Side-by-side vehicle

• US 8,613,335 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Deckard, Aaron D., Nowacki, Phillip A., Gillingham, Brian R., Kofstad, Tracy S., Smith, Mark A., Kjaer, Curtis R., Nelson, Stephen L., Hollman, Keith A., Maher, Jeffrey M., McNutt, Kevin A., Rubatt, Jerome J., Schlangen, Adam J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, BRYAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/849,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20120031693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 180/89.17
• US Class Current: 180/68.3
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 6/00 Restoring or reconditioning objects straightening or restoring form of sheet metal, metal rods, metal tubes, metal profiles, or specific articles made therefrom B21D1/00, B21D3/00; repairing defective or damaged objects by casting techniques B22D19/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/02 concerning intake
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/06 using structural parts of the vehicle as ducts, e.g. frame parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/06 of change-speed gearing B60K17/10 - B60K17/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/08 of mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/34 for driving both front and rear wheels, e.g. four wheel drive vehicles arrangement or mounting of control devices for changing number of driven wheels B60K23/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2005/003 the internal combustion or jet propulsion unit is arranged between the front and the rear axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/124 Buggies, Quads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/20 Off-Road Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/72 Continous variable transmissions [CVT]
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/02 Platforms; Open load compartments flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/027 characterised by means for venting gearboxes, e.g. air breathers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0416 Air cooling or ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0489 with endless flexible members, e.g. belt CVTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49718 Repairing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49721 with disassembling

Abstract

A vehicle may include a CVT unit or a power source which requires ambient air. An air inlet for an air intake system coupled to the CVT unit or the power source which requires ambient air may be provided in a side of a cargo carrying portion of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a rear radius arm suspension.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame;

an internal combustion power source supported by the frame and operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle;

an operator area supported by the frame, the operator area including seating and operator controls;

a cargo carrying portion supported by the frame and located rearward of the operator area; and

a first air intake system operatively coupled to the internal combustion power source to communicate ambient air to the internal combustion power source, the first air intake system receiving ambient air through a first air inlet in an exterior body panel of the cargo carrying portion.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cargo carrying portion is a cargo bed.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the cargo carrying portion includes a floor and a plurality of walls, the floor including a removable cover which permits access to a portion of the first air intake system.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the portion of the first air intake system is an airbox including a filter.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first air intake system includes a resonator box located between an exterior surface of the exterior body panel of the cargo carrying portion and a wall of a cargo carrying region of the cargo carrying portion.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a cover coupled to the exterior body panel to cover the first air inlet in the exterior body panel, the cover permitting the ambient air to pass by the cover.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a filter housing positioned behind the cover and a filter removably positioned within the filter housing, the ambient air passing through the filter.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, the filter being located between an exterior surface of the exterior body panel of the cargo carrying portion and a wall of a cargo carrying region of the cargo carrying portion.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the first air inlet in the exterior body panel of the cargo carrying portion is positioned on a first side of a vertical centerline plane of the vehicle and the first air intake system transports the ambient air to a second side of the vertical centerline plane as the ambient air travels through a fluid conduit of the first air intake system.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising

a CVT unit supported by the frame and operatively coupled between the internal combustion power source and the at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members;

and

a second air intake system operatively coupled to the CVT unit to communicate ambient air to an interior of the CVT unit, the second air intake system including a second air inlet through which ambient air enters the second air intake system, the second air inlet being completely positioned to the second side of the vertical centerline plane of the vehicle, the second air intake system transporting the ambient air received through the second air inlet to the first side of the vertical centerline plane of the vehicle as the ambient air travels towards the CVT unit.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the CVT unit includes

a drive member operatively coupled to the internal combustion power source;

a driven member operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members;

a drive belt operatively coupling the driven member to the drive member; and

a CVT housing having an interior containing the drive member, the driven member, and the drive belt, the CVT housing including a plurality of CVT air inlets to the interior of the CVT housing, a first CVT air inlet being positioned proximate the drive member and a second CVT air inlet being positioned proximate the driven member, both the first CVT air inlet and the second CVT air inlet being in fluid communication with the second air intake system to receive ambient air from the second air intake system.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the CVT unit includes a diverter which receives the ambient air from the second air intake system and directs a first portion of the ambient air to the first CVT air inlet and a second portion of the ambient air to the second CVT air inlet.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the CVT housing includes a base portion and a CVT cover, the CVT cover being removably coupled to the base portion, the diverter being associated with the base portion.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the diverter is part of the base portion of the CVT housing.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first portion of the ambient air moves from the first CVT air inlet towards an air outlet of the CVT housing in a generally counterclockwise movement and the second portion of the ambient air moves from the second CVT air inlet towards the air outlet of the CVT housing in a generally counterclockwise movement.

16. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the CVT housing includes an air outlet through which air exits the interior of the CVT housing, the air outlet being in fluid communication with a fluid conduit which directs the air at a portion of the internal combustion power source.

17. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein

the first air inlet of the first air intake system is completely positioned to a first side of the CVT unit, and

the second air inlet of the second air intake system is completely positioned to a second side of the CVT unit.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are both rearward of a front plane of the seating of the operator area.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are both rearward of the operator area.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, further comprising a roll cage, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are both rearward of the roll cage.

21. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are positioned above the plurality of ground engaging members.

22. The vehicle of claim 21, further comprising:

a rear drive unit supported by the frame rearward of the front plane of the seating and operatively coupled to at least one ground engaging member which is rearward of the front plane of the seating, the internal combustion power source being operatively coupled to the rear drive unit; and

a first suspension system coupling the at least one ground engaging member which is rearward of the front plane of the seating to the frame, the first air inlet and the second air inlet being positioned completely above the first suspension system.

23. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a fuel source operatively coupled to the internal combustion power source, such that the internal combustion power source uses the ambient air received through the first air inlet in the combustion of fuel provided by the fuel source.

24. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cargo carrying portion includes a floor and a plurality of walls extending upward from the floor, the cargo carrying portion having an open top.

25. A vehicle, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame;

a power source supported by the frame and operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle;

an operator area supported by the frame, the operator area including seating and operator controls;

a cargo carrying portion supported by the frame and located rearward of the operator area;

a first air intake system operatively coupled to the power source to communicate ambient air to the power source, the first air intake system receiving ambient air through a first air inlet in a first exterior body panel of the cargo carrying portion;

a CVT unit supported by the frame and operatively coupled between the power source and the at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members; and

a second air intake system operatively coupled to the CVT unit to communicate ambient air to an interior of the CVT unit, the second air intake system receiving ambient air through a second air inlet in a second exterior body panel of the cargo carrying portion.

26. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the power source comprises an internal combustion engine, the vehicle further comprising a fuel source operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine, such that the internal combustion engine uses the ambient air received through the first air inlet in the combustion of fuel provided by the fuel source.

27. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the first exterior body panel is located at a first side wall of the cargo carrying portion, and the second exterior body panel is located at a second side wall of the cargo carrying portion generally opposite the first side wall.

28. The vehicle of claim 27, wherein the cargo carrying portion includes a floor and a plurality of walls extending upward from the floor, the cargo carrying portion having an open top.

29. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein

the first air inlet of the first air intake system is completely positioned to a first side of the CVT unit, and

the second air inlet of the second air intake system is completely positioned to a second side of the CVT unit.

30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are both rearward of a front plane of the seating of the operator area.

31. The vehicle of claim 30, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are both rearward of the operator area.

32. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the CVT unit includes

a drive member operatively coupled to the power source;

a driven member operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members;

a drive belt operatively coupling the driven member to the drive member; and

a CVT housing having an interior containing the drive member, the driven member, and the drive belt, the CVT housing including a plurality of CVT air inlets to the interior of the CVT housing, a first CVT air inlet being positioned proximate the drive member and a second CVT air inlet being positioned proximate the driven member, both the first CVT air inlet and the second CVT air inlet being in fluid communication with the second air intake system to receive ambient air from the second air intake system.

33. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the CVT unit includes a diverter which receives the ambient air from the second air intake system and directs a first portion of the ambient air to the first CVT air inlet and a second portion of the ambient air to the second CVT air inlet.

34. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the CVT housing includes an air outlet through which air exits the interior of the CVT housing, the air outlet being in fluid communication with a fluid conduit which directs the air at a portion of the power source.