Vehicle

• US 9,592,782 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2015
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Hetland, Jonathan M., Kass, Alex F., Villafan Rojas, Carlos A., Leonard, Jed P., Luoma, Aaron T., Raska, Jason K., Strobach, Daniel P., Goffman, Daniel L., Maki, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, DREW J
• Application Number:
  US14/815,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/13 Small sized city motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/20 all arms being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/012 The seat support being a part of the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/38 specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/134 movable from a retracted to a protection position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/20 Off-Road Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/24 Military vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 23/005 with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like B62D33/044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/20 Floors or bottom sub-units sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/06 Drivers' cabs overhead guards, e.g. against loads falling down B60R21/11; roll-over protection B60R21/13
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0617 for tractors or off-the-road vehicles protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors B60R21/131
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0625 open

Abstract

A utility vehicle includes front and rear ground-engaging members configured to contact a ground surface, a drivetrain assembly operably coupled to the ground-engaging members, and a frame supported by the ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis of the utility vehicle. The utility vehicle also includes a rear cargo bed assembly supported by the frame and extending over a portion of the rear ground-engaging member. The rear cargo bed assembly has a rear platform with at least a first seating position. Additionally, the utility vehicle includes a rear cab frame assembly with an upright position and a collapsed position. The vehicle has a first height from the ground surface when the rear cab frame is in the upright position and a second height from the ground surface less than the first height when the rear cab frame is in the collapsed position. The second height is 72-84 inches.

Claims

1. A utility vehicle, comprising:

at least one front ground-engaging member configured to contact a ground surface;

at least one rear ground-engaging member configured to contact the ground surface;

a drivetrain assembly operably coupled to the ground-engaging members;

a frame supported by the ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis of the utility vehicle;

a rear cargo bed assembly supported by the frame and extending over a portion of the rear ground-engaging member, the rear cargo bed assembly having a rear platform with at least a first seating position;

a rear cab frame assembly having an upright position and a collapsed position, the vehicle having a first height from the ground surface when the rear cab frame is in the upright position and a second height from the ground surface less than the first height when the rear cab frame is in the collapsed position, the second height being 72-84 inches, wherein the rear cab frame is positioned over the rear cargo bed assembly when in both the upright and the collapsed positions;

a first seating area for the operator and a second seating area rearward of the first seating area, and the rear platform is positioned rearward of the second seating area; and

a cab frame assembly coupled to the frame and positioned over the first and second seating areas, and the rear cab frame assembly positioned rearwardly of the cab frame assembly when in the collapsed position.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein, when in the upright position, the rear cab frame is positioned generally over the rear platform.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second height is 78 inches.

4. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein a portion of the rear cab frame extends over the second seating area when in the upright position.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein, when in the upright position, at least a first portion of the rear cab frame assembly extends over a portion of the cab frame assembly and a second portion of the rear cab frame assembly extends rearwardly from the cab frame assembly.

6. A utility vehicle, comprising:

at least one front ground-engaging member configured to contact a ground surface;

at least one rear ground-engaging member configured to contact the ground surface;

a drivetrain assembly operably coupled to the ground-engaging members;

a frame supported by the ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis of the utility vehicle;

a cab frame coupled to and extending upwardly from the frame;

a rear cargo bed assembly supported by the frame and extending over a portion of the rear ground-engaging member; and

a rear cab frame assembly having an upright position and a collapsed position, and when the rear cab frame assembly is in the collapsed position, the vehicle has a collapsed height from the ground surface of 78 inches or less and defined by a member of the rear cab frame assembly, wherein the rear cab frame assembly extends over the cab frame and the rear cargo bed assembly when in the upright position.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a first seating area for at least an operator and a second seating area positioned rearwardly of the first seating area and configured to support at least one passenger, and the cab frame extends above the first and second seating areas.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a third seating area positioned within the rear cargo bed assembly and rearward of the cab frame.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 6, wherein the rear cab frame assembly is positioned rearward of the cab frame assembly when in the collapsed position.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 6, wherein the member of the rear cab frame assembly defining the height is a pin member.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 10, wherein the pin member is coupled to a pivot member of the rear cab frame assembly.

12. A utility vehicle, comprising:

at least one front ground-engaging member configured to contact a ground surface;

at least one rear ground-engaging member configured to contact the ground surface;

a drivetrain assembly operably coupled to the ground-engaging members;

a frame supported by the ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis of the utility vehicle;

a first seating area supported by the frame and configured for an operator;

a second seating area positioned rearwardly of the first seating area;

a third seating area positioned rearwardly of the second seating area and extending over a portion of the rear ground-engaging member;

a rear cab frame assembly having an upright position and a collapsed position, the rear cab frame assembly extending over the second and third seating areas when in the upright position, and a height of the vehicle being 78 inches or less from the ground surface when the rear cab frame assembly is in the collapsed position; and

a cab frame extending over the first and second seating areas and positioned forward of the third seating area.

13. The utility vehicle of claim 12, wherein the rear cab frame assembly is positioned above and spaced apart from the third seating area when in the collapsed position.

14. The utility vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a rear cargo bed assembly and the third seating area is positioned within the rear cargo bed assembly.

15. The utility vehicle of claim 12, wherein the height of the vehicle when the rear cab frame assembly is in the collapsed position is defined by a distance between the ground surface and a member of the rear cab frame assembly.

16. A utility vehicle, comprising:

at least one front ground-engaging member configured to contact a ground surface;

at least one rear ground-engaging member configured to contact the ground surface;

a drivetrain assembly operably coupled to the ground-engaging members;

a frame supported by the ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis of the utility vehicle;

a first seating area for the operator supported by the frame;

a second seating area rearward of the first seating area;

a cab frame assembly coupled to the frame and positioned over the first and second seating areas;

a rear cargo bed assembly supported by the frame and extending over a portion of the rear ground-engaging member, the rear cargo bed assembly having a rear platform with at least a third seating area positioned rearward of the first and second seating areas; and

a rear cab frame assembly having an upright position and a collapsed position, the vehicle having a first height from the ground surface when the rear cab frame is in the upright position and a second height from the ground surface less than the first height when the rear cab frame is in the collapsed position, the second height being 72-84 inches, the rear cab frame assembly positioned rearwardly of the cab frame assembly when in the collapsed position, and the rear cab frame assembly extends over the cab frame assembly in the upright position.