Two-wheeled vehicle

• US 9,440,504 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Bagnariol, David L., Kemp, Stephen J., McKoskey, G. Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): STABLEY, MICHAEL R
• Application Number:
  US14/213,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 180/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/006 Attaching arms to sprung or unsprung part of vehicle, characterised by comprising attachment means controlled by an external actuator, e.g. a fluid or electrical motor B62D7/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• 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 15/067 Mounting of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 15/02 Fastening means; Stays
• 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 11/02 Frames motorcycles or cycles with auxiliary engines characterised by position of engine B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/06 the frame being of single-beam type
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/18 Joints between frame members
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/24 Screwed joints
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/32 Steering heads bearings therefor B62K21/06
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/48 Fairings forming part of frame
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2015/001 Frames adapted to be easily dismantled
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/283 for cycles without a pedal crank, e.g. motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/04 below the frame
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/02 for driving cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/0204 for connecting or joining to other devices, e.g. pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/02491 : Flat filter elements, e.g. rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/048 : Arranging or mounting on or with respect to engines or vehicle bodies
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/162 : Motorcycles; All-terrain vehicles, e.g. quads, snowmobiles; Small vehicles, e.g. forklifts
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/103 : Mounting pumps on fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A two-wheeled vehicle includes a frame having a front frame portion, a mid-frame portion, and a rear frame portion. The mid-frame portion is coupled to the rear frame portion and the front frame portion. The vehicle further includes a plurality of ground-engaging members for supporting the frame. The front frame portion is removably coupled to the mid-frame portion with a plurality of frame members extending between the front frame portion and the mid-frame portion.

Claims

1. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

a frame assembly including;

a front frame portion including a head portion, a plurality of generally vertically-extending frame tubes, and a plurality of generally longitudinally-extending frame tubes;

a mid-frame portion removably coupled to the front frame portion; and

a rear frame portion removably coupled to the mid-frame portion;

a plurality of ground-engaging members for supporting the frame assembly; and

an air intake assembly coupled to the head portion, the longitudinally-extending frame tubes being angled outwardly to increase a distance therebetween, and the air intake assembly being positioned between the longitudinally-extending frame tubes and including channel members configured to removably receive the longitudinally-extending frame tubes, wherein the air intake assembly is frictionally retained between the longitudinally extending frame tubes.

2. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the air intake assembly is positioned above the longitudinally-extending frame tubes and a lower portion of the air intake assembly is positioned below the longitudinally-extending frame tubes.

3. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 2, wherein the head portion defines an accumulator volume and is configured to received air from the air intake assembly.

4. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 3, wherein the air intake assembly includes a filter, and air is configured to flow from the filter into the head portion of the front frame portion.

5. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a fuel tank supported by the longitudinally-extending frame tubes.

6. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 5, wherein the fuel tank is positioned above the air intake assembly.

7. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a throttle body, and the air intake assembly is supported on the throttle body.

8. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 7, wherein the air intake assembly is further frictionally retained between the fuel tank, and the throttle body.

9. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally-extending frame tubes are comprised of steel.

10. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the front and rear frame portions are cast.

11. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the channel members are positioned on each lateral side of the air intake assembly and have a shape complementary to a shape of the longitudinally-extending frame members.

12. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 11, wherein the channel members are U-shaped.

13. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

a frame assembly including;

a front frame portion including a head portion, a plurality of generally vertically extending frame tubes, and a plurality of generally longitudinally-extending frame tubes;

a mid-frame portion removably coupled to the front frame portion; and

a rear frame portion removably coupled to the mid-frame portion;

a plurality of ground-engaging members for supporting the frame assembly;

an air intake assembly coupled to the head portion and including a filter, a first portion of air received into the air intake assembly is directed from the filter of the air intake assembly into the head portion of the front frame portion; and

a throttle body coupled to the air intake assembly, a second portion of the air received into the air intake assembly flow directly from the filter into the throttle body.

14. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a fuel tank, and the air intake assembly is frictionally retained between the longitudinally-extending frame tubes, the fuel tank, and the throttle body.

15. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 13, wherein the filter is a semi-porous moldable foam.

16. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 13, wherein the air intake assembly further includes a tray positioned below the filter, and the tray is angled downwardly to direct air from the filter to an accumulator volume defined by the head portion of the front frame portion.

17. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

a frame assembly including;

a front frame portion including a head portion, a plurality of generally vertically-extending frame tubes, and a plurality of generally longitudinally-extending frame tubes, wherein the head portion defines an accumulator volume and is configured to received air from an air intake assembly;

a mid-frame portion removably coupled to the front frame portion; and

a rear frame portion removably coupled to the mid-frame portion;

a plurality of ground-engaging members for supporting the frame assembly; and

the air intake assembly coupled to the head portion and the longitudinally-extending frame tubes, the longitudinally-extending frame tubes being angled outwardly to increase a distance therebetween, and the air intake assembly being positioned between the longitudinally-extending frame tubes and including channel members configured to receive the longitudinally-extending frame tubes.

18. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, wherein an upper portion of the air intake assembly is positioned above the longitudinally-extending frame tubes and a lower portion of the air intake assembly is positioned below the longitudinally-extending frame tubes.

19. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, wherein the air intake assembly includes a filter, and air is configured to flow from the filter into the head portion of the front frame portion.

20. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, further comprising:

a fuel tank supported by the longitudinally-extending frame tubes; and

a throttle body, wherein the air intake assembly is supported on the throttle body.

21. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 20, wherein the air intake assembly is frictionally retained between the longitudinally-extending frame tubes, the fuel tank, and the throttle body.

22. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 17, wherein the front and rear frame portions are cast.