US 8,783,720 B2Granted

Reduced-size vehicle with complementary internal compartments and suspension system components

AssigneeAmerican Off-Road Technologies, LLC

InventorsEric A. Davis, Brian P. Davis, Richard A. Davis

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Abstract

Various embodiments of reduced-size vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility vehicles (UVs) are disclosed herein. In at least some embodiments, the vehicles include frames that are wider near the front and rear sections of the vehicles than within the mid-sections of the vehicles. This, in combination with the use of shock-absorbers that are substantially vertically oriented, allows for the opening-up of large interior cavities within the front and rear sections of the vehicles within which can be positioned large front and rear internal compartments that can provide storage/carrying capacity as well as added buoyancy for the vehicle, among other things. Also, in at least some embodiments, the vehicles can include special cooling and/or exhaust systems having components that are positioned substantially within the mid-sections of the vehicles, thus further increasing the amounts of space available for the cavities/compartments within the front and rear sections of the vehicles.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A reduced-size vehicle having a mid-section, a front section positioned ahead of the mid-section, and a rear section positioned behind the mid-section, the vehicle comprising:

first and second shock absorbers respectively positioned along first and second substantially vertical planes that are substantially parallel to a central axis of the vehicle extending from the front section to the rear section, wherein the first shock absorber is positioned proximate to a first wheel mounting position and the second shock absorber is positioned proximate to a second wheel mounting position, wherein the first and second shock absorbers are located within the front section;
third and fourth shock absorbers respectively positioned along third and fourth substantially vertical planes that are substantially parallel to the central axis of the vehicle, wherein the third shock absorber is positioned proximate to a third wheel mounting position and the fourth shock absorber is positioned proximate to a fourth wheel mounting position, and wherein the third and fourth shock absorbers are located within the rear section;
a frame that includes a plurality of tubular rods;
an engine cavity situated proximate a front portion of the frame, the engine cavity configured for receiving an engine;
a first internal cavity positioned at least partially between the first and second shock absorbers, wherein the plurality of tubular rods form at least in part, an upper border of the internal cavity to which upper portions of the first and second shock absorbers are respectively attached;
a first internal storage compartment positioned within the first internal cavity;
a second internal cavity positioned at least partially between the third and fourth shock absorbers;
and
a second internal storage compartment positioned within the second internal cavity.

6 more elements

A reduced-size vehicle having a mid-section, a front section positioned ahead of the mid-section, and a rear section positioned behind the mid-section, the vehicle comprising:

first and second shock absorbers, wherein the first shock absorber is positioned proximate to a first wheel mounting position and the second shock absorber is positioned proximate to a second wheel mounting position, wherein the first and second shock absorbers are located within the front section;
third and fourth shock absorbers, wherein the third shock absorber is positioned proximate to a third wheel mounting position and the fourth shock absorber is positioned proximate to a fourth wheel mounting position, and wherein the third and fourth shock absorbers are located within the rear section;
a first internal cavity positioned at least partially between the first and second shock absorbers;
a first internal storage compartment positioned within the first internal cavity;
a second internal cavity positioned at least partially between the third and fourth shock absorbers;
and
a second internal storage compartment positioned within the second internal cavity.

4 more elements

A reduced-size vehicle having a mid-section, a front section positioned ahead of the mid-section, and a rear section positioned behind the mid-section, the vehicle comprising:

first and second shock absorbers, wherein the first shock absorber is positioned proximate to a first wheel mounting position and the second shock absorber is positioned proximate to a second wheel mounting position, wherein the first and second shock absorbers are located within one of the front and rear sections;
a first internal cavity positioned at least partially between the first and second shock-absorbers,
a first internal storage compartment positioned within the first internal cavity;
and
first and second wheels coupled to at least one axle portion coupled at least indirectly to the first and second shock absorbers, wherein either:
(a) the first internal cavity extends along more than fifty percent of the length of the first shock absorber when fully-extended;
or
(b) the first internal cavity has a depth that is more than 45% of the distance between a bottom and a top of a frame of the reduced-size vehicle.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/093,385Filed 25 Apr 2011 · continuation
Priority: 30 Dec 2004
Published: US 2011/0198830 A118 Aug 2011
Granted: 22 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

B62K 19/46
Cycle frames: luggage carriers forming part of frame
B60G 3/06
The arm being essentially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle: the arm being rigid
B60G 3/20
With two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram: all arms being rigid
B60G 7/001
Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof: suspension arms, e.g. constructional features

Family

Application60/640,410Us provisional application · filed 30 Dec 2004
Application11/324,176Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Dec 2005
US 2011/0198830 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 Aug 2011
US 7,954,853 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2006/0197331 A1Published application
US 8,783,720 B2This patent

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

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