US-12623532-B2 - Vehicle

US12623532B2US 12623532 B2US12623532 B2US 12623532B2US-12623532-B2

Abstract

A vehicle includes a frame, front and rear wheels, a powertrain comprising an engine and transmission, and various other systems and components. The frame includes various features for supporting components and systems of the vehicle. For example, a rear portion of the frame is configured to support a utility bed, a portion of a cooling system, a portion of an air intake system, and a portion of an exhaust system.

Inventors

Joshua A. Rasa
Ryan K. Lovold
David D. Helgeson
Donald S. Hansen
Alex R. Scheuerell
Steven R. Franker
Stephen L. Nelson
Jeffrey I. Peterman
Owen A. Dickinson
Timothy J. Giese

Assignees

POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241113

Claims (7)

1 . A vehicle, comprising: a frame having a first end, the frame having an opening therethrough, the frame including a plate positioned across the first end, wherein the opening is in the plate; front and rear wheels supporting the frame; and a powertrain comprising a final drive drivingly coupled to at least some of the front and rear wheels, the final drive being positioned adjacent to the opening; whereby the final drive may be removed from the frame through the opening; wherein the frame includes pedestals adjacent to the opening, and anchors for coupling the final drive to the pedestals.
2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first end is a front end of the frame and the final drive is a front final drive.
3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the final drive includes horizontally extending apertures therethrough.
4 . The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein horizontally extending fasteners extend through the anchors and through the horizontally extending apertures.
5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein vertically extending fasteners extend through the anchors and through the pedestals to couple the anchors and the final drive to the frame.
6 . The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the final drive has at least two laterally extending apertures therethrough for receipt of the horizontally extending fasteners.
7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising a bumper portion which couples to the frame over the opening.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/109,445, filed Feb. 14, 2023, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/861,859, filed Apr. 29, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,628,722, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/840,654, filed Apr. 30, 2019, and entitled “VEHICLE,” the complete disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to side-by-side vehicles and all-terrain vehicles. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Generally, all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) and utility vehicles (“UVs”) are used to carry one or two passengers and a small amount of cargo over a variety of terrains. Due to increasing recreational interest in ATVs, specialty ATVs, such as those used for trail riding, racing, and cargo hauling have entered the market place. Most ATVs include seating for up to two passengers which are either seated side-by-side or with the passenger positioned behind the driver of the ATV. Side-by-side ATVs, in which the driver and passenger are seated beside each other on laterally spaced apart seats, have become popular because of the ability to allow the passenger to share the driver's viewpoint. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In a first embodiment, a vehicle comprises a frame having a first end, the frame having an opening therethrough; front and rear wheels support the frame; a powertrain comprises a final drive drivingly coupled to at least some of the front and rear wheels, the final drive is positioned adjacent to the opening; whereby the final drive may be removed from the frame through the opening. In one embodiment of the invention a vehicle comprises a frame comprising a main frame portion and a front removable frame portion; front and rear wheels; a front suspension coupled to the main frame portion with the front wheels being coupled to the front suspension; a rear suspension coupled to the main frame portion with the rear wheels being coupled to the rear suspension; and a powertrain drivingly coupled to the front and rear wheels; whereby the front removable frame portion may be removed from the main frame portion to expose a portion of the powertrain. In another embodiment of the invention a vehicle comprises a frame; front and rear wheels; a front suspension coupled to the frame; a powertrain drivingly coupled to the front and rear wheels, comprising a front final drive drivingly coupled to the front wheels; a front prop shaft coupling the powertrain to the front wheels; and a steering mechanism positioned above the prop shaft and rearward of the final drive. In another embodiment of the invention a vehicle comprises a frame; front and rear wheels; a front suspension coupled to the frame comprising upper and lower A-arms on a left and right hand side of the vehicle, a linear force element coupled between the frame and the lower A-arms on each side of the vehicle; a powertrain drivingly coupled to the front and rear wheels, comprising a front final drive drivingly coupled to the front wheels; a left side half shaft coupled between the left wheel and the front final drive; a right half shaft coupled between the right wheel and the front final drive; and a coupling between the linear force elements and the lower A-arms straddles the half shafts. In another embodiment of the invention a vehicle comprises a frame; front and rear wheels supporting the frame; an operator's compartment intermediate the front and rear wheels having at least one seat; a transmission positioned rearward of the seat, the transmission comprising a transmission housing extending generally laterally of a vehicle longitudinal direction and having an engine interface on one lateral side of the transmission housing and a geared transmission portion on the opposite lateral side as the engine interface, and front and rear output shafts for propelling the front and rear wheels; and an engine coupled to the engine interface and powering the geared transmission portion. In another embodiment of the invention a vehicle comprises a frame; front and rear wheels supporting the frame; an operator's compartment intermediate the front and rear wheels having at least one seat; a transmission comprising a transmission housing having an engine interface on one lateral side of the transmission housing and a geared transmission portion on the opposite lateral side as the engine interface, and front and rear output shafts for propelling the front and rear wheels; an engine coupled to the engine interface; an intermediate shaft is provided at the engine interface, having an input shaft and an output shaft, wherein the engine is drivingly coupled to the input shaft of the intermediate shaft; and a continuously variable transmission coupling the input shaft of the intermediate shaft, wherein an air volume is defined adjacent to an interface of the intermediate shaft an