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US 6,799,781 B2Granted
Frames for all-terrain vehicles
AssigneeBombardier Recreational Products Inc.
InventorsMihai Rasidescu, Daniel Mercier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A frame for an ATV comprises a support module with a central opening defining an engine receiving space. The support module includes a first frame member and a second frame member with at least one cross member extending between the first and second frame members. At least a portion of the support module, which includes one of the frame members and the at least one cross member, consists essentially of a single beam. The single beam may be considered a modular central beam of the frame.
Claims124
A frame for an ATV comprising:
- a first frame member;
- a second frame member;
- at least a first cross member and a second cross member extending between said first and second frame members to thereby define a closed perimeter with an engine receiving space therein;
- and
- first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points associated with at least one of the first frame member, the second frame member, the first cross member, and the second cross member;
- wherein at least one of the first frame member and the second frame member is positioned substantially along a longitudinal centerline of the frame and extends from the first outboard wheel suspension mounting point to the second outboard wheel suspension mounting point;
- wherein one of the first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points is constructed and arranged to position a front pair of wheels at a longitudinal position where the front pair of wheels define an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the frame;
- wherein at least one of the first and second frame members consists essentially of a single beam.
5 more elements
An ATV comprising:
- an engine;
- at least three wheel assemblies, at least one of the at least three wheel assemblies being powered by said engine;
- a steering system operatively coupled to at least one of said at least three wheel assemblies;
- a suspension system operatively coupled to each of said wheel assemblies;
- and
- a frame comprising
- an upper frame member,
- a lower frame member,
- at least a forward cross member and a rearward cross member extending between said upper and lower frame members to thereby define a closed perimeter with an engine receiving space therein, and
- first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points associated with at least one of the upper frame member, the lower frame member, the forward cross member, and the rearward cross member,
- wherein at least one of the upper frame member and the lower frame member is positioned substantially along a longitudinal centerline of the frame and extends from the first outboard wheel suspension mounting point to the second outboard wheel suspension mounting point,
- wherein one of the first and second mounting points is constructed and arranged to position at least one front wheel at a longitudinal position where the at least one front wheel defines an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the frame, and
- wherein at least one of the upper and lower frame members consists essentially of a single beam.
10 more elements
A frame for an ATV, said frame comprising:
- a support module with a central opening, said support module including first and second longitudinal frame members interconnected by forward and rearward cross members;
- and
- first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points associated with at least one of the first and second longitudinal frame members;
- wherein each of the first and second frame members consists essentially of a single beam, and
- wherein one of the first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points is constructed and arranged to position a front pair of wheels at a longitudinal positron where the front pair of wheels define an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forward most portion of the support module.
2 more elements
An ATV comprising:
- an engine;
- at least three wheel assemblies, at least one of the at least three wheel assemblies being powered by the engine;
- a steering system operatively coupled to at least one of said at least three wheel assemblies;
- a suspension system operatively coupled to each of said wheel assemblies;
- and
- a frame comprising
- a support module with a central opening for receiving the engine, said support module including upper and lower longitudinal frame members interconnected by forward and rearward cross members, and
- first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points provided to at least one of the upper and lower longitudinal frame members,
- wherein each of the upper and lower frame members consists essentially of a single beam, and
- wherein one of the first and second mounting points is constructed and arranged to position at least one front wheel at a longitudinal position where the at least one front wheel defines an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the frame.
7 more elements
An ATV according to 82, wherein said portion of said lower frame member forward of said support module is bent at an angle of about 8° from horizontal.
An ATV comprising:
- a frame including at least an upper member and a lower member interconnected with the upper member to define an engine receiving space therebetween, at least one of the upper member and the lower member consisting essentially of a single beam having a surface with a plurality of suspension mounting points;
- at least a front outboard wheel assembly and a rear outboard wheel assembly being suspended from said wheel suspension mounting points provided on said surface of one of said upper member and said lower member of the frame;
- and
- an engine provided in said engine receiving space for powering at least one of said wheel assemblies,
- wherein the front outboard wheel assembly is provided to the lower frame member to thereby define an axis of rotation of at least one front wheel, when the ATV is being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the frame.
2 more elements
A frame for an ATV comprising:
- at least an upper member and a lower member interconnected to the upper member to define an engine receiving space therebetween, at least one of the upper member and the lower member consisting essentially of a single beam having a surface;
- and
- an outboard wheel suspension mounting point for a corresponding outboard front wheel assembly, the outboard wheel suspension mounting point being provided on the surface of one of the upper member and the lower member and being constructed and arranged to position a front pair of wheels at a longitudinal position where the front pair of wheels define an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the frame.
An ATV comprising:
- an engine;
- a plurality of outboard wheel assemblies, including at least front and rear pairs of wheel assemblies, at least one of the pairs of wheel assemblies being powered by the engine;
- a suspension system operatively coupled to each of said wheel assemblies;
- and
- a frame, said frame including:
- a support module with a central opening for receiving the engine, said support module including an upper frame member and a lower frame member connected to the upper frame member,
- at least a portion of the support module comprising one of the upper and lower frame members that includes only a single closed tubular frame member,
- wherein at least the front pair of wheel assemblies is provided to the lower frame member to thereby define an axis of rotation for the wheels, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the support module.
5 more elements
A frame for an ATV comprising:
- a support module with a central opening defining an engine receiving space, said support module including a first frame member and a second frame member connected to the first frame member,
- at least a portion of the support module comprising one of the first and second frame members that includes only a single closed tubular frame member, and
- a plurality of outboard wheel suspension mounting points associated with the support module, wherein one of the first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points is constructed and arranged to position a front pair of wheels at a longitudinal position where the front pair of wheels define an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the support module.
A frame for an ATV comprising:
- a first frame member;
- a second frame member;
- at least a first cross member and a second cross member extending between said first and second frame members to thereby define a closed perimeter with an engine receiving space therein;
- and
- first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points associated with at least one of the first frame member, the second frame member, the first cross member, and the second cross member,
- wherein a ratio of a sectional width to a sectional height of each of the first member, the second member, the first cross member, and the second cross member is greater than one, and
- wherein one of the first and second outboard wheel suspension mounting points is constructed and arranged to position a front pair of wheels at a longitudinal position where the front pair of wheels define an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the frame.
4 more elements
A frame for an ATV comprising:
- a first frame member;
- a second frame member;
- and
- at least one cross member extending between said first and second frame members to thereby define an engine receiving space therein,
- wherein at least one of the first frame member, the second frame member, and the at least one cross member comprises only a single closed tubular structure, and
- a plurality of outboard wheel suspension mounting points associated with the closed tubular structure, at least one of the plurality of outboard wheel suspension mounting points being constructed and arranged to position a front pair of wheels at a longitudinal position where the front pair of wheels define an axis of rotation, when being steered straight ahead, that is positioned rearward of a forwardmost portion of the frame.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.