Patent ID: 11890911
Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 7:
8. A snowmobile comprising:
a chassis including a tunnel;
a motor connected to the chassis;
at least one ski connected to the chassis;
an endless drive track disposed at least in part below the tunnel and operatively connected to the motor for propulsion of the snowmobile;
a rear suspension assembly supporting and tensioning the endless drive track, the rear suspension assembly including:
at least one suspension arm having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the at least one suspension arm being pivotably connected to the tunnel;
at least one slide rail pivotably connected to the at least one suspension arm;
at least one shock absorber connected between the at least one suspension arm and the at least one slide rail, the at least one shock absorber biasing the at least one slide rail away from the tunnel, the at least one shock absorber having variable damping characteristics;

at least one sensor for sensing an angular position of one of the at least one suspension arm relative to one of the tunnel and a component of the rear suspension assembly near the at least one suspension arm, the at least one sensor being operatively connected to one of:
the tunnel, and
the rear suspension assembly; and
a controller communicatively connected to the at least one sensor and the at least one shock absorber to alter the damping characteristics of the at least one shock absorber based on electronic signals received from the at least one sensor representative of the angular position of the at least one suspension arm.