Off-the-road four-wheel drive vehicle

Patent · Tue Mar 17 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6651896

Foote, D C; Grinde, J E

An off-road recreational vehicle is described comprising, in combination: (a) a frame; (b) front and rear pairs of wheels, each having relatively wide, ultra-low pressure tires mounted thereon, each of the wheel being secured to an axle member; (c) a limited slip differential means including a drive input disposed between the axle members of the front pair of wheels; (d) driving means drivenly connected to the axle members of the rear pair of wheels; (e) means for independently suspending the frame relative to the axle members of the front pair of wheels and for resiliently securing the frame to the driving means connected to the axle members of the rear pair of wheels; (f) an engine supported on the frame between the front and rear pairs of wheels, the engine having an output shaft directly coupled to the drive means connected to the rear axle member; and (g) over-running clutch means operatively coupled to the output shaft of the engine and interposed between the output shaft of the engine and the drive input of the limited slip differential for applying a driving force to the front pair of wheels only when slipage exists between the rear pair of wheels and the ground.

• Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha, Iwata
• Patent Number(s): US 4650029
• OSTI ID: 6651896
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 19 Dec 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
DESIGN
ENGINES
MECHANICAL TRANSMISSIONS
OFF-HIGHWAY USE
SHAFTS
SUPPORTS
TIRES
WHEELS
MACHINE PARTS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
VEHICLES
330601* - Vehicle Design Factors- Body & Chassis
330602 - Vehicle Design Factors- Engine-Transmission Matching