US 12,122,452 B2
Lightweight vehicle
Donny Lee Hammond, Jr., Augusta, GA (US); Sam Dean Smith, Martinez, GA (US); Trevor Douglas Roebuck, Evans, GA (US); and Landon Niles Ball, North Augusta, SC (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/337,896.
Application 18/337,896 is a continuation of application No. 16/383,041, filed on Apr. 12, 2019, granted, now 11,767,060.
Prior Publication US 2023/0331304 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B62D 21/02 (2006.01); B60G 3/06 (2006.01); B60G 3/10 (2006.01); B60G 3/20 (2006.01); B60G 7/00 (2006.01); B60G 11/04 (2006.01); B60G 21/055 (2006.01); B62D 21/11 (2006.01); B62D 25/20 (2006.01); B62D 63/02 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 21/02 (2013.01) [B60G 3/06 (2013.01); B60G 3/10 (2013.01); B60G 3/20 (2013.01); B60G 7/001 (2013.01); B60G 11/04 (2013.01); B62D 21/11 (2013.01); B62D 25/20 (2013.01); B62D 63/025 (2013.01); B60G 21/055 (2013.01); B60G 2200/1324 (2013.01); B60G 2200/142 (2013.01); B60G 2200/30 (2013.01); B60G 2202/112 (2013.01); B60G 2300/13 (2013.01); B60G 2300/50 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lightweight vehicle comprising:
a pair of rear wheel assemblies;
a pair of front wheel assemblies;
a chassis, wherein at least a portion of the chassis has a planar structure;
a front suspension system coupling the pair of front wheel assemblies to the chassis, wherein a frontmost portion of the pair of front wheel assemblies is longitudinally forward of a front end of the chassis;
a rear suspension system coupling the pair of rear wheel assemblies to the chassis, the rear suspension system including a pair of leaf springs having forward ends coupled to interfaces positioned beneath the planar structure of the chassis;
a frontmost seat configured to accommodate a plurality of first occupants, the frontmost seat including a first seat bottom, a first seat back, and a pedestal fixedly coupled to the chassis and supporting the first seat bottom, the pedestal spaced inward from lateral edges of the planar structure;
a rearmost seat configured to accommodate a plurality of second occupants, the rearmost seat coupled to the chassis, the rearmost seat facing forward, the rearmost seat including a second seat bottom and a second seat back, at least a portion of the second seat bottom of the rearmost seat is located longitudinally rearward of an axis extending through a center of the pair of rear wheel assemblies;
a floorboard coupled to the planar structure, the floorboard providing a first footwell in front of the frontmost seat for feet of the plurality of first occupants and a second footwell in front of the rearmost seat for feet of the plurality of second occupants, wherein the first footwell and the second footwell are coplanar, wherein the first seat bottom and the second seat bottom are positioned at different heights above the floorboard, and wherein the floorboard has a lateral width of between 42 inches and 52 inches; and
an electric motor configured to drive the pair of rear wheel assemblies, the electric motor positioned beneath the second seat bottom.