Front A-Arms for a vehicle

An All-Terrain Vehicle with a frame, shocks, and A-Arms. The A-Arms have an arcuate shape to accommodate a shock attached below a centerline connecting front wheel(s). The A-Arms on one end arc around the shock and attach to a spindle and on a second end attach to the frame. The arcuate shape provides additional clearance, beyond a non arcuate shaped A-Arm, when a wheel is turned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to 4 wheeled vehicles, and more specifically to all-terrain vehicles

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

All-terrain vehicles (hereinafter “ATV”) typically have a shorter wheelbase which gives the ATV increased maneuverability over longer wheelbased ATVs such as sandrails, desert trucks, and dune buggies. The shorter wheelbase however can have shortcomings compared to a longer wheelbase, for example, a shorter wheel base can have a rougher ride due in at least part to having shocks with less travel. It remains desirable to have an ATV with increased maneuverability along with more travel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop an ATV with increased maneuverability and increased travel. In one embodiment, an ATV has a frame (e.g., an arcuate frame according to U.S. Pat. No. 9,493,191 to Kariniemi), and shocks attached to the frame. The shocks attach to the frame and to a spindle, or tower, such that the shocks attach to the spindle below an axis line through a center of a front wheel. The front top A-Arms are arched to provide clearance around the shock. The front bottom A-Arms may be straight or arched to provide additional ground clearance.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An ATV with arcuate A-Arms in accordance with various embodiments are disclosed herein and examples are illustrated in the Figures. The arcuate A-Arms may be attached to an arcuate frame. For example, the A-Arms may be constructed from a structural component or member, e.g., a truss or joist made out of a tubular-shaped steel alloy, or a steel or aluminum plate, or any rigid or semi-rigid material or cross sectional shape. For example, the top A-Arms may be made out of a plate, one for a passenger side and one for a drivers side. The plates may have a hollowed out middle section to provide clearance for a shock for example. In an alternative embodiment, the top A-Arms may be made out of individual beams or bars, for example a passenger side may have a top fore A-Arm bar and a top aft A-Arm bar and the drivers side may have a top fore A-Arm bar and a top aft A-Arm bar. The fore A-Arm and aft A-Arm may connect at same location on the frame and at a same or proximate location on the spindle. The structural component (e.g., A-Arm) may have a tubular construction typically ranging from approximately 0.5 inches to 3 inches in diameter or whatever diameter is required for adequate strength. The A-Arms can be shaped to accommodate longer shocks that are attached to a point below an axle line through a center of a front wheel. Attaching the shock to a spindle at a location below an axis line creates a need to have the front top A-Arms be arched to provide clearance around the shock.

In an embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1, the ATV may have a lateral arcuate shape142, The frame may have a front portion that has a lateral arcuate shape142that may extend between the ATV front wheels or between a drivers side and a passengers side of the frame. The lateral arcuate shape142has a lateral arcuate shape first end144and a lateral arcuate shape second end146and a lateral arcuate shape apex148between the lateral arcuate shape first end144and lateral arcuate shape second end146. The lateral arcuate shape may extend along entire passenger support section18or along only a portion of passenger support section18.

In one embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1, the front bottom A-Arms26,28may be arcuate or arched to provide ground clearance. The front top A-Arms30,32are located on each side of the ATV (e.g., passenger and drivers side). The top drivers side A-Arms30,30′ and the top passengers side A-Arms32,32′ connect to a spindle34,34′ at location39,39′, above a centerline through a wheel at a first end of the A-Arm, and at a location40,40′ to the frame at a second end of the A-Arm. The bottom passengers side A-Arm(s)28,28′ and bottom drivers side A-Arms26,26′ connect to a spindle below a centerline through the wheel at a first end and to the frame at a second end as shown inFIG. 1. By having the shocks33,35attach below the centerline between front wheels31,31′, the shock is able to accommodate more travel. By placing the shock below the centerline, the top A-Arms may need to be arched (as shown inFIG. 3) so the A-Arms don't contact the shock. The bottom A-Arm(s) may be straight (non curved) when viewed from a top view (as shown inFIG. 3) and they may have a curve or arch when viewed from front view. In one embodiment the bottom A-Arm(s)26,26′ and28,28′ have an arch or curve upwards to provide additional ground clearance over a non curved A-Arm. The top A-Arms30,30′ and32,32′ from a front view (as shown inFIG. 1), may be straight, but from a top view (as shown inFIG. 3) may have an arcuate shape.

In other embodiments the lateral arcuate shape142may be located along other portions of the frame105. For example, a lateral arcuate shape142may be located at a lateral center line150on the frame105. The lateral center line150may be located midway between the front wheel axis124and the rear wheel axis126. In some embodiments, there may exist more than one lateral arcuate shape located along and perpendicular to longitudinal line152. There may also exist lateral arcuate shapes located rearward of the lateral center line150. In one embodiment, the ATV may have a longitudinal arcuate shape with an apex located at lateral center line150and longitudinal center line152and a lateral arcuate shape142with an apex located at the lateral center line150and longitudinal center line152. The lateral arcuate shape142may have an apex anywhere between lateral arcuate shape first end144and lateral arcuate shape second end146. In other embodiments a lateral arcuate shape may exist continuously along a longitudinal length of the frame105.

In various embodiments, as shown inFIG. 2, front A-Arms may be attached to a front portion of passenger support section18. Rear bottom A-Arm28′ is shown attached to front portion of passenger support section18. Front bottom A-Arm28(not shown inFIG. 2) may also be attached to front portion of passenger support section18. As shown inFIG. 2, the rear top A-Arm32′ may be attached to a tower34′ above rear bottom A-Arms28′ respectively. Front bottom A-Arms may have an arcuate shape (not shown inFIG. 2) such that additional ground clearance is achieved. A shock33is shown attached to a front portion of passenger support section and attached below a line connecting front and rear wheel axis.

In various embodiments, as shown by example inFIG. 3, a frame105may be configured to receive trailing arms and front A-Arms for attaching front wheels and rear wheels. The front top A-Arms30,32may have an arch or curve to provide clearance around a front shock33,35. The front bottom A-Arms26,28may attach at or near same place as front top A-Arms30,32to the frame105. The front bottom A-Arms26,28and rearward bottom A-Arms26′,28′ may be straight when viewed from a top plan view as shown inFIG. 3. The front bottom A-Arms26,28and rearward bottom A-Arms26′,28′ may have a curve when viewed from a front view as shown inFIG. 1. The front bottom A-Arms26,28and rearward bottom A-Arms26′,28′ and the trailing arms23,24were attached (in one example) to the structural frame at approximately 10 degrees to approximately follow the arcuate shape28. The arcuate shape in one example had a radius of approximately 9 feet.

In one embodiment, as shown inFIG. 3, the front top A-Arm(s)30,32have at least one curve or arcuate shape along a most forward facing portion or edge34such that the curve has an apex towards a front or forward direction of the ATV. At least one of the curves in the most forward facing portion or edge of top A-Arms is to provide clearance around the shock33,35. The rearward most facing portion or edge36,36′ of the rearward top A-Arms30′,32′ may have a curve or arcuate shape facing rearward such that the curve provides clearance around shocks33,35and may also provide clearance for the tires31,31′ when the rearward portion of the wheel (as shown with tire31inFIG. 4) is turned in towards the center of the ATV. If the top A-Arms did not have an arch, the top A-Arm would contact the shock. If the top A-arms did not have a curve or arcuate shape, the top A-Arms30,30′ and32,32′ may be more inline from a top view perspective with the bottom A-Arms26,26′ and28,28′. Also, if the edges36,36′ did not have an arcuate shape that continued from apex of arcuate shape around the shock33,35, the rearward top A-Arms30′,32′ would contact the frame105closer to lateral line150as compared to closer to top as front A-arms30,32. If top rearward A-arms30′,32′ did not arch back towards the frame105, the wheel would not be able to turn as sharp, as indicated by line38. The line38represents an A-Arm without an arcuate shape. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art can realize advantages of an arcuate A-Arm, for example in combination with a shock33,35that is attached below a line connecting front wheel axis, the wheel would then contact that top rear A-Arms30′,32′. In some cases, when the wheel31is turned such that rearward portion of the wheel31is closer to the frame than in a straight configuration, the rearward top A-Arms30′,32′ partially are inset to an inside edge37,37′ of the tire31. For example, the apex of curve of the top A-Arm30′ are inset to tire edge37, as shown inFIG. 4.

The frame can be constructed in various ways, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,493,191 and U.S. application Ser. No. 15/386,837 are incorporated by reference, and describe how an ATV frame can be made and useful with A-Arm(s) described herein.

The A-Arms can be made into an arcuate shape by any means known in the art. For example, the A-Arms can be made from a tubular rod of ¾″ diameter and shaped by bending over a mandrel. The front and rear A-Arms can be made individually or made from a plate and inner portions hallowed out.