Utility Vehicle

• US 20120161477A1
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Furman, Tyler, Kaku, Hidetoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/203.03
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0487 simplified doors related to cabins of, e.g. golf carts, tractors, jeeps, cranes, forklifts, etc.

Abstract

A utility vehicle includes a seat mounted to a vehicle body frame to seat a passenger thereon; a side member positioned outward in a vehicle width direction relative to the seat and forming a part of the vehicle body frame; an access opening defined by the side member, the seat being accessible by the passenger through the access opening; a door rotatably mounted to the side member to open and close a part of the access opening; and a protective cover provided between the door and the side member and coupled to the door and to the side member; the protective cover being rotatable with respect to the side member along with the door and closing at least a part of a portion of the access opening, which portion is above the door, in a state where the door is closed.

Claims

1. A utility vehicle comprising:

a seat mounted to a vehicle body frame to seat a passenger thereon;

a side member positioned outward in a vehicle width direction relative to the seat and forming a part of the vehicle body frame;

an access opening defined by the side member, the seat being accessible by the passenger through the access opening;

a door rotatably mounted to the side member to open and close a part of the access opening; and

a protective cover provided between the door and the side member and coupled to the door and to the side member, the protective cover being rotatable with respect to the side member along with the door and closing at least a part of a portion of the access opening, which portion is above the door, in a state where the door is closed.

2. The utility vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the protective cover includes a first mounting portion for mounting the protective cover to the door, and a second mounting portion for mounting the protective cover to the side member;

and

wherein a distance between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion is variable.

3. The utility vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the protective cover has a cover portion for closing the access opening;

wherein the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion protrude from an edge of the cover portion; and

wherein at least one of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion is extendable and contractible such that the distance between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion is variable.

4. The utility vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein a hinge is provided at one end portion of the door in a forward and rearward direction, and a latch is provided at an opposite end portion of the door in the forward and rearward direction;

wherein the protective cover includes a first mounting portion for mounting the protective cover to the door, and a second mounting portion for mounting the protective cover to the side member;

wherein the first mounting portion is mounted to the door in a location closer to a location where the latch is disposed and away from a center portion of the door in the forward and rearward direction when viewed from a side; and

wherein the second mounting portion is mounted to the side member in a location closer to a location where the hinge is disposed and away from the center portion of the door when viewed from a side.

5. The utility vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the side member includes a front pipe extending substantially vertically and a rear pipe extending substantially vertically, and a fastening member for fastening the first mounting portion is provided at the front pipe or the rear pipe at which the hinge is provided such that the fastening member is positioned above the hinge.

6. The utility vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the side member includes a front pipe extending substantially vertically and a rear pipe extending substantially vertically;

wherein the second mounting portion includes a lower mounting portion for mounting the protective cover to the side member and an upper mounting portion located above a location where the lower mounting portion is mounted, to mount the protective cover to the side member; and

wherein the lower mounting portion and the upper mounting portion are mounted to the front pipe or the rear pipe at which the hinge is disposed such that the fastening member is positioned above the hinge.

7. The utility vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the hinge is provided at a front portion of the door and the latch is provided at a rear portion of the door;

and

wherein the protective cover is disposed to close a portion of the access opening which portion is above the door, in a substantially triangular shape.

8. The utility vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising:

a shoulder guard protruding forward from the rear pipe;

wherein the shoulder guard is disposed in a region which is not closed by the door and the protective cover when viewed from a side.

9. The utility vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the hinge is provided at a rear portion of the door and the latch is provided at a front portion of the door;

and

wherein the protective cover is disposed to close a portion of the access opening which portion is above the door in a substantially triangular shape.

10. The utility vehicle according to claim 9,

wherein an upper edge of the protective cover is located below a line connecting an upper end portion of a backrest of the seat and an upper end portion of a handle.

11. The utility vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein a distance between the first mounting portion and the upper mounting portion is variable.

12. The utility vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the protective cover has a cover portion for closing the access opening, and the cover portion is formed of a fiber net.