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US 8,640,814 B2Granted
Side-by-side vehicle
AssigneePolaris Industries Inc.
InventorsAaron D. Deckard, Brian M. Safranski, Richard L. Sunsdahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to side-by-side all terrain vehicles having plural rows of seats.
Claims18
A utility vehicle, comprising:
- a first plurality of ground engaging members;
- a second plurality of ground engaging members;
- a frame extending in a generally longitudinal direction, and having at least one elongate frame tube assembly comprised of plural sections, the frame supported by the first plurality of ground engaging members and the second plurality of ground engaging members;
- a drive train supported by the frame;
- a frame tube coupler removably coupling the frame tube sections at a longitudinal position from either end of the frame and between the first plurality of ground engaging members and the second plurality of ground engaging members, wherein the frame tube coupler includes two interengaging coupler members, each coupler member comprising a tube connecting section and an interengaging section, the interengaging sections connecting to each other to couple the frame tube sections, each interengaging section comprising a complementary projection and a recess, the recess being spaced apart from the projection, wherein the projection and the recess are both on a first side of the interengaging section, wherein the projection of each of the interengaging sections is profiled for receipt within the recess of the other of the interengaging sections and the first side of one of interengaging coupler member faces the first side of the other interengaging coupler member when the projection of each of the interengaging sections is received within the recess of the other of the interengaging sections;
- and
- a seat positioned between the first plurality of ground engaging members and the second plurality of ground engaging members and the frame tube coupler being lower than the seat.
4 more elements
A utility vehicle, comprising:
- a frame extending in a generally longitudinal direction, and having at least one elongate frame tube assembly comprised of plural sections;
- a drive train supported by the frame;
- and
- a frame tube coupler coupling the frame tube sections, the frame tube coupler comprising coupler sections associated with each coupler end, and the coupler sections having an alignment assembly for aligning the coupler sections to each other, wherein the coupler sections includes two interengaging coupler members, each coupler member comprising a tube connecting section and an interengaging section, the interengaging sections connecting to each other to couple the frame tube sections, each interengaging section comprising a complementary projection and a recess, the recess being spaced apart from the projection, wherein the projection and the recess are both on a first side of the interengaging section, wherein the projection of each of the interengaging sections is profiled for receipt within the recess of the other of the interengaging sections and the first side of one of interengaging coupler member faces the first side of the other interengaging coupler member when the projection of each of the interengaging sections is received within the recess of the other of the interengaging sections.
1 more element
A utility vehicle, comprising:
- a frame extending in a generally longitudinal direction, and having at least one elongate frame tube assembly comprised of plural sections;
- a drive train supported by the frame;
- a frame tube coupler coupling the frame tube sections, the frame tube coupler comprising coupler sections associated with each coupler end, and the coupler sections having complementary interengagement elements, wherein the coupler sections includes two interengaging coupler members, each coupler member comprising a tube connecting section and an interengaging section, the interengaging sections connecting to each other to couple the frame tube sections, each interengaging section comprising a complementary projection and a recess, the recess being spaced apart from the projection, wherein the projection and the recess are both on a first side of the interengaging section, wherein the projection of each of the interengaging sections is profiled for receipt within the recess of the other of the interengaging sections and the first side of one of interengaging coupler member faces the first side of the other interengaging coupler member when the projection of each of the interengaging sections is received within the recess of the other of the interengaging sections;
- and
- fasteners for retaining the interengaging elements together, where the fasteners are in tension to force the complementary interengaging elements into engagement;
- and
- wherein any shear force is substantially taken up by the complementary interengaging elements.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.