Side-by-side diesel utility vehicle

• US 9,075,699 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Wetterlund, Marcus A
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scharich, Marc A
• Application Number:
  US13/725,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20140060953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 372/35, 180/233, 180/245, 180/247, 180/248, 701/35, 701/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/052 Mounting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/21 Trailing arms connected by a torsional beam, i.e. twist-beam axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/22 Trailing arms connected by a straight torsion bar
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/31 with two trailing arms rigidly connected to the axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/314 with longitudinally arranged arms articulated on the axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/32 pivoted
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/141 The recess being integrally or seamlessly formed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/16 the arm having a U profile and/or made of a plate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/20 Constructional features of semi-rigid axles, e.g. twist beam type axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/124 Quads
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/13 Small sized city motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 9/02 the axle or housing being pivotally mounted on the vehicle , e.g. the pivotal axis being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle B60G9/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 9/022 the axle having an imaginary pivotal point
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00207 characterised by the position of the HVAC devices with respect to the passenger compartment B60H1/00021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00407 for open or convertible vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00242 Devices in the rear area of the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/02 concerning intake
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/22 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft
• 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: B60K 23/08 : for changing number of driven wheels , for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles B60K17/3515 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/04 : from static or dynamic pressure or vacuum, developed by the engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 : of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 : responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 : including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 : including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 : including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 : Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18181 : Propulsion control with common controlling member for different functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 : Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/20 : Off-Road Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2410/111 : Aggregate identification or specification, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/18 : characterised by the vehicle type and not provided for in groups B62D21/02 - B62D21/17
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/183 : specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts tubular skeleton B62D23/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/186 : for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/96 : with arrangements for alternate or simultaneous use of different digging elements E02F3/7604, E02F3/769, E02F3/78 take precedence; quick-acting devices to connect tools to arms or booms E02F3/3609, for arms to tractors or the like E02F3/627
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0808 : Improving mounting or assembling, e.g. frame elements, disposition of all the components on the superstructures for disposition of specific components, E02F9/0858
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2025 : Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2079 : Control of mechanical transmission for hydrostatic transmission or hydraulic torque converter E02F9/2253
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2087 : Control of vehicle steering for steering with hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/225
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 : with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 : Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 : Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground engaging members and a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members. The frame includes a front frame portion, a mid-frame portion, and a rear frame portion. The utility vehicle further comprises an attachment supported at the front frame portion. Additionally, the utility vehicle includes an operator area supported by the frame and including an operator seat and an adjacent passenger seat spaced apart from the operator seat. The operator seat and the passenger seat are in a side-by-side arrangement. The utility vehicle also comprises an auxiliary power assembly having an attachment shaft configured to be operably coupled to the attachment. The attachment shaft extends in a generally longitudinal direction of the utility vehicle and projects outwardly from the front frame portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle including:

at least one ground engaging member;

a frame supported by the at least one ground engaging member;

a powertrain supported by the frame and including an engine and a transmission;

an auxiliary power system driven by the engine;

a controller operative to control at least one operation of the vehicle;

a work attachment coupled to the frame and powered by the auxiliary power system, the work attachment including an identification device in communication with the controller over a communication network, the controller being operative to identify a network address of the identification device; and

an operator input device in communication with the controller for controlling the work attachment, the controller being operative to detect a type of the work attachment coupled to the frame based on communication with the identification device, the type of the work attachment being at least one of a plurality of different types of work attachments each having a corresponding work function, the controller being operative to adjust an operation of the vehicle based on the detected type of the work attachment.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the operation of the vehicle by limiting a maximum speed of at least one of the engine and the vehicle to a maximum speed threshold.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one ground engaging member includes a plurality of wheels, and the controller adjusts the operation of the vehicle by changing a number of wheels driven by the engine.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the controller changes the number of wheels driven by the engine by adjusting the powertrain between a four-wheel drive mode and a two-wheel drive mode.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the work attachment includes at least one sensor in communication with the controller, the at least one sensor is configured to detect an operating condition of the work attachment, and the controller is operative to monitor for a fault with the work attachment based on the at least one sensor.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein, upon a detection of the fault by the controller, the controller at least one of limits operation of the work attachment and provides a fault warning message to a user interface of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one of a vibration of a component of the work attachment and a rotational speed of a component of the work attachment.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the identification device of the work attachment and the controller communicate over a controller area network (CAN), and wherein the controller detects the type of the work attachment based on the network address of the identification device of the work attachment.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller retrieves vehicle configuration settings stored in memory accessible by the controller based on the detected type of the work attachment and adjusts the operation of the vehicle based on the vehicle configuration settings.

10. A vehicle including:

at least one ground engaging member;

a frame assembly supported by the at least one ground engaging member;

a powertrain supported by the frame assembly;

a controller operative to control at least one operation of the vehicle;

a work attachment supported by the frame assembly, the work attachment including electronics in communication with the controller over a controller area network (CAN) communication network; and

an operator input device in communication with the controller for controlling the work attachment, the controller being operative to detect a type of the work attachment based on communication with the electronics of the work attachment, the controller being operative to adjust an operation of the vehicle based on the detected type of the work attachment.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller adjusts the operation of the vehicle by at least one of:

adjusting a maximum speed of the vehicle, adjusting a maximum speed of an engine of the vehicle, adjusting load shedding of an electrical system of the vehicle, and changing which ground engaging members are powered by the powertrain.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller adjusts the operation of the vehicle based on vehicle configuration setting data stored in memory accessible by the controller, and the controller is operative to modify the vehicle configuration setting data based on user input received via a user interface coupled to the controller.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller detects the type of the work attachment based on a network address claimed by the electronics of the work attachment on the CAN communication network.

14. A vehicle including:

at least one ground engaging member;

a frame assembly supported by the at least one ground engaging member;

a powertrain supported by the frame assembly;

a controller operative to control at least one operation of the vehicle;

a work attachment supported by the frame assembly, the work attachment including electronics in communication with the controller, the electronics including at least one sensor operative to detect an operating condition of the work attachment; and

an operator input device in communication with the controller for controlling the work attachment, the controller being operative to detect a type of the work attachment based on communication with the electronics of the work attachment, the controller being operative to adjust an operation of the vehicle based on the detected type of the work attachment and to monitor for a fault with the work attachment based on output from the at least one sensor.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein, in response to a detection of the fault by the controller, the controller at least one of limits an operation of the work attachment and provides a fault warning message to a user interface of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor is operative to detect at least one of a vibration of a component of the work attachment and a rotational speed of a component of the work attachment, and the controller detects the fault based on a comparison of the at least one of the vibration and the rotational speed to a threshold value.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the electronics of the work attachment and the controller communicate over a controller area network (CAN), and wherein the controller detects the type of the work attachment based on a CAN network address of the electronics of the work attachment.