Utility vehicle

{
  "publication_number": "US11318830B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Utility vehicle",
  "abstract": "A utility vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame including a cabin frame portion; a loading bed tiltable between a normal position and a dumping position; and an intake unit including an intake port. The intake unit is disposed above a rear wheel and extends over a height range overlapping a height range over which the loading bed in the normal position extends, and a location of the intake unit in a vehicle width direction substantially coincides with a location of a side wall portion of the loading bed in the vehicle width direction. The intake unit is located rearward of the cabin frame portion and exposed to the outside in the vehicle width direction. The intake unit is fixed to the vehicle body frame at a distance from a trajectory along which the loading bed is tilted.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A utility vehicle comprising: a front wheel; a rear wheel; a vehicle body frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel, the vehicle body frame comprising a cabin frame portion defining an occupant space and a rear frame portion disposed rearward of the cabin frame portion; an engine supported by the vehicle body frame; a loading bed supported by the rear frame portion and tiltable between a normal position and a dumping position; and an intake unit comprising an intake port through which air to be supplied to the engine is drawn, wherein the intake unit is disposed above the rear wheel and extends over a height range overlapping a height range over which the loading bed in the normal position extends, a location of the intake unit in a vehicle width direction substantially coincides with a location of a side wall portion of the loading bed in the vehicle width direction, the intake unit is located rearward of the cabin frame portion and exposed to the outside in the vehicle width direction, the intake unit is fixed to the vehicle body frame at a distance from a trajectory along which the loading bed is tilted, and the loading bed comprises a right side wall and a left side wall, and the right side wall and the left side wall are asymmetrical in shape such that one of the right side wall and the left side wall forms a space in which the intake unit is located.",
    "2. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the intake unit has an outer side surface facing outward in the vehicle width direction, and the outer side surface of the intake unit is substantially flush with an outer side surface of the loading bed in the normal position.",
    "3. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the intake unit is disposed along a rear surface of the cabin frame portion.",
    "4. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a tilt pivot of the loading bed is located at a height equal to or less than a height where a lower end of a rear surface of the intake unit is located.",
    "5. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the intake unit as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction is located within a height range between heights where lower and upper ends of the loading bed in the normal position are located, respectively.",
    "6. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the intake unit as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction is disposed such that a gap is formed between the intake unit and the loading bed in the normal position, and the loading bed or the intake unit has a hiding surface covering the gap from the inside in the vehicle width direction.",
    "7. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an air cleaner box disposed in an intake passage leading from the intake unit to the engine, the air cleaner box comprising an accommodation case having an opening, an air cleaner element accommodated in the accommodation case, and a lid attached to the accommodation case to close the opening, wherein the intake unit comprises a prefilter covering the intake port, and the air cleaner box is located below the intake unit.",
    "8. The utility vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the prefilter is removably attached to an outer surface of the intake unit, the opening faces outward in the vehicle width direction, and the lid is removably attached to the accommodation case from the outside in the vehicle width direction.",
    "9. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the intake unit in the vehicle width direction is exposed to the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the intake port of the intake unit faces in a direction different from a direction toward the outside in the vehicle width direction.",
    "10. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the intake port of the intake unit faces outward in the vehicle width direction.",
    "11. A utility vehicle comprising: a front wheel; a rear wheel; a vehicle body frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel, the vehicle body frame comprising a cabin frame portion defining an occupant space and a rear frame portion disposed rearward of the cabin frame portion; a prime mover supported by the vehicle body frame and configured as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor; a continuously variable transmission configured to change the speed of rotation produced by drive power output from the prime mover; a loading bed supported by the rear frame portion and tiltable between a normal position and a dumping position; and an intake unit comprising an intake port through which air to be supplied to the continuously variable transmission or the prime mover is drawn, wherein the intake unit is disposed above the rear wheel and extends over a height range overlapping a height range over which the loading bed in the normal position extends, a location of the intake unit in a vehicle width direction substantially coincides with a location of a side wall portion of the loading bed in the vehicle width direction, the intake unit is located rearward of the cabin frame portion, the intake unit is fixed to the vehicle body frame at a distance from a trajectory along which the loading bed is tilted, and the loading bed comprises a right side wall and a left side wall, and the right side wall and the left side wall are asymmetrical in shape such that one of the right side wall and the left side wall forms a space in which the intake unit is located.",
    "12. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the one of the right side wall and the left side wall includes a recessed portion that forms the space in which the intake unit is located.",
    "13. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a front end of the one of the right side wall and the left side wall is located further rearward than a front end of the other of the right side wall and the left side wall, and the intake unit is disposed ahead of the one of the right side wall and the left side wall.",
    "14. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the engine is disposed below the loading bed.",
    "15. The utility vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the one of the right side wall and the left side wall includes a recessed portion that forms the space in which the intake unit is located.",
    "16. The utility vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a front end of the one of the right side wall and the left side wall is located further rearward than a front end of the other of the right side wall and the left side wall, and the intake unit is disposed ahead of the one of the right side wall and the left side wall.",
    "17. The utility vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the prime mover is disposed below the loading bed."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a utility vehicle configured to travel on uneven terrains.\n\nU.S. Pat. No. 9,512,809 discloses a utility vehicle configured to travel on uneven terrains. In a common utility vehicle, air present in an internal space enclosed by a vehicle body panel is drawn through an intake port and delivered as intake air to an engine. Air for cooing a continuously variable transmission is also drawn in a similar manner.\n\nHowever, air may be stagnant in the internal space enclosed by the vehicle body panel, and may be contaminated with dirt or dust introduced due to intake pressure. Depending on the layout of the intake port, the occupant space may be narrowed by the presence of the intake port and intake duct. In a utility vehicle having a tiltable loading bed, depending on the layout of the intake port, the movement of the loading bed may be constrained, and the design flexibility of the intake passage may be reduced.\n\nAn object of the present disclosure is to obtain a sufficiently large occupant space, ensure intake of clean air, avoid constraints on the movement of a loading bed, and increase the design flexibility of an intake passage.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60K 13/02",
    "B60K 1/00",
    "B60K 11/08",
    "B60K 17/06",
    "B60K 5/00",
    "B60P 1/04",
    "B60P 1/28",
    "B60Y 2200/124",
    "B60Y 2200/23",
    "F02M 35/0204",
    "F02M 35/024"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60K 13/02",
    "F02M 35/02",
    "F02M 35/024"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Kawasaki Jukogyo KK"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tetsuya Iwata",
    "Shinichi Tanaka",
    "Yoko Yasui"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-04-23",
  "publication_date": "2022-05-03",
  "grant_date": "2022-05-03",
  "priority_date": "2020-04-23",
  "application_number": "US-202016856692-A",
  "family_id": "78220878",
  "cited_by_count": 11,
  "citations": [
    "US5086858A",
    "US7249798B2",
    "USRE42086E1",
    "US20120031694A1",
    "US20120031693A1",
    "US8827019B2",
    "US9512809B2",
    "US20180326843A1"
  ]
}