Pivotable snow flap
AssigneeBombardier Recreational Products Inc.
InventorsEsa Vaisanen, Jukka Karanen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pivotable flap assembly for a vehicle may have a flap portion most distal from the frame and the flap portion being configured to achieve two different positions via a hinged connection between the flap and the rear section of the vehicle. The flap may be maintained in at least one of two positions using either a friction-type mechanical connector or an over-center mechanism coupled to the flap.
Claims20
A pivotable flap assembly for a vehicle having a frame, comprising:
- a flap having a portion most distal from the frame, the flap being configured to be coupled to a rear section of the vehicle via at least one hinged portion having a hinge axis transverse to the length of the vehicle, wherein the rear section to which the flap is coupled is distal to at least one motive element of the vehicle;
- and
- one of a friction-type mechanical connector or an over-center mechanism coupled to the flap to maintain a portion of the flap most distal from the frame in two different positions with respect to the frame, wherein the over-center mechanism comprises at least one biased element coupled to the flap and the frame, wherein the at least one biased element is configured to enable biasing and pivoting of the flap with respect to the frame.
A method for pivoting a portion of a flap coupled to a rear section of a vehicle via a hinge axis, wherein the portion is the most distal portion of the flap from the vehicle and the most distal portion is configured to achieve a first position to a second position, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning the most distal portion of the flap above the hinge axis;
- positioning the most distal portion of the flap below the hinge axis;
- and
- retaining the most distal portion of the flap either above or below the hinge axis.
A snowmobile comprising:
- a frame comprising a tunnel having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the tunnel comprising a rear section of the snowmobile;
- an endless track operatively coupled to the tunnel;
- a flap, the flap including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being pivotally connected to the distal end of the tunnel about a hinge axis;
- wherein the flap is configured to pivot about the hinge axis to achieve at least two positions with respect to the endless track, the at least two positions comprising:
- a first position where the distal end of the flap is located below the hinge axis, and
- a second position where the distal end of the flap is above the hinge axis, and
- a biasing mechanism to bias the flap in at least one of the two positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.