626 results about "All terrain vehicle" patented technology

The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to trail compliant side-by-side all terrain vehicles.

The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to trail compliant side-by-side all terrain vehicles.

Systems and methods for providing one-way rides by autonomous vehicles are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the invention operates as a personal ski lift that includes an autonomous snowmobile or all terrain vehicle for providing a low-cost and flexible means to ascend ski-able terrain to bring a skier to a high-altitude skiing destination, so that the skier may depart the vehicle and ski down the terrain independent from the vehicle. The vehicle of the exemplary embodiment may meanwhile travel autonomously to a lower-altitude rendezvous point to meet the skier upon completion of his skiing. Other embodiments within the invention for providing one-way rides by various types of vehicles for various purposes are disclosed.

All all-terrain vehicle has a shiftable transmission that is coupled to a variable speed V-belt transmission. The variable speed V-belt transmission is joined to a crankshaft through a centrifugal clutching arrangement. The shiftable transmission enables an operator to go between low, high, neutral, reverse, and park. In the park position, the transmission is locked from substantial rotation such that the engaged wheels of the all-terrain vehicle are also locked from substantial rotation, whether or not the engine speed is sufficient to allow the centrifugal clutch to be engaged with the variable speed transmission.

The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to trail compliant side-by-side all terrain vehicles.

An all terrain vehicle comprises an engine located under a hingably mounted seat, the seat providing ready access to the engine for maintenance and repair. The engine is placed in the vehicle such that the crankshaft is parallel to the line of travel and the crankshaft is in line with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The engine has two output shafts. The front output shaft extends forwardly of the engine to a front differential on the front axle and the rear output shaft extends rearwardly to a rear differential on the rear axle. The front and rear output shafts are in communication with one another by gears which enables different ratios of revolution between-the front and rear axle. The all terrain vehicle is also equipped with a parking gear which locks the two output shafts and prevents rotation with respect to the transmission housing.

A vehicle exhaust assembly for improved evacuation of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine. The system comprises a modular replacement exhaust system having a novel header pipe and muffler. The present invention readily adapts to a range of vehicle applications including automobiles, motorcycles, and all terrain vehicles.

A straddle-type vehicle includes a frame supporting front and rear wheels, a seat supported above the frame, and an engine having an output shaft. The engine is supported by the frame below the seat. A transmission is coupled to the output shaft. The transmission includes gears. A shift assembly is operatively connected to the engine and is displaceable over a predetermined distance upon application of a predetermined amount of force by a vehicle operator. The selective displacement of the shift assembly shifts the gears. A parking gear assembly is selectively displaceable along with the shift assembly to selectively engage one of the gears to prevent movement of the output shaft.

The present invention features an all terrain, four-wheeled vehicle frame for carrying at least two passengers in a side-by-side riding configuration, comprising a rigid, tubular frame body which provides for a forward passenger compartment having structural support members for carrying a pair of seats for the side-by-side passengers and a rearward engine compartment configured for receiving an engine, power train, and transmission for driving wheels of the vehicle. The vehicle frame also includes a vertical, load-bearing truss member extending generally along a longitudinal, central axis of the vehicle within the passenger compartment, the truss member forming a load-bearing structural member between the pair of seats.

Hitch mount assembly for snow blades or other accessories or implements for off-road vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles. The assembly includes a receiver for mounting to the vehicle chassis and an implement assembly readily removably coupled to the receiver. The configuration of the receiver and implement assembly allows for self-alignment during the mounting operation. A switching mechanism and actuator also can be used to pivot the working implement remotely. The mount assembly can be attached to the vehicle with a powered winch or manually.

An all terrain vehicle (ATV) includes a plurality of wheels and a fender structure positioned over the wheels having a support portion designed as and defining a load-bearing surface. The fender structure may include a plurality of raised support portions that increase rigidity and load capacity. Additionally, it is not necessary to support either the fender structure or the support portion using the bumper of the ATV. The fender structure may be formed with plastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene or fiberglass-charged polyethylene, and may be manufactured using a blow-molding technique or an injection molding technique. The ATV may also include mud guards and a floor board that extends between the mud guards. The mud guards and the floor board may be formed as an integral or one piece unit with the fender structure. The mud guards can be injection molded or blow-molded while the fender structure can be blow-molded.

A method and apparatus are provided for constructing, operating, and marketing a vehicle that is alternatively adaptable for controlled, powered operation on the ground as an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or in the air as a powered parachute, or for controlled, powered operation on both the ground and in the air as a flying ATV. On the ground, the vehicle is configured for controlled, powered operation over both smooth and rough terrain, as a true all-terrain vehicle.

A blade attachment for an off-road vehicle such as an ATV is provided. A mounting frame is pivotally connected at its rearward end to the ATV rearwardly of the forward end thereof. A hinge plate is pivotally mounted, about a vertical axis, to the forward end of the mounting frame and has the blade of this invention mounted thereon to enable the blade to be pivoted left, right, or positioned in a straight position. The blade is locked in its various positions by a blade position lever. A linkage is mounted on the forward end of the push tube assembly which is operatively connected to the blade position lever for moving the blade position lever between its locked and unlocked positions. The blade position lever is automatically moved to its unlocked position upon the linkage engaging the underside of the ATV. A winch is operatively connected, in a slip clutch fashion, to the hinge plate to enable the blade to be pivotally moved, about a vertical axis, between its various angular positions, when the blade position lever is in its unlocked position through the linkages.

An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) includes a frame and a pair of front and rear wheels suspended from the frame. A straddle-type seat has a main portion and a secondary portion to accommodate a driver and a passenger. The wheelbase of the ATV is increased in length (compared to conventional ATVs) so as to increase stability and comfort for the driver, and / or to accommodate a passenger behind the driver. The passenger and secondary seat portion are disposed in front of the rear wheel axis and moved closer to the center of the wheelbase. Moreover, the combined center or gravity of the ATV, rider, and passenger is moved closer to the center of the wheelbase to improve stability, comfort and / or safety. The driver and passenger each have sufficient space to actively position themselves without significantly interfering with each other.

An all terrain vehicle (“ATV”) is disclosed having a frame with front, rear, right, and left sides. The frame defines a frame centerline extending longitudinally between the front and the rear sides. The ATV includes an engine with at least one cylinder having an axis that defines an engine centerline. The all terrain vehicle also includes an output shaft defining an output shaft centerline. A continuously variable transmission (“CVT”) operatively connects the engine to the output shaft and defines a CVT centerline. The engine centerline, output shaft centerline, and CVT centerline are positioned with respect to one another and the frame centerline. In one embodiment, the engine centerline is disposed between the output shaft centerline and the CVT centerline. In this embodiment, the engine centerline also may lie between the frame centerline and the CVT centerline.

The present invention is concerned with track assemblies for an all-terrain vehicle, which make it maneuverable and effective upon a variety of unstable, uneven, stable and even surfaces, while designed to maintain tension upon the endless track belts to keep them in their due course and prevent accidental loosening while having a punctually localized surface contact with a ground surface, and at the same time reducing the damages inflicted on the terrain.

A blade attachment for an off-road vehicle such as an ATV is provided. A mounting frame is pivotally connected at its rearward end to the ATV rearwardly of the forward end thereof. A hinge plate is pivotally mounted, about a vertical axis, to the forward end of the mounting frame and has the blade of this invention mounted thereon to enable the blade to be pivoted left, right, or positioned in a straight position. The blade is locked in its various positions by a blade position lever. The blade position lever is automatically moved to its unlocked position when the blade is moved upwardly to a predetermined position and is automatically moved towards its locked position when the blade is moved downwardly to a predetermined height. A winch is operatively connected, in a slip clutch fashion, to the hinge plate to enable the blade to be pivotally moved, about a vertical axis, between its various angular positions, when the blade position lever is in its unlocked position.

An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with an elongated wheelbase has a rear-mounted receptacle for receiving one of a plurality of interchangeable modular components, such as a passenger seat, a cargo container, a cargo rack, a flatbed or a workbench. The modular component has an electrical connection and a mechanical connector on an underside thereof which has hooks and posts for engaging, respectively, a transverse rod and sockets. A latching mechanism locks the modular component to the rear of the vehicle. Accordingly, the modular component is selectively releasable to easily and quickly interchange one modular component with another.

A method includes powering a drill motor with power derived from an all terrain vehicle (ATV) engine and controlling the drill motor. An apparatus includes a ATV with a power takeoff configured to deliver power from an ATV engine. A drill mast is moveably coupled to the ATV, a drill motor is configured to turn a drill bit and the drill motor is slidingly disposed on the drill mast. The drill motor is configured to be powered from the power takeoff; and a control is configured to operate the drill motor such that a hole can be drilled by the drill bit.

Methods and apparatus related to the suspension and steering of all terrain vehicles (ATVs) are disclosed. An ATV having a frame and a wheel carrier for rotatably supporting a wheel is provided. A tie rod is coupled to the wheel carrier at an outer joint. An inner joint of the tie rod is preferably located in a desirable location. A method for identifying the desirable location may include the steps of defining a first reference plane associated with a full compression position of the suspension, defining a second reference plane associated with a full extension position of the suspension, identifying a reference line formed by an intersection of the first reference plane and the second reference plane, and selecting a location proximate the reference line as the desirable location for the inner joint.

A hitch and adapter assembly for connecting an implement to the front end of vehicles such as all terrain vehicle providing a rigid connection with limited motion for reduced vibration operation. The hitch has two spaced apart sockets on a rigid frame that pivotally connects to the vehicle providing a rigid extension thereof. The sockets receive and cooperatively engage respective pins on the implement providing a quick connection. An electrically powered hydraulic cylinder is connected at one end to the frame and the other end connects to the vehicle by a coupler that slip fits into a socket therefore on the vehicle. The frame pivotally connects to the vehicle at two spaced apart positions. There is a coarse and fine adjustment for varying the height and tilt positions of the implement.

Vehicles, such as all terrain vehicles, can be provided with a frame and a fender assembly. The fender assembly can have layered fender panels attached together with a bolt and T-nut. A channel can be formed between the fender panels to facilitate passage of fluid along a predetermined pathway. A seat includes a compression surface for sandwiching the fender assembly with respect to the frame. Front and rear fender assemblies can be attached to the frame by a midpoint fastener passing through respective apertures in each of the front and rear fender assemblies, through a grommet, and into the frame. A stay assembly attaches a mudguard to the fender assembly, and can involve a swivel clip. Methods are also provided.

An all terrain vehicle has a cooling pump that is driven off a balancer shaft. The balancer shaft, in turn, is driven off a crankshaft. The cooling pump is preferably recessed inside of an outer surface of a crankcase cover member. Additionally, a lubricant pump is also driven off the balancer shaft and arranged inwardly from the cooling pump. The cooling pump is arranged to one side of the all terrain vehicle while a variable speed transmission is arranged to the other side of the all terrain vehicle.

A cab for a vehicle, such as an all terrain vehicle, a tractor, or small construction vehicle, is constructed of twin-sheet plastic panels that can be easily assembled, preferably with snap-together interlocking features. One of the panels can be a door panel having a door hinged to a door frame to control passage through a doorway. Both the door and the door frame have spaced apart hinge knuckles that interleave along a hinge axis to allow the door to pivot about a hinge pin. The door and door frame can be molded in a single twin-sheet panel. The two walls of the panel are fused together along the outer periphery of the panel door portion and the inner periphery of the panel door frame portion. The door is separated from the door frame by cutting the each of the walls along a door perimeter between the door and door frame portions of the molded panel. Preferably, the walls are not fused along the non-hinge sides of the door perimeter so that the walls can be cut in a manner to provide an overlap at the door / door frame interface.

An independent rear suspension for a vehicle having a chassis and a pair of rear wheels including a pair of IRS units. Each IRS unit includes an X-shaped lower control arm with a forward pivot connection to the chassis in front of the centerline of the driven sprocket and a rearward pivot connection behind the centerline, and a camber link connected to the chassis at a single pivot connection behind the centerline. Each IRS unit also includes a shock absorber coupled with an anti-sway bar to the lower control arm at a mount, and including a secondary spring in series with a main spring.

Motor vehicle windshields and safety glazing material, suitable for use as motor vehicle windshields and safety glazing material for automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, locomotives. sport utility vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and vans. The motor vehicle windshields and safety glazing material contains Neodymium Oxide, a rare earth compound. The Neodymium Oxide filters out the yellow portion of the spectrum, reducing glare. Incorporation of yellow light in the spectrum desaturates colors and reduces contrast. Improvement in contrast and a reduction in glare permits, for example, a motor vehicle driver to better discriminate the contrast of objects when there is no daylight and the only illumination is artificial. For drivers, in particular, elimination of the yellow light lessens eye strain currently resulting from light emitted by the conventional headlights of oncoming vehicles during hours of darkness. Neodymium Oxide can also be added to safety glazing materials for use in bullet resistant shields.

An endless belt system for a vehicle having a negative trail steering geometry is provided. The endless belt system replaces the wheels that steer a vehicle, particularly an all-terrain vehicle, to provide increased steerability and floatation over soft terrain.