Abstract:
A snowmobile stand mechanism for drive-track type snowmobiles is provided comprising a stand rotatable between a transport position where the stand is not engaged and a use position where the stand is engaged and elevates the drive track above the ground surface, the stand comprising leverage means that require minimal physical exertion or, alternatively, motor-driven operation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to snowmobile stand mechanisms, and more particularly to a stand apparatus for attachment to a snowmobile that allows for lifting of the drive track of the snowmobile above ground level. 
     1. Background of the Invention 
     A common problem encountered by operators of drive-track type snowmobiles is the freezing of the drive track to the slide rails which can occur due to parking the vehicle for a period of time after usage. Snow and ice that have attached to the snowmobile during the riding period may melt due to temperature conditions, and refreezing of the melted snow and ice can occur given appropriate conditions, resulting in the drive track becoming frozen to the slide rails. Another problem facing snowmobile operators is the recommendation of manufacturers that their vehicles be raised above the ground surface to warm up the drive train prior to initial attempts to move the vehicle; this relates to the need to prevent drive belt wear and disintegration. 
     Both of these problems facing snowmobile operators can be addressed by employing means of raising the drive track above the ground surface for a desired period. However, potential solutions to these problems are complicated by the weight of commercially available snowmobiles, which can be as much as 700 pounds. Lifting a vehicle of such considerable size is a difficult task. It is also extremely dangerous, as the vehicle must be held up with one hand while a support is positioned beneath the vehicle with the other hand. 
     It is not uncommon to see snowmobiles propped up on wood crates or the like as supports that are perceived as adequate for elevating the vehicle drive track. However, there are serious safety concerns with such a practice, as the operator must engage in strenuous and potentially harmful manual lifting of the vehicle rear to rest it upon the crate, and the crate is likely not a thoroughly stable support apparatus in any event. Lack of a stable support could result in the vehicle falling from the elevated position, potentially causing damage to the vehicle and its surroundings and injury to bystanders. In addition, using such a method when warming up the vehicle prior to operation could result in further potential damage from the vehicle surging forward upon support collapse. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Prior attempts to address these problems include a variety of devices such as stands and jacks. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,729 to Harlow discloses a tripod stand for snowmobiles. The device employs a lever which, when pushed in a downward direction, serves to effect an upward pull on a strap which is temporarily secured to the rear end of the vehicle, elevating the vehicle. However, the device still requires significant physical exertion. In addition, the device is separate from the snowmobile, and this would require storage means on the vehicle not described in the patent, and the separate existence and cumbersome design of the device means that it may not always be available when needed. Such stands are, in fact, often left behind by the operator at the embarkation point, and fail to be of any further use until completion of a full return trip. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,396 to Beals also discloses a snowmobile tripod stand, but in this case using a hook member to engage a lift rod located at the rear of the vehicle. Again, the design is cumbersome and it is separate from the vehicle, similar problems to those found in Harlow. 
     Similar devices are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,200 to Neibrandt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,352 to Latimer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,836 to Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,837 to Cargill et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,378 to Koch et al., all revealing similar difficulties and limitations. 
     The devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,030 to Eggert and U.S. Pat No. 5,873,552 to Skarp are designed to be collapsible, countering a limitation of the other prior art. However, Eggert is a simple lever mechanism requiring significant physical exertion and Skarp provides a stand but no means for actually lifting the vehicle to the desired elevation. As with the above-mentioned art, these two devices are separate from the vehicle and may not be available when needed due to susceptibility to loss or lack of storage space on the vehicle. 
     There are a handful of devices that are capable of attachment to the snowmobile itself. U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,372 to Moreau provides a motorized vehicle stand which, when employed, swings downward about a pivot point until contact with the ground surface. This fails to address the safety concerns outlined above, however, as the operator must still manually lift the rear end of the snowmobile in order to allow the stand to fully engage beneath the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,541 to Sibley discloses a similar stand, and it too fails to provide a means for relieving the operator from the physical stress of lifting the vehicle prior to stand engagement. Canadian patent application 2,123,868 to Ippersiel discloses another similar device, requiring simultaneous rocking and lifting of the vehicle, again failing to address fully the needs of snowmobile operators for a portable, removably attached snowmobile stand that requires only a minimal amount of physical exertion for operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In response to these problems, the present invention seeks to provide a means for safely elevating a snowmobile into a stable position, preventing refreezing of the drive track to the slide rails and allowing for elevated drive train warm-up. The present invention also seeks to provide a snowmobile stand mechanism that can be attached to a snowmobile, said mechanism requiring limited physical exertion for operation. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a snowmobile stand mechanism comprising a stand for a snowmobile of the type having a drive track at a back end of the snowmobile for driving the snowmobile over a ground surface, the stand having a transport position spaced above the ground surface and a use position supporting the back end of the snowmobile with the track spaced above the ground surface, the stand comprising: 
     a support leg having a ground-engaging base; 
     a lever arm assembly including: 
     a lever arm; 
     a lever arm mount for mounting the lever arm on the snowmobile for pivotal movement between the transport and use positions; and 
     a fulcrum pivot mounting the support leg on the lever arm for movement of the support leg between the transport and use positions in response to movement of the lever arm between the transport and use positions; 
     the parts being arranged such that in the use position the support leg is substantially upright with its base engaged with the ground surface, and the lever arm mount is above the fulcrum pivot. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a snowmobile of the type having a drive track at a back end thereof, a stand for selectively supporting the drive track above a ground surface, the stand having a transport position spaced above the ground surface and a use position supporting the back end of the snowmobile with the track spaced above the ground surface, the stand comprising: 
     a support leg having a ground-engaging base; 
     a lever arm assembly including: 
     a lever arm; 
     a lever arm mount mounting the lever arm on the snowmobile for pivotal movement between the transport and use positions; and 
     a fulcrum pivot mounting the support leg on the lever arm for movement of the support leg between the transport and use positions in response to movement of the lever arm between the transport and use positions; 
     the parts being arranged such that in the use position the support leg is substantially upright with its base engaged with the ground surface, and the lever arm mount is above the fulcrum pivot. 
     In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the support leg is substantially U-shaped, with two substantially parallel members extending from the base to the fulcrum pivot. A support leg latch may be included to be selectively engageable for connecting the support leg and the lever arm to prevent pivotal movement of the support leg about the fulcrum pivot. A lever assembly catch mechanism may also be adapted to be mounted on the snowmobile for selectively fastening the lever arm in the transport position to prevent rotation of the lever arm about the lever arm mount. 
     To assist in the goal of providing for minimal physical exertion during operation of the snowmobile lift mechanism, the present invention may be adapted to employ a motor-driven stand actuator. In this preferred embodiment, an actuator motor is attached to the snowmobile by a motor mount, the motor output being connected to the lever arm for selectively moving the lever arm between the transport and use positions. 
     A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention is given in the following. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be construed as limited to those embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a manual embodiment of the present invention as installed on a snowmobile, in the transport position; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of a manual embodiment of the present invention as installed on a snowmobile, in the use position; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a powered embodiment of the present invention as installed on a snowmobile, in the transport position; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a powered embodiment of the present invention as installed on a snowmobile, in the use position; and 
     FIG. 5 is a rear view of a manual embodiment of the present invention as installed on a snowmobile, in the use position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, there are illustrated preferred embodiments of a snowmobile stand mechanism generally referred to by the numeral  10 , shown removably attached to a snowmobile  15  (depicted in phantom lines), said snowmobile  15  of a common type familiar to those skilled in the art and requiring no further description. The snowmobile  15  is driven by a drive track  20  (also depicted in phantom lines). As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the snowmobile stand mechanism  10  includes a support leg  30  having a ground-engaging base  35 , and a lever arm assembly  40 . The lever arm assembly  40  comprises a lever arm  45 , a lever arm mount  50  for mounting the lever arm  45  on the snowmobile  15  for pivotal movement between transport and use positions and a fulcrum pivot  55  mounting the support leg  30  on the lever arm  45  for movement of the support leg  30  between the transport and use positions in response to movement of the lever arm  45  between the transport and use positions. The lever arm mount  50  is attached to the snowmobile  15  by suitable means familiar to those skilled in the art. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the support leg  30  is preferably U-shaped with two substantially parallel members extending from the ground-engaging base  35  to the fulcrum pivot  55 . 
     The support leg  30  is fitted with a support leg latch  65  which acts to prevent rotation of the support leg  30  about the fulcrum pivot  55 . The support leg latch  65  is selectively engageable and attaches to engagement means  105 . The lever arm  45  may be selectively fastened in the transport position by means of a lever assembly catch mechanism  70  which rotates about the pivot defined by pivot means  110  and attaches to engagement means  100 . 
     In the motor-driven embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, there is no support leg  30  but the lever arm assembly  40  is instead fitted with a ground-engaging base  95  which engages the ground surface  25  when in the use position. Nor is there a need for the lever assembly catch mechanism  70 ; this is replaced by the actuator motor  80  and motor output  90  which force rotation of the lever arm assembly  40  about the lever arm mount  50 . The actuator motor  80  is fitted with a motor mount  85  which is attached to the snowmobile  15  by suitable means familiar to those skilled in the art. 
     Having fitted a snowmobile  15  with the snowmobile stand mechanism  10  described above, the utility of the present invention becomes clear in the following situation. Having either operated the snowmobile  15  and being desirous of parking it for a period of time, or being desirous of starting the snowmobile  15  with an elevated position to allow proper warm-up, the snowmobile stand mechanism  10  is operated as follows. For the preferred manual embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and beginning with the snowmobile stand mechanism  10  in the transport position as in FIG. 1, the snowmobile operator (not shown) would first release the support leg latch  65  which was held by the engagement means  105 , allowing the support leg  30  to rotate in a downward direction about the pivot point defined by the fulcrum pivot  55 , the support leg  30  rotating to an upright, near-vertical orientation with the ground-engaging base  35  engaging the ground. The snowmobile operator would then release the lever assembly catch mechanism  70  which was held by the engagement means  100 , rotating the end of the lever assembly catch mechanism  70  that was held by the engagement means  100  upwards about the pivot point defined by the pivot means  110  (see FIG. 2 for the released position). By releasing the lever assembly catch mechanism  70 , the lever arm assembly  40  is allowed to rotate about the pivot point defined by the lever arm mount  50 . The rotation of the lever arm assembly  40 , facilitated by minimal application of manual force to the lever arm  45  by the snowmobile operator, drives the fulcrum pivot  55  in a generally downward direction, forcing the ground-engaging base  35  into firm contact with the ground surface  25 . Continued rotation of the lever arm assembly  40  by a further minimal application of manual force to the lever arm  45  by the snowmobile operator will cause the lever arm mount  50  to pass over the fulcrum pivot  55 , resulting in a shift of vehicle balance that uses the weight of the snowmobile  15  to bring the lever arm assembly  40  and the support leg  30  into contact along their lengths as can be seen in FIG. 2, and support leg latch  65  can be engaged using engagement means  105  to bring stability to the elevated position. The drive track  20  is now no longer in contact with the ground surface  25 , allowing for desired vehicle warm-up operation. The snowmobile  15  can easily be returned to its original transport position by reversing the above steps. 
     For the preferred motor-driven (electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic) embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and beginning with the snowmobile stand mechanism  10  in the transport position as in FIG. 3, the snowmobile operator (not shown) would not need to release any locking structures, as the rotation of the lever arm assembly  40  is controlled by the actuator motor  80 . Activating the actuator motor  80  by conventional means well known to those skilled in the art, the motor output  90  is driven into the lever arm assembly  40  at engagement means  100 . As the actuator motor  80  drives the motor output  90 , the actuator motor  80  rotates about a pivot point defined by the motor mount  85 , forcing rotation of the lever arm assembly  40  about a pivot point defined by the lever arm mount  50 . This rotation of the lever arm assembly  40  will result in the ground-engaging base  95  contacting the ground surface  25  and the vehicle coming to rest in a relatively stable use position as is illustrated in FIG. 4, movement of the ground-engaging base  95  beneath the rear of the snowmobile  15  being facilitated by the curved lip of the ground-engaging base  95 . The drive track  20  is now no longer in contact with the ground surface  25 , allowing for desired vehicle warm-up operation. Again, the snowmobile  15  can easily be returned to its original transport position by reversing the above steps. 
     One further need of snowmobile operators is to have a luggage carrier of some sort provided at the vehicle rear. While some devices incorporate a luggage carrier, such as can be seen in Sibley, the lack of a solution adequately addressing the other problems mentioned above points to the need for a new apparatus that can meet all needs. In accordance with the need for providing a luggage carrier on snowmobiles, the present invention may be adapted such that a luggage carrier is mounted on the lever arm. In the preferred embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to  4 , a luggage carrier  75  is defined in side view as incorporated as part of the lever arm assembly  40 . It is also to be noted, as can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, that the lever arm  45  can be fitted with a back rest  115  at the end remote from the bulk of the lever arm assembly  40 , for increased operator and passenger safety and comfort. 
     While two particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are intended to be included herein. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that modifications of and adjustments to this invention, not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as demonstrated through the preferred embodiments. The snowmobile stand mechanism could also, for example, be designed to allow for easier cleaning, servicing, and repair of snowmobiles, yet another substantial and novel benefit of the present invention. The invention is therefore to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.