a CVT inlet in the box, the CVT intake conduit extending toward the CVT. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one shield wall spaced apart from the opening of the intake box and covering the opening of the intake box. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The off-road vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a front cover covering the front space at least partially from above and ahead of the front space, the front cover having the shield wall and an outer surface exposed to outside the off-road vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The off-road vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the front cover has a front opening at a front portion of the front cover, wherein the opening of the intake box is provided behind the front opening of the front cover and faces frontward, and wherein the shield wall is provided between the front opening of the front cover and the opening of the intake box. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The off-road vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a radiator provided ahead of and below the intake box in the front space, wherein the front cover comprises a hood covering the front space at least partially from above the front space, the hood having the front opening at a front portion of the hood, and a front grille covering the front space at least partially from ahead of the front space and having an air guide hole facing the radiator from ahead of the radiator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The off-road vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a radiator provided ahead of the intake box in the front space, wherein the front cover comprises a heat shield cover covering the radiator from above the radiator in the front space, and a hood covering the heat shield cover at least partially from above the heat shield cover, and wherein the front opening communicates with the opening of the intake box through a space between an upper surface of the heat shield cover and a lower surface of the hood. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The off-road vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the heat shield cover has the shield wall protruding toward the lower surface of the hood. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The off-road vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising an air buffer space abutting on the intake box in a width direction of the off-road vehicle and communicating with the opening of the intake box, wherein the heat shield cover comprises a guide configured to guide air inflowing through the front opening of the front cover to the air buffer space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a hood covering the front space at least partially from above the front space, wherein the intake box has a top wall exposed to outside the off-road vehicle, and wherein the hood abuts on the top wall of the intake box in a horizontal direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: an engine intake duct defining an intake conduit for a part of the engine intake conduit and extending from the intake box toward the internal combustion engine; a CVT intake duct defining an intake conduit for a part of the CVT intake conduit and extending from the intake box toward the continuously variable transmission; a first introduction duct protruding upward from a bottom wall of the intake box and toward the internal space, the first introduction duct having an upper portion defining the engine inlet of the engine intake conduit, the first introduction duct defining an engine introduction conduit through which the internal space communicates with the intake conduit defined by the engine intake duct; and a second introduction duct protruding upward from the bottom wall of the intake box and toward the internal space, the second introduction duct having an upper portion defining the CVT inlet of the CVT intake conduit, the second introduction duct defining a CVT introduction conduit through which the internal space communicates with the intake conduit defined by the CVT intake duct, wherein the internal space is exposed to outside the intake box in a horizontal direction through the opening of the intake box. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The off-road vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the bottom wall of the intake box is provided below a lower end portion of the opening of the intake box. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The off-road vehicle according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the engine inlet defined by the first introduction duct and the CVT inlet defined by the second introduction duct faces in a direction away from the opening of the intake box. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The off-road vehicle according to claim 10, wherein at least one of an uppermost end portion of the first introduction duct and an uppermost end portion of the second introduction duct is higher in position than the opening of the intake box. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The off-road vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the intake box comprises a lower case fixed to the vehicle body frame, and an upper case separate from the lower case, and wherein the first introduction duct and the second introduction duct are separate from the upper case and connected to the lower case. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The off-road vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the lower case, the first introduction duct, and the second introduction duct constitute a one-piece structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a hood covering the front space at least partially from above the front space; and an upper cover provided at two sides of the intake box in a width direction of the off-road vehicle and below the hood, wherein the intake box comprises a lower case fixed to the vehicle body frame, and an upper case separate from the lower case, and wherein the upper cover and the upper case constitute a one-piece structure. ### Claim 17 An off-road vehicle, comprising: a vehicle body frame; an internal combustion engine supported by the vehicle body frame; a continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to change a speed of a driving force output from the internal combustion engine; a cabin in which a passenger seat supported by the vehicle body frame is provided; an engine intake conduit that has an engine inlet in a front space ahead of the cabin and that extends toward the internal combustion engine; a CVT intake conduit that has a CVT inlet in the front space and that extends toward the CVT; a front cover covering the front space at least partially from above and ahead of the front space and having a front opening through which the front space is exposed in a forward direction of the off-road vehicle; and a shield wall provided between the front opening of the front cover and the engine inlet of the engine intake conduit and the CVT inlet of the CVT intake conduit. ### Claim 18 An off-road vehicle, comprising: a vehicle body frame; an internal combustion engine supported by the vehicle body frame; a continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to change a speed of a driving force output from the internal combustion engine; a cabin in which a passenger seat supported by the vehicle body frame is provided; an intake box in a front space ahead of the cabin, the intake box defining an internal space and the intake box including an opening through which the internal space is exposed to outside the intake box; an engine intake conduit that has an engine inlet in the intake box, the engine intake conduit extending toward the internal combustion engine; and a CVT intake conduit that has a CVT inlet in the intake box, the CVT intake conduit extending toward the CVT, wherein the engine inlet and the CVT inlet both face in a direction away from the opening of the intake box.