Snowmobile with improved drive train
AssigneeBombardier Recreational Products Inc.
InventorsXavier-Pierre Aitcin, Joel Pitre, Yan Nolet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A snowmobile is disclosed having improved drive train including a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a drive belt looped around a driving pulley and a driven pulley, and a transversely arranged jackshaft wherein the driven pulley is connected directly onto the outer surface of one end of the jackshaft. The transverse jackshaft is preferably made from a thin-walled hollow tube and the driven pulley is preferably press fitted thereon. A method of assembling a snowmobile drive train is also disclosed.
Claims20
A snowmobile comprising:
- a frame having a forward end and a rearward end;
- a drive track assembly disposed below and supporting the rearward end of the frame;
- a front suspension connected to the forward end of the frame;
- two skis connected to the front suspension;
- an engine mounted on the frame and operatively connected to the drive track via a drive train for delivering propulsive power to the drive track, the engine having a width measured transversely across the snowmobile;
- the drive train including:
- a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a drive belt looped around a driving pulley and a driven pulley;
- a transversely arranged jackshaft having an outer surface, a first end and a second end and extending at least the width of the engine;
- a reduction drive having an input member and an output member;
- the driven pulley being connected directly onto the outer surface of the first end of the jackshaft, the first end of the jackshaft being inserted into a central portion of the driven pulley and extending through the driven pulley;
- the second end of the jackshaft being connected to the input member of the reduction drive;
- and
- the drive track being operatively connected to the output member of the reduction drive.
A jackshaft for a snowmobile comprising a thin-walled hollow shaft including an outer surface having at least one outer diameter and an inner surface having at least one inner diameter.
A method of assembling a snowmobile drive train including a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a driving pulley and a driven pulley;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- mounting the driving pulley to an engine crankshaft;
- press fitting the driven pulley on an outer surface of a first end of a transversely arranged thin-walled hollow jackshaft;
- connecting a second end of the transversely arranged thin-walled hollow jackshaft to an input member of a reduction drive having an input member and an output member;
- operatively connecting a drive track to the output member of the reduction drive;
- and
- operatively connecting the driving pulley to the driven pulley via a drive belt looped around the driving pulley and the driven pulley.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.