CN111152644B - utility vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A utility vehicle (2) includes a plurality of ground engaging members (4), a frame (10) supported by the ground engaging members, an operator area, and a powertrain assembly (70). The operator area includes a side-by-side seat, a powertrain assembly supported by the frame and including an engine (72), a turbocharger (78), and an exhaust manifold (346), the engine (72) supported by the frame, the turbocharger (78) operatively coupled to the engine and having a turbine housing (340) supporting a turbine and a compressor housing (342) supporting a compressor, the exhaust manifold (346) being integral with the turbine housing of the turbocharger.

Description

utility vehicle

The present invention is filed on November 18, 2015, and the application number is 201580066871.6

(PCT/US2015/061272), a divisional application of an invention patent application titled "Multipurpose Vehicle".

technical field

The present invention relates generally to a vehicle, and in particular to a vehicle having a supercharged powertrain assembly.

Background technique

Vehicles including utility vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, tractors, and others are known. These vehicles may include an engine, transmission, and forced air inducer (eg, supercharger, turbocharger). By providing a vehicle with a supercharged powertrain component, the power output of the powertrain component may be increased.

A forced air inducer, such as a supercharger or turbocharger, operates by compressing pre-combustion air flowing into the engine. However, compressing the pre-combustion air may increase the temperature of the air. In order to maintain the temperature of the intake air, an intercooler may be provided to reduce the temperature of charge air or charge air flowing into the engine from the forced air inducer.

Contents of the invention

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle includes: a plurality of ground engaging members; an under frame supported by the ground engaging members and having a front portion and a rear portion; an open-air seating area, the The seating area is supported between the front portion and the rear portion by the lower frame; the upper frame is coupled to the lower frame and cooperates to substantially surround the seating area; the power train assembly is supported by the lower frame Supporting and including the engine, the shiftable transmission, and the continuously variable transmission; and a cooling assembly operatively coupled to the powertrain assembly and extending from the front portion to the rear portion of the lower frame. The cooling assembly has a first cooling circuit configured to vary the temperature of the engine and a second cooling circuit configured to vary the temperature of intake air received within the engine.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground engaging members and a frame assembly supported by the ground engaging members, the frame assembly having a lower frame and an upper frame. The lower frame has a front portion and a rear portion. The utility vehicle also includes an exposed operator area supported by a frame assembly, a powertrain assembly supported by a rear portion of the lower frame, and a cooling assembly, wherein the powertrain assembly includes an engine, a shiftable transmission, and a clutch assembly , the cooling assembly includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger is positioned at the front portion of the lower frame and is used for cooling the engine, and the second heat exchanger is positioned at the rear portion of the lower frame and is used for cooling Air intake of the engine.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground engaging members, a frame supported by the ground engaging members, an operator area having side-by-side seats supported by the frame, and a powertrain assembly that An engine including a first cylinder, a second cylinder in-line with the first cylinder, and a crankshaft is included. The engine is configured for 270-degree ignition timing. The powertrain assembly also includes a gas supercharger operatively coupled to the engine.

In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground engaging members, a frame supported by the ground engaging members, an operator area having side-by-side seating, and a powertrain assembly supported by the frame. The powertrain assembly includes an engine supported by a frame, a turbocharger operably coupled to the engine and having a turbine housing and a compressor housing, and an exhaust gas integrated with the turbine housing of the turbocharger. manifold.

In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, an integral housing member for a powertrain assembly of a vehicle includes an exhaust manifold configured to be mounted to an engine and a turbocharger integral with the exhaust manifold turbine casing.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground engaging members, a frame supported by the ground engaging members, and a powertrain assembly supported by the frame. The powertrain assembly includes an engine supported by a frame, the engine having a crankshaft and a continuously variable transmission having a first clutch assembly operatively coupled to the crankshaft, A second clutch assembly and a housing substantially enclosing the first clutch assembly and the second clutch assembly. The second clutch assembly includes a fixed sheave and a movable sheave. The powertrain assembly also includes a shiftable transmission operably coupled to the engine through the continuously variable transmission. The shiftable transmission includes a housing having a mounting surface for coupling to the housing of the continuously variable transmission and a shaft operably coupled to the second clutch pack. The shaft extends less than 160 mm from the mounting surface of the shiftable transmission housing and the inner surface of the movable sheave is positioned less than 60 mm from the mounting surface of the shiftable transmission.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground engaging members, a frame supported by the ground engaging members, and a powertrain assembly supported by the frame. The powertrain assembly includes an engine supported by the frame, a continuously variable transmission supported by the frame and having a structural housing member, and a shiftable transmission operably coupled to the engine by the structural housing member of the continuously variable transmission. The shiftable transmission includes a first mounting surface coupled to a first portion of a structural housing member of the continuously variable transmission, and the engine has a second mounting surface coupled to a second portion of the structural housing member of the continuously variable transmission, the shiftable Mounting the first mounting surface of the transmission to the structural housing member fixes the orientation of the shiftable transmission relative to the engine.

Description of drawings

The above and other features of the invention and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be better understood, by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a left front perspective view of a utility vehicle of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a right rear perspective view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

Figure 3 is a left side view of the vehicle of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a right side view of the vehicle of Figure 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

Figure 6 is a front view of the vehicle of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a rear view of the vehicle of Figure 1;

8 is a left front perspective view of a portion of the front suspension assembly and front wheel assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1 ;

9A is a cross-sectional view of a shock absorber of a front suspension assembly;

9B is an exploded view of a portion of the shock absorber of FIG. 9A including a bypass spacer;

Figure 9C is an exploded view of the bypass gasket of Figure 9B;

Figure 10A is an alternative embodiment of a shock absorber for a front suspension assembly;

10B is an exploded view of a portion of the shock absorber of FIG. 10A including an alternative embodiment bypass shim;

Figure 10C is an exploded view of the bypass gasket of Figure 10B;

11A is a right front perspective view of a portion of the wheel assembly of FIG. 8 with a brake caliper;

11B is a right rear perspective view of the wheel assembly and brake caliper of FIG. 8;

Figure 12 is an exploded view of the wheel assembly and brake caliper of Figure 8;

Figure 13A is a perspective view of the brake caliper of Figures 11A and 11B;

Figure 13B is an exploded view of the brake caliper of Figure 13A;

14 is a left front perspective view of a powertrain assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1 ;

15 is a right rear perspective view of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 14;

16 is a perspective view of a first cylinder and a second cylinder of the engine of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15;

17 is a perspective view of the first piston, the second piston, and the crankshaft of the engine of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15;

18 is a schematic diagram of the ignition timing of the engine of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15, showing the position of the second piston of FIG. 17 when the first piston of FIG. 17 is at top dead center;

19 is a schematic diagram of the ignition timing of the engine of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15 showing the position of the first piston of FIG. 17 when the crankshaft of FIG. 17 has rotated and the second piston of FIG. 17 is at top dead center;

20 is a bottom view of a portion of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15;

21 is a right front perspective view of the continuously variable transmission and shiftable transmission of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15;

Fig. 22 is an exploded view of the continuously variable transmission and the shiftable transmission of Fig. 21;

23 is a left side view of the continuously variable transmission of FIG. 22 with the outer cover removed;

24 is an exploded view of the continuously variable transmission of FIG. 23 illustratively having an inner cover, a driving clutch, a driven clutch, and a belt;

Figure 25 is an exploded view of the drive clutch of Figure 24;

Figure 26 is an exploded view of the tripod member of the drive clutch of Figure 25;

27 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the tripod member of the drive clutch of FIG. 25 taken along line 27-27 of FIG. 24;

28 is a cross-sectional view of the drive clutch of FIG. 23 taken along line 28-28 of FIG. 23;

Fig. 29 is an exploded view of the driven clutch of Fig. 24;

Figure 30 is another exploded view of the driven clutch of Figure 29;

31 is a cross-sectional view of the driven clutch of FIG. 23 taken along line 31-31 of FIG. 23;

32 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the driven clutch of FIG. 23;

Figure 33 is an exploded view of the alternate embodiment driven clutch of Figure 32;

Figure 34 is another exploded view of the alternate embodiment driven clutch of Figure 33;

35 is a left side view of the shiftable transmission of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15;

36 is a left front perspective view of the rear portion of the frame assembly and driveline assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1 ;

37 is a left rear perspective view of the drive train assembly of FIG. 36;

38 is an exploded view of the joint between the drive shaft of the shiftable transmission of FIG. 35 and the drive train assembly of FIG. 37;

39 is a left front perspective view of the air intake assembly for the engine and the forced air inducer of the powertrain of FIG. 15;

Figure 40 is a right rear perspective view of the intake assembly and forced air inducer of Figure 39;

41 is a left rear perspective view of a portion of the air intake assembly and forced air inducer of FIG. 40;

42 is a right front perspective view of the forced air inducer of FIG. 41 coupled to a frame arm and the exhaust manifold of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

43A is a right front perspective view of the forced air inducer and exhaust manifold of FIG. 42 showing the wastegate and wastegate block;

43B is a right front perspective view of the forced air inducer and exhaust manifold of FIG. 42, wherein the exhaust manifold has an alternative embodiment wastegate block;

Figure 44 is a right rear perspective view of the forced air inducer and exhaust manifold of Figure 42;

45 is a left front perspective view of the exhaust assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1 ;

Figure 46 is a right rear perspective view of the exhaust assembly of Figure 45;

47 is a right rear perspective view of a portion of the exhaust assembly of FIG. 46;

Figure 48 is an exploded view of a portion of the exhaust assembly of Figure 46;

49 is another exploded view of a portion of the exhaust assembly of FIG. 46;

50 is a right front perspective view of an oil conduit fluidly coupled to the engine and forced air inducer of the powertrain assembly of FIG. 15;

51 is a left front perspective view of the cooling assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1 ;

Figure 52 is a right rear perspective view of the cooling assembly of Figure 51;

Figure 53 is a left front perspective view of the cooling circuit of the cooling assembly of Figure 52;

Figure 54 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling pipeline of Figure 53;

55 is a rear view of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger of the cooling assembly of FIG. 52;

56 is an exploded view of the cooling fluid reservoir of the cooling assembly of FIG. 52;

Figure 57 is a perspective view of the water pump of the cooling assembly of Figure 52;

Figure 58 is another perspective view of the water pump of Figure 57;

59 is a cross-sectional view of the front portion of the vehicle of FIG. 1 showing airflow through the first and second heat exchangers of FIG. 52;

60 is a rear perspective view of a third heat exchanger of the cooling assembly of FIG. 53 coupled to a portion of the engine of the vehicle of FIG. 1 ;

Figure 61 is an exploded view of the portion of the third heat exchanger and engine of Figure 60; and

62 is a right rear perspective view of the third heat exchanger of FIG. 60 and a portion of the cooling assembly of FIG. 53 .

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The drawings are to scale unless otherwise indicated.

Detailed ways

The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments were chosen and described so that others skilled in the art can utilize their teachings. Although the present disclosure is primarily directed to utility vehicles, it should be understood that the features disclosed herein may be applied to other types of vehicles, such as other all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and golf carts.

Referring to FIGS. 1-7 , an illustrative embodiment of a utility vehicle 2 is shown. Vehicle 2 is configured for off-road operation. Vehicle 2 includes a plurality of ground engaging members 4 , illustratively front wheels 6 and rear wheels 8 . In one embodiment, one or more ground engaging members 4 can be obtained from Polaris Industries Inc. (Polaris Industries Inc.) such as 2100 of Highway 55 in Medina, MN 55340 Tracks such as the Prospector II Tracks of the United States, or replace them with tracks such as U.S. Patents 8,176,957 (Attorney Docket No. The entire disclosure of ® is hereby expressly incorporated by reference - non-pneumatic tires such as those shown in substituted for non-pneumatic tires.

The vehicle 2 also includes a lower frame assembly 10 (partially shown in FIG. 36 ) supported by the ground engaging member 4 and extending along the longitudinal centerline _CL of the vehicle 2 . The lower frame assembly 10 includes a front portion 12 , a rear portion 14 , and an intermediate portion 16 extending between the front portion 12 and the rear portion 14 . Additionally, the vehicle 2 includes an upper frame assembly 19 extending vertically above the lower frame assembly 10 , more specifically at least at the middle portion 16 of the lower frame assembly 10 . The lower frame assembly 10 supports a rear cargo support area 17 and a body 18 including a plurality of body panels.

The vehicle 2 also includes an open air operator area 20 that includes seating 22 for one or more passengers. As such, the operator area 20 is exposed to ambient air and is not completely enclosed. Upper frame assembly 19 may be positioned generally around operator area 20 such that seat 22 is at least partially surrounded by upper frame assembly 19 . Additionally, side nets or doors 29 may be positioned along the sides of the operator area 20 and seat 22 . Illustratively, the seats 22 include an operator seat and a passenger seat, however, the seats 22 may also include rear seats for additional passengers. The seat 22 may include a seat back 24 and a seat bottom 26 for at least an operator and a passenger.

The operator area 20 also includes a plurality of operator controls 28 , such as a steering wheel 27 , through which an operator may provide inputs for operating the vehicle 2 . Additionally, the steering assembly including the steering wheel 27 may be configured to turn 1.5 turns to the limit position. International Patent Application No. PCT/US13/64516 (Attorney Docket PLR-06-25448.04P-WO) filed October 11, 2013 - the entire disclosure of this International Patent Application is expressly incorporated by reference Various operator controls, including the steering assembly, are further described herein. The operator area 20 and controls 28 may also include an HVAC system for operator and passenger comfort.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the vehicle 2 includes a rear suspension assembly 37 including an anti-roll bar, trailing arms and shock absorbers 39 as shown in FIG. 7 . In one embodiment, the shock absorber 39 may be as described in International Patent Application No. PCT/US13/64516 (Attorney Docket PLR-06-25448.04P-WO) filed on October 11, 2013 - the International The entire disclosure of the patent application is expressly incorporated herein by reference - the internal bypass shock absorber disclosed in.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the vehicle 2 includes a front suspension assembly 30 supported by the front portion 12 of the lower frame assembly 10 . Front suspension assembly 30 includes an upper control arm 32 , a lower control arm 34 , and a linear force element, illustratively a shock absorber 36 ( FIG. 6 ). The upper control arm 32 includes inner mounting members 40 a , 40 b for coupling to the front portion 12 of the lower frame assembly 10 and an outer mounting member 42 for coupling to the knuckle 48 of the hub assembly 50 . The lower control arm 34 includes an inner mounting member 44 for coupling to the front portion 12 of the lower frame assembly 10 and an outer mounting member 46 also for coupling to the steering knuckle 48 of the hub assembly 50 .

Referring to FIGS. 9A to 9C , the shock absorber 36 includes an elongated shock absorber cylinder 36 a and an outer spring portion 36 b, as shown in FIG. 6 . In one embodiment, the shock absorber 36 may be an internal bypass including a piston 500, an inner sleeve 501, a piston rod 502, a passage 504, an upper passage 506, a lower passage 508, a drain hole 509, and a bypass shim assembly 510. General shock absorber. The channel 504 extends in the circumferential direction between the inner sleeve 501 and the damper cylinder 36 and generally extends from the upper end of the damper cylinder 36a to the lower end of the damper cylinder 36a. Channel 504 includes passageways 506, 508 and may be cast, extruded, machined, or otherwise formed in damper cylinder 36a.

Referring to FIGS. 9A-9C , bypass shim assembly 510 includes cover shim or plate 512 , preload shim or plate 514 and top shim or plate 516 . Top shim 516 is located outboard of both cover shim 512 and preload shim 514 such that preload shim 514 is intermediate cover shim 512 and top shim 516 . The thickness of the top shim 516 may be less than, equal to, or greater than the thickness of the cover shim 512 and the thickness of the preload shim 514 . Additionally, the length of the top spacer 516 may be varied to accommodate various parameters of the shock absorber 36 . Top spacer 516 is coupled to damper cylinder 36a by fastener 518 extending through aperture 526 of top spacer 516 and into bore 522 of damper cylinder 36a.

Cover gasket 512 directly abuts and contacts shock absorber cylinder 36a and is coupled to the shock absorber cylinder by fastener 518 extending through aperture 520 in cover gasket 512 and aperture 522 in shock absorber cylinder 36a . Additionally, the length of the cover shim 512 may be greater than the length of the preload shim 514 and the length of the top shim 516 .

Preload shim 514 is positioned adjacent cover shim 512 such that cover shim 512 is positioned intermediate preload shim 514 and shock absorber cylinder 36a. The preload spacer 514 includes a central opening 524 through which the fastener 518 extends when coupled to the damper cylinder 36a. As shown in Figure 9A, the preload shim 514 is tapered toward the middle portion such that the thickness of the longitudinal ends of the preload shim 514 is equal to the thickness of the cover shim 512, while the thickness of the middle portion of the preload shim 514 is less than The thickness of the longitudinal ends and the thickness of the covering spacer 512 . In this way, the preload spacer 514 can have a high preload force, combined with a low spring rate, allowing effective damping to control the pitch and roll motion of the vehicle 2 when the vehicle 2 contacts an object, yet be configured so that The "drain" or bulk flow of oil. Bypass shim assembly 510 may also reduce or eliminate emissions within shock absorber cylinder 36a.

In operation, gas, hydraulic fluid, or other fluid within shock absorber cylinder 36a flows through passages 506 , 508 , thereby bypassing the damping system of shock absorber 36 as vehicle 2 traverses horizontal terrain. The fluid then travels down through channel 504 and through vent hole 509 , which allows fluid to flow along the underside of piston 500 . However, the shock absorber 36 compresses during a jolt when the vehicle 2 contacts an object, for example, and fluid flows from the upper end of the shock absorber cylinder 36 a and along the upper surface of the piston 500 . During rebound, fluid flows down through the damper cylinder 36 a , through the drain hole 509 and up through the passage 504 around the piston 500 . Fluid can then flow into the inner sleeve 501 through additional discharge holes located at the top portion of the inner sleeve 501 . Additional details of the shock absorber 36 can be found in International Patent Application No. PCT/US13/64516 (Attorney Docket PLR-06-25448.04P-WO) filed October 11, 2013 - the entirety of which is The disclosure is expressly incorporated herein by reference - Disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 10A-10C , an alternative embodiment of a bypass shim assembly 510 is shown as a bypass shim assembly 510' and includes a cover shim 512', a preload shim 514', a spring shim, or plate 530 and top spacer 516 . Spring washer 530 is positioned intermediate preload washer 514' and top washer 516 and includes an aperture 532 for receiving fastener 518. The spring washer 530 may have a low spring rate, in combination with the preloaded washer 514', allows effective damping to control the pitch and roll motion of the vehicle 2 when the vehicle 2 contacts an object, and is configured so that oil "discharge" or bulk outflow.

As shown in FIGS. 10A-10C , top spacer 516 is located on the exterior of cover spacer 512', spring spacer 530, and preload spacer 514'. The thickness of the top spacer 516 can be less than, equal to or greater than the thickness of the cover spacer 512', the thickness of the spring spacer 530 and the thickness of the preload spacer 514', and the length of the top spacer 516 can be changed to accommodate the shock absorber 36 various parameters. Top spacer 516 is coupled to damper cylinder 36a by fastener 518 extending through aperture 526 of top spacer 516 . Cover gasket 512' directly abuts and contacts shock absorber cylinder 36a and is coupled to the shock absorber by fastener 518 extending through aperture 520 in cover gasket 512' and aperture 522 in shock absorber cylinder 36a. cylinder. Additionally, the length of the cover shim 512' may be greater than the length of the preload shim 514', the length of the spring shim 530, and the length of the top shim 516.

Preload shim 514' is positioned adjacent cover shim 512' and includes a central opening 524' through which fastener 518 extends when coupled to damper cylinder 36a. As shown in FIG. 10A, the preload spacer 514' tapers toward the middle portion such that the thickness of the longitudinal ends of the preload spacer 514' is equal to the thickness of the spring washer 530, while the middle portion of the preload spacer 514' The thickness is smaller than the thickness of the longitudinal ends and the thickness of the spring washer 530 . In this way, the preload spacer 514' can have a high preload force, which, combined with the low spring rate of the spring spacer 530, allows effective damping to be provided to control the pitch and motion of the vehicle 2 when the vehicle 2 contacts an object. roll motion and are configured so that oil volume "drains" or flows in bulk. Bypass shim assembly 510' may also reduce or eliminate emissions within shock absorber cylinder 36a.

As shown in FIGS. 11A-13B , the hub assembly 50 includes a brake disc or rotor 52 operatively coupled to a brake caliper 54 . Brake disc 52 may be constructed of stainless steel and may be approximately 7.5mm thick. As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B , brake caliper 54 is coupled to brake disc 52 with fasteners 53 received by bosses 55 on brake disc 52 . The illustrative brake caliper 54 includes three separate piston systems 56, more specifically a first piston system 56a, a second piston system 56b, and a third piston system 56c. Each of the piston systems 56a, 56b and 56c includes a corresponding piston 58a, 58b and 58c. The diameters of pistons 58a, 58b and 58c may be the same or may be different. For example, as shown in Figures 13A and 13B, the diameter of piston 58a is smaller than the diameter of pistons 58b, 58c. Additionally, the illustrative piston 58b has a smaller diameter than the piston 58c. In one embodiment, piston 58a may have a diameter of 23mm to 28mm, illustratively 25.4mm, piston 58b may have a diameter of 28mm to 32mm, illustratively 30.2mm, and piston 58c may have a diameter of 33mm to 37mm, Illustratively 35mm. Varying the diameter of the pistons 58a, 58b, 58c allows adjustment of braking parameters to suit various conditions.

13A and 13B, the first piston system 56a includes two separate brake pads 60a and 60b, the second piston system 56b includes two separate brake pads 62a and 62b, and the third piston system 56b includes two Separate brake pads 64a and 64b. Each of pistons 58a, 58b and 58c is aligned with a pair of brake pads 60a and 60b, 62a and 62b, and 64a and 64b, respectively. The brake pads 60a, 60b, 62a, 62b, 64a, 64b are discontinuous and as shown are not directly coupled to adjacent brake pads. Like the pistons 58a, 58b, 58c, the brake pads 60a, 60b, 62a, 62b, 64a, 64b may be sized differently from each other, which allows further adjustment of the braking parameters of the vehicle 2 . Brake pads 60 a , 62 a , 64 a are coupled to plate 66 and brake pads 60 b , 62 b , 64 b are coupled to plate 68 . One or both of the plates 66 , 68 can slide relative to the brake disc 52 to slow or stop the rotation of the front wheel 6 . More particularly, one or both of the plates 66, 68 may slide along slide pins 69 to effect vehicle braking.

By providing three pistons 58a, 58b and 58c and corresponding three sets of brake pads 60a and 60b, 62a and 62b, and 64a and 64b, the size of the brake caliper 54 is kept compact while providing flexibility for off-road vehicles on a variety of terrains. full braking. In one embodiment, the brake caliper 54 is operatively coupled to the master cylinder and may be configured to provide braking power to fewer than all of the pistons 58a, 58b, 58c at any given moment, or alternatively may It is configured to provide braking power to all three pistons 58a, 58b, 58c simultaneously to increase braking power. Additionally, the three-piston configuration of brake caliper 54 allows for more even wear of brake pads 60a and 60b, 62a and 62b, and 64a and 64b. The three-piston configuration of the brake caliper 54 may also slow the rise in temperature of the brake disc 52 and brake caliper 54 during their operation.

The rear wheel 8 may also include a hub assembly similar to the hub assembly 50 that includes a brake disc and a three-piston caliper. Alternatively, the rear wheel 8 may comprise a dual piston caliper.

14 and 15, the vehicle 2 also includes a powertrain assembly 70 that is supported by the rear portion 14 of the lower frame assembly 10 and includes an engine 72, a shiftable transmission 74, a continuously variable transmission (" CVT") 76, a forced air inducer illustratively a gas booster 78. In one embodiment, the gas supercharger 78 is a turbocharger, but alternatively, the gas supercharger 78 may be a supercharger or any other similar device. As further detailed herein, powertrain components including gas supercharger 78 are fluidly coupled to intake assembly 320 and exhaust assembly 360 of vehicle 2 .

As shown in FIG. 14 , the powertrain assembly 70 is supported on at least the longitudinal frame member 11 and the engine mount 13 of the lower frame assembly 10 . The longitudinal frame members 11 are substantially parallel to the centerline _CL of the vehicle 2 ( FIG. 5 ), and the engine mount 13 extends transversely to the centerline _CL and the longitudinal frame members 11 . The engine mount 13 supports at least the engine 72 via a bracket 15 extending from the engine mount 13 to the engine 72 . In particular, the brackets are coupled to upper and lower portions of sump 394 of engine 72 .

An illustrative engine 72 may be 925cc and configured to provide 135 horsepower at approximately 8,000 rpm. As shown in FIG. 16 , engine 72 includes a cylinder block 73 having at least one cylinder 80 and a crankshaft 84 . Thus, in FIG. 14 , the engine 72 includes a crankcase 83 for enclosing a crankshaft 84 . The crankcase 83 includes an upper portion 83a and a lower portion 83b. Illustratively, the engine 72 is an inline twin cylinder engine having a first cylinder 80a and a second cylinder 80b. The cylinders 80 are generally circular in cross-section and are each configured to receive a piston 82 . More specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, cylinder 80a may receive piston 82a and cylinder 80b may receive piston 82b. Piston 82 is operably coupled to crankshaft 84 of engine 72 . Piston 82a is coupled to crankshaft 84 by a connecting rod 86a, and piston 82b is coupled to crankshaft 84 by a connecting rod 86b. Within the cylinder head 73, knocking may be monitored and, in the event of a knocking being sensed, operation of the vehicle 2 may be limited to a certain speed until the cause of the knocking is eliminated.

During operation of engine 72 , piston 82 is configured to reciprocate within cylinder 80 and crankshaft 84 rotates. In one embodiment, engine 72 is configured to operate with 270 degree firing timing or 270 degree firing order, which may be activated by the engine control unit of powertrain assembly 270 . More specifically, as shown in FIG. 18, when the piston 82a is located at the top dead center in the cylinder 80a, the piston 82b is located at a position midway between the top dead center and the bottom dead center. Illustratively, when piston 82a is at top dead center, or beginning its power stroke, within cylinder 80a, piston 82b within cylinder 80b is midway through its intake stroke. Thus, when crankshaft 84 rotates (counterclockwise as shown) approximately 270 degrees, piston 82b will be at top dead center within cylinder 80a, and piston 82a will have completed its power stroke and will be at its exhaust position. mid-stroke. As shown in FIG. 19, it should be appreciated that the approximately 270 degree ignition timing of the engine 72 can be adjusted to vary the various components of the powertrain assembly 70 by timing the various positions of the pistons 82a, 82b with respect to different rotations of the crankshaft 84. kinds of parameters. For example, 270 degrees of spark timing may refer to rotating the crankshaft 84 approximately 250 to 290 degrees rather than exactly 270 degrees to produce approximately the same piston timing as detailed herein. Such changes to precise offsets can be made according to the impact forces, emissions, vibrations and durability experienced by the bearings and clutches. In this way, the illustrative vehicle 2 is a side-by-side off-road vehicle including a two-cylinder in-line engine with a 270-degree ignition timing that may improve the vehicle relative to other ignition timings. 2 and reduce vibration of the power train assembly 70. However, other timings are also contemplated, such as the more traditional 360 degree timing.

As shown by the bottom in FIG. 20 , the engine 72 is positioned longitudinally forward of at least a portion of the shiftable transmission 74 . Additionally, engine 72 is positioned at least partially rearward of seat 22 , as shown in FIG. 3 . As also shown in FIGS. 3 and 20 , the CVT 76 is located laterally outward of the engine 72 and shiftable transmission 74 and extends substantially parallel to the centerline _CL of the vehicle 2 ( FIG. 5 ). More specifically, CVT 76 is positioned along the left side of vehicle 2 and at least partially behind seat 22 .

Engine 72 includes a mounting surface 88 for coupling with CVT 76 . In particular, the CVT 76 includes a housing 90 having an inner portion or cover 92 and an outer portion or cover 94 coupled together. CVT housing 90 also includes an intake port 95 for admitting air to cool CVT 76 and an exhaust port 97 for expelling air from CVT 76 . Inner cover 92 includes a mounting surface 96 that generally abuts mounting surface 88 of engine 72 to couple engine 72 to CVT 76 . More specifically, upper crankcase portion 83 a and lower crankcase portion 83 b each include a mounting boss 99 for coupling with CVT 76 . As such, engine 72 and CVT 76 are in direct contact with each other, which allows for a compact configuration of powertrain assembly 70 . Additionally, as shown in FIG. 21 , the CVT 76 includes a fastener 98 as described in further detail herein.

Referring to FIG. 22 , the inner cover 92 of the CVT 76 also includes a mounting surface 100 for sealingly coupling to the housing 75 of the shiftable transmission 74 . More specifically, mounting surface 100 abuts mounting surface 102 of housing 75 to couple CVT 76 to housing 75 . Threaded pin 106 of CVT 76 extends through mounting boss 292 on shiftable transmission 74 and couples with fastener 104 to secure CVT 76 to shiftable transmission 74 .

23 and 24, the CVT 76 includes a first or driving clutch or pulley 110, a second or driven clutch or pulley 112, and a belt 116 extending therebetween. Drive clutch 110 is rotatably coupled to crankshaft 84 of engine 72 . Driven clutch 112 is rotatably coupled to input shaft 118 of shiftable transmission 74 and is rotatably coupled to drive clutch 110 by belt 116 . Belt 116 may be constructed of a polymeric material, such as rubber, and may also include reinforcement members, such as metal cords or other reinforcing materials. In one embodiment, the strap 116 may be constructed of a metallic material, for example, the strap 116 may be a chain. In cross-section, the strap 116 may generally define a "V" shape. Band 116 is configured to contact drive clutch 110 and increases in diameter to contact driven clutch 112 . More specifically, the pitch circle diameter PD ₁ of the belt 116 at the point of contact with the drive clutch 110 is about 80 mm to 90 mm, illustratively about 84.1 mm. In other words, the pitch circle diameter of the driving clutch 110 is about 80 mm to 90 mm. In the case where the pitch circle diameter of the drive clutch 110 is between 80mm and 90mm, the maximum torque/unit length of the CVT 76 may be reduced. Additionally, to reduce the operating time of the CVT 76 as the torque-to-unit-length ratio increases, overdrive can be enhanced and shifting of the shiftable transmission 74 can be reduced. For example, in one embodiment, the low ratio of the CVT 76 may be 2.5:1 to 3.5:1, and illustratively may be 3.0:1. The underdrive ratio may be about 3.0, and the overdrive ratio may be about 0.7. In addition, the pitch circle diameter PD ₂ of the belt 116 at the point of contact with the driven clutch 112 is about 226 mm to 240 mm, and illustratively about 232.7 mm. In other words, the pitch circle diameter of the driven clutch 112 is about 226 mm to 240 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 25-28 , the drive clutch 110 includes a movable sheave 120 positioned adjacent the outer cover 94 of the CVT 76 and a fixed sheave 122 positioned adjacent the inner cover 92 of the CVT 76 . The fixed sheave 122 includes a splined central opening 124 for engaging a first splined portion 126 of a post 123 including a tapered volume 125 for engaging the crankshaft 84 of the engine 72 . The column 123 also includes a second spline portion 128 for engaging with the movable sheave 120 . During operation of the CVT 76 , the fixed sheave 122 maintains a fixed position and does not move relative to the movable sheave 120 .

Instead, the movable sheave 120 of the drive clutch 110 is configured to move laterally relative to the fixed sheave 122 to engage the belt 116 and achieve various gear ratios. Washer 148 and support 150 are positioned intermediate fixed sheave 122 and movable sheave 120 to define the path of belt groove or belt 116 . Since the diameter of the central opening 124 is smaller than the diameter of the washer 148 and the support 150 , the washer 148 and the support 150 are not positioned within the central opening 124 of the stationary sheave 122 .

Movable sheave 120 includes a tower or base member 130, an intermediate or tripod member 132 positioned adjacent to tower 130, and a cover member 134 positioned adjacent to tripod 132 such that tripod 132 is positioned above tower 130. Between the cover member 134 . Cover member 134 is coupled to tower member 130 by fasteners 144 received within mounting bosses 146 on tower member 130 . Cover member 134 includes a central opening 154 for engaging fastener 98 .

Movable sheave 120 also includes a plurality of counterweights, illustratively flyweights 136 , which are rotatably coupled to tower member 130 by pins 138 and fasteners 140 . Flying weights 136 are centrifugal weights that can pivot radially to move or slide the movable sheave 120 laterally relative to the fixed sheave 122 as described in further detail herein.

As shown in FIGS. 25-27 , the tripod member 132 includes a splined central opening 152 , a plurality of corners or posts 156 , and a plurality of positioning or position members 142 . Tripod member 132 is configured to transfer torque from crankshaft 84 to drive clutch 110 due to engagement of splined central opening 152 with post 123 coupled to crankshaft 84 . Illustratively, tripod member 132 has a generally triangular shape defining three posts 156 , and each position member 142 is coupled to one of posts 156 of tripod member 132 . As shown in FIG. 26 , a support 160 is positioned within each post 156 of the tripod member 132 , and a sleeve 162 is received within the support 160 . The support 160 and the sleeve 162 meet on both sides with a spacer 164 that abuts against an inner surface 166 of the post 156 . Pin 168 extends through aperture 170 of post 156 , through sleeve 162 and into recess 172 of post 156 . One end of the pin 168 abuts a stop surface 174 of the recess 172 to maintain the position of the pin 168 within the post 156 .

The position member 142 is generally “U” shaped and extends around the closed side 175 of the post 156 of the tripod member 132 . Open end 176 of position member 142 is generally aligned with open side 178 of post 156 such that support 160 is exposed, as described in further detail herein. Position member 142 is removably coupled to tripod member 132 and is configured to slide radially relative to tower member 130 and tripod member 132 via angled or tapered side walls 180 . In one embodiment, the sidewall 180 of the position member 142 is angled at an angle of 15 degrees to 30 degrees relative to the radial direction of the drive clutch 110 . More specifically, sidewall 180 of position member 142 has an inner surface 182 that is angled relative to post 156 and an outer surface 184 that is angled relative to post 156 but is generally parallel to an angled inner portion 186 of tower member 130 . In this manner, position member 142 positions tripod member 132 within tower member 130 and compensates for any tolerances between tower member 130 and post 156 of tripod member 132 . Additionally, if the post 156 and/or the angled interior portion 186 of the tower member 130 wears, the position member 142 may slide relative to the tower member 130 and the post 156 to compensate for the differences between the tower member 130 and the post 156. additional tolerance between.

Like the fixed sheave 122 , the movable sheave 120 also engages the post 123 . More specifically, the splined central opening 152 of the tripod member 132 engages the second splined portion 128 of the post 123 . Additionally, bushing 188 and support 190 are positioned within central opening 202 of tower member 130 to engage additional portions of post 123 . Post 123 is also coupled to cover member 134 of movable sheave 120 by support 204 , sleeve member 206 , stop member 208 , washer or spacer 210 , and fastener 98 . More specifically, the support 204 is positioned within the central opening 154 of the cap member 134 and the sleeve member 206 is received through the support 204 and engages the distal portion of the post 123 . The sleeve member 206 includes a shoulder 212 that may abut the cover member 134 to prevent lateral movement of the sleeve member 206 . The post 123 includes a cylindrical opening 214 , and the stop member 208 is received in the cylindrical opening 214 . Lip 216 of stop member 208 engages the distal end of post 123 . The spacer 210 abuts against the lip 216 of the stop member 208 and the head 218 of the fastener 98 abuts against the spacer 210 . Fastener 98 is received within cylindrical opening 214 of post 123 to fasten post 123 to drive clutch 110 .

During operation of CVT 76 , drive clutch 110 rotates with crankshaft 84 via column 123 because the distal end of crankshaft 84 is received within tapered volume 125 of column 123 . Under various operating conditions of the vehicle 2 , the clutch 110 is actuated to rotate at the speed at which the flyweight 136 pivots about the pin 138 . Centrifugal force on fly mass 136 causes fly mass 136 to pivot or rotate radially against support 160 of tripod member 132 . This movement of the flyweight 136 applies a force to the movable sheave 120 to slide or translate the movable sheave 120 laterally along the sleeve member 206 and support 150 relative to the fixed sheave 122 . In this way, the radial position of the belt 116 on the movable sheave 120 and the fixed sheave 122 can be adjusted to suit various operating conditions of the vehicle 2 , resulting in various transmission ratios. During operation, the drive clutch 110 is configured to be in an open position as shown in FIG. 28 and a closed position where the movable sheave 120 and the fixed sheave 122 are close to each other and the movable sheave 120 can no longer move further towards the fixed sheave 122. Move between locations. Movement of the movable sheave 120 may be electronically, mechanically or fluidically controlled.

Rotation of belt 116 caused by drive clutch 110 drives driven clutch 112 . As shown in FIGS. 29-31 , the driven clutch 112 includes a fixed sheave 220 , a movable sheave 222 , a load member or screw 224 and a cover member 226 . The fixed sheave 220 is coupled to the distal end of the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 and maintains a fixed position relative to the movable sheave 222 . The fixed sheave 220 includes a body 227 and a nose 228 protruding laterally outward from the body 227 . A plurality of ribs 230 extend continuously from the outer periphery of the fixed sheave 220 to the central opening 232 of the nose 228 . Fixed sheave 220 also includes a plurality of auxiliary ribs 234 positioned between ribs 230 . Ribs 230 and auxiliary ribs 234 provide strength and stability to stationary sheave 220 during operation of CVT 76 .

Additionally, within nose 228 , stationary sheave 220 also includes a plurality of raised surfaces 238 configured to couple with bracket 240 via fasteners 242 . The fixed sheave 220 also includes a post 236 projecting laterally from the nose 228 inwardly toward the movable sheave 222 . In one embodiment, post 236 is integral with stationary sheave 220 and thus is constructed of the same material as body 227 and nose 228 of stationary sheave 220 . In this way, the driven clutch 112 is a column-less design since the fixed sheave 220 and the movable sheave 222 are directly coupled with the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 without the need for an additional column to engage the shaft 118 . Illustrative post 236 extends a distance D1 from its proximal end to the outer surface of nose 228, and D1 may be about 60 mm to 70 mm, illustratively 65 mm. Additionally, the diameter D2 of the post 236 may be about 20 mm to 30 mm, and is illustratively 25 mm. The length/diameter ratio of post 236 represents the stability provided to driven clutch 112 as movable sheave 222 translates relative to fixed sheave 220 . Alternatively, post 236 may be press fit or otherwise coupled within nose 228 and be constructed of a different material than body 227 and nose 228 . For example, in one embodiment, post 236 may be constructed of aluminum. Post 236 is configured to provide stability to stationary sheave 220 during operation of CVT 76 .

The post 236 is also configured to receive therein at least one bearing 244 by which the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 may be received. Shaft 118 may be secured to driven clutch 112 by at least one spacer 246 at a distal end of shaft 118 and a fastener, illustratively a snap ring 248 . Additionally, a sleeve 250 , which may be a bushing, is received on post 236 to slidably receive movable sheave 222 .

The movable sheave 222 may be configured to slide laterally with the movable sheave 222 or otherwise move laterally away from the fixed sheave 220 along the sleeve 250 in a closed position adjacent to the fixed sheave 220 as shown in FIG. Translational movement between the open positions. Movement of the movable sheave 222 engages the belt 116 in various configurations to achieve various gear ratios for the vehicle 2 . Movement of the movable sheave 222 may be controlled mechanically, fluidically or electronically.

The movable sheave 222 includes a body portion 254 and a nose portion 256 projecting laterally outward from the body portion 254 . Nose 256 is received within nose 228 of stationary sheave 220 . The outer surface of the body portion 254 includes a plurality of ribs 255 that reinforce the movable sheave 222 . Central aperture 258 of nose 256 is configured to receive support 252 for sliding along sleeve 250 . Additionally, the nose 256 includes a recess 260 that aligns with the bracket 240 and the raised surface 238 on the fixed sheave 220 to position the movable sheave 222 on the fixed sheave 220 . Within nose 256 of movable sheave 222 , each of plurality of protrusions 266 is configured to receive bracket 262 . Bracket 262 is coupled to protrusion 266 by fastener 264 . The screw 224 is positioned adjacent to the bracket 262 and the cover member 226 is positioned adjacent to the screw 224 such that the screw 224 is intermediate the cover member 226 and the outer surface of the movable sheave 222 . The screw 224 includes a splined central opening 225 for engaging the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 . Additionally, when the driven clutch 112 is assembled, the ears 223 of the helical members are positioned intermediate adjacent protrusions 266 in an alternating configuration. Cover member 226 is coupled to the outer surface of movable sheave 222 by fasteners 265 , and support 268 is positioned within central aperture 269 of cover member 226 .

As shown in FIG. 31 , the driven clutch 112 is in the closed position and is positioned adjacent to the shiftable transmission 74 to receive the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 . More specifically, when the driven clutch 112 is in the closed position, the inner surface of the movable sheave 222 is spaced a distance D3 from the mounting surface 102 of the shiftable transmission 74, which may be about 40 mm to 60 mm, illustratively About 49mm. In addition, when the driven clutch 112 is in the closed position, the outer surface of the nose 228 of the fixed sheave 220 of the driven clutch 112 is spaced a distance D4 from the mounting surface 102 of the shiftable transmission 74, which may be from about 140 mm to 160mm, illustratively about 146mm. In this way, the center of gravity of the driven clutch 112 is moved closer to the shiftable transmission 74 . By positioning the center of gravity of the driven clutch 112 closer to the shiftable transmission 74, the coupling between the driven clutch 112 and the shiftable transmission 74 can be made stronger because the suspended mass of the CVT 76 is positioned closer to the shiftable transmission 74. Gear transmission 74 and engine 72.

During operation of the CVT 76 , rotation of the crankshaft 84 of the engine 72 causes rotation of the drive clutch 110 . Drive clutch 110 engages band 116 , and when band 116 engages driven clutch 112 , driven clutch 112 rotates, which rotates shaft 118 of shiftable transmission 74 . When the band 116 engages the driven clutch 112 , a load is applied to the driven clutch 112 . More specifically, a load (eg, torque) is transferred from the fixed sheave 220 through the raised surface 238 , through the protrusion 266 of the movable sheave 222 to the screw 224 which in turn applies the torque to the shiftable transmission 74 Shaft 118. In this way, torque is concentrated at the screw 224 —rather than being applied to other components of the CVT 76—for transmission to the shiftable transmission 74 . The CVT 76 can also be electronically controlled to allow operation at lower vehicle speeds. Thus, electronic operation of the CVT 76 (“eCVT”) may allow the CVT 76 to operate without being limited to a particular speed range and/or without reaching the speed limits of the engine 72 . This functionality of the eCVT may be employed during overboost so that the CVT 76 may be controlled without reaching the speed limit of the engine 72 . Additionally, the use of an eCVT may allow the vehicle 2 to be operated at low rotational speeds (RPMs) while maintaining fuel economy. Additional details of the CVT 76 can be found in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/475,385 (Attorney Docket PLR-15-26520.01P) filed September 2, 2014 - the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference at Citation is expressly incorporated herein - disclosed in.

An alternative embodiment of the driven clutch 112 is shown in Figures 32-34 as a driven clutch 112'. As with driven clutch 112, rotation of belt 116 caused by drive clutch 110 drives an alternate driven clutch 112'. The driven clutch 112' includes a fixed sheave 220', a movable sheave 222', a screw 224 and a cover member 226. The fixed sheave 220' is coupled to the distal end of the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 and maintains a fixed position relative to the movable sheave 222'. The fixed sheave 220' includes a body 227' and a nose 228' projecting laterally outward from the body 227'. A plurality of ribs 230' extend from the periphery of the fixed sheave 220' to the central opening 232 of the nose 228'.

Additionally, within nose portion 228', fixed sheave 220' also includes a raised surface 238 configured to couple with bracket 240 via fastener 242. Internal ribs 270 are also positioned within the nose 228' to provide additional strength and stability to the fixed sheave 220'. The fixed sheave 220' also includes a post 236' received by the central opening 232 and coupled to a portion of the nose 228'. Post 236' projects laterally from nose 228' inwardly toward movable sheave 222'. In one embodiment, post 236' may be press fit or otherwise coupled within nose 228', and post 236' is constructed of a different material than body 227' and nose 228'. . For example, in one embodiment, post 236' may be constructed of aluminum. Post 236' is configured to stabilize stationary sheave 220' during operation of CVT 76.

The post 236' is configured to receive a support 244 therein by which the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 may be received. Additionally, movable sheave 222' may be configured for translational movement along post 236'. The movable sheave 222' includes a body portion 254' and a nose portion 256' projecting laterally outward from the body portion 254'. The outer surface of the body portion 254' includes a plurality of ribs 255' to increase the strength of the movable sheave 222'. Additionally, the outer surface of the body portion 254' includes a ring 272 having a plurality of recesses 274. Ring 272 may be a gimbal ring having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of movable sheave 222' to reduce stress on movable sheave 222' when CVT 76 is operating at high speeds. More specifically, by locating the ring 272 adjacent the nose 256' rather than near the periphery, the movable sheave 222' can be sufficiently balanced so that the stress on the movable sheave 222' is reduced and the movable sheave 222 is controlled. 'The rotational inertia.

As shown in FIG. 33 , the central aperture 258 of the nose 256' is configured to receive the support 252. As shown in FIG. Additionally, the nose 256' includes a recess 260 that aligns with the bracket 240 to position the movable sheave 222' over the fixed sheave 220'. Each protrusion 266 is configured to receive one of the brackets 262 within the nose 256' of the movable sheave 222'. Bracket 262 is coupled to protrusion 266 by fastener 264 . The screw 224 is positioned adjacent to the bracket 262 and the cover member 226 is positioned adjacent to the screw 224 such that the screw 224 is positioned intermediate the cover member 226 and the outer surface of the movable sheave 222'. The screw 224 includes a splined central opening 225 for engaging the shaft 118 of the shiftable transmission 74 . Cover member 226 is coupled to the outer surface of movable sheave 222' by fasteners 265, and support 268 is positioned within central aperture 269 of cover member 226.

As shown in FIG. 35 , shiftable transmission 74 is operably coupled to driven clutch 112 or 112 ′ and includes mounting boss 292 for direct coupling with CVT housing 90 . In particular, the mounting boss 292 is integral with the housing 75 of the shiftable transmission 74 . Additionally, the shiftable transmission 74 is coupled to the engine 72 through a structural inner cover 92 of the CVT 76 such that an intermediate bracket extending between the engine 72 and the shiftable transmission 74 may not be used. Since the inner cover 92 of the CVT housing 90 is a structural member, the orientation of the shiftable transmission 74 relative to the engine 72 is fixed. As such, the inner cover 92 defines the components that couple the shiftable transmission 74 to the engine 72 such that the engine 72 and the shiftable transmission 74 cannot be coupled together without the inner cover 92 . In one embodiment, a bracket 293 ( FIG. 20 ) may also be used to couple the shiftable transmission 74 to the engine 72 .

Still referring to FIG. 35 , the shiftable transmission 74 includes a reverse gear 280 operably coupled to the shaft 118 , a speed sensor 282 positioned at a rear portion of the shiftable transmission 74 , and The lower left portion of the vent tube 284 is positioned and positioned vertically below the shaft 118 . The speed sensor 282 may be configured to read the tips of the teeth on the gears rather than the sides or surfaces of the gears. In one embodiment, shiftable transmission 74 is configured for electronic shifting.

The front of the snorkel 284 is positioned with a flange 290 for coupling with a driveline assembly 300 ( FIG. 36 ) of the vehicle 2 . In addition, shiftable transmission 74 includes splined apertures 286 to operatively couple the rear axle or half-shaft of axle 2 to rear wheel 8 . A shroud 288 may be positioned over the aperture 286 to shield the boots of the axle shafts from debris (eg, rocks) during operation of the vehicle 2 .

Referring to FIGS. 36-38 , the rear portion 14 of the lower frame assembly 10 also supports a driveline assembly 300 , which is operatively coupled to the shiftable transmission 74 . As shown in FIG. 36 , at least a portion of driveline assembly 300 is positioned intermediate longitudinal frame member 11 . Flange 290 of shiftable transmission 74 is rotatably coupled to propshaft 302 of drivetrain assembly 300 , which may be supported by support ring 306 coupled to lower frame assembly 10 . The propeller shaft 302 includes a rear propeller shaft 302a and a front propeller shaft 302b operably coupled together by a joint, illustratively a universal joint 303 . As shown in FIG. 38 , drive shaft 302 is coupled to flange 290 by joint 308 , which includes bracket 310 and connecting member 314 coupled to flange 290 by fastener 312 . Linking member 314 includes a first arm 316 received within a first aperture 317 on bracket 310 and a second arm 318 received within an aperture 319 on rear drive shaft 302a. As such, the connecting member 314 operatively couples the drive shaft 302 to the shiftable transmission 74 . Additionally, instead of sliding splines, flange 290 may more effectively control noise from drive shaft 302 and allow for a better connection between drive shaft 302 and shiftable transmission 74 . In particular, any slip that occurs in drive shaft 302 occurs at joint 308 rather than in multiple locations along drive shaft 302 .

The driveline assembly 300 also includes a front differential 304 operatively coupled to the front wheels 6 via a front axle. Thus, the operation of the shiftable transmission 74 rotates the rear wheels 8 through the rear axle, and the front wheels 6 through the rotation of the propeller shaft 302 and the operation of the front differential 304 .

Referring to FIGS. 39-41 , vehicle 2 includes air intake assembly 320 fluidly coupled to powertrain assembly 70 . Air intake assembly 320 includes an air box 322 containing a filter (not shown), an engine intake duct 324 , a CVT intake duct 326 coupled to intake port 95 of CVT 76 , between air box 322 and gas booster 78 Extended conduit 328 and charge air conduit 330 extending from supercharger 78 . Air sensor 332 may be supported on conduit 328 and air sensor 333 may be supported on charge air conduit 330 , both air sensor 332 and air sensor 333 determining various aspects of the air therein (eg, pressure, temperature). For example, if the air temperature delivered from at least one of sensors 332 and 333 is above a predetermined limit, the throttle response of vehicle 2 may be limited so that the speed of vehicle 2 is automatically reduced until the air temperature at air sensor 332 or 333 until the temperature drops. Additionally, an operator may be alerted if pressure signals from sensors 332, 333 indicate that a portion of air intake assembly 320, such as a filter, is clogged or blocked.

Intake assembly 320 may also include an exhaust valve 334 fluidly coupled to charge air conduit 330 and fluidly coupled to conduit 328 via an exhaust tube 336 . As shown in FIG. 40 , exhaust valve 334 is located downstream of booster 78 . In alternative embodiments, exhaust valve 334 may be an electronically controlled recirculation valve. Additionally, conduit 328 may be fluidly coupled to crankcase ventilation conduit 338 extending between conduit 328 and engine 72 . Crankcase breather conduit 338 may include a tumble valve (not shown) to prevent oil from flowing back into supercharger 78 if vehicle 2 begins to tip or is otherwise not upright.

During operation of the vehicle 2 , ambient air required for combustion within the engine 72 enters the engine intake 324 and flows into the air box 322 to filter particulate matter and other matter from the ambient air. The filtered air from air box 322 then flows through conduit 328 into gas booster 78 . Operation of the supercharger 78 may be performed manually by an operator or automatically based on throttle conditions. In operation, supercharger 78 compresses filtered air such that a greater quantity of air molecules may enter engine 72 through charge air conduit 330 . As such, the engine 72 is configured to receive pressurized pre-combustion air to increase the power output of the powertrain assembly 70 . However, depending on throttle and supercharger conditions (eg, compressor surge conditions), it may be desirable to vent or exhaust at least a portion of the boosted pre-combustion air from the supercharger 78 prior to entering the engine 72 . Thus, discharge valve 334 may be moved from a closed position to an open position in response to a compressor surge condition to allow a portion of the charge air in charge air conduit 330 to return to conduit 328 through discharge conduit 336 or otherwise. Way out from vehicle 2. In this way, the amount of pressurized pre-combustion air entering the engine 72 may be controlled in response to various throttle conditions or other parameters. Exhaust valve 334 may be electronically, mechanically, and/or fluidically controlled. Furthermore, by returning the air in the exhaust tube 336 to the conduit 328, the sound from the exhaust valve 334 can be reduced and the air within the air intake assembly 320 downstream of the air box 322 remains filtered.

Referring to Figures 42-44, the supercharger 78 is a forced air inducer or a gas supercharger, and in one embodiment, the supercharger 78 is a turbocharger. Supercharger 78 includes a drive or turbine housing 340 and a driven or compressor housing 342 . Illustrative supercharger 78 supports a turbine (not shown) within drive housing 340 for receiving exhaust gas from engine 72 and within driven housing 342 for compressing filtered air from conduit 328 compressor (not shown). The turbine and compressor are rotatably coupled such that exhaust gas from engine 72 rotates the turbine, thereby operating the compressor to compress filtered air from conduit 328 . Operation of supercharger 78 may be monitored by at least one sensor configured to determine various parameters of vehicle 2 and transmit signals to an engine control unit (not shown) or an electronic throttle control unit (not shown). ).

Driven housing 342 is supported by frame arms 344 that extend between driven housing 342 and engine mount 13 and that may reduce the resonant frequency at supercharger 78 . More specifically, frame arm 344 is coupled to bracket 15 of engine mount 13 such that bracket 15 is coupled to both engine 72 and frame arm 344 . In this manner, the frame arm 344 may be disengaged from the engine mount 13 and swing or otherwise move away from the engine mount 13 to service the supercharger 78 . Thus, other components of the vehicle 2 , including components of the frame assembly 10 and powertrain assembly 70 , will not be affected when servicing the supercharger 78 because the frame arm 344 is only removed by the bracket 15 and all other The components remain coupled at their respective locations. Drive housing 340 is cantilevered from the front portion of engine 72 and is thus supported by the mounting of drive housing 340 to engine 72 . In this way, exhaust manifold 346 also cantilevers from engine 72 .

As shown in FIGS. 43A and 44 , the integral housing is positioned adjacent to the engine 72 and driven housing 342 and is defined by a drive housing 340 that is integral to an exhaust manifold 346 of the engine 72 . Accordingly, drive housing 340 and exhaust manifold 346 define a single integral member such that drive housing 340 and exhaust manifold 346 have a fixed geometry relative to each other. In one embodiment, the unitary housing defined by the integral combination of drive housing 340 and exhaust manifold 346 is a cast component. The exhaust manifold 346 includes a first exhaust gas inlet 348 fluidly coupled to one of the cylinders 80a, 80b of the engine 72 and a second exhaust gas fluidly coupled to the other of the cylinders 80a, 80b of the engine 72. Entrance 350. In particular, exhaust inlets 348 , 350 each include a first surface 352 that abuts engine 72 . Since the exhaust manifold 346 is directly coupled to the engine 72 and is integral with the supercharger 78, the supercharger 78 is positioned close to the engine 72 and at least partially in front of the engine 72 as shown in FIG. Located behind the operator area 20.

Additionally, exhaust manifold 346 includes a second surface 354 for abutting and coupling exhaust tube 356 of exhaust assembly 360 . The second surface 354 is integral with the exhaust inlets 348 , 350 and the drive housing 340 of the supercharger 78 . A wastegate 358 is positioned adjacent to the second surface 354 . Wastegate 358 may include a solenoid valve and is configured to exhaust or expel at least a portion of exhaust gas operating a turbine of supercharger 78 to enable changes in the speed of the turbine and thus the operation of supercharger 78 . However, overboost can occur when boost from supercharger 78 is higher than allowed by wastegate 358 configuration, so boost pressure can be monitored and read internally by the engine control unit rather than being metered The boost pressure is displayed for the operator on the instrument. Wastegate 358 may be electronically, mechanically, and/or fluidically controlled. The wastegate 358 also includes a wastegate stem 353a and a wastegate block 353b coupled to the wastegate stem 353a. The wastegate block 353b counteracts resonance or motion in the wastegate stem 353a. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 43A , the wastegate block 353b may have an octagonal cross-section or a hexagonal cross-section. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 43B, the wastegate block 353b' may have a cylindrical configuration with a circular cross-section.

Referring to Figures 45 to 49, there is shown an exhaust assembly 360 comprising an exhaust pipe 356, an elbow portion 357 of the exhaust pipe 356, a flexible flexible pipe connecting the elbow portion 357 and the exhaust pipe 356 together. Fitting 359 , muffler 362 , exhaust pipe 364 , exhaust pipe insulation assembly 366 , and muffler insulation assembly 368 . Exhaust assembly 360 routes exhaust gas from engine 72 toward the rear end of vehicle 2 for flow therefrom.

Exhaust gas from engine 72 has an elevated temperature and, therefore, components of exhaust assembly 360 are also at elevated temperatures. For example, supercharger 78 may be a radiator. The insulation assemblies 366 , 368 are constructed of an insulating material to thermally isolate various components of the vehicle 2 from the exhaust assembly 360 . The insulation assembly 368 includes a front member 380 positioned forward of the muffler 362 and a rear member 382 positioned behind the muffler 362 . Front member 380 and rear member 382 of insulation assembly 368 are coupled together by conventional fasteners and thermally isolate various components of vehicle 2 from muffler 362 .

Insulation assembly 366 is positioned longitudinally forward of insulation assembly 368 , and insulation assembly 366 includes an upper member 370 positioned above exhaust manifold 346 , a front member positioned longitudinally forward of exhaust manifold 346 372 , a lateral member 374 positioned over a portion of exhaust duct 356 , and a conduit member 376 having a generally semicircular cross-section and extending around at least a portion of the periphery of exhaust duct 356 . Additionally, the insulation assembly 366 includes an upper manifold member 384, a lower manifold member 386, and a forward manifold member 388, which may be fastened by conventional The components are coupled together to thermally isolate various components of the vehicle 2 from the exhaust manifold 346. In one embodiment, upper manifold member 384 and lower manifold member 386 define a “clamshell” configuration generally surrounding exhaust manifold 346 . Additionally, supercharger 78 and/or exhaust manifold 346 includes mounting bosses 377 to couple thermal shield assembly 366 to supercharger 78 and/or exhaust manifold 346 . Fasteners 379, such as high strength steel bolts, may be received within mounting bosses 377 (Figs. 47 and 48). The insulation assembly 366 also includes a first elbow member 390 and a second elbow member 392 for surrounding the elbow portion 357 of the exhaust duct 356 . The first elbow member 390 and the second elbow member 392 are coupled together by conventional fasteners.

To reduce the temperature of various components of the powertrain assembly 70 , a cooling assembly 410 is provided. Additionally, oil used to lubricate engine 72 , supercharger 78 , and other components of powertrain assembly 70 may be cooled by cooling assembly 410 . Referring to Figure 50, the engine 72 includes an oil sump 394 including a lower portion 396 and an upper portion 398 coupled together by conventional fasteners and seals (not shown). In one embodiment, the oil groove 394 has a closed deck configuration, which can increase the rigidity of the oil groove 394 compared with an open deck configuration. Oil from sump 394 flows into and out of various components of engine 72 , such as crankshaft 84 , to provide lubrication to various components of engine 72 . Additionally, oil from sump 394 also flows into and out of booster 78 to lubricate various components within booster 78 . More specifically, as shown in FIG. 50 , an oil supply line or conduit 395 is fluidly coupled to oil sump 394 and oil supply port 404 on booster 78 to supply oil from engine sump 394 to the booster 78. Oil return line or conduit 397 is fluidly coupled to oil return port 406 on booster 78 and port 408 on engine 72 to return oil from booster 78 to sump 394 of engine 72 . As shown in FIG. 50 , port 408 is positioned above oil sump 394 . In this way, oil from engine sump 394 is used to lubricate components of both engine 72 and supercharger 78 such that an auxiliary oil system for supercharger 78 may not be used.

Referring to FIGS. 51-62 , the cooling assembly 410 of the vehicle 2 is shown. Cooling assembly 410 includes a first cooling circuit or system 412 for varying the temperature of engine 72 and a second cooling system or circuit 414 for varying the temperature of intake air to engine 72 .

The second cooling circuit 414 is a low temperature circuit comprising a heat exchanger or radiator 416 supported by the front portion 12 of the lower frame assembly 10 . Heat exchanger 416 is positioned forward of operator area 20 . Heat exchanger 416 is fluidly coupled to a coolant reservoir, illustratively a coolant bottle 424 , and a plurality of cryogenic cooling lines 418 . A subcooling line 418 extends from the front portion 12 to the rear portion 14 of the lower frame assembly 10 . Illustratively, as shown in FIGS. 53 and 54 , subcooling line 418 is coupled to lower frame assembly 10 by bracket 428 and extends through channel 430 of vehicle 2 . Channel 430 is defined by vertically extending side walls 432 that extend into operator area 20 . The side wall 432 also extends generally parallel to the centerline _CL of the vehicle 2 . In addition, the channel 430 includes an upper wall 433 which together with the side walls 432 define an interior volume or space 431 of the channel 430 .

The first subcooling line 418a is a cooling supply line that is coupled to a pump 420 to pump cooling fluid through an intercooler supply line 422 to an intercooler, illustratively the second cooling circuit 414 426 (Fig. 62) heat exchanger. The second subcooling conduit 418b is a return line fluidly coupled to the intercooler 426 and the heat exchanger 416 to return the cooling fluid to the heat exchanger 416 . As further detailed herein, cooling fluid—such as coolant, oil, or water—is circulated through first subcooling line 418a to pump 420, through conduit 422 into intercooler 426, such that when As the pressurized pre-combustion air passes over or passes through the intercooler 426 , the temperature of the pressurized pre-combustion air is reduced before the air enters the cylinders 80 a , 80 b of the engine 72 . The cooling fluid in the intercooler 426 is then returned to the heat exchanger 416 to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid as the ambient air passes through the heat exchanger 416 .

As shown in FIGS. 57 and 58 , the pump 420 may be coupled to a bracket 470 on the lower frame assembly 10 . In one embodiment, pump 420 is an electric water pump. In another embodiment, pump 420 may be a mechanical pump configured to receive cooling fluid from cooling line 418 a and flow the cooling fluid into conduit 422 for supply to intercooler 426 . Pump 420 can also be configured to operate at different speeds to control electrical loads and accurately vary the temperature of the cooling fluid. In one embodiment, the pump 420 may only be configured to operate when the engine 72 is running. In another embodiment, the pump 420 and other components may be configured for variable operation rather than full capacity ("full on") or full off to reduce electrical loads.

Referring to FIGS. 51-55 , the first cooling circuit 412 includes a heat exchanger or radiator 434 supported by the front portion 12 of the lower frame assembly 10 and a pump 435 operatively coupled to the engine 72 ( FIG. 15 ). In one embodiment, pump 435 is a mechanical pump configured to receive a cooling fluid (eg, water, coolant, oil) and distribute the cooling fluid to engine 72 . Additionally, cooling assembly 410 may include, in addition to pumps 420 and 435 , a third pump that may be operatively coupled to engine 72 . The third pump can be controlled electrically or mechanically.

Heat exchanger 434 is fluidly coupled to coolant bottle 424 and a plurality of high temperature cooling lines 436 . High temperature cooling line 436 extends from front portion 12 to rear portion 14 of lower frame assembly 10 . As shown in FIG. 54 , the diameter of cooling line 436 is larger than the diameter of cooling line 418 . Illustratively, as shown in FIGS. 53 and 54 , high temperature cooling line 436 is coupled to lower frame assembly 10 by bracket 438 and extends through channel 430 . The first high temperature cooling line 436a is a cooling supply line, the second high temperature cooling line 436b is a return line, both the first high temperature cooling line 436a and the second high temperature cooling line 436b are fluidly coupled to the engine 72 and the heat sink. switch 434 . As described in further detail herein, cooling fluid is circulated through first high temperature cooling line 436a and a portion of engine 72 to cool engine 72 (eg, to cool engine oil). The cooling fluid is then returned from the engine 72 to the heat exchanger 434 to reduce the temperature of the ambient air as it passes through the heat exchanger 434 .

As shown in Figures 55 and 56, positioned behind the heat exchangers 416 and 434 is a fan 440 for drawing ambient air through the heat exchangers 416, 434 to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid. Thus, both heat exchangers 416 , 434 use a fan 440 that may be turned on and off periodically based on the temperature of the cooling fluid, the temperature at the intercooler 426 , and/or the temperature of the heat exchangers 416 , 434 .

Cooling fluid is stored in a coolant bottle 424 which is also positioned behind the heat exchangers 416 , 434 and fan 440 . The coolant bottle 424 is a pressurized reservoir that includes a pressurized cap 442 , a first housing member 444 , an intermediate member 446 and a second housing member 448 . As shown in FIG. 56 , first housing member 444 is positioned forward of intermediate member 446 and second housing member 448 such that intermediate member 446 is positioned between first housing member 444 and second housing member 448 . The first housing member 444 includes an inner wall or baffle 451 that divides the first housing member 444 into a first compartment 450 that is fluidly coupled to the first cooling circuit 412 through the heat exchanger 434 and The second compartment 452 is fluidly coupled to the second cooling circuit 414 through the heat exchanger 416 . Thus, the coolant bottle 424 is a single reservoir configured to supply cooling fluid to both the first cooling circuit 412 and the second cooling circuit 414 . In addition, only one supply of cooling fluid is required to fill the first compartment 450 and the second compartment 452 since the cooling fluid can be supplied by simultaneously supplying the cooling fluid to the port 454 of the first compartment 450 and the second compartment 452 452 both. Pressurization cap 442 is coupled to port 454 to enclose coolant bottle 424 .

As shown in FIGS. 51 , 52 and 59 , heat exchanger 416 is positioned in front of heat exchanger 434 and both heat exchangers 416 , 434 are positioned in front of operator area 20 . Additionally, upper surface 456 of heat exchanger 416 is positioned lower than upper surface 458 of heat exchanger 434 such that heat exchangers 416, 434 are in an offset configuration. As shown in FIG. 59 , upper surface 456 of heat exchanger 416 is coupled to bracket 460 of lower frame assembly 10 and upper surface 458 of heat exchanger 434 is coupled to bracket 462 of lower frame assembly 10 .

During operation of the vehicle 2 , ambient airflow A passes over the mesh or grille 464 and through the heat exchangers 416 , 434 to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid flowing through the heat exchangers 416 , 434 . However, since heat exchanger 434 is positioned behind heat exchanger 416, the ambient air flowing through heat exchanger 434 will be at an elevated temperature after flowing through heat exchanger 416, thereby reducing cooling in heat exchanger 434. The cooling effect of the fluid. Thus, for additional cooling at heat exchanger 434, auxiliary mesh or grille 466 allows ambient airflow B to flow through, which is then directed downward toward heat exchanger 434 for additional cooling at heat exchanger 434 . Auxiliary grille 466 is positioned below hood 468 of body 18 , and ambient airflow B is directed toward auxiliary grille 466 by front body panel 469 positioned generally lower forward of auxiliary grille 466 .

Referring to FIGS. 60-62 , illustrative intercooler 426 is a liquid-to-air cooled heat exchanger removably coupled to engine 72 . More specifically, intercooler 426 is coupled to intake manifold 472 of engine 72 and is positioned adjacent fuel rail 500 of vehicle 2 and fuel pressure in fuel rail 500 may be monitored. As such, the intercooler 426 is positioned at the rear portion 14 of the vehicle 2 rather than at the front portion 12 near the heat exchangers 416 , 434 . Additionally, intercooler 426 is not welded to engine 72 but is removably coupled to engine 72 by removable fasteners 476 such as bolts and nuts. As such, intercooler 426 can be removed from engine 72 for service, cleaning, or replacement without disassembly of intake manifold 472 and/or engine 72 .

In operation, cooling fluid flows through the first cooling circuit 412 and to the engine 72 to change the temperature of the engine 72 . Specifically, the cooling fluid is cooled at heat exchanger 434 and then flows through cooling line 436a and to engine 72 . As the cooling fluid circulates around the engine 72 , the temperature of the cooling fluid may increase, so the cooling fluid flows back to the heat exchanger 434 to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid as the ambient air passes through the heat exchanger 434 . Additionally, cooling fluid simultaneously flows through the second cooling circuit 414 and to the engine 72 to change the temperature of the pre-combustion air. Specifically, the cooling fluid is cooled at heat exchanger 416 and then flows through cooling line 418 a , pump 420 into conduit 422 and to intercooler 426 . Thus, as the pre-combustion air passes through the intercooler 426 , the temperature of the pre-combustion air is reduced before the pre-combustion air enters the cylinders 80 of the engine 72 . As the cooling fluid circulates around the intercooler 426 , the temperature of the cooling fluid may increase, so the cooling fluid is returned to the heat exchanger 416 to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid as ambient air passes through the heat exchanger 416 . In this manner, cooling assembly 410 is configured to both vary the temperature of engine 72 and the temperature of the pre-combustion air entering engine 72 .

While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention utilizing its general principles. Furthermore, this application is intended to cover such departures from the scope of the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.

Claims (15)

1. A utility vehicle (2), comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging members (4);

-a frame (10), the frame (10) being supported by the ground engaging members and extending from a front end portion to a rear end portion along a longitudinal centerline of the utility vehicle;

an operator area (20), the operator area (20) comprising side-by-side seats; and

a powertrain assembly (70), the powertrain assembly (70) being supported by the frame and including an engine (72), a continuously variable transmission, a turbocharger (78), and an exhaust manifold (346), wherein the engine (72) is supported by the frame, the continuously variable transmission is operatively coupled to the engine and includes an inlet conduit for flowing air into the continuously variable transmission and an outlet conduit for exhausting air from the continuously variable transmission, the turbocharger (78) is operatively coupled to the engine and has a turbine housing (340) supporting a turbine and a compressor housing (342) supporting a compressor, the exhaust manifold (346) is integral with the turbine housing of the turbocharger,

Wherein the outlet conduit of the continuously variable transmission has an opening facing the centerline of the utility vehicle.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the exhaust manifold includes a plurality of exhaust inlets.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1 or 2, wherein the exhaust manifold is a cast member having a fixed geometry and positioned intermediate the engine and the compressor housing.

4. The utility vehicle of any one of claims 1-3, further comprising an intake assembly (320), the intake assembly (320) operatively coupled to the engine and including an air filter, an air conduit (328), and an exhaust conduit (336), wherein the air conduit (328) extends from the filter to the turbocharger, the exhaust conduit (336) fluidly coupled to the air conduit and including an exhaust valve that moves between an open position and a closed position in response to a compressor surge condition.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the engine includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder in-line with the first cylinder, and the engine is configured for 270 degrees of ignition timing.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the engine includes an oil sump (394) and an oil inlet conduit (395) fluidly coupled to the first portion of the turbocharger and the oil sump, and the oil inlet conduit is configured to supply oil from the oil sump of the engine to the turbocharger.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 6, wherein an oil return conduit (397) is fluidly coupled to the second portion of the turbocharger and the oil sump, and the oil return conduit (397) is configured to return oil from the turbocharger to the oil sump.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 7, wherein the oil return conduit is coupled to the engine at a location above a level of an oil sump.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain assembly further includes a shiftable transmission (74) operatively coupled to the engine through the continuously variable transmission.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the exhaust manifold (346) is configured to be mounted to the engine.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 10, wherein the exhaust manifold includes a mounting surface configured to abut a portion of the engine, and the turbine housing of the turbocharger is coupled to a compressor housing of the turbocharger.

12. The utility vehicle of claim 10, wherein the turbine housing of the turbocharger is supported by mounting the turbine housing to the engine.

13. The utility vehicle of claim 12, wherein the exhaust manifold includes a plurality of exhaust inlets (348, 350).

14. The utility vehicle of claim 12, further comprising an exhaust surface (354) configured to couple with an exhaust pipe (356) of the vehicle, the exhaust surface being integral with the exhaust manifold and the turbine housing.

15. The utility vehicle of claim 10, wherein the exhaust manifold is cantilevered from the engine.

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