# US 2022/0089244 A1 · Vehicle with variable overall length and method for selectively changing the length > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0089244 A1 - Document ID: US20220089244A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/599,778 - Filed: 2020-03-27 - Published: 2022-03-24 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-29 - Assignees: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. - Applicants: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. - Inventors: Vincent FROIDEVAUX; Eric FOURNIER; Maxime DUMONT - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220089244A1 ## CPC - B60L 15/20: for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed - B62K 15/00: Collapsible or foldable cycles - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B62J 11/19: specially adapted for electric wires - B62J 43/16: on motorcycles or the like - B62K 7/02: Frames - B62K 11/02: Frames (motorcycles or cycles with auxiliary engines characterised by position of engine B62M) - B62K 11/04: characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels - B62K 13/08: Frames - B62L 3/00: Brake-actuating mechanisms {(for back-pedalling brakes B62L5/00)}; Arrangements thereof - B60L 2200/12: Bikes - B60L 2240/461: Speed - B60L 2260/22: Standstill, e.g. zero speed - B62K 2202/00: Motorised scooters - B62K 2204/00: Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - B62J: CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS - B62L: BRAKES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES {(arrangements in cycles for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions B60T8/00)} - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A vehicle including a front module including a front wheel and a rear module selectively moveably connected to the front module, the rear module including a rear wheel. The vehicle further includes an electric motor assembly, a mode selector, at least one extension assembly connected between the front module and the rear module for selectively extending and retracting to provide a selective variation in an overall length of the vehicle; and a vehicle control unit being communicatively connected between the mode selector and the electric motor assembly. The vehicle control unit performs a method for selectively changing the overall vehicle length. The method includes receiving from the mode selector an indication to change the overall length, determining that the front wheel is rotationally locked, and causing an electric motor to drive the rear wheel such that the rear module translates relative to the front module. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle, comprising: a front module including: a front frame portion, a front suspension assembly connected to the front frame portion, at least one front wheel connected to the front frame portion via the front suspension assembly, and at least one front brake assembly operatively connected to the at least one front wheel; a rear module selectively moveably connected to the front module, the rear module including: a rear frame portion, a rear suspension assembly connected to the rear frame portion, at least one rear wheel connected to the rear frame portion via the rear suspension assembly, and an electric motor assembly supported by the rear frame portion, the electric motor assembly selectively driving the at least one rear wheel; a seat; a steering assembly disposed forward of the seat, the seat and the steering assembly being connected to one of the front module and the rear module; a mode selector connected to one of the front module and the rear module; a battery connected to one of the front module and the rear module, the battery being electrically connected to the electric motor assembly; at least one extension assembly connected between the front module and the rear module, the at least one extension assembly being selectively extendible and retractable to provide a selective variation in an overall length of the vehicle; and a vehicle control unit supported by one of the front module and the rear module, the vehicle control unit being communicatively connected between the mode selector and the electric motor assembly, the vehicle control unit being adapted for: receiving an indication, via the mode selector, to change the overall length of the vehicle, determining that the at least one front wheel is rotationally locked, and in response to receiving the indication and determining that the at least one front wheel is rotationally locked, causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel in order to move the rear module relative to the front module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, when the indication to change the overall length of the vehicle is an indication to increase the overall length of the vehicle, causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel includes driving the at least one rear wheel in reverse to move the rear module rearward relative to the front module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, when the indication to change the overall length of the vehicle is an indication to reduce the overall length of the vehicle, causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel includes driving the at least one rear wheel in a forward direction to move the rear module forward relative to the front module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the battery is connected to the rear module; and the battery is disposed at least partially under the seat in at least one extension position of the front module relative to the rear module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the seat, the steering assembly, the battery, and the mode selector are connected to the front module; and selectively increasing the overall length of the vehicle creates a space within the vehicle between the seat and the at least one rear wheel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising an electrical cord operatively connecting the battery to the electric motor assembly; and wherein: the at least one extension assembly defines a channel therethrough, and the electrical cord extends from the front module to the rear module through the channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a control wire communicatively connecting the vehicle control unit to the electric motor assembly, the control wire being connected between the vehicle control unit and the electric motor assembly; and wherein: the vehicle control unit is supported by the front module, and the control wire extends from the vehicle control unit in the front module to the electric motor assembly in the rear module via the channel in the at least one extension assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the seat, the steering assembly, the battery, and the mode selector are connected to the rear module; and selectively increasing the overall length of the vehicle creates a space within the vehicle between the at least one front wheel and the seat. ### Claim at position 9 -10. (canceled) ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor communicatively connected to the vehicle control unit for sensing at least one of: an extension position of the at least one extension assembly; and a position of the front module relative to the rear module. ### Claim at position 11 -15. (canceled) ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle control unit is further adapted for actuating the at least one front brake assembly to rotationally lock the at least one front wheel; and determining that the at least one front wheel is rotationally locked includes actuating the at least one front brake assembly to rotationally lock the at least one front wheel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one brake sensor operatively connected to the at least one front brake assembly, the at least one brake sensor being communicatively connected to the vehicle control unit, the at least one brake sensor being operable to send a signal, to the vehicle control unit, indicating that the at least one front wheel is rotationally locked by the at least one front brake assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a speed sensor for sensing a speed of the vehicle, the speed sensor being communicatively connected to the vehicle control unit, the speed sensor being operable to send a signal, to the vehicle control unit, indicating that the vehicle is immobilized prior to causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one extension assembly includes at least one lock for locking an extension position of the at least one extension assembly. ### Claim 20 A method for selectively changing an overall length of a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving, by a vehicle control unit, from a mode selector, an indication to change the overall length of the vehicle, the vehicle including a front module and a rear module connected together by at least one extension assembly, the front module including: at least one front wheel, and at least one front brake assembly operatively connected to the at least one front wheel; determining, by the vehicle control unit, that the at least one front wheel is rotationally locked; and causing, by the vehicle control unit, an electric motor assembly of the rear module to drive at least one rear wheel of the rear module such that the rear module translates relative to the front module. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein determining that the at least one front wheel is rotationally locked includes determining that the at least one front brake assembly has been actuated to brake the at least one front wheel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein determining that the at least one front wheel is rotationally locked includes actuating the at least one front brake assembly to rotationally lock the at least one front wheel. ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: causing, by the vehicle control unit, the at least one front brake assembly to actuate in order to brake the at least one front wheel, prior to causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel. ### Claim 25 (canceled) ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising, determining by the vehicle control unit that the vehicle is immobilized, prior to causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising causing, by the vehicle control unit, the at least one extension assembly to unlock, prior to causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel; and wherein when unlocked, the at least one extension assembly is capable of at least one of selectively extending and selectively retracting. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising causing, by the vehicle control unit, the at least one extension assembly to lock, subsequent to causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel; and wherein when locked, the at least one extension assembly has a fixed length and impedes changes in the overall length of the vehicle. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel includes causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel in reverse in order to increase the overall length of the vehicle and to cause the at least one extension assembly to extend. ### Claim 30 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel includes causing the electric motor assembly to drive the at least one rear wheel forward in order to decrease the overall length of the vehicle and to cause the at least one extension assembly to retract.