IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,325,295
Granted Patent B2
US 12,325,295 · App. 18/119,305 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Off-road vehicle

Inventors: Kento Kariya (Akashi, JP); Takashi Hisamura (Akashi, JP)
Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
B60K11/06B60K11/08B62D25/2072
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,325,295
App. No.
18/119,305
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An off-road vehicle includes a vehicle body 2 having an underguard 1 . The underguard 1 has openings 3 that introduce traveling air into the vehicle body 2 and ribs 4 that reinforce the underguard 1 and guide the traveling air passing through the openings 3.

Claims (45)

1. An off-road vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body including an underguard,

wherein the underguard includes:

a plate,

openings that penetrate the plate and introduce traveling air into the vehicle body, and

ribs that are located at the plate and reinforce the plate and guide the traveling air passing through the openings,

wherein:

the underguard is exposed to an outside of the vehicle body and is located at a lower portion of the vehicle body so as to be exposed at an underside of the vehicle and face a road surface,

the ribs and the plate are a part of a single component,

the underguard includes another plate to which said plate is secured,

said another plate faces downwardly from an underside of the vehicle and is to protect an underside of the vehicle from objects below the vehicle, and

the plate at which the openings are located is detachable from said another plate.

2. An off-road vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body including an underguard,

wherein the underguard includes:

a plate,

openings that penetrate the plate and introduce traveling air into the vehicle body, and

ribs that are located at the plate and reinforce the plate and guide the traveling air passing through the openings,

wherein:

the underguard is exposed to an outside of the vehicle body and is located at a lower portion of the vehicle body so as to be exposed at an underside of the vehicle and face a road surface,

the ribs and the plate are a part of a single component,

the ribs include a rib inclined with respect to both a front-rear direction and a vehicle width direction, and

the ribs extend as converging to a position at the rear.

3. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:

the openings are located in a grid pattern.

4. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising:

at least one of a transmission or a drive source located inside the vehicle body,

wherein positions of the openings in the front-rear direction are at a front with respect to a position of the at least one of the transmission or the drive source in the front-rear direction.

5. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:

the plate includes an inclined portion inclined such that a front portion is positioned higher than a rear portion, and

at least some of the openings are located at the inclined portion.

6. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:

the ribs include first ribs aligned substantially in the vehicle width direction and a second rib coupling the first ribs to each other and extending diagonally upwardly to the rear.

7. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising:

a transmission located inside the vehicle body,

wherein the transmission includes an oil sump, and

the ribs guide the traveling air to the oil sump.

8. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:

the ribs are at a lowest part of the underguard.

9. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:

the ribs extend as concentrating the traveling air to a cooling target component located in the position at the rear.

10. The off-road vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:

the underguard includes another plate to which said plate is secured,

said another plate faces downwardly from an underside of the vehicle and is to protect an underside of the vehicle from objects below the vehicle, and

the plate at which the openings are located is detachable from said another plate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2023
From: KARIYA, KENTO; HISAMURA, TAKASHI
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063460/0115 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240300318A1 · Sep 12, 2024
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