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US 2025/0058816 A1Published application
Recreational vehicle spindle
AssigneeArctic Cat Inc.
InventorsMarcus Charles Moldaschel, Benjamin Taylor Langaas, Nathan Lee Blomker, Steven Janzow, Guy L. Sibilleau
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a spindle for a recreational vehicle, such as a snowmobile, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or a side-by-side vehicle. The spindle includes a spine, optionally a front fin that extends from a front surface of the spine, and optionally a rear fin that extends from a back surface of the spine.
Claims20
A snowmobile, comprising:
- a frame extending in a longitudinal direction from a rear frame portion to a forward frame portion;
- an engine coupled to the frame, the engine including a crankshaft having a crankshaft axis of rotation;
- a steering assembly including a steering column rotatably coupled to the frame in communication with a spindle, the spindle including a base having a ski mount;
- and
- a ski coupled to the ski mount of the spindle,
- wherein a first longitudinal distance between an uppermost point of the steering column and the crankshaft axis of rotation is between 30% and 44% of a second longitudinal distance between the uppermost point of the steering column and the ski mount.
3 more elements
A snow vehicle, comprising:
- a frame including a tunnel;
- a ski coupled to the frame via a spindle;
- an engine coupled to the frame, the engine including a crankshaft having a crankshaft axis of rotation;
- track drive shaft coupled to the engine, the track drive shaft having a track drive axis of rotation;
- and
- a rear skid-frame assembly including a front idler wheel, a rear idler wheel, and a rear suspension arm, wherein the rear suspension arm is secured to the rear skid-frame at a skid-frame attachment point and secured to the tunnel at a tunnel attachment point,
- wherein a first longitudinal distance between the tunnel attachment point and the crankshaft axis of rotation is between 72% and 108% of a second longitudinal distance between the skid-frame attachment point and the track drive axis of rotation.
4 more elements
A snowmobile, comprising:
- a frame including a forward frame assembly and a tunnel;
- an engine coupled to the forward frame assembly, the engine including a crankshaft having a crankshaft axis of rotation;
- a belt drive assembly coupled to the frame, the belt drive assembly including a top drive sprocket and a bottom drive sprocket in mechanical communication with the engine, the bottom drive sprocket configured to rotate about a track drive axis of rotation;
- a steering assembly including a steering column coupled to the forward frame assembly in communication with a spindle, the spindle including:
- a base having a ski mount,
- an upper control arm mount coupled to one or more upper control arms of the forward frame assembly,
- a lower control arm mount coupled to one or more lower control arms of the forward frame assembly;
- and
- a ski coupled to the ski mount of the spindle,
- wherein the crankshaft axis of rotation is vertically disposed between the upper control arm mount and the lower control arm mount of the spindle.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.