Utility vehicles are known. The present disclosure relates to vehicles, including utility vehicles. The present disclosure relates to utility vehicles having storage areas under the dash. The present disclosure relates to suspension systems for utility vehicles. The present disclosure relates to utility vehicles with an electrical power steering.
In exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle is provided. The utility vehicle, comprising a frame; a power source supported by the frame; seating supported by the frame, the seating having at least one seat bottom member and at least one seat back member; an operator area adapted for use by a vehicle operator when the vehicle is in motion, the at least one seat bottom member and the at least one seat back member being positioned within the operator area; a roll cage supported by the frame and positioned to protect the operator area; and a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame above the ground. The plurality of ground engaging members including at least two front ground engaging members positioned forward of the operator area and at least two ground engaging members located rearward of the operator area, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members are operatively coupled to the power source to propel the utility vehicle relative to the ground. The utility vehicle further comprising a braking system including at least one brake operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members and a brake pedal supported by the frame, positioned in the operator area, and operatively coupled to the brake; an acceleration pedal supported by the frame, positioned in the operator area, and operatively coupled the power source; a dashboard supported by the frame and located above the acceleration pedal and forward of the seating; and at least one storage bin open to the operator area, supported by the frame, and positioned lower than the dashboard. In one example, the at least one storage bin is positioned lower than a top portion of the seat bottom member. In other example, the at least one storage bin is positioned opposite the seating in the operator area. In a variation thereof, the at least one storage bin is positioned below the dashboard. In a further example, the at least one storage bin includes a first storage bin positioned to a first lateral side of the accelerator pedal and a second storage bin positioned to a second lateral side of the accelerator pedal. In a variation thereof, the first storage bin includes a first bottom surface and the second storage bin includes a second bottom surface. The first bottom surface and the second bottom surface being angled downward from a front portion of the respective storage bin to a back portion of the respective storage bin to assist in retaining cargo placed in the respective first storage bin and second storage bin. In an additional example, the at least one storage bin includes a plurality of storage bins as part of a under dash body panel. In a variation thereof, the utility vehicle further comprises a steering assembly including a steering rod operatively coupled to the at least two front ground engaging members and a steering wheel supported by the frame and extending into the operator area through an opening in the dashboard and an opening in the under dash body panel, the steering wheel being operatively coupled to the steering rod to control an orientation of the at least two front ground engaging members. In another variation thereof, the under dash body panel includes an upper portion which defines a glove box and the dashboard includes an opening for accessing the glove box. In still a further example, the power source is positioned rearward of the dashboard. In still another example, the dashboard supports a modular instrument panel which may be uncoupled from the dashboard.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle is provided. The utility vehicle, comprising: a frame; a power source supported by the frame; seating supported by the frame, the seating having at least one seat bottom surface and at least one seat back surface; an operator area adapted for use by a vehicle operator when the vehicle is in motion, the at least one seat bottom surface and the at least one seat back surface being positioned within the operator area; a roll cage supported by the frame and positioned to protect the operator area; a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame above the ground; a dashboard body panel member supported by the frame and located above the acceleration pedal and forward of the seating, a floor body panel member supported by the frame and positioned below the dashboard and defining at least one floor surface; and at least one intermediate body panel member positioned between the dashboard body panel member and the floor body panel member, wherein the at least one intermediate body panel member substantially blocks air from a front portion of the utility vehicle from entering the operator area between the dashboard body panel member and the floor body panel member. The plurality of ground engaging members including at least two front ground engaging members positioned forward of the operator area and at least two ground engaging members located rearward of the operator area, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members are operatively coupled to the power source to propel the utility vehicle relative to the ground. In one example, the at least one intermediate body panel member defines at least one storage bin open to the operator area. In a variation thereof, the at least one intermediate body panel member includes an under dash body panel member coupled to the dashboard body panel member and a front body panel member coupled to the floor body panel member, the under dash body panel member and the front body panel member overlapping and the under dash body panel member including the storage bins. In another example, the at least one intermediate body panel member define a first storage bin which is accessible through an opening in the dashboard body panel member. In a variation thereof, the at least one intermediate body panel member further defines a second storage bin open to the operator area.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle, comprising: a frame; a power source supported by the frame; seating supported by the frame, the seating having at least one seat bottom surface and at least one seat back surface; an operator area adapted for use by a vehicle operator when the vehicle is in motion, the at least one seat bottom surface and the at least one seat back surface being positioned within the operator area; a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame above the ground; and a body panel defining a storage bin and supported by the frame, the body panel having a first portion defining a plurality of side surfaces of the storage bin and a back surface of the storage bin and a second portion defining a front surface of the storage bin and an access opening into an interior of the storage bin, wherein the second portion is coupled to the first portion through a living hinge. The plurality of ground engaging members including at least two front ground engaging members positioned forward of the operator area and at least two ground engaging members located rearward of the operator area, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members are operatively coupled to the power source to propel the vehicle relative to the ground. In one example, the storage bin has a first width and the access opening has a second width, the second width being less than the first width. In a variation, the storage bin is a glove box and the body panel is positioned behind a dashboard body panel such that the access opening is generally aligned with a glove box opening in the dashboard body panel.
In yet a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a shock is provided. The shock, comprising: a first body member supporting a piston and having a first stop member; a second body member having a second stop member, the first body member being received in an interior of the second body member, the piston being received in an interior of the second body member; a spring being compressed between the first stop member of the first body member and the second stop member of the second body member, at least one of the first stop member and the second stop member being moveable relative to the respective one of the first body member and the second body member; and an air inlet member being in fluid communication with the interior the second body member. In one example, the second stop member is moveable relative to the second body member to adjust the compression of the spring between the first stop member and the second stop member. In a variation thereof, the second stop member is a ring having a threaded internal surface which engages with a threaded external surface of the second body member. In another example, an overall stiffness of the shock may be adjusted by both a mechanical stiffness and a fluidic stiffness. In a variation thereof, the mechanical stiffness is adjusted by changing a separation of the first stop member and the second stop member. In another variation thereof, the fluidic stiffness is adjusted by passing air through the air inlet and one of into the interior of the second body member and out of the interior of the second body member.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a shock is provided. The shock comprising a first body member supporting a piston and having a first external stop member; a second body member having a second external stop member, the piston being received in an interior of the second body member; an air inlet member being in fluid communication with the interior the second body member; and a spring being compressed between the first external stop member of the first body member and the second external stop member of the second body member. A stiffness of the shock being adjustable both by changing an air pressure in the interior of the second body member and changing a separation of the first external stop member and the second external stop member. In one example, at least one of the first external stop member and the second external stop member is moveable relative to the respective one of the first body member and the second body member.
In still another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of adjusting a stiffness of a suspension of a vehicle is provided. The method comprising the steps of providing an air shock having an interior for receiving compressed air to adjust a fluidic stiffness of the air shock and an external spring disposed between two stop members whose separation is adjustable to adjust a mechanical stiffness of the air shock, a sum of the fluidic stiffness and the mechanical stiffness giving an overall stiffness for the air shock; and setting the mechanical stiffness and the fluidic stiffness to correspond to an overall stiffness for a standard setup of the suspension. In one example, the air shock is adjusted to a second setup wherein the air pressure in the interior of the air shock is increased by adding additional compressed air. In a variation thereof, the second setup corresponds to when a load is placed on the vehicle and the additional compressed air is added to compensate for the increased load on the vehicle. In a further variation, the pressure in the interior of the air shock is at atmosphere in the standard setup and is at a positive pressure in the second setup.
In still a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle comprising a frame; a power source supported by the frame; seating supported by the frame, the seating having at least one seat bottom surface and at least one seat back surface; an operator area adapted for use by a vehicle operator when the vehicle is in motion, the at least one seat bottom surface and the at least one seat back surface being positioned within the operator area; a roll cage supported by the frame and positioned to protect the operator area; a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame above the ground, the plurality of ground engaging members including at least two front ground engaging members positioned forward of the operator area and at least two ground engaging members located rearward of the operator area, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members are operatively coupled to the power source to propel the vehicle relative to the ground; a front suspension coupling a first ground engaging member of the at least two front ground engaging members to the frame, the front suspension including a shock; and a rear suspension coupling a first ground engaging member of the at least two rear ground engaging members to the frame, the rear suspension includes a load leveling shock. In one example, the shock of the front suspension is an adjustable, non-load leveling shock. In another example, the shock includes an adjustable fluidic stiffness and an adjustable mechanical stiffness. In a variation thereof, the shock is an air shock with an external spring positioned between two stop members and wherein the stiffness of the shock is adjustable by both changing an air pressure within an interior of the shock and changing a spacing between the two stop members.
In yet still another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle is provided. The utility vehicle comprising a frame; a power source supported by the frame; seating supported by the frame, the seating having at least one seat bottom member and at least one seat back member; an operator area adapted for use by a vehicle operator when the vehicle is in motion, the at least one seat bottom member and the at least one seat back member being positioned within the operator area; a roll cage supported by the frame and positioned to protect the operator area; a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame above the ground, the plurality of ground engaging members including at least two front ground engaging members positioned forward of the operator area and at least two ground engaging members located rearward of the operator area, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members are operatively coupled to the power source to propel the utility vehicle relative to the ground; a steering assembly including a steering rack supported by the frame and a steering wheel supported by the frame, the steering assembly further including a power steering unit positioned between the steering rack and the steering wheel and operatively coupled to both the steering rack and the steering wheel; and a dashboard supported by the frame, the power steering unit being positioned behind the dashboard. In one example, the power steering unit is an electronic power steering unit. In another example, the utility vehicle further comprises a parking brake input in the operator area and a gear shift input, the parking brake input being on a first side of the steering wheel and the gear shift input on a second side of the steering wheel. In a further example, the roll cage couples to the frame through at least one forward attachment members and the power steering unit is positioned rearward of the forward attachment members.
In yet still a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle is provided. The utility vehicle comprising: a frame; a power source supported by the frame; seating supported by the frame, the seating having at least one seat bottom member and at least one seat back member; an operator area adapted for use by a vehicle operator when the vehicle is in motion, the at least one seat bottom member and the at least one seat back member being positioned within the operator area; a roll cage supported by the frame and positioned to protect the operator area; a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame above the ground, the plurality of ground engaging members including at least two front ground engaging members positioned forward of the operator area and at least two ground engaging members located rearward of the operator area, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members are operatively coupled to the power source to propel the utility vehicle relative to the ground; and a steering assembly including a steering rack supported by the frame and a steering wheel supported by the frame, the steering assembly further including a power steering unit positioned between the steering rack and the steering wheel and operatively coupled to both the steering rack and the steering wheel; wherein the power steering unit is configured to vary an amount of steering assist provided based on a speed of the vehicle. In one example, the amount of steering assist varies over a range of speeds of the vehicle. In one variation, the power steering unit provides a first amount of assist at a first speed and a second amount of assist at a second speed, the second speed being higher than the first speed and the second amount of assist being less than the first amount of assist. In another example, the amount of assist is provided by a speed profile selected from a plurality of speed profiles, the selection being made through an operator input.
The above mentioned and other features of the invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Unless stated otherwise the drawings are proportional.
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