Tracked all-terrain vehicle

Abstract

A tracked ATV includes a frame, a track coupled to the frame, and a power source supported by the frame and drivingly coupled to the track. The tracked ATV further includes a steering and drive assembly, which has a first hydraulic pump coupled to the tracks for large radius turns. The steering and drive assembly also has a second hydraulic pump coupled to the tracks for small radius turns.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tracked all-terrain vehicle (ATV), comprising:
 a frame;   a track coupled to the frame;   a power source supported by the frame and drivingly coupled to the track; and   a steering and drive assembly, the assembly comprising a first hydraulic pump coupled to the tracks for large radius turns, and a second hydraulic pump coupled to the tracks for small radius turns.   
     
     
         2 . The tracked ATV of  claim 1 , wherein the second hydraulic pump is drivingly coupled to the power source. 
     
     
         3 . The tracked ATV of  claim 2 , wherein the second hydraulic pump comprises a dual hydraulic pump in a dual stage configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The tracked ATV of  claim 1 , wherein the power source is an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         5 . The tracked ATV of  claim 1 , wherein the steering and drive assembly comprises a steering gear assembly and a drive gear assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The tracked ATV of  claim 5 , wherein the drive gear assembly is comprised of a differential drive assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The tracked ATV of  claim 6 , wherein the differential drive assembly comprises two planetary gear assemblies; a left planetary gear assembly coupled to a left track and a right planetary gear assembly coupled to a right planetary gear assembly coupled to a right track. 
     
     
         8 . The tracked ATV of  claim 7 , further comprising an input shaft having a first end coupled to the differential drive assembly and a second end coupled to the power source. 
     
     
         9 . The tracked ATV of  claim 8 , wherein the first hydraulic pump is drivingly coupled to the input shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The tracked ATV of  claim 9 , wherein the steering gear assembly comprises a steering gear train coupled to the left and right planetary gear assemblies to operate the left and right tracks at differential speeds for steering. 
     
     
         11 . The tracked ATV of  claim 10 , further comprising a hydraulic motor coupled to the first hydraulic pump for providing driving input to the steering gear train. 
     
     
         12 . The tracked ATV of  claim 8 , wherein when the right and left tracks are moving, without input from the power source, the input shaft is driven and the coupling of the first hydraulic pump to the input shaft provides steering capabilities. 
     
     
         13 . The tracked ATV of  claim 5 , wherein the steering and drive assembly is positioned adjacent a front end of the vehicle and the power source is positioned adjacent a rear end of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The tracked ATV of  claim 13 , further comprising a driveshaft extending from the power source to a front end of the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The tracked ATV of  claim 14 , wherein the frame includes an enclosed pan. 
     
     
         16 . The tracked ATV of  claim 15 , wherein the enclosed pan is sealed to provide an amphibious vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The tracked ATV of  claim 1 , wherein the low radius turn includes a zero radius turn. 
     
     
         18 . The tracked ATV of  claim 1 , further comprising a speed sensor providing input to the second hydraulic pump, allowing the operation of the second hydraulic pump only under a selected speed range. 
     
     
         19 . The tracked ATV of  claim 1 , further comprising a gear box intermediate the power source and the steering and drive assembly, the gear box providing a forward and reverse direction for the tracked ATV. 
     
     
         20 . The tracked ATV of  claim 19 , further comprising a hydraulic motor coupled to the first hydraulic pump for providing driving input to the steering gear assembly. 
     
     
         21 . The tracked ATV of  claim 20 , wherein the hydraulic motor is bi-directional. 
     
     
         22 . The tracked ATV of  claim 21 , further comprising a hydraulic switch intermediate the first hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor, reversing the direction of flow to the hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         23 . A tracked all-terrain vehicle (ATV), comprising:
 a frame;   a track coupled to the frame;   a power source supported by the frame and drivingly coupled to the track; and   a steering and drive assembly, comprising:
 a drive gear assembly coupled to the track for driving the track; and 
 a steering gear assembly including a first hydraulic pump and a motor, the first hydraulic pump being driven by the drive gear assembly when the vehicle is moving. 
   
     
     
         24 . The tracked ATV of  claim 23 , wherein the drive gear assembly is comprised of a differential drive assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The tracked ATV of  claim 24 , wherein the differential drive assembly comprises two planetary gear assemblies; a left planetary gear assembly coupled to a left track and a right planetary gear assembly coupled to a right track. 
     
     
         26 . The tracked ATV of  claim 25 , further comprising an input shaft having a first end coupled to the differential drive assembly and a second end coupled to the power source. 
     
     
         27 . The tracked ATV of  claim 26 , wherein the first hydraulic pump is drivingly coupled to the input shaft. 
     
     
         28 . The tracked ATV of  claim 27 , wherein when the power source is operating, the first hydraulic pump is driven by the input shaft coupled to the power source. 
     
     
         29 . The tracked ATV of  claim 27 , wherein when the power source is not operating, and the tracked ATV is moving, the first hydraulic pump is driven by the input shaft coupled to the differential drive assembly. 
     
     
         30 . The tracked ATV of  claim 27 , further comprising a steering gear train coupled to the left and right planetary gear assemblies to operate the left and right tracks at differential speeds for steering. 
     
     
         31 . The tracked ATV of  claim 28 , further comprising a hydraulic motor coupled to the first hydraulic pump for providing driving input to the steering gear train. 
     
     
         32 . The tracked ATV of  claim 28 , wherein when the right and left tracks are moving, without input from the power source, the input shaft is driven, and the coupling of the first hydraulic pump to the input shaft provides steering capabilities. 
     
     
         33 . The tracked ATV of  claim 23 , further comprising a hydraulic motor coupled to the first hydraulic pump for providing driving input to the steering gear assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The tracked ATV of  claim 33 , further comprising a second hydraulic pump drivingly coupled to the power source and coupled to the hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         35 . The tracked ATV of  claim 34 , wherein the second hydraulic pump comprises a dual hydraulic pump in a dual stage configuration, and drivingly coupled to the tracks for small radius turns. 
     
     
         36 . The tracked ATV of  claim 35 , wherein the small radius turn includes a zero radius turn. 
     
     
         37 . The tracked ATV of  claim 36 , further comprising a speed sensor providing input to the second hydraulic pump, allowing the operation of the second hydraulic pump only under a selected low speed range. 
     
     
         38 . The tracked ATV of  claim 34 , further comprising
 an operator seat supported by the frame;   a seat sensor coupled to the operator seat for detecting a load on the operator seat;   a control unit operative to detect at least one of an occupied state and an unoccupied state of the operator seat based on output from the seat sensor, the control unit being operative to disable operation of the second hydraulic pump in response to detecting the unoccupied state of the operator seat.   
     
     
         39 . The tracked ATV of  claim 34 , further comprising
 a speed sensor; and   a control unit operative to detect a speed of the vehicle based on output from the speed sensor, the control unit being operative to disable operation of the second hydraulic pump in response to the speed of the vehicle exceeding a threshold speed.   
     
     
         40 . The tracked ATV of  claim 23 , wherein the steering gear assembly is positioned adjacent a front end of the vehicle and the power source is positioned adjacent a rear end of the vehicle. 
     
     
         41 . The tracked ATV of  claim 23 , wherein the power source is an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         42 . The tracked ATV of  claim 41 , further comprising a driveshaft extending from the power source to a front end of the vehicle. 
     
     
         43 . The tracked ATV of  claim 42 , wherein the frame includes an enclosed pan. 
     
     
         44 . The tracked ATV of  claim 43 , wherein the enclosed pan is sealed to provide an amphibious vehicle. 
     
     
         45 . The tracked ATV of  claim 23 , further comprising a gear box intermediate the power source and the steering and drive assembly, the gear box providing a forward and reverse direction for the tracked ATV. 
     
     
         46 . The tracked ATV of  claim 45 , further comprising a hydraulic motor coupled to the first hydraulic pump for providing driving input to the steering gear assembly. 
     
     
         47 . The tracked ATV of  claim 46 , wherein the hydraulic motor is bi-directional. 
     
     
         48 . The tracked ATV of  claim 47 , further comprising a hydraulic switch intermediate the first hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor, reversing the direction of flow to the hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         49 . A tracked ATV, comprising:
 a frame;   a track coupled to the frame;   a power source supported by the frame and drivingly coupled to the track; and   a suspension system coupled to the frame and supporting the track, the suspension system comprising a plurality of control arms coupled at an upper end to the frame, and at a lower end to a carrier roller, at least some of the carrier rollers moving independently of the other carrier rollers.   
     
     
         50 . The tracked ATV of  claim 49 , wherein the track is the furthest point forward of the tracked ATV. 
     
     
         51 . The tracked ATV of  claim 49 , wherein at least one of the carrier rollers is comprised of an inner web of resilient material, allowing the at least one carrier roller to deflect radially inwardly. 
     
     
         52 . The tracked ATV of  claim 49 , wherein the control arms and carrier rollers are mounted to a sub frame, which is coupled to the frame. 
     
     
         53 . A tracked all-terrain vehicle (ATV), comprising:
 a frame;   a track coupled to the frame;   a power source supported by the frame and drivingly coupled to the track;   a plurality of load sensors supported by the frame, each load sensor being operative to detect a load on the frame;   a display device operative to display an indication of payload distribution of the vehicle; and   a control unit in communication with the plurality of load sensors and the display device, the control unit being operative to calculate a payload distribution of the vehicle based on output from the plurality of load sensors and to determine a recommended payload adjustment based on the calculated payload distribution, the control unit being operative to transmit a signal to the display device representative of the recommend payload adjustment.   
     
     
         54 . The tracked ATV of  claim 53 , wherein the control unit is operative to compare the calculated payload distribution to a threshold payload distribution stored in memory accessible by the control unit to determine the recommended payload adjustment. 
     
     
         55 . The tracked ATV of  claim 53 , wherein the control unit is operative to determine payload distributions between a plurality of regions of a cargo portion of the vehicle corresponding to mounting locations of the plurality of load sensors. 
     
     
         56 . The tracked ATV of  claim 53 , further including a front cargo portion and a rear cargo portion each supported by the frame, wherein the plurality of sensors include a plurality of first sensors mounted to front cargo portion and a plurality of second sensors mounted to the rear cargo portion. 
     
     
         57 . A method of managing payload distribution of a tracked all-terrain vehicle (ATV), the method comprising:
 providing a tracked ATV including a frame, a track coupled to the frame, and a power source supported by the frame and drivingly coupled to the track;   detecting, by a plurality of load sensors, at least one load on the frame;   calculating, by a control unit, a payload distribution of the vehicle based on output from the plurality of load sensors;   determining, by the control unit, a recommended payload adjustment based on the calculated payload distribution; and   transmitting a signal to a display device representative of the recommend payload adjustment.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising comparing the calculated payload distribution to a threshold payload distribution stored in memory accessible by the control unit to determine the recommended payload adjustment. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising determining payload distributions between a plurality of regions of a cargo portion of the vehicle corresponding to mounting locations of the plurality of load sensors.