Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.

Jonathan Fortier

Sebastien Vezina

Yvon Bedard

Alain Lavoie

Martin Gagnon

A heat exchanger assembly has: a front portion; a middle portion rearward of the front portion; a rear portion rearward of the middle portion, at least one of the front and rear portions being curved from the middle portion, the at least one of the front and rear portions extending below the middle portion; a top part, the top part defining at least one top recess; and a bottom part disposed below the top part and being joined to the top part, the bottom part defining at least one bottom recess. The top and bottom parts define therebetween a passage formed in part by the at least one top recess and the at least one bottom recess. The passage has an inlet and an outlet. A snowmobile having the heat exchanger assembly is also disclosed.

Snowmobile heat exchanger assembly

According to one aspect of the present technology, there is provided a snowmobile having: a tunnel; a motor; at least one ski; and a drive track. At least a portion of the tunnel is formed by a heat exchanger assembly having: a front portion; a middle portion; a rear portion; a top part; and a bottom part. The bottom part defines at least one recess. The top and bottom parts define therebetween a passage formed in part by the at least one recess. A first portion of the passage is defined by the at least one recess extending longitudinally. The drive track has: a plurality of lugs; and a plurality of studs. Portions of the plurality of lugs being laterally aligned with the first portion of the passage being free of studs.

A heat exchanger assembly has a top par and a bottom part joined to the top part. At least one of the top and bottom parts defines a recess. The top and bottom parts define therebetween a passage formed in part by the recess. The passage has a first portion of the passage extending along a first side of the heat exchanger assembly; a second portion of the passage extending along a second side of the heat exchanger assembly; an inlet fluidly communicating with the first portion of the passage near a first end of the passage; and an outlet fluidly communicating with the second portion of the passage near a second end of the passage. Fluid enters the passage via the inlet, then flows in the first portion of the passage, then flows in the second portion of the passage, and then exits the passage via the outlet.

A snowmobile includes a tunnel having an inverted U-shape, having top, left side and right side portions which at least partly enclose a space. A drive track is disposed around a rear suspension assembly and at least in part in the space. A first heat exchanger has a heat exchanger liquid inlet and outlet. The heat exchanger liquid outlet fluidly communicates with the heat exchanger liquid inlet and with an engine liquid inlet. The first heat exchanger forms part of the top portion and is operable to dissipate heat toward the space from liquid passing therethrough. A second heat exchanger has a heat exchanger air inlet and outlet. The heat exchanger air outlet fluidly communicates with the heat exchanger air inlet and with the engine air inlet. The second heat exchanger forms part of the top portion and is operable to dissipate heat toward the space from air passing therethrough.

Heat exchanger for a snowmobile engine air intake

A snowmobile has a frame, a ski connected to the frame, a seat connected to the frame for accommodating a driver of the snowmobile, a rear suspension assembly operatively connected to the frame, an endless track supported by the rear suspension assembly, a motor supported by the frame, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) operatively connecting the motor to the endless track. The rear suspension assembly has a suspension assembly drive axle defining a drive axle rotation axis, and a drive sprocket mounted to the drive axle. The motor has a shaft rotatable about a shaft rotation axis. The drive axle rotation axis is positioned forwardly of the shaft rotation axis. The seat is positioned above the motor.

Snowmobile

A snowmobile has a frame, a ski, a rear suspension assembly, an endless track supported by the rear suspension assembly, a motor supported by the frame, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) operatively connecting the motor to the endless track. The motor has a shaft rotatable about a shaft rotation axis. The CVT has a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, and a transmission belt. The primary pulley is rotatable about a primary pulley rotation axis extending parallel to the shaft rotation axis of the shaft of the motor. The primary pulley is operatively connected to and driven by the shaft of the motor by one of a chain and a belt. The secondary pulley is operatively connected to and driven by the primary pulley. The secondary pulley is operatively connected to the endless track. The transmission belt connects the primary pulley to the secondary pulley.

A snowmobile has a frame having a motor module, a tunnel connected to the motor module, a suspension module connected to the motor module, a motor, a handlebar, a ski operatively connected to the handlebar and a front suspension assembly operatively connecting the ski to the suspension module and to the motor module. The front suspension assembly has a suspension arm having a proximal end positioned longitudinally between the motor module and the suspension module. The proximal end pivots about a pivot axis extending through an interior portion of the suspension module. A proximal fastener passes through the proximal end of the suspension arm and extends from the interior portion of the suspension module to the motor module. The proximal fastener thereby pivotally connects the suspension arm to the suspension module and to the motor module about the pivot axis.

Frame and front suspension assembly for a snowmobile

A snowmobile has a frame including an inverted U-shaped tunnel having top, left and right portions at least partly enclosing a space. A drive track, operatively connected to an engine, is disposed around a rear suspension and at least partly in the space. An air intake system has a heat exchanger surface disposed in or adjacent to the space. Air flowing through the intake system contacts the heat exchanger surface to be cooled thereby before entering the engine.

A heat exchanger assembly has a front portion, a middle portion rearward of the front portion, a rear portion rearward of the middle portion, a top part and a bottom part disposed below the top part. At least one of the front and rear portions is curved from the middle portion. The at least one of the front and rear portions extends below the middle portion. The bottom part is joined to the top part. At least one of the top and bottom parts defines a recess. The top and bottom parts define therebetween a passage formed in part by the recess. A width of the passage varies along a length of the heat exchanger assembly. The passage has an inlet and an outlet. A snowmobile with a heat exchanger assembly and a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger assembly are also disclosed.

A vehicle has a frame, a ski, an endless track, a motor, a rear suspension assembly supporting the endless track, and a continuously variable transmission operatively connecting the motor to the endless track for driving the endless track. The continuously variable transmission has a primary pulley operatively connected to the motor, a transmission belt, and a secondary pulley operatively connected to the primary pulley via the transmission belt. The secondary pulley is operatively connected to the endless track. The continuously variable transmission is positioned forwardly of the motor.

A snowmobile has a frame including a tunnel, at least one ski, an engine having an engine air inlet and a drive track operatively connected thereto and disposed at least partly below the tunnel around a rear suspension. A heat exchanger connected to the tunnel has a heat exchanger air inlet and a heat exchanger air outlet fluidly communicating with the heat exchanger air inlet and the engine air inlet. A snowmobile has a frame including an inverted U-shaped tunnel having top, left and right portions at least partly enclosing a space. A drive track, operatively connected to an engine, is disposed around a rear suspension and at least partly in the space. An air intake system has a heat exchanger surface disposed in or adjacent to the space. Air flowing through the intake system contacts the heat exchanger surface to be cooled thereby before entering the engine.

A leaning vehicle has a frame, a straddle seat, a motor, a shock tower pivotally connected the frame, the frame being pivotable relative to the shock tower, and front left and right suspension assemblies connected the frame. Each of the front left and right suspension assemblies comprises a leg operatively connected to a corresponding front left or right ground engaging member and being rotatable about a steering axis, an upper suspension arm having a first end pivotally connected to the frame and a second end pivotally connected to the leg, a lower suspension arm having a first end pivotally connected to the frame and a second end pivotally connected to the leg and a shock absorber having an upper end connected to the shock tower and a lower end connected to the lower suspension arm and a brake assembly connected to the frame and the shock tower.

Leaning vehicle

A snowmobile footrest adapted to be disposed on a side of a snowmobile tunnel includes a plurality of interconnected ribs. At least one first rib extending in a first direction includes an upper first rib surface and a lower first rib surface defining a first rib height therebetween. A pair of vertical first rib surfaces, extending generally in a vertical direction between the upper and lower first rib surfaces, define a first rib thickness therebetween. The first rib height is greater than the first rib thickness. At least one second rib is connected to the at least one first rib. Each second rib extends in a second direction, the second direction being at an angle with respect to the first direction. The at least one first rib and the at least one second rib define at least one space therebetween. Snowmobiles having the footrests are also disclosed.

Snowmobile footrests

A leaning vehicle has a frame pivotally connected to a shock tower, at least one biasing member connected to the frame, front left and right suspension assemblies each having a shock absorber connected to the shock tower, two front ground engaging members, a rear suspension assembly, and a rear ground engaging member. The at least one biasing member applies a first force to the shock tower when the frame has pivoted relative to the shock tower. When the frame pivots left, a force is transferred to the front left ground engaging member by the left shock absorber to apply a force having a downward component to the front left ground engaging member. When the frame pivots right, a force is transferred to the front right ground engaging member by the right shock absorber to apply a force having a downward component to the front right ground engaging member.

A vehicle has a frame, a straddle seat, a motor, a belt transmission system, front left and right suspension assemblies, front left and right ground engaging members, a rear suspension assembly, a rear ground engaging member, a steering assembly operatively connected to the front left and right ground engaging members and having a handlebar, and an inertia wheel. The inertia wheel is operatively connected to the steering assembly. The inertia wheel pivots about a generally vertical axis when the handlebar is turned to steer the front left and right ground engaging members. The inertia wheel pivots about the vertical axis in a same direction as the front left and right ground engaging members when steered by the handlebar.

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Lawrenceville, Canada

Jonathan Fortier