US 12,221,061 B2
Off-road vehicle and control methods thereof
Haifeng Liang, Hangzhou (CN); Linglong Meng, Hangzhou (CN); and Jeffrey D. Shewchuk, Inver Grove Heights, MN (US)
Assigned to Zhejiang CFMoto Power Co. Ltd., Zhejiang (CN)
Filed by Zhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd., Zhejiang (CN)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/510,501.
Claims priority of application No. 202211463042.X (CN), filed on Nov. 21, 2022; application No. 202310362625.1 (CN), filed on Apr. 4, 2023; application No. 202310544797.0 (CN), filed on May 12, 2023; and application No. 202310581845.3 (CN), filed on May 23, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0166161 A1, May 23, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 22/48 (2006.01); B60K 28/10 (2006.01); B60K 31/00 (2006.01); B62J 6/24 (2020.01); F02D 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 22/48 (2013.01) [B60K 28/10 (2013.01); B60K 31/00 (2013.01); B62J 6/24 (2020.02); F02D 31/00 (2013.01); B60K 2031/0091 (2013.01); B60R 2022/4891 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An off-road vehicle comprising
a vehicle body;
a plurality of wheels comprising a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels;
at least one seat arranged on the vehicle body;
a protective device supported by the vehicle body, the protective device having a fastened state and a disengaged state;
a suspension system comprising a front suspension and a rear suspension, the front wheels being connected to the vehicle body by the front suspension, and the rear wheels being connected to the vehicle body by the rear suspension;
a prime mover system supported by the vehicle body for providing power to the off-road vehicle, at least one of the pair of front wheels or the pair of rear wheels being connected to the prime mover system, and the prime mover system at least comprising a power source;
a control module capable of controlling the operation of the power source;
a vehicle velocity detection module capable of detecting vehicle velocity and communicating with the control module; and
an interaction module capable of communicating with the control module and interacting with a user of the off-road vehicle;
wherein, when the off-road vehicle is in a preset state below a first velocity threshold, the control module is capable of allowing the power source to operate at high rotational speed;
wherein, if the protective device is in the disengaged state, then the control module is capable of sending control commands to the interaction module, and the interaction module is capable in response to the control commands of providing at least one of a visual alert or an auditory alert;
wherein, if the off-road vehicle reaches the first velocity threshold while the protective device is in the disengaged state, the control module is capable of limiting a power source rotational speed to a controlled first value lower than the high rotational speed; and
wherein, if the off-road vehicle is traveling faster than the first velocity threshold with the power source rotational speed being higher than the controlled first value when the protective device enters the disengaged state, the control module is capable of gradually reducing the power source rotational speed.