Side-by-side vehicle

• US 8,613,336 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• 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., McNutt, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, BRYAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/117,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20120031694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 180/69.2, 180/69.24, 180/69.25, 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 side-by-side vehicle comprising a frame and a plurality of ground engaging members is provided. The side-by-side vehicle further includes an operator area having seating and operator controls, and a cargo carrying portion located rearward of the operator area. A floor of the cargo carrying portion includes a movable cover to provide access underneath the cargo carrying portion.

Claims

1. 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, the cargo carrying portion including a floor; and

an air intake system operatively coupled to the power source to communicate ambient air to the power source, the floor of the cargo carrying portion including a removable cover which permits access through the floor to a portion of the air intake system and

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, the removable cover permitting access to the CVT.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the air intake system includes a filter, the removable cover permitting access to the filter.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the removable cover is coupled to a remainder of the floor in a first configuration and is uncoupled from the floor in a second configuration, the cargo carrying portion includes a tray configured to hold at least one item and the removable cover permits access to the tray and the at least one item in the second configuration.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the removable cover is positionable over a top opening of the tray to retain the at least one item within the tray in the first configuration.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the removable cover is coupled to a remainder of the floor in a first configuration and is uncoupled from the remainder of the floor in a second configuration, the cargo carrying portion including a plurality of openings configured to receive a plurality of tabs of the removable cover to retain the cover relative to the remainder of the floor in the first configuration of the removable cover.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the removable cover is secured to the remainder of the floor through a latch mechanism in the first configuration of the removable cover, the latch mechanism having a first configuration securing the removable cover to the remainder of the cargo carrying portion in the first configuration of the removable cover and a second configuration permitting the removable cover to be uncoupled from the remainder of the floor in the second configuration of the removable cover.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the latch mechanism includes a handle completely positioned below an upper surface of the floor.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising an accessory configured to couple to the cargo carrying portion in place of the removable cover.

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

20. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cargo carrying portion supports a plurality of taillights visible from a rear view of the vehicle.

21. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the floor of the cargo carrying portion extends horizontally behind the seating of the operator area and is positioned above a rear axle of the vehicle.

9. A method of servicing an air intake system of a side-by-side vehicle having a CVT unit and a cargo carrying portion, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a movable cover within the cargo carrying portion, the cargo carrying portion being rearward of an operator space of the side-by-side vehicle and the movable cover being a portion of a floor of the cargo carrying portion, the cargo carrying portion positioned above a rear axle of the side-by-side vehicle, the movable cover providing access through the floor;

providing an airbox for the air intake system of the vehicle, the airbox being located rearward of the operator space of the side-by-side vehicle and directly below the cargo carrying portion;

housing a filter within the airbox;

manipulating the movable cover to provide an access opening in the floor while not moving a remainder of the floor the movable cover permitting access to the CVT; and

accessing the filter in the airbox through the access opening in the floor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of accessing the filter includes the step of loosening at least one coupler of the airbox.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of accessing the filter includes the steps of rotating a front cover of the airbox away from the filter and removing the filter from the airbox.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of manipulating the movable cover includes the steps of providing a latching mechanism to retain the movable cover relative to the floor of the cargo carrying portion and releasing the latching mechanism.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of manipulating the movable cover includes the step of accessing a power source of the side-by-side vehicle.

14. 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;

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;

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

a cargo bed supported by the frame and located rearward of the operator area, the cargo bed including a generally horizontally arranged floor having a movable cover for providing access through the floor to underneath the cargo bed while a remainder of the floor remains generally horizontally arranged; and

at least one air intake system operatively coupled to the power source to communicate ambient air to the power source wherein the power source is an internal combustion engine and the cargo bed includes a second movable cover to provide access to a remote oil reservoir of the internal combustion engine.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the floor includes a first side portion, a second side portion, and a central portion positioned intermediate the first and second side portions, the central portion including the movable cover.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the cargo bed includes a latching mechanism for manipulating the movable cover between an open position and a closed position, the movable cover permitting access to the at least one air intake system when in the open position, the movable cover being generally horizontally arranged when in the closed position.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the movable cover permits access to at least one of the power source, the CVT unit, and the at least one air intake system when in the open position.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein an air inlet of the air intake system is rearward of the seating and an air inlet of the CVT unit is rearward of the seating.