Side-by-side diesel utility vehicle

• US 9,152,607 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Enerbility Company Limited), Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Enerbility Company Limited), Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaldor, Matthew J, Wetterlund, Marcus A, Dehnert, Brian P
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERRIGAN, MICHAEL V
• Application Number:
  US13/725,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• 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 method of controlling a vehicle, the method including:

controlling, by an electronic controller, a vehicle in at least one of a forward direction and a reverse direction based on an actuation of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle, the vehicle including a powertrain and a plurality of ground engaging members driven by the powertrain, the powertrain including an engine, a transmission, and a drive shaft, the accelerator pedal being adjustable to control a speed and a direction of the vehicle, the direction including a forward direction and a reverse direction of the vehicle;

detecting, by the electronic controller, an operator demand for a change in vehicle direction based on a detected position of the accelerator pedal; and

adjusting the powertrain to remove drive torque from at least one ground engaging member in response to the detecting the operator demand for the change in vehicle direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the operator demand for the change in vehicle direction includes detecting, based on output from a pedal position sensor, the accelerator pedal moving to a home pedal position, the home pedal position being between a forward operational position of the accelerator pedal configured to accelerate the vehicle in the forward direction and a reverse operational position of the accelerator pedal configured to accelerate the vehicle in the reverse direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the drive torque is removed from the at least one ground engaging member by adjusting the powertrain from a four-wheel drive mode to a two-wheel drive mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the powertrain includes a front differential and a rear differential, the plurality of ground engaging members includes front ground engaging members and rear ground engaging members, and the adjusting the powertrain includes disengaging at least one of the front differential and the rear differential from the drive shaft of the powertrain to remove the drive torque from at least one of the front ground engaging members and the rear ground engaging members.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential includes a clutch and an electromagnetic device, wherein the electromagnetic device actuates the clutch to disengage the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential from the drive shaft.

6. The method of claim 4, further including re-engaging the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential with the drive shaft a predetermined time after disengaging the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential from the drive shaft to re-apply the drive torque to the at least one ground engaging member.

7. The method of claim 1, further including adjusting the powertrain to re-apply the drive torque to the at least one ground engaging member a predetermined time after the drive torque is removed from the at least one ground engaging member.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined time is less than or equal to one second.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the accelerator pedal is mechanically coupled to the powertrain with at least one cable, and wherein actuation of the accelerator pedal is configured to control a throttle of the engine and a hydraulic pump of the transmission.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the operator demand for the change in vehicle direction includes detecting, based on output from a pedal position sensor, the accelerator pedal passing through a predetermined pedal position.

10. A vehicle including:

a plurality of ground engaging members;

a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members;

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

an accelerator pedal configured to control a speed and a direction of the vehicle, the direction including a forward direction and a reverse direction of the vehicle;

a pedal position sensor; and

an electronic controller in communication with the pedal position sensor for detecting a position of the accelerator pedal, wherein the controller is operative to identify an operator demand for a change in vehicle direction based on a detected position of the accelerator pedal and to adjust the powertrain to remove drive torque from at least one ground engaging member in response to identifying the operator demand for the change in vehicle direction.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller identifies the operator demand for the change in vehicle direction by detecting, based on the detected position of the accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal moving to a home pedal position, and wherein the home pedal position is between a forward operational position of the accelerator pedal configured to accelerate the vehicle in the forward direction and a reverse operational position of the accelerator pedal configured to accelerate the vehicle in the reverse direction.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller adjusts the powertrain from a four-wheel drive mode to a two-wheel drive mode to remove the drive torque from the at least one ground engaging member.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the powertrain further includes a front differential and a rear differential, the plurality of ground engaging member includes front ground engaging members and rear ground engaging members, and the controller adjusts the powertrain by disengaging at least one of the front differential and the rear differential from the drive shaft of the powertrain to remove the drive torque from at least one of the front ground engaging members and the rear ground engaging members.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential includes a clutch and an electromagnetic device, and wherein the controller controls the electromagnetic device to actuate the clutch to disengage the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential from the drive shaft.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the controller is further operative to re-engage the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential with the drive shaft a predetermined time after disengaging the at least one of the front differential and the rear differential from the drive shaft to re-apply the drive torque to the at least one ground engaging member.

16. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further operative to adjust the powertrain to re-apply the drive torque to the at least one ground engaging member a predetermined time after the drive torque is removed from the at least one ground engaging member.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the predetermined time is less than or equal to one second.

18. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the accelerator pedal is mechanically coupled to the powertrain with at least one cable, the transmission includes a hydrostatic transmission, and actuation of the accelerator pedal is configured to control a throttle of the engine and a hydraulic pump of the hydrostatic transmission.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the pedal position sensor comprises a limit switch.