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US 8,827,025 B2Granted
Default open differential control switch
AssigneePolaris Industries Inc.
InventorRoger J. Hapka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle is described having plural modes of operation for the front and rear differential and whereupon start-up of the vehicle, the front and rear differentials are opened to their most open position.
Claims18
A motor vehicle having a multimode traction system, the vehicle comprising:
- a pair of rear wheels and a pair of steerable front wheels;
- a propulsion unit for generating torque to drive the wheels;
- a control unit that includes programming therein for operating the propulsion unit;
- a rear differential operatively connected with a rear drive train and supplying torque from the propulsion unit to the rear wheels, the rear differential including a lock for locking the rear differential;
- a front differential operatively connected within a front drive train and selectively supplying torque from the propulsion unit to the front wheels, the front differential including a lock for locking the front differential;
- an ignition switch electrically coupled to the control unit, the ignition switch having a first position and a second position, the ignition switch causing a first signal to be sent to the control unit when the ignition switch is moved from the second position to the first position, the ignition switch causing a second signal to be sent to the control unit when the ignition switch is moved from the first position to the second position, and wherein the control unit responding to receiving the first signal by emitting signals to cause unlocking of both the front and rear differentials.
3 more elements
A motor vehicle having a multimode traction system, the vehicle comprising:
- a pair of rear wheels and a pair of steerable front wheels;
- a propulsion unit for generating torque to drive the wheels;
- a control unit that includes programming therein for operating the propulsion unit;
- a rear differential operatively connected with a rear drive train and supplying torque from the propulsion unit to the rear wheels, the rear differential including a lock for locking the rear differential;
- a front differential operatively connected within a front drive train and selectively supplying torque from the propulsion unit to the front wheels, the front differential including a front differential lock for locking the front differential;
- an ignition switch electrically coupled to the control unit, the ignition switch having a first position and a second position, the ignition switch causing a first signal to be sent to the control unit when the ignition switch is moved from the second position to the first position, the ignition switch causing a second signal to be sent to the control unit when the ignition switch is moved from the first position to the second position, and wherein the control unit responding to receiving the first signal by emitting signals to cause unlocking of both the front and rear differentials;
- a manually operable mode switch settable in first, second, and third positions and located for operation by an operator of the vehicle while positioned on the vehicle, the rear differential lock locking the rear differential in response to setting the mode switch into at least one of the first and second of the mode switch positions, and unlocking the rear differential in response to setting the mode switch into the other of the first and second of the mode switch positions, and the front differential lock locking the front differential in response to setting the mode switch into the third of the mode switch positions and unlocking the front differential in response to setting the mode switch into one of the first or the second of the mode switch positions.
4 more elements
A motor vehicle having a multimode traction system, the vehicle comprising:
- a pair of rear wheels and a pair of steerable front wheels;
- a propulsion unit for generating torque to drive the wheels;
- a control unit that includes programming therein for operating the propulsion unit;
- a rear differential operatively connected with a rear drive train and supplying torque from the propulsion unit to the rear wheels, the rear differential including a lock for locking the rear differential;
- a front differential operatively connected within a front drive train and selectively supplying torque from the propulsion unit to the front wheels, the front differential including a lock for locking the front differential;
- an ignition electrically coupled to the control unit, the ignition having a first state and a second state, the ignition causing a first signal to be sent to the control unit when the ignition is transitioned from the second state to the first state, the ignition causing a second signal to be sent to the control unit when the ignition is transitioned from the first state to the second state, and wherein the control unit responding to receiving the first signal by emitting at least one signal to cause unlocking of both the front and rear differentials.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.