US 2026/0296184 A1Published application

Off-Road Vehicle

AssigneeZhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd.

InventorsXiliang Cai, Wenbing Duan, Fuying Cheng, Yi Hua, Qingsong Chen

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Abstract

An off-road vehicle with a four-wheel drive mode and side-by-side seating has a prime mover assembly with an engine, CVT and gear assembly. The engine includes a plurality of cylinders driving a longitudinally-extending crankshaft, all on one right or left side of the longitudinal mid-plane. The CVT is positioned either in front of or behind the engine, extending across the longitudinal mid-plane. The gear assembly is positioned either in front of or behind the CVT, with its centroid positioned on the opposite side of the longitudinal mid-plane as the engine. A main front drive shaft extends at least partially under the side-by-side seating area, but neither the main front drive shaft nor any other of the drive line components delivering torque from the gear assembly to the front differential extend under the engine in plan view.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An off-road vehicle having a four wheel drive mode comprising:

a frame;
a side-by-side seating area supported by the frame;
a plurality of wheels supporting the frame through a suspension, the plurality of wheels including at least two front wheels and at least two rear wheels, the frame and the plurality of wheels defining a longitudinal mid-plane of the off-road vehicle;
an engine supported by the frame, the engine comprising a plurality of cylinders driving a longitudinally-extending crankshaft;
a continuously variable transmission (CVT) connected to the engine and receiving torque from the crankshaft, the CVT being positioned in front or behind the engine;
a gear assembly connected to the CVT and receiving torque from the CVT, the gear assembly being positioned in front or behind the CVT;
and
a drive train supported by the frame and delivering torque from the gear assembly to the front and rear wheels at least while the off-road vehicle is in the four-wheel drive mode, the drive train comprising:
a front differential extending across the longitudinal mid-plane and able to provide torque to the front wheels for locomotion of the off-road vehicle, the front differential being forward of the engine;
a rear differential extending across the longitudinal mid-plane and able to provide torque to the rear wheels for locomotion of the off-road vehicle, the rear differential being at least partially rearward of the engine;
and
one or more drive line components delivering torque longitudinally from the gear assembly to the front differential, the drive line components including a main front drive shaft extending at least partially under the side-by-side seating area;
wherein neither the main front drive shaft nor any other of the drive line components delivering torque from the gear assembly to the front differential extend under the engine in plan view.

10 more elements

An off-road vehicle having a four wheel drive mode comprising:

a frame;
a side-by-side seating area supported by the frame;
a plurality of wheels supporting the frame through a suspension, the plurality of wheels including at least two front wheels and at least two rear wheels, the frame and the plurality of wheels defining a longitudinal mid-plane of the off-road vehicle;
an engine supported by the frame entirely on a right or left side of the longitudinal mid-plane, the engine comprising a plurality of cylinders driving a longitudinally-extending crankshaft;
a continuously variable transmission (CVT) connected to the engine and receiving torque from the crankshaft, the CVT being positioned in front or behind the engine and extending across the longitudinal mid-plane;
a gear assembly connected to the CVT and receiving torque from the CVT, the gear assembly being positioned in front or behind the CVT, the gear assembly having a gear assembly centroid positioned on an opposite right or left side of the longitudinal mid-plane as the engine;
and
a drive train supported by the frame and delivering torque from the gear assembly to the front and rear wheels at least while the off-road vehicle is in the four-wheel drive mode, the drive train comprising:
a front differential extending across the longitudinal mid-plane and able to provide torque to the front wheels for locomotion of the off-road vehicle, the front differential being forward of the engine;
a rear differential extending across the longitudinal mid-plane and able to provide torque to the rear wheels for locomotion of the off-road vehicle, the rear differential being at least partially rearward of the engine;
and
one or more drive line components delivering torque longitudinally from the gear assembly to the front differential, the drive line components including a main front drive shaft extending at least partially under the side-by-side seating area.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.