Patent ID: 8403104
Filing Date: 2013-03-26
Classification: B60K,B62D,B62K

Abstract:
1. A recreational utility vehicle comprising: a frame; two front wheels suspended from the frame, each of the two rear wheels including a tire; two rear wheels suspended from the frame, each of the two rear wheels including a tire; a pair of seats mounted on the frame, each seat having a seat base and a backrest, the seats being mounted laterally beside each other to accommodate a driver and a passenger of the recreational utility vehicle; a cage connected to the frame and disposed around an area where the pair of seats is located; a steering assembly disposed at least in part forwardly of at least one of the seats and being operatively connected to the two front wheels, the steering assembly including a steering wheel; an engine mounted to the frame; a front differential selectively operatively connected to the engine and operatively connected to the two front wheels through a plurality of half shafts; a rear differential operatively connected to the engine through a rear propeller shaft and operatively connected to the two rear wheels; a first front propeller shaft operatively connected to the engine; and a second front propeller shaft operatively connected to the front differential; an actuator selectively operatively connecting the first front propeller shaft to the second front propeller shaft to selectively transmit power from the engine to the front differential; a vehicle drive mode switch for selecting between a first drive mode and a second drive mode, the vehicle drive mode switch being electrically connected to the actuator such that: an electric motor operatively connected to the steering assembly for assisting in steering of the vehicle; and a steering control unit electrically connected to the electric motor, the steering control unit determining an output torque to be applied by the electric motor based at least in part on a speed of the vehicle, the steering control unit controlling the electric motor to apply the output torque to the steering assembly.