Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an all terrain vehicle, and more specifically, to an all terrain vehicle including an air cleaner in a rear portion of a body frame.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     One known type of all terrain vehicle described in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-1508, has the following structure. An air cleaner case is provided at a position which is below a seat and above the rear wheels. Left and right rear fender main bodies are connected to each other in the width direction of the vehicle via side plates, bottom plates and rear plates thereof, and a carrying case is formed by these connecting elements. A labyrinth structure is formed by a front edge of the carrying case and a rear edge of the air cleaner case.  
         [0005]     In a structure in which the air cleaner case is located above the rear wheels, rainwater or the like is splashed by the rear wheels and collides with the air cleaner case and elements in the vicinity thereof. On some occasions, the rainwater or the like may be splashed even onto a top surface of the air cleaner case and enter an inner portion of the air cleaner case. In the above-described all terrain vehicle, the carrying case is formed by the elements connecting the left and right rear fender main bodies, and the labyrinth structure is formed by the front edge of the carrying case and the rear edge of the air cleaner case, so that the labyrinth structure prevents the rainwater or the like from entering the inner portion of the air cleaner case. However, the labyrinth structure causes problems such as complicating the structure of the vehicle and making the assembly work difficult.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In order to overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an all terrain vehicle capable of preventing rainwater or the like from entering an inner portion of an air cleaner without complicating the structure of the vehicle or making the assembly work difficult, while improving the external appearance of the vehicle.  
         [0007]     An all terrain vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes left and right rear wheels, a seat rail including left and right rail main bodies which are provided between the left and right rear wheels when viewed from above, a seat arranged to cover atop surface of the seat rail, an air cleaner provided below the seat, and located between the left and right rail main bodies when viewed from above, and an undercover separated from the air cleaner for covering left, right, bottom and rear surfaces of the air cleaner.  
         [0008]     According to the all terrain vehicle of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the bottom surface of the air cleaner is covered with the undercover. Therefore, rainwater, muddy water, dirt, debris, or the like splashed from the rear wheels collides with the undercover and drops down. Therefore, the rainwater, muddy water, dirt, debris, or the like can be prevented from dropping on the top surface of the air cleaner after moving along the rear wall of the air cleaner or the like and thus entering the inner portion of the air cleaner. The present invention adopts the simple structure of covering the bottom surface of the air cleaner with the undercover. Therefore, the problem of the complicated structure, which is caused by the labyrinth structure, does not arise. In addition, since the left and right surfaces of the air cleaner are covered with the undercover, the external appearance of the all terrain vehicle when viewed from the side is improved.  
         [0009]     Other features, elements, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an all terrain vehicle according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an intake system and the vicinity thereof of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the intake system and the vicinity thereof of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is plan view of a seat rail of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a rear portion of an undercover of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the rear portion of the undercover of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 , taken along line IX-IX of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the undercover of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the rear portion of the undercover taken along line XI-XI of  FIG. 10  and viewed from behind;  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of an air cleaner and the undercover taken along line XII-XII of  FIG. 10  and viewed from behind; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  is a right side view of a rear portion of the all terrain vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  through  FIG. 11  are views illustrating an all terrain vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this preferred embodiment, the terms “front”, “forward”, “rear”, “rearward”, “left”, “right”, “behind” and “side” refer to directions from the point of view of a rider sitting on a seat of the all terrain vehicle.  
         [0025]     In  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 11 , reference numeral  1  represents an all terrain vehicle according to the present preferred embodiment. The all terrain vehicle  1  preferably has the following structure. With reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the all terrain vehicle  1  preferably includes a double-cradle type body frame  2 . By left and right ends of a front edge of the body frame  2 , left and right front wheels  3  are respectively supported via left and right front suspension devices  4 , so as to be swingable upward and downward. Each front wheel  3  has a balloon tire having a low air pressure and has a large width. By left and right ends of a rear edge of the body frame  2 , left and right rear wheels  5  similar to the front wheels  3  are respectively supported via a rear suspension device  6 , so as to be swingable upward and downward. In the cradle of the body frame  2 , an engine unit  7  is mounted. Above the engine unit  7 , a fuel tank  8  is mounted. Forward of the fuel tank  8 , a steering shaft  9  for steering the left and right front wheels  3  is provided so as to be pivotable rightward and leftward. A steering handle  10  is fixed to a top end of the steering shaft  9 . Rearward of the fuel tank  8 , a seat  11  is provided. A front portion of the steering shaft  9  is covered with a front cover  12 . Left and right portions of the fuel tank  8  and lower left and right portions of the seat  11  are covered with side covers  13 . Above the left and right front wheels  3 , left and right front fenders  14  are provided. Above the left and right rear wheels  5 , left and right rear fenders  15  are provided.  
         [0026]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , each front suspension device  4  includes top and bottom front arms  4   a  and a cushion unit  4   b.  The top and bottom front arms  4   a  are supported by a front portion of the body frame  2  so as to be swingable upward and downward, and support the corresponding front-wheel  3 . The cushion unit  4   b  is located between the bottom front arm  4   a  and the body frame  2 .  
         [0027]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the rear suspension device  6  includes a rear arm  6   a  and a cushion unit  6   b.  The rear arm  6   a  is supported by a rear portion of the body frame  2  so as to be swingable upward and downward, and supports the rear wheels  5 . The cushion unit  6   b  is provided between the rear arm  6   a  and the body frame  2 , and is located at the center in a width direction of the all terrain vehicle  1 . In this specification, the “width direction” is a direction that is substantially parallel to the phantom straight line connecting the centers of the left and right front wheels  3  or the centers of the left and right rear wheels  5 . The “longitudinal direction” is a horizontal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the width direction.  
         [0028]     The seat  11  has the structure shown in  FIG. 12 . A cushion material  11   b  is provided on a bottom plate  11   a.  The cushion material  11   b  is covered with a surface layer  11   c,  and a periphery of the surface layer  11   c  is fixed to a periphery of the bottom plate  11   a.    
         [0029]     The bottom plate  11   a  has a groove  11   d  extending along each of left and right edges thereof. Each groove  11  a extends in a longitudinal direction of the all terrain vehicle  1 , and is recessed upward. The left and right rear fenders  15  each have a gutter-like groove  15   a  extending along the corresponding side edge of the seat  11 . Each gutter-like groove  15   a  is provided for allowing rainwater or the like to flow in the longitudinal direction. An inner wall  15   b  of each rear fender  15  protrudes upward like a rib. Each inner wall  15   b  is located in the corresponding groove lid of the bottom plate  11   a  of the seat  11 .  
         [0030]     As a result of the features of the above-described structure, rainwater or the like dropping on the rear fenders  15  flows in the grooves  15   a  in the longitudinal direction and thus, substantially never flows to an area below the seat  11 .  
         [0031]     The body frame  2  includes a main frame  16  ( FIG. 1 ) for supporting the engine unit  7 , the front suspension devices  4  and the rear suspension device  6 , and a seat rail  17  ( FIG. 5 ) attached to the main frame  16  for supporting the seat  11 .  
         [0032]     The seat rail  17  is provided for bearing the load acting on the seat  11 , for example, the body weight of the rider. The seat rail  17  is detachably provided on a rear arm supporting section  16   a  of the main frame  16 .  
         [0033]     The seat rail  17  is preferably molded of an aluminum alloy, and preferably has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above as shown in  FIG. 7 . The seat rail  17  includes a left rail main body  31   a  and a right rail main body  31   b  both extending in the longitudinal direction, a rear portion  31   c  for connecting rear ends of the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b,  and a front portion  31   d  for connecting front ends of the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b.  The front portion  31   d  is curved to protrude upward like a gate. On a top surface of the front portion  31   d,  supporting bosses  31   e  are formed for supporting a rear portion of the fuel tank  8 .  
         [0034]     To a rear portion of the seat rail  17 , a rear bumper  74  is attached. The rear bumper  74  is preferably formed by bending a metal pipe into a substantially C-shaped configuration having left and right portions  74   a  and a rear portion  74   b,  and then forming attachment bosses  74   c  respectively at front ends of the left and right portions  74   a.  The rear bumper  74  is arranged to partially surround the rear portion of the seat rail  17  from behind when viewed from above, and to slightly incline upward and rearward with respect to the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  when viewed from the side of the all terrain vehicle  1 . The attachment bosses  74   c  of the rear bumper  74  are detachably attached to rear portions of the rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  by bolts  74   d.    
         [0035]     As best shown in  FIG. 5 , the engine unit  7  includes a crank case for accommodating a crank shaft, and a cylinder block  7   b,  a cylinder head  7   c  and a head cover  7   d  which are stacked on a top wall of a front portion of the crank case. The crank case, the cylinder block  7   b,  the cylinder head  7   c,  and the head cover  7   d  are tightened to each other by bolts.  
         [0036]     A front wall of the cylinder head  7   c  has an exhaust port, and an exhaust pipe  32   a  ( FIG. 1  ) of an exhaust system  32  is connected to the exhaust port. The exhaust pipe  32   a  extends forward, is bent right-rearward, passes on the right of the cylinder block  7   b,  and extends rearward below the right rail main body  31   b  of the seat rail  17 .  
         [0037]     As best shown in  FIG. 13 , a muffler  32   b  having a larger diameter than that of the exhaust pipe  32   a  is connected to a rear end of the exhaust pipe  32   a.  The muffler  32   b  passes below the right rear fender  15  and extends along the right rail main body  31   b.  The muffler  32   b  is fixed to the right rail main body  31   b  by a bolt  32   c  via a bracket  32   d.  The muffler  32   b  preferably has an elliptical cross section which is longer in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction ( FIG. 12 ). As a result of such a shape, the muffler  32   b  has a necessary volume as a muffler and still is prevented from protruding downward. Thus, the upward and downward swinging strokes of the rear wheels  5  can be guaranteed by the cushion device  6   b  while the height of the body of the all terrain vehicle  1  in the upward-downward direction is limited.  
         [0038]     As best shown in  FIG. 5 , a rear wall of the cylinder head  7   c  has an intake port, and a throttle body  33   a  of an intake system  33  is attached to the intake port via a joint member  33   e.  In the throttle body  33   a,  a throttle valve is provided for controlling the dimensional area of an intake passage. A fuel injection valve  33   b  is provided on a top wall of the throttle body  33   a  so as to incline up rearward. The fuel injection valve  33   b  injects the fuel toward the intake port. A fuel supply rail  33   c  extending generally horizontally in the width direction of the all terrain vehicle  1  is connected to a fuel introduction opening formed at a top end of the fuel injection valve  33   b.  One end of the fuel supply rail  33   c  is connected to a discharge opening of a fuel supply pump  34  provided in the fuel tank  8  via a fuel supply hose  33   d.    
         [0039]     A portion of a bottom wall of the fuel tank  8  which corresponds to a bottom end of the fuel supply pump  34  protrudes downward. The protruding portion is located in a space formed by the head cover  7   d  of the engine unit  7 , the throttle body  33   a,  and fuel injection valve  33   b  and the like.  
         [0040]     As best shown in  FIG. 6 , an air cleaner  71  is connected to the throttle body  33   a  via an intake duct  35 . The intake duct  35  is preferably formed of a resin or rubber, and is gradually bent downward from the throttle body  33   a  and then is bent rearward. The intake duct  35  is located between the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  and on the right of the center line of the all terrain vehicle  1  in the width direction, when viewed from above ( FIG. 6 ).  
         [0041]     On the left of the intake duct  35 , a battery  83  is provided. The battery  83  is accommodated in a supporting box  84 . The supporting box  84  is arranged so as to bridge between the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b.  The battery  83  is fixed to the supporting box  84  via a bracket  85 , and an insulating cover sheet is provided between the battery  83  and the bracket  85 . Reference numeral  86  represents a starter relay. Reference numeral  87  represents a cover sheet for covering the battery  83 .  
         [0042]     The air cleaner  71  is preferably a generally parallelepiped box formed of a resin. The air cleaner  71  includes an air cleaner case  72  and a filtering element (not shown) provided in the air cleaner case  72 . As best shown in  FIG. 12 , the air cleaner case  72  includes a case main body  72   a  defining a lower portion and a case lid  72   b  defining an upper portion. On left and right walls of the case main body  72   a,  flanges  72   c  extending upward and then outward are respectively provided. The flanges  72   c  are preferably integrally formed with the case main body  72   a.  The flanges  72   c  are located on the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b,  respectively and are fixed to the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  by bolts  72   d.    
         [0043]     An air introduction duct  72   e  ( FIG. 5 ) is integrally formed with the case lid  72   b.  As shown in  FIG. 5 , the air introduction duct  72   e  extends upward and forward obliquely from the case lid  72   d.  In more detail, the air introduction duct  72   e  extends forward obliquely along the front portion  11   a ′, which inclines upward and forward obliquely, of the bottom plate  11   a  of the seat  11 . An opening  72   f  of the air introduction duct  72   e  is located at about the same height as a top surface of the engine unit  7 .  
         [0044]     As best shown in  FIG. 10 , an undercover  73  is provided below the air cleaner  71  The undercover  73  is preferably formed of a resin, and includes a case cover portion  73   a  for covering right, left and bottom surfaces of a rear portion of the air cleaner  71  and a rear extension portion  73   b  extending rearward from the case cover portion  73   a  for covering right, left, bottom and rear surfaces of the body of the all terrain vehicle  1 , which is rearward of the air cleaner  71 .  
         [0045]     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the cross section of the undercover  73  taken along a plane crossing the axis (longitudinal direction) of the all terrain vehicle  1  preferably has a substantially C-shaped configuration which is open at an upper portion thereof, when viewed from behind. The undercover  73  includes left and right walls  73   c  and  73   d,  a bottom wall  73   e,  and a rear wall  73   f  ( FIG. 10 ). As best shown in  FIG. 12 , top edges  73   c ′ and  73   d ′ of the left and right walls  73   c  and  73   d  of the undercover  73  are mostly inside the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  of the seat rail  17 . When viewed from the side of the all terrain vehicle  1 , the top edges  73   c ′ and  73   d ′ overlap the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b.  When viewed in the cross section in  FIG. 12 , the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  each have a horizontal portion a and a vertical portion b extending downward from an outer edge of the horizontal portion a, the outer edge being outer in the width direction of the all terrain vehicle  1 . The top edges  73   c ′ and  73   d ′ are each located below the corresponding horizontal portion a and inside the corresponding vertical portion b.  
         [0046]     The case cover portion  73   a  is provided mainly for preventing rainwater or the like splashed upward from colliding with, and going up along, a rear wall  71   a  ( FIG. 10 ) or left or right wall of the air cleaner  71 , and thus flowing toward the opening  72 f ( FIG. 5 ) of the air introduction duct  72   e.  For this purpose, the left and right walls  73   c  and  73   d  and the bottom wall  73   e  of the case cover portion  73   a  extend forward from the rear wall  71   a  of the air cleaner  71  and cover the rear portion of the air cleaner  71  as shown in  FIG. 10 . The left wall  73   c  and a left portion of the bottom wall  73   e  of the case cover portion  73   a  extend further forward as compared to the right wall  73   d.  This extended portion will be referred to as an “extension portion  73   g ”. Above the extension portion  73   g,  a control unit  75  ( FIG. 6 ) for controlling the engine driving state and the like of the all terrain vehicle  1  in this preferred embodiment is provided. Since the extension portion  73   g  prevents rainwater or the like from colliding with the air cleaner  71 , the rainwater or the like can be prevented, with certainty, from going up along the left portion of the air cleaner  71  and dropping on the control unit  75 .  
         [0047]     Inside a rear portion of the rear extension portion  73   b  of the undercover  73 , a tail light  76  is accommodated. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the tail light  76  preferably has a generally parallelepiped shape that is longer in the width direction of the all terrain vehicle  1 . As shown in  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , the tail light  76  includes a lens  76   a  and a supporting plate  76   b  for supporting the lens  76   a.  On the supporting plate  76   b,  left and right supporting bosses  76   c  are formed so as to protrude in the opposite direction from the lens  76   a.  Each supporting boss  76   c  is tightened and fixed to a lamp bracket  73   h,  provided to stand on the undercover  73 , by a bolt  77 . The lens  76   a  is directed rearward through an opening  73   i  formed in the rear wall  73   f  of the undercover  73 . Accordingly, when viewed from behind the all terrain vehicle  1 , the lens  76   a  appears to be mounted on the rear wall  73   f  of the undercover  73 . This structure can give an impression that the body of the all terrain vehicle  1  and the tail light  76  are integral and thus improves the external appearance.  
         [0048]     Reference numeral  78  represents a cable for supplying electric power to the tail light  76 . One of the lamp brackets  73   h  is engaged with a clip  79 , and the cable  78  is supported by the clip  79 . Reference numeral  80  represents a working hole formed in the bottom wall  73   e  ( FIG. 11 ) of the undercover  73 . Around the working hole  80 , a substantially cylindrical wall extending upward from the bottom wall  73   e  is provided. As a result of such a structure, the bottom wall  73   e  is prevented from being reduced in rigidity by the formation of the working hole  80 , and rainwater or the like is prevented from entering the working hole  80 . The working hole  80  is effectively used when the tail light  76  is tightened and fixed to the lamp brackets  73   h  by the bolts  77 .  
         [0049]     The undercover  73  is attached to the body of the all terrain vehicle  1  as follows. As shown in  FIG. 11 , each of left and right stopping bosses  73   j  (only one stopping boss  73   j  is shown in  FIG. 11 ) is provided in a rear portion of the undercover  73 , and an engaging slit  73   k  of the stopping boss  73   j  is engaged with a grommet  74   f  provided on an engaging pipe  74   e  located behind the engaging slit  73   k.  Front edges of the left and right walls  73   c  and  73   d  of the undercover  73  are tightened and fixed to side walls of the case main body  72   a  of the air cleaner  71  by a bolt  81  ( FIG. 10 ).  
         [0050]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a tool  82   a,  an air gauge  82   b,  and electric components such as a relay  82   c,  a fuse  82   d  and the like are provided between the rear portion  31   c  of the seat rail  17  and the rear wall  71   a  of the air cleaner  71 . These vehicle-mounted components are accommodated in an accommodating box, and left, right and bottom surfaces of the accommodating box are surrounded by the undercover  73 . Since the accommodating box is not seen from outside, the degree of freedom of arranging the vehicle-mounted components is increased and the undercover  73  of a simple shape improves the external appearance. The vehicle-mounted components are not limited to the components described in this preferred embodiment, and may be electric components including a battery and a control unit.  
         [0051]     According to this preferred embodiment, the air cleaner  71  is located below the seat rail  17 , which is located below the seat  11 , so as to be positioned between the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  when viewed from above, and the left, right and bottom surfaces of the air cleaner  71  are covered with the undercover  73 . Therefore, rainwater dropping from above and also rainwater or muddy water splashed from the rear wheels  5  can be prevented from entering an inner portion of the air cleaner  71 . Since the muddy water or the like is prevented from going up along the side surfaces of the air cleaner  71  by covering the bottom surface of the air cleaner  71  with the undercover  73 , the problem of the complicated structure which is caused by the labyrinth structure does not arise. In addition, since the left and right surfaces of the air cleaner  71  are covered with the undercover  73 , the external appearance of the all terrain vehicle  1  when viewed from the side is improved.  
         [0052]     The air cleaner  71  is supported by the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b,  and the top edges  73   c ′ and  73   d ′ of the left and right walls  73   c  and  73   d  of the undercover  73  are located inside the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  so as to appear to overlap the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  when viewed from the side. Therefore, rainwater or muddy water can easily flow down along the left and right rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  and the undercover  73 , and thus can be prevented more certainly from entering the inner portion of the air cleaner  71 .  
         [0053]     In the rear portion of the undercover  73 , the rear extension portion  73   b  covering the right, left, bottom and rear surfaces of the rear portion of the body of the all terrain vehicle  1  is provided. Inside the rear extension portion  73   b,  the tail light  76  is accommodated. The lens  76   a  of the tail lamp  76  is directed rearward through the opening  73   i  formed in the rear wall  73   f  of the rear extension portion  73   b.  As a result of such a structure, rainwater or the like can be prevented from being splashed against electric lines of the tail light  76 , and the area around the tail light  76  appears simple and neat so as to improve the external appearance.  
         [0054]     To the rear portion of the seat rail  17 , the rear bumper  74  is attached and arranged so as to surround the rear portion, and the rear extension portion  73   b  of the undercover  73  is attached to the rear bumper  74 . Therefore, the rear portion of the undercover  73  can be supported by the rear bumper  74 , which is originally provided for protecting the rear end portion of the body of the all terrain vehicle  1 . Thus, an increase in the number of components can be avoided.  
         [0055]     The tail light  76  is attached to the lamp brackets  73 h which are preferably integrally formed with the rear extension portion  73   b  of the undercover  73 . Such an arrangement eliminates the necessity of separately providing a supporting member for the tail light  76 , and thus simplifies thus the attaching structure of the tail light  76 . The above-described arrangement also makes it easy to positionally align the lens  76   a  of the tail light  76  and the opening  73   i  of the undercover  73 . The reason is that the lamp brackets  73   h  are formed on the undercover  73  which has the opening  73   i,  and the tail light  76  is attached to the lamp brackets  73   h.    
         [0056]     The tool  82   a  and the electric components including the relay  83   c  are provided rearward with respect to the air cleaner  71  and forward with respect to the tail light  76 , and are covered with the rear extension portion  73   b  of the undercover  73 . Therefore, the tool and other electric components can be protected against rainwater and muddy water.  
         [0057]     The left, right and bottom surfaces of the portion of the all terrain vehicle  1  from the air cleaner  71  to the tail light  76  are covered with one portion of the undercover  73 . The top edges  73   c ′ and  73   d ′ of the left and right walls  73   c  and  73   d  of the undercover  73  are located inside the rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  in the width direction of the all terrain vehicle  1 , and appear to overlap the rail main bodies  31   a  and  31   b  when viewed from the side of the all terrain vehicle  1 . Therefore, rainwater or the like splashed from the rear wheels  5  is prevented from entering inside the undercover  73 , and also the external appearance is improved.  
         [0058]     The present invention is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiments, but various variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The presently disclosed preferred embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein.

Technology Category: 7