Motor vehicles – Power – Having specific motor-to-body-frame relationship
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-28
2001-01-09
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Motor vehicles
Power
Having specific motor-to-body-frame relationship
C180S375000, C180S376000, C074S6650GA, C474S084000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170597
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an offroad vehicle. More particularly, the invention is a transmission arrangement for an offroad vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Offroad vehicles or “ATVs” as they are commonly referred to are designed to be operated over rugged terrain. These vehicles are often operated on steep inclines and declines, on rough roads, and in mud and water.
These vehicles include a frame supported by wheels. In one common arrangement, the vehicle has four wheels. An internal combustion engine is used to power at least one, and most commonly all, of the wheels.
In this arrangement, a first drive shaft extends to a front axle and a second drive shaft extends to a rear axle. Each of these drive shafts extends generally parallel to a centerline of the vehicle extending in the front and rear directions.
The first and second drive shafts are driven by a crankshaft of the engine. The vehicle includes a transmission through which the first and second drive shafts are powered by the crankshaft.
It is very desirable for the engine and related drive train of the vehicle to have a compact arrangement. To facilitate this goal, the rotation of the crankshaft must be transmitted to the first and second drive shafts with a compact transmission. In addition, the transmission must be arranged to prevent heat damage to the transmission components. The close placement of the transmission components lessens heat dissipation and makes more likely heat damage the components of the transmission.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an offroad vehicle with a transmission which is both compact and which is arranged to avoid excessive heating of the components thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a transmission arrangement for an offroad vehicle. The offroad vehicle has a frame which is supported by at least two wheels.
An internal combustion engine is supported by the frame. The engine has at least one cylinder, a piston positioned in the cylinder and reciprocating along a first axis, the piston driving a crankshaft of the engine. The crankshaft is arranged to drive at least one of the wheels through the transmission, the vehicle having a front end and a rear end and a longitudinal centerline extending through the ends, the crankshaft extending along a first axis parallel to the centerline.
The transmission includes a belt chamber defined by a belt case, a primary shaft at least partially positioned in the belt chamber and driven by the crankshaft, a main shaft at least partially positioned in the belt chamber and offset from said primary shaft, the main shaft driven by the primary shaft by a belt positioned in the belt chamber. The main shaft is arranged to drive at least one of the wheels. At least a portion of the belt case faces the front end of the vehicle unobstructed.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention over the prior art will become apparent from the detailed description of the drawings which follows, when considered with the attached figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4412515 (1983-11-01), Fritzenwenger
patent: 4574652 (1986-03-01), Shichinohe et al.
patent: 4666015 (1987-05-01), Matsuda et al.
patent: 4722235 (1988-02-01), Kumazawa
patent: 4736809 (1988-04-01), Kumazawa
patent: 5152361 (1992-10-01), Hasegawa et al.
patent: 5515940 (1996-05-01), Shichinohe et al.
patent: 5699872 (1997-12-01), Miyakawa et al.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Mai Lanna
Restifo Jeff
Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
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