UTILITY VEHICLE POWERTRAIN ENCLOSURE

• US 20200130612A1
• Filed: 10/24/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Seegert, Brian D., Chaudhari, Vilas, Burli, Sandeep
• Granted Patent: US 10,800,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/1208 Resilient supports B60K5/1241 - B60K5/1291 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0838 for engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0884 for mounting around noise sources, e.g. air blowers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/10 in which the main member is plate-like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/183 specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts tubular skeleton B62D23/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/088 Details of structures as upper supports for springs or dampers

Abstract

A utility vehicle powertrain enclosure includes an engine and a transmission mounted to a carrier under a utility vehicle cargo box and substantially enclosed by the carrier and a plurality of panels. The carrier has a forward end pivotably attached to a frame member of the utility vehicle, and sides flexibly connected to panels alongside the engine, and a rearward end mounted to the utility vehicle with a pair of suspension members.

Claims

1. A utility vehicle powertrain enclosure, comprising:

a plurality of panels secured together under a utility vehicle cargo box including a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a left side panel, and a right side panel; and

a carrier supporting an engine and a transmission and having a forward end pivotably mounted to a frame of the utility vehicle under a forward end of the cargo box and a rearward end mounted to a plurality of suspension members; and

a plurality of flexible transition members attached between the carrier and the side panels.

2. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 1 further comprising at least one air exit opening through at least one panel of the powertrain enclosure.

3. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes a first plate supporting the engine, a second plate supporting the transmission, and a rigid perimeter frame structure around the first plate and the second plate.

4. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a layer of sound absorbing foam on the inner surface of each of the panels.

5. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 1 further comprising an engine air intake extending from one of the panels to an air intake shroud of the engine.

6. A utility vehicle powertrain enclosure, comprising:

a box-shaped structure mounted below a cargo box and having an underside covered by a pivoting carrier which supports an engine and a transmission inside the box-shaped structure; and

an air intake opening extending inwardly from the box-shaped structure to an engine air intake.

7. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 6 wherein the box-shaped structure includes a plurality of high density polyethylene panels.

8. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 7 further comprising flexible transition members between the pivoting carrier and the plurality of high density polyethylene panels.

9. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 6 wherein the pivoting carrier has a first end that is hinged and a second end that is connected to a pair of suspension members.

10. A utility vehicle powertrain enclosure, comprising:

an engine and a transmission mounted to a carrier under a utility vehicle cargo box and substantially enclosed by the carrier and a plurality of panels;

the carrier having a forward end pivotably attached to a frame member of the utility vehicle, and having sides flexibly connected to panels alongside the engine, and having a rearward end mounted to the utility vehicle with a pair of suspension members.

11. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 10 wherein the engine includes a muffler substantially enclosed by the carrier and the plurality of panels, and a muffler opening in one of the panels for air flow around the muffler.

12. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 10 wherein the transmission includes a transaxle.

13. The utility vehicle powertrain enclosure of claim 10 wherein the carrier includes a pair of sheet metal plates and a substantially rigid perimeter structure.