US 12,280,828 B2
Off-road vehicle
Ying Fang, Hangzhou (CN); and Guiming Shu, Hangzhou (CN)
Assigned to Zhejiang CFMoto Power Co. Ltd., Hangzhou (CN)
Filed by Zhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd., Zhejiang (CN)
Filed on Dec. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/398,924.
Claims priority of application No. 202211742546.5 (CN), filed on Dec. 30, 2022; and application No. 202310959799.6 (CN), filed on Aug. 1, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0217585 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. B62D 21/18 (2006.01); B60K 5/04 (2006.01); B60K 13/02 (2006.01); B60K 13/06 (2006.01); B60K 17/16 (2006.01); B60K 17/22 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 21/183 (2013.01) [B60K 5/04 (2013.01); B60K 13/02 (2013.01); B60K 13/06 (2013.01); B60K 17/16 (2013.01); B60K 17/22 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An off-road vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of wheels, the plurality of wheels comprising at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel;
a suspension assembly comprising a front suspension and a rear suspension, the front wheel being connected to the frame by the front suspension, and the rear wheel being connected to the frame by the rear suspension;
a prime mover assembly comprising an engine and a transmission, the engine being arranged on the frame and comprising an engine body and a cylinder head connected to the engine body, the engine body defining a cylinder axis which slants upwardly and rearwardly, the cylinder head having a cylinder head mid-point where the cylinder axis intersects an exterior surface of the cylinder head;
a drive train mounted on the frame, the drive train comprising:
a front drive train connected to the front wheel, the front drive train comprising a front drive shaft and a front differential having a front differential output axis; and
a rear drive train connected to the rear wheel, the rear drive train comprising a rear drive shaft and a rear differential having a rear differential output axis;
wherein a longitudinal mid-plane is defined as a plane perpendicular to a width direction of the vehicle where a center line of the vehicle in a width direction is located;
wherein a cylinder front line running within the longitudinal mid-plane between the front differential output axis and a projection of the cylinder head mid-point on the longitudinal mid-plane has a cylinder front line length (L1), wherein a cylinder rear line running within the longitudinal mid-plane between the rear differential output axis and the projection of the cylinder head mid-point on the longitudinal mid-plane has a cylinder rear line length (L2), and wherein a ratio (L1/L2) of the cylinder front line length (L1) to cylinder rear line length (L2) is in the range from 0.4 to 1.8;
wherein the frame comprises two upper main beam tubes arranged to run longitudinally on opposing sides of the longitudinal mid-plane, two lower main beam tubes arranged to run longitudinally on opposing sides of the longitudinal mid-plane, and a plurality of vertically extending tubes connecting the upper main beam tubes and the lower main beam tubes, wherein at least one of the upper main beam tubes includes corners defining an upwardly arched avoidance portion to give additional clearance for removal or insertion of the prime mover assembly including its cylinder head to be directly removed or inserted from one side of the frame.