TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE

• US 20080169134A1
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Song, Michael M., Otterson, Andrew M., Tomolillo, Vittorio, Hanten, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/6.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/04 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/04 Windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 35/00 Fuel tanks specially adapted for motorcycles or engine-assisted cycles; Arrangements thereof fuel tanks forming part of cycle frames B62K11/00; tanks in general B60K ; closure caps for fuel tanks B60K15/0406
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/08 the beam being fabricated from sheet metal, e.g. forming fuel tank walls
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/283 for cycles without a pedal crank, e.g. motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20055 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20189 Foot operated

Abstract

A vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle may include multiple fuel storage tanks arranged in a split side-by-side configuration. The vehicle may include a rear suspension having a linkage which moves in a direction not parallel with a centerline plane of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a tip-over structure which prevents unwanted tip-over of the vehicle. The vehicle may have moveable foot control levers to accommodate different size riders. The vehicle may include a moveable windshield.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a moveable windshield of a vehicle having a frame and a plurality of ground engaging members, the method comprising the steps of:

supporting the moveable windshield on the frame of the vehicle; and

encountering a flow of air, a first portion of the flow of air traveling along a front surface of the moveable windshield and a second portion of the flow of air traveling along a back surface of the moveable windshield, wherein the second portion of the flow of air along the back surface of the moveable windshield is increased when the moveable windshield is in a raised position than when the moveable windshield is in a lowered position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the raised position the second portion of the flow of air along the back surface of the moveable windshield is sufficient to redirect the first portion of the flow of air upward to clear an operator positioned on a straddle seat of the vehicle, the operator and the straddle seat located behind the moveable windshield.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the increase in the second portion of the flow of air along the back surface of the moveable windshield is increased in the raised position due to an increased spacing between the moveable windshield and a stationary windshield.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

providing a user input by which an operator may select to position the moveable windshield in the raised position and the lowered position; and

operatively coupling the user input to a linear actuator which is operatively coupled to the moveable windshield to position the moveable windshield.

5. A windshield assembly, comprising:

a base member;

a rear windshield supported by the base member;

a front windshield supported by the base member, positioned forward of the rear windshield, and moveable relative to the rear windshield between a lowered position and a raised position; and

an actuation device supported by the base member and operatively coupled to the front windshield, the actuation device controlling the movement of the front windshield between the raised position and the lowered position, wherein the front windshield is spaced apart from the rear windshield to provide a flow of air along a back surface of the front windshield.

6. The windshield assembly of claim 5, wherein the flow of air along the back surface of the front windshield is increased when the front windshield is in the raised position relative to when the front windshield is in the lowered position.

7. The windshield assembly of claim 6, wherein the increased flow of air along the back surface of the front windshield when the front windshield is in the raised position is due to an increased spacing between the front windshield and the rear windshield in the raised position relative to when the front windshield is in the lowered position.

8. The windshield assembly of claim 7, wherein in the lowered position the front windshield member and the rear windshield member are parallel and in the raised position the front windshield member is tilted relative to the rear windshield member.

9. The windshield assembly of claim 5, further comprising a scissor link system including a stationary pivot, a driving pivot, and a driven pivot, the actuation device being coupled to the driving pivot and the front windshield member being coupled to the driven pivot.

10. The windshield assembly of claim 9, wherein the ratio of movement of the driven pivot to the driving pivot is at least 2:

1.

11. The windshield assembly of claim 9, wherein the ratio of movement of the driven pivot to the driving pivot is at least 3:

1.

12. The windshield assembly of claim 5, wherein the actuation device is a linear actuation device.

13. The windshield assembly of claim 12, wherein the front windshield in response to a movement of the linear actuation device is both translated and rotated.

14. A vehicle for operation by a rider comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging members including a front ground engaging member and a rear ground engaging member;

a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members;

a straddle seat supported by the frame;

a steering assembly coupled to the front ground engaging member, the steering assembly being moveable to steer the front ground engaging member; and

a windshield positioned forward of the straddle seat, the windshield including a front windshield portion and a rear windshield portion, the front windshield portion being moveable relative to the rear windshield portion between a raised position and a lowered position, wherein a flow of air passes between the front windshield portion and the rear windshield portion along a back surface of the front windshield portion the flow of air being increased when the front windshield portion is in the raised position.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the plurality of ground engaging members are in line.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a user input supported by the steering assembly, the user input being actuatable to move the front windshield between the raised position and the lowered position.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the windshield remains stationary when the steering assembly is moved to steer the front ground engaging member.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the front windshield portion is tilted at a first angle from vertical in the lowered position and a second angle from vertical in the raised position, the second angle being less than the first angle and a position of a top edge of the front windshield portion being vertically aligned when the front windshield portion is in the raised position and the when the front windshield portion is in the lowered position.