Adjustable foot control for vehicle

• US 7,832,516 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Bagnariol, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winner; Tony H.
• Application Number:
  US12/015,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20080173122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 745/64, 744/785, 744/731.6, 280/291, 180/230, 180/336, 180/315, 180/219
• US Class Current: 180/219
• 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 described with moveable foot control levers to accommodate different size riders The vehicle has one or more fuel tanks. The fuel tanks may be arranged in a split side-by-side configuration. The vehicle has a rear suspension. The rear suspension 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.

Claims

1. A vehicle for operation by a rider, comprising a plurality of ground engaging members;

a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members;

a straddle seat supported by the frame;

a component supported by the plurality of ground engaging members;

a first member supported by the frame;

a foot rest supported by the first member;

a second member supported by the frame, the second member being moveable relative to the first member and the foot rest; and

a foot actuatable control lever coupled to the second member, the foot actuatable control lever being operatively coupled to the component to provide an input to the component, wherein an initial position of the foot actuatable control lever is set based on the position of the second member relative to the first member, the initial position being selected based on the rider, wherein moving the second member relative to the first member changes the positioning of the foot actuatable control lever relative to a front portion of the foot rest.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second member is translatable relative to the first member.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the second member is translatable along a first linear axis relative to first member.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first member includes a channel and the second member includes a first portion which is received in the channel of the first member, the channel and the first portion having complementary shapes.

5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the initial position of the foot actuatable control lever is selected from a plurality of predetermined positions, the plurality of predetermined positions corresponding to a plurality of predetermined positions of the second member relative to the first member.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the plurality of predetermined positions are spaced apart along a line.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a coupler which secures second member relative to first member in a selected one of the plurality of predetermined positions of the second member relative to the first member.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first member is a support and the second member is a mount, the foot actuatable control lever being rotatably coupled to the mount, the mount being translatable relative to the support.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the foot rest is rotatably coupled to the support.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the foot rest includes an upper surface and the mount is translatable in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the foot rest.

11. A method of adjusting the position of a foot peg of a foot actuatable control lever of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a mount and a support, the mount being translatable relative to the support in a channel provided in the support;

coupling the foot actuatable control lever of the vehicle to the mount;

translating the mount relative to the support to position the foot peg, the mount and the channel of the support constraining the mount to move along a first linear axis prior to the mount and the support being secured together; and

securing the mount and the support together.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the foot actuatable control lever is rotatably coupled to the mount.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the support and the mount include complementary shapes which restrain the movement of the mount relative to the support to the first linear axis.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of predetermined adjustment locations at which the mount may be secured to the support; and

selecting a first location of the predetermined adjustment locations.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of securing the mount and the support together includes positioning the mount relative to the support at the first location am coupling the mount to the support at the first location with a fastener.