Two-wheeled vehicle

• US 7,883,136 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow; Jason S
• Application Number:
  US12/015,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 296/180.5, 296/78.1, 296/91
• US Class Current: 296/78.1
• 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 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 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, the actuation device including at least one biasing member to bias the front windshield towards the lowered position.

2. The windshield assembly of claim 1, 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.

3. The windshield assembly of claim 2, 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.

4. The windshield assembly of claim 3, 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.

5. The windshield assembly of claim 1, 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.

6. The windshield assembly of claim 5, wherein the ratio of movement of the driven pivot to the driving pivot is at least 2:

1.

7. The windshield assembly of claim 5, wherein the ratio of movement of the driven pivot to the driving pivot is at least 3:

1.

8. The windshield assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation device is a linear actuation device.

9. The windshield assembly of claim 8, wherein the front windshield in response to a movement of the linear actuation device is both translated and rotated.

10. 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;

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, and

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, 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.

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

1.

12. The windshield assembly of claim 10, wherein the ratio of movement of the driven pivot to the driving pivot is at least 3:

1.