# US 5,704,643 A · Utility vehicle

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- Number: US 5,704,643 A
- Document ID: US5704643A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/576,197
- Filed: 1995-12-22
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1994-12-26
- Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Shinji Yamanaka; Masahiro Yamamoto; Toshiharu Nasuno; Tadashi Yamashita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704643A

## CPC

- F01N 13/08: Other arrangements or adaptations of exhaust conduits {(pipes, joints or supports therefor in general F16L; collecting or removing exhaust gases of vehicle engines in workshops B08B15/00, on highways E01C1/005)}
- B60K 5/06: with the engine main axis substantially vertical
- B60K 11/06: with air cooling
- B60K 11/08: Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor
- B60K 17/00: Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles
- B60K 23/02: for main transmission clutches
- B60K 25/02: directly from an engine shaft
- B62D 7/12: with twin-output steering gear
- B62D 25/10: Bonnets or lids {, e.g. for trucks, tractors, busses, work vehicles (for truck beds B60J7/1607; for boats B63B19/12; doors arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/10; inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05; for protecting non-occupants of a vehicle B60R21/38)}
- B62D 61/12: with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels (for manoeuvring purposes only B60S)
- F01P 1/02: Arrangements for cooling cylinders or cylinder heads, e.g. ducting cooling-air from its pressure source to cylinders or along cylinders
- B60G 2200/322: with a single pivot point and a straight axle
- B60G 2300/082: Tractors
- B60K 13/04: concerning exhaust
- B60K 15/063: Arrangement of tanks
- B60K 20/06: mounted on steering column or the like
- B60K 23/00: Arrangement or mounting of control devices for vehicle transmissions, or parts thereof, not otherwise provided for
- B60Y 2200/223: Ridable lawn mowers
- F01N 2340/04: Arrangement of the exhaust system relative to a vehicle or parts thereof
- F01P 5/06: Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28)
- B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00})
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

In a utility vehicle, a muffler accommodating chamber is defined in front of and below an engine mounted at a front portion of a vehicle frame. A rear wall of the muffler accommodating chamber is formed by a front axle frame which is mounted to extend between both of vertical frame portions of the vehicle frame and supports a front axle beam for rotatably supporting front wheels at its opposite ends. The front axle frame has a function to support the front axle beam, a function as a strength member in the form of a cross member, and a function as a member defining the muffler accommodating chamber. A driving gear is mounted to a steering shaft and thrust-supported by a lower surface of a support portion of a support frame which is fixedly mounted on the vehicle frame. A driven gear meshed with the driving gear and a pitman arm are connected to a rotary shaft whose axially upward movement is limited by the support portion and whose axially downward movement is limited by a bracket mounted to the vehicle frame. Thus, the assembling and disassembling of a steering system are facilitated, and it is possible to protect the driving and driven gears from an external force and to accurately determine a distance between the steering shaft and the rotary shaft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A utility vehicle, comprising: a vehicle frame which is comprised of a pair of vertical frame portions extending in a longitudinal direction in parallel to each other and interconnected at their upper ends by a connecting plate portion; an engine mounted at a front portion of said vehicle frame, a muffler accommodating chamber which is formed in front of and below said engine and to which air, after cooling said engine, is introduced; a muffler connected to said engine and accommodated in said muffler accommodating chamber; and a front axle frame mounted to said vehicle frame, wherein
said front axle frame is provided in back of said muffler to extend between both said vertical frame portions of said vehicle frame for swingably supporting a lengthwise central portion of a front axle beam which rotatably supports front wheels at its opposite ends, said front axle frame being mounted to said vehicle frame to form a rear wall of said muffler accommodating chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A utility vehicle according to claim 1, further including a driving pulley which is mounted on a crankshaft of the engine mounted on said vehicle frame and which is located in a vicinity of and in back of the lengthwise central portion of said front axle beam, and an endless belt which is wound around said driving pulley for transmitting a power to a utility tool disposed below said vehicle frame, said front axle beam being formed such that a height thereof increases toward the center of a swinging movement thereof, so as to avoid to assume a position in front of said driving pulley.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A utility vehicle according to claim 1, further including a front cover mounted to a front portion of said vehicle frame to cover said muffler, and a pair of bumpers which are mounted to said vehicle frame at a vertical distance in locations to cover said front cover, and which is formed into a rod-like configuration to extend in a widthwise direction of said vehicle frame.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A utility vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the distance between the bumpers is set such that more than an upper half of said muffler is located at a position corresponding to a position between both said bumpers, as viewed from sideways of said vehicle frame.