US 6,968,917 B2Granted

ATV with improved driver positioning and/or multi passenger capacity

AssigneeBombardier Recreational Products Inc.

InventorsPierre Rondeau, Claude Gagnon, Martin Portelance, Eric Dube, Martin Gagne, Daniel Nadeau, Charles Bombardier

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) includes a frame and a pair of front and rear wheels suspended from the frame. A straddle-type seat has a main portion and a secondary portion to accommodate a driver and a passenger. The wheelbase of the ATV is increased in length (compared to conventional ATVs) so as to increase stability and comfort for the driver, and/or to accommodate a passenger behind the driver. The passenger and secondary seat portion are disposed in front of the rear wheel axis and moved closer to the center of the wheelbase. Moreover, the combined center or gravity of the ATV, rider, and passenger is moved closer to the center of the wheelbase to improve stability, comfort and/or safety. The driver and passenger each have sufficient space to actively position themselves without significantly interfering with each other.

An ATV comprising:

a frame;
a front suspension supported by the frame;
a pair of laterally-spaced front wheels supported by the front suspension;
front fenders associated with the front wheels;
a rear suspension supported by the frame;
a pair of laterally-spaced rear wheels supported by the rear suspension;
rear fenders associated with the rear wheels;
an internal combustion engine operatively connected to at least two of the wheels to drive the ATV;
a straddle-type seat supported by the frame and including a main seat portion for a driver and a secondary seat portion for a passenger, the secondary seat portion being disposed rearward from the main portion and elevated relative to the main portion, a transition being defined between the main and secondary seat portions;
a front rack mounted to a forward portion of the ATV;
a front bumper mounted to the frame at a forward end of the ATV;
a rear rack mounted to a rearward portion of the ATV, a majority of the rear rack being disposed rearwardly of a rearward end of the secondary seat portion, a storage area being provided directly above the rear rack;
a back rest provided for the secondary seat portion;
left and right laterally-spaced back rest supports extending upwardly from the ATV to the back rest to support the back rest;
left and right passenger grab handles disposed laterally outwardly from the secondary seat portion and extending forwardly from the rear rack, the grab handles extending farther forward than the back rest, the grab handles being disposed above the rear fenders;
right and left longitudinally-elongated footrests that each comprise
a front portion for the driver,
a heel stop disposed on the front portion of the footrest,
a rear portion for the passenger, the rear portion being elevated relative to the front portion and connected to the front portion, the rear portion being longer in its longitudinal direction than in its lateral direction, and
right and left tubular side rails associated with the right and left footrests, respectively, each side rail being disposed adjacent its respective footrest and spanning a combined length of its respective footrest portions, each side rail extending laterally outwardly beyond its respective footrest;
and
handlebars operatively connected to the front wheels for steering.

19 more elements

Facts

Application

10/292,813Filed 13 Nov 2002 · continuation in part

Priority

13 Sep 2000

Published

US 2003/0102694 A15 Jun 2003

Granted

29 Nov 2005

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B62K 5/01
Cycles with handlebars, equipped with three or more main road wheels: motorcycles with four or more wheels
B62D 33/02
Superstructures for load-carrying vehicles: platforms; Open load compartments
B62J 1/12
Saddles or other seats for cycles; Arrangement thereof; Component parts: box-shaped seats; Bench-type seats, e.g. dual or twin seats
B62J 1/28
Saddles or other seats for cycles; Arrangement thereof; Component parts: other additional equipment, e.g. back-rests for children

Family

Application60/232,572Us provisional application · filed 13 Sep 2000

Application09/950,926Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 13 Sep 2001

Application60/331,252Us provisional application · filed 13 Nov 2001

Application60/384,822Us provisional application · filed 4 Jun 2002

Application60/393,114Us provisional application · filed 3 Jul 2002

US 2003/0102694 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Jun 2003

US 6,659,566 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2002/0033287 A1Published application

US 6,968,917 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Abstract

Claims9