Granted Patent B2

US 12,428,076 · App. 18/244,468 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Inventor: Adam J. Schlangen (Rush City, MN)

Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.

B62D33/06B60G3/20B60G7/001B60K11/06B60K15/063B60K17/34B60N2/012B60N2/38B60R21/13B60R21/131B62D23/005B62D25/084B62D25/20B62D33/02B62D33/0273B62D33/0617B62D33/0625B60G2200/144B60G2300/13B60K2015/0635B60R11/00B60R2021/0074B60R2021/134

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A utility vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of ground-engaging members;

a drivetrain assembly operably coupled to the ground-engaging members;

a frame assembly supported by the ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the frame assembly including a roll-over protection assembly; and

a seating section defining an operator area and supported by the frame assembly, the seating section including at least a first seat and a second seat in a side-by-side configuration;

wherein the roll-over protection assembly generally surrounds an upper portion of the seating section, the roll-over protection assembly including:

a first cross tube extending laterally at least partially across the frame assembly forward of the first and second seats;

a second cross tube extending laterally at least partially across the frame assembly vertically higher than the first cross tube;

at least one first frame tube coupled to a central region of the second cross tube and extending rearwardly; and

a plurality of second frame tubes coupled to the second cross tube wherein the plurality of second frame tubes extend between the first cross tube and the second cross tube, and the plurality of second frame tubes are coupled to the second cross tube at a position at which the at least one first frame tube is coupled to the second cross tube.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first frame tube extends rearward to a third cross tube that is rearward of the first cross tube and the second cross tube.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second frame tubes extend at an angle with respect to one another from the second cross tube toward the first cross tube.

4. The utility vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the angle is an acute angle.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first frame tube is joined to the second cross tube at a top of a windshield area of the roll-over protection assembly and extends rearward to a third cross tube comprising a rear portion of the roll-over protection assembly.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the at least one first frame tube is configured to withstand forces exerted on top of the roll-over protection assembly during a rollover event.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the at least one first frame tube is configured to provide overhead protection to occupants within a passenger cabin portion of the vehicle.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of pillar members coupled to the third cross tube.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of pillar members are coupled to the third cross tube proximate a position where the third cross tube is coupled to the at least one first frame tube.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of pillar members extend to positions laterally spaced from each other.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third cross tube rearward of the first cross tube and the second cross tube, the at least one first frame tube extending rearwardly and coupled to the third cross tube; and

a plurality of pillar members coupled to the third cross tube.

12. The utility vehicle of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of pillar members is coupled to the third cross tube at a first position, and wherein the at least one first frame tube is coupled to the third cross tube at the first position.

13. The utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of pillar members extend generally downward from the third cross tube.

14. The utility vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of pillar members includes a first pillar member and a second pillar member, the first pillar member being positioned closer to a first lateral side of the utility vehicle relative to the second pillar member and the second pillar member being positioned closer to a second lateral side of the utility vehicle relative to the first pillar member.

15. The utility vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the first pillar member extends generally downward and laterally towards the first lateral side of the utility vehicle from the third cross tube and the second pillar member extends generally downward and laterally towards the second lateral side of the vehicle from the third cross tube.

16. The utility vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the first pillar member and the second pillar member are non-parallel.

17. A utility vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of ground-engaging members;

a drivetrain assembly operably coupled to the ground-engaging members;

a frame assembly supported by the ground-engaging members and extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the frame assembly including a roll-over protection assembly; and

a seating section defining an operator area and supported by the frame assembly, the seating section including at least a first seat and a second seat in a side-by-side configuration;

wherein the roll-over protection assembly generally surrounds an upper portion of the seating section, the roll-over protection assembly including:

a first cross tube extending laterally at least partially across the frame assembly forward of first and second seats;

a second cross tube extending laterally at least partially across the frame assembly vertically higher than the first cross tube;

at least one first frame tube coupled to a central region of the second cross tube and extending rearwardly;

a plurality of second frame tubes coupled to the second cross tube; and

a plurality of outer tubes between which the first cross tube and the second cross tube extend, wherein the at least one first frame tube and the plurality of second frame tubes are disposed between the plurality of outer tubes.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (8)

References Cited (400)