SIDE-BY-SIDE UTILITY VEHICLE

• US 20150329148A1
• Filed: 07/27/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eicher Polaris Private Limited
• Original Assignee: Eicher Polaris Private Limited
• Inventors: Bennett, Jeffrey D., Borowicz, David J., Choudhary, Sunil Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/124 Quads
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/13 Small sized city motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/06 the arm being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/08 of mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/16 of differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/28 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of power take-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01 Arrangement of seats relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/04 the whole seat being movable
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/20 Off-Road Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/023 Sideboard or tailgate structures vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02
• 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 47/003 convertible in order to modify the number of seats foldable compact cars B62D31/006; convertible from one use to a different one B60P3/42
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02026 Connection of auxiliaries with a gear case; Mounting of auxiliaries on the gearbox
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02056 for utility vehicles, e.g. tractors or agricultural machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/0235 specially adapted to allow easy accessibility and repair using repair kits F16H2057/0068
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/031 characterised by covers or lids for gearboxes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/037 Gearboxes for accommodating differential gearings rotating cases for differential gearings F16H48/40

Abstract

A utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground engaging members and a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members. The utility vehicle includes a front seating area and a rear seating area. A rear cargo bed is reconfigurable from a configuration where it is rearward of the rear seating area to a second configuration where it includes the rear seating area space. The vehicle includes a transmission having a final drive portion and a plurality of transmission shafts housed in a common housing, the final drive portion being forward of an end of the plurality of transmission shafts. The vehicle also includes a front suspension and a rear suspension.

Claims

1. A utility vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging members;

a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, the frame defining a longitudinal axis, the frame including a support for a front seating area and a rear seating area;

front seats supported by the front frame portion having a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat back having a rear panel portion;

rear seats supported by the rear frame portion having a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat back having a rear panel portion;

an engine supported by the frame, the engine being positioned under the rear seating area; and

a utility box being positioned behind the rear seats, the utility box having a first configuration where a front of the utility box is defined by the rear seat panel portion and an enlarged configuration where a front of the utility box is defined by the front seat panel portion.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rear seat bottom is positioned on a structural panel, and the rear seat bottom is removable whereby the structural panel defines a floor portion of the enlarged cargo floor.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rear seat back is removable whereby the rear seat panel portion defines another floor portion of the enlarged cargo floor.

4. A utility vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging members;

a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, the frame defining a longitudinal axis, the frame including a support for a front seating area and a rear seating area;

front seats supported by the front frame portion having a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat back having a rear panel portion;

rear seats supported by the rear frame portion having a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat back having a rear panel portion;

a utility box being positioned behind the rear seating area;

the rear seat bottom is positioned on a structural panel, and the rear seat bottom is removable whereby the rear seat bottom structural panel defines a floor portion of the enlarged cargo floor; and

the rear seat back is removable whereby the rear seat back rear panel defines another floor portion of the enlarged cargo floor.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 4, wherein the utility box having a first configuration where a front of the utility box is defined by the rear seat panel portion and an enlarged configuration where a front of the utility box is defined by the front seat panel portion.

6. A utility vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging members, including front and rear ground engaging members, the front ground engaging members including front wheels having an axial centerline;

a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, the frame defining a longitudinal axis;

front struts coupled between the front wheels and the frame;

a front suspension including an alignment arm coupled between the frame and the front wheels;

a steering assembly generally comprising a steering gear, hub, and steering linkage, wherein steering gear being positioned forward of the axial center line of front wheels by a distance, which moves steering motor away from a quadrant; and

operator'"'"'s controls positioned in the quadrant, the quadrant defined by horizontal and vertical axes adjacent the axial center line.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 6, wherein the operator controls include an accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and clutch pedal.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 6, wherein hub comprises a hub portion having a base portion, base portion includes an opening to receive an optional drive shaft for a four-wheel drive vehicle.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 8, wherein the optional drive shaft is coupled to a forwardly extending drive shaft from the transmission.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 8, wherein the optional drive shaft is to an electric hybrid drive from a forwardly mounted electric motor.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 6, wherein steering system further comprises steering links coupled to front wheels, and steering arms coupled between steering gear and the steering links, the steering links being rearward of the axial center line.

12. A utility vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging members, including front and rear wheels;

a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including a front frame portion and a rear frame portion;

a rear suspension including an upper alignment arm coupled between the frame and the rear wheels; and

a spindle assembly coupled between the upper and lower alignment arms, the spindle assembly includes a hub, a knuckle, a backing plate, a bearing, and drive member, wherein the bearing has an upper race being fixed relative to backing plate and knuckle, and a lower race fixed relative to hub and drive member.

13. The utility vehicle of claim 12, wherein backing plate includes a lip, which presses against outer race.

14. The utility vehicle of claim 12, wherein hub includes shoulder and drive member includes shoulder.

15. The utility vehicle of claim 14, wherein drive member further includes a threaded portion, which when coupled together with hub member trap inner race between shoulder and shoulder.

16. The utility vehicle of claim 12, wherein hub includes a plurality of fasteners for attachment to wheel.

17. The utility vehicle of any of claim 12, wherein hub includes an arbor portion, which includes internal splines.

18. The utility vehicle of claim 17, wherein bearing has an opening, and arbor portion extends into opening.

19. The utility vehicle of 12, wherein bearing includes roller bearings trapped between the inner and outer races.