ATV having arrangement for a passenger

Abstract

An ATV is disclosed which includes a pedestal assembly incorporated into the foot-wells, which cooperate with a removable passenger seat. Furthermore, passenger seat is selectively added or removed from ATV by way of a latch assembly. Hand grips flank the removable seat and are attached to a rear accessory panel. The rear accessory panel also includes an integrated cup holder, and rack tie-downs are formed in a front or rear accessory panel.

1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a passenger seat positioned rearward of the straddle type seat, where the straddle type seat and the passenger seat extend generally along a longitudinal axis; and   passenger hand-grips flanking the passenger seat and profiled for the passengers hands, each of the hand-grips comprised of two side hand grip bars extending generally upwardly, and extending along an axis forwardly and outwardly from the longitudinal axis, the passenger hand grips further comprising an end hand grip bar connected to the side hand grips, wherein the passenger may alternatively grip either of the side hand grip bars or the end hand grip bar.   
   
   
       2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the end hand grip bars extend at an angle relative to a transverse axis. 
   
   
       3 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the hand-grips are comprised of an inner base portion, and an exterior casing comprised of vibration dampening material. 
   
   
       4 . The vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the hand grip are mounted to the vehicle with the exterior casing in compression against the vehicle. 
   
   
       5 . The vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein the vehicle comprises a rear accessory rack and the hand grips are mounted to the rear accessory rack. 
   
   
       6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the inner base portion is comprised of cast aluminum. 
   
   
       7 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the two side hand grip bars or the end hand grip bar is heated. 
   
   
       8 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a passenger seat positioned rearward of the driver, where the straddle type seat and the passenger seat extend generally along a longitudinal axis; and   passenger hand-grips flanking the passenger seat and profiled for the passengers hands, each of the hand-grips comprised of an inner base portion, and an exterior casing comprised of vibration dampening material.   
   
   
       9 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the hand grips are mounted to the vehicle with the exterior casing in compression against the vehicle. 
   
   
       10 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle comprises a rear accessory rack and the hand grips are mounted to the rear accessory rack. 
   
   
       11 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the exterior casing surrounds the inner base portion, and the inner base portion protrudes from the exterior casing so as to form a shoulder on the exterior casing, and the portion of the vehicle to which the hand grips are mounted includes a well to receive the protruding base portion, and the shoulder is drawn tight against the vehicle. 
   
   
       12 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein each of the hand-grips are comprised of two side hand grip bars extending generally upwardly, and extending along an axis forwardly and outwardly from the longitudinal axis, the passenger hand grips further comprising an end hand grip bar connected to the side hand grips, wherein the passenger may alternatively grip either of the side hand grip bars or the end hand grip bar. 
   
   
       13 . The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the end hand grip bars extend at an angle relative to a transverse axis. 
   
   
       14 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the inner base portion is comprised of cast aluminum. 
   
   
       15 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein at least some of the two side hand grip bars or the end hand grip bar is heated. 
   
   
       16 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a passenger seat positioned rearward of the straddle type seat;   a latch assembly cooperatively supported between the frame and the passenger seat, the latch assembly including a fixed latch portion and a movable latch portion, the fixed latch portion being attached to the frame, and the movable latch portion being attached to the passenger seat, where the latch assembly provides attached and detached conditions for the passenger seat.   
   
   
       17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , further comprising a release mechanism attached to the passenger seat, wherein a force on the release mechanism necessary to release the movable latch from the fixed latch, has a directional component substantially in the same direction as required for removing the passenger seat from the vehicle. 
   
   
       18 . The vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the release mechanism is comprised of a lanyard which extends to a position adjacent to a rear of a seat back portion. 
   
   
       19 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the passenger seat is comprised of a seat frame member having a seat bottom frame portion and a seat back frame portion, where the movable latch portion is mounted to an exterior of the seat bottom frame portion. 
   
   
       20 . The vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the passenger seat is comprised of a seat frame member having a seat bottom frame portion and a seat back frame portion, where the movable latch portion is mounted to an exterior of the seat bottom frame portion. 
   
   
       21 . The vehicle of  claim 20 , wherein the seat frame member is comprised of a transition portion which connects the seat bottom frame portion and the seat back frame portion, and the lanyard extends along the transition portion. 
   
   
       22 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein the seat frame member includes an opening through the transition portion adjacent to the seat bottom frame portion, and an opening through the transition portion adjacent to the seat back frame portion, and the lanyard extend along an inside of the transition portion, and extends through each of the openings. 
   
   
       23 . The vehicle of  claim 20 , wherein the movable latch portion comprises a spring clip, and the fixed latch portion is comprised of a grooved pin profiled to receive the spring clip. 
   
   
       24 . The vehicle of  claim 23 , wherein the grooved pin is attached to a plate which is attached directly to the vehicle frame. 
   
   
       25 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a passenger seat positioned rearward of the straddle type seat;   a latch assembly cooperatively supported between the frame and the passenger seat, and a release mechanism attached to the passenger seat, wherein a force on the release mechanism necessary to disengage the latch assembly, has a directional component substantially in the same direction as the direction for removing the passenger seat from the vehicle.   
   
   
       26 . The vehicle of  claim 25 , wherein the release mechanism is comprised of a lanyard which extends to a position adjacent to a rear of a seat back portion. 
   
   
       27 . The vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein the passenger seat is comprised of a seat frame member having a seat bottom frame portion and a seat back frame portion, where the movable latch portion is mounted to an exterior of the seat bottom frame portion. 
   
   
       28 . The vehicle of  claim 27 , wherein the passenger seat is comprised of a seat frame member having a seat bottom frame portion and a seat back frame portion, where the movable latch portion is mounted to an exterior of the seat bottom frame portion. 
   
   
       29 . The vehicle of  claim 28 , wherein the seat frame member is comprised of a transition portion which connects the seat bottom frame portion and the seat back frame portion, and the lanyard extends along the transition portion. 
   
   
       30 . The vehicle of  claim 29 , wherein the seat frame member includes an opening through the transition portion adjacent to the seat bottom frame portion, and an opening through the transition portion adjacent to the seat back frame portion, and the lanyard extend along an inside of the transition portion, and extends through each of the openings. 
   
   
       31 . The vehicle of  claim 28 , wherein the movable latch portion comprises a spring clip, and the fixed latch portion is comprised of a grooved pin profiled to receive the spring clip. 
   
   
       32 . The vehicle of  claim 31 , wherein the grooved pin is attached to a plate which is attached directly to the vehicle frame. 
   
   
       33 . The vehicle of  claim 25 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a fixed latch portion and a movable latch portion, the fixed latch portion being attached to the frame, and the movable latch portion being attached to the passenger seat, where the latch assembly provides attached and detached conditions for the passenger seat. 
   
   
       34 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a passenger seat positioned rearward of the driver seat;   an attachment mechanism attaching the passenger seat to the frame; and   resilient mounting isolators cooperatively positioned between the passenger seat and the frame to isolate the passenger seat from the vibration of the frame.   
   
   
       35 . The vehicle of  claim 34 , wherein the vehicle comprises a rear accessory rack and the resilient mounting isolators contact the rear accessory rack. 
   
   
       36 . The vehicle of  claim 35 , wherein the passenger seat is comprised of a seat frame member having a seat bottom frame portion and a seat back frame portion. 
   
   
       37 . The vehicle of  claim 36 , wherein the seat frame member is comprised of a transition portion which connects the seat bottom frame portion and the seat back frame portion, and the resilient mounting isolators are attached to the transition portion. 
   
   
       38 . The vehicle of  claim 37 , wherein the rear accessory rack is provided with receiving sockets to receive the resilient mounting isolators. 
   
   
       39 . The vehicle of  claim 38 , wherein the resilient mounting isolators are frusto-conically profiled and pointing vertically downward, and the receiving sockets are cooperatively profiled to receive the frusto-conically profiled resilient mounting isolators. 
   
   
       40 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   an attachment area positioned behind the driver seat;   an accessory positioned rearward of the driver and being received in the attachment area;   a latch assembly cooperatively supported between the frame and the accessory; and   a release mechanism attached to the accessory, wherein a force on the release mechanism necessary to disengage the latch assembly, has a directional component substantially in the same direction as the direction for removing the accessory from the vehicle.   
   
   
       41 . The vehicle of  claim 40 , wherein the release mechanism is comprised of a lanyard which extends to a position adjacent to a rear of the accessory. 
   
   
       42 . The vehicle of  claim 40 , wherein the accessory is a passenger seat. 
   
   
       43 . The vehicle of  claim 42 , wherein the passenger seat is comprised of a seat frame member having a seat bottom frame portion and a seat back frame portion. 
   
   
       44 . The vehicle of  claim 43 , wherein the latch assembly is comprised of a fixed latch portion and a movable latch portion. 
   
   
       45 . The vehicle of  claim 44 , wherein the movable latch portion is mounted to an exterior of the seat bottom frame portion. 
   
   
       46 . The vehicle of  claim 45 , wherein the seat frame member is comprised of a transition portion which connects the seat bottom frame portion and the seat back frame portion, and the release mechanism is comprised of a lanyard extending along the transition portion. 
   
   
       47 . The vehicle of  claim 46 , wherein the seat frame member includes an opening through the transition portion adjacent to the seat bottom frame portion, and an opening through the transition portion adjacent to the seat back frame portion, and the lanyard extend along an inside of the transition portion, and extends through each of the openings. 
   
   
       48 . The vehicle of  claim 40 , wherein the accessory is comprised of a rear storage compartment. 
   
   
       49 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a rack portion supported by the frame, the rack comprising a rail portion, and an overlying support surface, the overlying support surface covering a portion of the rail portion, leaving portions of the rail portion exposed.   
   
   
       50 . The vehicle of  claim 49 , wherein the overlying support surface is overmolded on the rail portion. 
   
   
       51 . The vehicle of  claim 50 , wherein the rail portion is adjacent to a perimeter, and the overlying support portion has a perimeter opening exposing the rail portion. 
   
   
       52 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a rack portion supported by the frame; and   a cup holder integrally formed in the rack portion.   
   
   
       53 . The vehicle of  claim 52 , wherein the rack portion is supported by the vehicle fender. 
   
   
       54 . The vehicle of  claim 53 , wherein the rack portion and the vehicle fender include complementary and overlapping wells which define the cup holder. 
   
   
       55 . The vehicle of  claim 54 , wherein each of the overlapping wells include off-set drain holes. 
   
   
       56 . The vehicle of  claim 52 , further comprising a strap, with one end attached to the rack and the opposite end having a receiving area for attachment to a cup or bottle placed in the cup holder. 
   
   
       57 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a cup holder supported by the frame; and   at least one strap, with one end attached to the frame and the opposite end having a receiving area for attachment to a cup or bottle placed in the cup holder.   
   
   
       58 . The vehicle of  claim 57 , further comprising a rack attached to the frame, with the cup holder integrally formed in the rack portion, and with the one end of the strap attached to the rack. 
   
   
       59 . The vehicle of  claim 57 , comprising two straps attached to opposite sides of the receiving area, and with both one ends of the strap attached to the rack. 
   
   
       60 . The vehicle of  claim 59 , wherein the receiving area comprises elastic netting. 
   
   
       61 . A vehicle comprising:
 a frame;   a straddle type seat mounted to the frame for a driver;   a passenger seat positioned rearward of the driver;   a foot rest positioned along the sides of the vehicle and longitudinally disposed and profiled for the feet of the driver and passenger, the foot rest having a first raised area providing a first raised foot area for the passenger, and a removable pedestal riser receivable over the first raised area providing a second and alternate raised foot area for the passenger.   
   
   
       62 . A method of manufacturing all terrain vehicles (ATVs), comprising the steps of:
 providing a body portion having a driver and passenger seat mount area;   providing a foot rest positioned along the sides of the vehicle and longitudinally disposed and profiled for the feet of the driver and passenger, when positioned on respective driver and passenger seats;   providing and attaching a driver seat to the driver seat mount area;   alternatively selecting a first seat or second passenger seat, where said second passenger seat upstands higher than said driver seat and said first passenger seat; and   when said second passenger seat is selected, providing a removable pedestal riser positioned for the passenger, for raising the height of the passenger foot area.