US 2026/0021868 A1Published application

Reversible Drop Case Assemblies for Snowmobiles

AssigneeArctic Cat Inc.

InventorsSamuel James Sandoz, Donald Dean Carr

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Abstract

A powertrain for a snowmobile includes an engine, a gearbox input shaft and a drop case assembly receiving rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft. The drop case assembly is switchable between a forward mode and a reverse mode and includes an input gear assembly coupled to the gearbox input shaft. The input gear assembly includes a forward input pulley rotatably coupled to the gearbox input shaft, a reverse input gear rotatably coupled to the gearbox input shaft and an input selector collar between the forward input pulley and the reverse input gear. The input selector collar is slidable between a forward mode position engaged with the forward input pulley to transfer rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft to the forward input pulley and a reverse mode position engaged with the reverse input gear to transfer rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft to the reverse input gear.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A powertrain for a snowmobile, the powertrain comprising:

an engine;
a gearbox input shaft receiving rotational energy from the engine;
and
a drop case assembly receiving rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft, the drop case assembly switchable between a forward mode and a reverse mode and comprising:
an input gear assembly coupled to the gearbox input shaft to define a common input axis therewith, the input gear assembly comprising:
a forward input pulley rotatably coupled to the gearbox input shaft;
a reverse input gear rotatably coupled to the gearbox input shaft;
and
an input selector collar at least partially interposed between the forward input pulley and the reverse input gear, the input selector collar slidable along the common input axis between a plurality of positions including a forward mode position engaged with the forward input pulley to transfer rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft to the forward input pulley in the forward mode and a reverse mode position engaged with the reverse input gear to transfer rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft to the reverse input gear in the reverse mode.

6 more elements

A snowmobile comprising:

a frame assembly;
and
a powertrain coupled to the frame assembly, the powertrain comprising:
an engine;
a gearbox input shaft receiving rotational energy from the engine;
and
a drop case assembly receiving rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft, the drop case assembly switchable between a forward mode and a reverse mode and comprising:
an input gear assembly coupled to the gearbox input shaft to define a common input axis therewith, the input gear assembly comprising:
a forward input pulley rotatably coupled to the gearbox input shaft;
a reverse input gear rotatably coupled to the gearbox input shaft;
and
an input selector collar at least partially interposed between the forward input pulley and the reverse input gear, the input selector collar slidable along the common input axis between a plurality of positions including a forward mode position engaged with the forward input pulley to transfer rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft to the forward input pulley in the forward mode and a reverse mode position engaged with the reverse input gear to transfer rotational energy from the gearbox input shaft to the reverse input gear in the reverse mode.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.