Fuel tank arrangement for a vehicle

• US 7,748,746 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Beiber Hoeve, Jason William, Vorndran, Ronald A., Chevalier, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winner; Tony H.
• Application Number:
  US11/624,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 180/219, 280/833, 280/835, 280/834
• US Class Current: 280/835
• 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 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels

Abstract

A two-wheeled vehicle, a touring motorcycle, is disclosed. The touring motorcycle may include multiple fuel storage tanks arranged in a split side-by-side configuration. The touring motorcycle may include a rear suspension having a linkage which moves in a direction not parallel with a centerline plane of the motorcycle. The touring motorcycle may include a tip-over structure which prevents unwanted tip-over of the motorcycle.

Claims

1. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

a steering assembly coupled to the front wheel, the steering assembly being moveable to steer the front wheel; and

a fuel storage tank supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein the steering assembly includes an upper portion above a top horizontal plane of fuel storage tank and a lower portion below a bottom horizontal plane of the fuel storage tank, the lower portion being coupled to the upper portion through a middle portion, at least a portion of the middle portion being positioned rearward of a front vertical plane of the fuel storage tank and the top horizontal plane of the fuel storage tank being above the frame and the upper portion of the steering assembly extends rearward of a rear vertical plane of the fuel storage tank.

2. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuel storage tank is positioned laterally outward of the middle portion of the steering assembly.

3. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a second fuel storage tank having a portion positioned laterally outward of the middle portion of the steering assembly.

4. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 3, wherein the fuel storage tank is positioned to a first side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and the second fuel storage tank is positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

5. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 4, wherein an interior of the fuel storage tank and an interior of the second fuel storage tank are in fluid communication.

6. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 5, wherein a first fluid conduit connects in fluid communication a lower portion of the interior of the fuel storage tank and a lower portion of the interior of the second fuel storage tank and a second fluid conduit connects in fluid communication an upper portion of the interior of the fuel storage tank and an upper portion of the interior of the second fuel storage tank.

7. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the middle portion is forward of a back vertical plane of the fuel storage tank.

8. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the top portion includes handlebars.

9. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the middle portion includes a lower portion of a handlebar member.

10. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein a center of gravity of the two-wheeled vehicle is generally balanced between the front wheel and the rear wheel.

11. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 10, wherein the center of gravity is about 3 percent forward of a midpoint of a line connecting an axle of the front wheel and an axle of the rear wheel.

12. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 11, wherein the center of gravity is about 487 mm above the ground.

13. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

a steering assembly coupled to the front wheel, the steering assembly being moveable to steer the front wheel; and

a plurality of fuel storage tanks supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein a first fuel storage tank and a second fuel storage tank are positioned forward of the rear wheel and in a generally side-by-side configuration, the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank being in fluid communication with each other through an upper fluid conduit and a lower fluid conduit to permit fuel to flow between the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank, wherein fuel from the first fuel storage tank flows into the second fuel storage tank through the lower fluid conduit when the vehicle is positioned in a parked configuration wherein the second fuel storage tank is lower than the first fuel storage tank, the first fuel storage tank being in fluid communication with the engine through a fuel line coupled to the first fuel storage tank.

14. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first fuel storage tank is positioned to a first side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and the second fuel storage tank is positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

15. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a side stand coupled to the frame, wherein the two-wheeled vehicle leans towards the second side when the two-wheeled vehicle is positioned in the parked configuration with the side stand supporting the two-wheeled vehicle and wherein the first fuel storage tank includes a fuel inlet to which a fuel cap is removably coupled.

16. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 15, wherein fuel from the second fuel storage tank must travel into the first fuel storage tank to reach the fuel line.

17. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

an airbox in fluid communication with the engine;

a plurality of fuel storage tanks supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein the plurality of fuel storage tanks overlap at least two sides of the air box; and

a fuel pump in fluid communication with the plurality of fuel storage tanks and the engine, wherein fuel within a first fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks must travel into a second fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks to reach the fuel pump.

18. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, wherein the first fuel storage tank is positioned laterally outward of the air box.

19. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, wherein an air channel within an interior of the frame forms the air box.

20. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 19, wherein the first fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks is positioned above a portion of the air box, below the portion of the air box, and to a first side of the air box.

21. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 20, wherein a second fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks is positioned generally to a second side of the air box opposite the first side.

22. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 21, wherein the first fuel storage tank is positioned to a first side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and the second fuel storage tank is positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

23. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 22, wherein an interior of the first fuel storage tank and an interior of the second fuel storage tank are in fluid communication.

24. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 23, wherein the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank are supported by the air box.

25. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, wherein the fuel pump is positioned within the second fuel storage tank.

26. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, wherein the two sides of the airbox are a first airbox side positioned to a first side of a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and a second airbox side positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

27. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

a steering assembly coupled to the front wheel, the steering assembly being moveable to steer the front wheel;

a plurality of fuel storage tanks supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein a first fuel storage tank and a second fuel storage tank are positioned forward of the rear wheel and in a generally side-by-side configuration with a portion of the frame interposed therebetween; and

a fuel pump in fluid communication with the plurality of fuel storage tanks and the engine, wherein fuel within the first fuel storage tank must travel into the second fuel storage tank to reach the fuel pump.

28. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 27, wherein the fuel pump is positioned within the second fuel storage tank.

29. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

an airbox in fluid communication with the engine; and

a plurality of fuel storage tanks supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein the plurality of fuel storage tanks overlap at least two sides of the air box, a first fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks and a second fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks being in fluid communication with each other to permit fuel to flow between the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank.

30. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 29, wherein the two sides of the airbox are a first airbox side positioned to a first side of a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and a second airbox side positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

31. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel, the frame including a first frame member;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

an airbox in fluid communication with the engine;

a plurality of fuel storage tanks supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein the plurality of fuel storage tanks overlap at least two sides of the air box; and

a fuel pump in fluid communication with the plurality of fuel storage tanks and the engine, wherein fuel within a first fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks must travel into a second fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks to reach the fuel pump and an air channel within an interior of the first frame member forms the air box.

32. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 31, wherein the first fuel storage tank is positioned laterally outward of the air box.

33. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 31, wherein the first fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks is positioned above a portion of the air box, below the portion of the air box, and to a first side of the air box.

34. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 33, wherein the second fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks is positioned generally to a second side of the air box opposite the first side.

35. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 34, wherein the first fuel storage tank is positioned to a first side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and the second fuel storage tank is positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

36. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 35, wherein an interior of the first fuel storage tank and an interior of the second fuel storage tank are in fluid communication.

37. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 36, wherein the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank are supported by the airbox.