Recreational vehicle

Details Recreational vehicle Recreational vehicle

1999-01-22

2001-05-22

Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)

Motor vehicles

Including one or more ski-like or runner members

Member substitutable for wheel type support structure

C180S190000, C180S009250

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234263

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to recreational vehicles. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a single seater snowmobile type recreational vehicle. The present invention is also concerned with a steering assembly for such a recreational vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Snowmobiles are well known in the art. They usually have a relatively long seat that allow the snowmobiles to be ridden by two people: a driver and a passenger. This, combined with the fact that snowmobiles are relatively wide and provided with a heavy gasoline powered engine, make the conventional snowmobile a relatively bulky recreational vehicle.
To overcome this bulkiness of the conventional snowmobile, many single seater snowmobile type recreational vehicles have been designed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,146 issued to Yoshioka et al. on Dec. 12, 1995 and entitled “Snow Vehicle” describes such a single seater recreational vehicle. Yoshioka's snow vehicle has a motorcycle upper structure where a steered front ski replaces the conventional front wheel and an engine-driven endless belt track assembly replaces the rear wheel. While the snow vehicle described in this document arguably offers better handling over conventional snowmobiles since it is lighter and narrower, it also has a major drawback: instability. Indeed, since the weight of the driver is applied to the vehicle between the front ski and the endless track, i.e. close to the fork, and since the vehicle's seat is far from the ground, is it argued that Yoshioka's snow vehicle is inherently instable, the center of gravity being far from the ground and towards the front of the vehicle. This instability is increased by the fact that the endless track contacts the ground on a relatively short portion of the entire length of the vehicle.
The following United States Patents also describe similar single seater snowmobile type recreational vehicles having similar drawbacks:
Number
Inventor
Issue Date
4,613,006
Moss et al.
September 23, 1986
5,064,208
Bibollet
November 12, 1991
Des. 333,110
Mogi et al.
February 9, 1993
Indeed, the recreational vehicles shown in these documents all share the common motorcycle type steering assembly that positions the driver relatively in the front portion of the vehicle, which leads to instability, as discussed hereinabove.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,840 issued on Oct. 29, 1996 to Nagata et aL. describes a snowmobile where the driver is standing on a step floor. Instability is also a major drawback of Nagata's snowmobile since the center of gravity of the snowmobile, while in use, is far from the ground.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved snowmobile type recreational vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved steering assembly for snowmobile type recreational vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a recreational vehicle comprising:
a longitudinal frame;
a suspension mounted to the frame;
an endless track rotatably mounted to the suspension;
an engine mounted to the frame and associated to the endless track to selectively rotate the endless track about the suspension;
a steering assembly including:
a handlebar portion so mounted to the frame as to pivot about a first pivot axis;
a fork portion so mounted to the frame as to pivot about a second pivot axis; the fork portion having a distal end configured and sized to receive a ski; and
means for pivoting the fork portion about the second pivot axis when the handlebar portion is pivoted about the first pivot axis; the pivoting means being mounted to both the handlebar portion and to the fork portion;
whereby the pivoting means allow the first and second pivot axis to be longitudinally spaced apart.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering assembly for recreational vehicles including a longitudinal frame; the steering assembly comprising:
a handlebar portion so mounted to the frame as to pivot about a first pivot axis;
a fork portion so mounted to the frame as to pivot about a second pivot axis; the fork portion having a distal end configured and sized to receive a ski; and
means for pivoting the fork portion about the second pivot axis when the handlebar portion is pivoted about the first pivot axis; the pivoting means being mounted to both the handlebar portion and to the fork portion;
whereby the pivoting means allow the first and second pivot axis to be longitudinally spaced apart.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4337958 (1982-07-01), Witt et al.
patent: 4613006 (1986-09-01), Moss et al.
patent: 4826184 (1989-05-01), Kuehmichel et al.
patent: 5054798 (1991-10-01), Zulawski
patent: 5064208 (1991-11-01), Bibollet
patent: 5251718 (1993-10-01), Inagawa et al.
patent: 5474146 (1995-12-01), Yoshioka et al.
patent: 5518080 (1996-05-01), Pertile
patent: 5568840 (1996-10-01), Nagata et al.
patent: 5957230 (1999-09-01), Harano et al.
patent: 5996717 (1999-12-01), Hisadomi
patent: 3-7674 (1991-01-01), None

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