U.S. patent application number 12/038653 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-24 for amphibious vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to GIBBS TECHNOLOGIES LTD.. Invention is credited to Stephen John Briggs, Alan Timothy Gibbs, Neil Graham Jenkins, Simon James Longdill, Hans Weekers.
Application Number | 20080176464 12/038653 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35677355 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080176464 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Longdill; Simon James ; et
al. |
July 24, 2008 |
AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE
Abstract
A sit-astride amphibious vehicle configuration which supports a
high performance envelope both on land as well as in water. The
vehicle has a planing hull and four retractable wheels. Handlebars
provide for directional control in both modes of operation. Each
road wheel is retractable by pivoting through at least 45.degree.
so as to maximize ground clearance when in the land mode of
operation and to minimize drag at substantial lean angles when in
the marine mode of operation. While a jet drive may remain directly
connected to the engine at all times, the driven wheels are only
connected during land mode via a speed-change transmission. The
entire power train is supported by a frame that is separable from
the hull which in turn has a detachable top deck portion, whereby
such configuration simplifies the construction, repair and
servicing of the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Longdill; Simon James; (Mt.
Wellington, NZ) ; Weekers; Hans; (Mt. Wellington,
NZ) ; Briggs; Stephen John; (Mt. Wellington, NZ)
; Gibbs; Alan Timothy; (London, GB) ; Jenkins;
Neil Graham; (Warwickshire, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FULWIDER PATTON LLP
HOWARD HUGHES CENTER, 6060 CENTER DRIVE, TENTH FLOOR
LOS ANGELES
CA
90045
US
|
Assignee: |
GIBBS TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
Warwickshire
GB
|
Family ID: |
35677355 |
Appl. No.: |
12/038653 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11255779 |
Oct 21, 2005 |
|
|
|
12038653 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
440/12.51 ;
440/12.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Y 2200/124 20130101;
B60F 3/0069 20130101; B62K 9/00 20130101; B62K 13/00 20130101; B60F
2301/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
440/12.51 ;
440/12.5 |
International
Class: |
B60F 3/00 20060101
B60F003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 22, 2004 |
GB |
GB 0423463.9 |
Oct 22, 2004 |
GB |
GB 0423470.4 |
Oct 22, 2004 |
GB |
GB 0423474.6 |
Oct 22, 2004 |
GB |
GB 0423483.7 |
Oct 22, 2004 |
GB |
GB 0423517.2 |
Claims
1. An amphibious vehicle comprising: a sit-astride seat for a
driver of the vehicle, a planing hull, at least four wheels, each
of which is movable between an extended land mode location and a
retracted water mode location two of the wheels being front
steerable wheels, which are, at least in the land mode of the
vehicle, connected to handlebars which can be operated by a driver
to steer the vehicle, an engine which in the land mode of the
vehicle is connected to at least one of the wheels to drive the
wheel, and marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on
water.
2. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the engine
drives the marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on
water.
3. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, comprising
additionally: a speed change transmission giving the vehicle in
forward motion on land a plurality of different gear ratios between
the engine and the driven wheel(s).
4. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein: all of the
four wheels are each pivoted about an axis running fore and aft
along the vehicle when moved between the land mode and the water
mode locations thereof.
5. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 2, comprising
additionally: a speed change transmission giving the vehicle in
forward motion on land a plurality of different gear ratios between
the engine and the driven wheel(s).
6. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein: all of the
four wheels are each pivoted about an axis running fore and aft
along the vehicle when moved between the land mode and the water
mode locations thereof.
7. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein: all of the
four wheels are each pivoted about an axis running fore and aft
along the vehicle when moved between the land mode and the water
mode locations thereof.
8. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein: all of the
four wheels are each pivoted about an axis running fore and aft
along the vehicle when moved between the land mode and the water
mode locations thereof.
9. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the two
front steerable wheels in land mode locations thereof are located
on opposite sides of the vehicle, spaced apart transversely across
the vehicle by a first track width; the two other wheels of the
four are not connected to the handlebars to be steered thereby and
are located at the rear of the vehicle on opposite sides of the
vehicle, spaced apart transversely across the vehicle by a second
track width greater than the first track width.
10. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a
separate spring and damper unit is provided for each wheel.
11. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a track
rod is mounted to extend transversely across the vehicle; the track
rod is mounted by mounting means which allow the track rod to be
slid along the axis thereof transversely across the vehicle by
rotation of the handlebars; the track rod is pivotally connected at
one end to a first front wheel and is pivotally connected at a
second end to a second front wheel; and the front wheels are
pivotally mounted on supporting suspension arrangements for
steering rotation under control of the track rod.
12. An amphibious vehicle comprising: a sit-astride seat, a planing
hull, at least four wheels, all of which are movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
two of the wheels being front steerable wheels, which are, at least
in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to handlebars which can
be operated by a driver to steer the vehicle, an engine which in
the land mode of the vehicle is connected to at least one of the
wheels to drive the wheel, a speed change transmission giving the
vehicle in forward motion on land a plurality of different gear
ratios connected between the engine and the driven wheel(s), and a
jet connected to the engine so as to be directly driven thereby to
propel the vehicle on water.
13. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein all of
the four wheels are each pivoted about an axis running fore and aft
along the vehicle when moved between the land mode and the water
mode locations thereof.
14. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein: the
speed change transmission comprises a manually operable gearbox and
a manually operable gear selection means are provided operable by a
driver of the vehicle to select one of the gear ratios.
15. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein: the
speed change transmission comprises an automatic gearbox.
16. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein: the
speed change transmission comprises a continuously variable
transmission.
17. An amphibious vehicle comprising: a sit-astride seat for a
driver of the vehicle, a planing hull, at least four wheels, all of
which are movable between an extended land mode location and a
retracted water mode location, each being pivoted about an axis
running fore and aft along the vehicle when moved between the land
mode and the water mode locations thereof, two of the wheels being
front steerable wheels, which are, at least in the land mode of the
vehicle, connected to handlebars which can be operated by a driver
to steer the vehicle, an engine which in the land mode of the
vehicle is connected to at least one of the wheels to drive the
wheel, and marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on
water
18. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein: each
road wheel is pivoted through 45.degree. or more during
retraction.
19. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein: the four
wheels comprise a front pair of wheels steerable by the handlebars
and spaced apart transversely across the vehicle by a first track
width when in land mode and a rear pair of wheels spaced apart
transversely across the vehicle by a second track width when in
land mode; and the planing hull has a maximum beam width which is
less than both the first and second track widths.
20. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein: the
first track width is greater than the second track width.
21. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein: a
separate spring and damper assembly is provided for each wheel.
22. An amphibious vehicle comprising: a sit-astride seat, a planing
hull, at least four wheels, each of which is movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
two of the wheels being front steerable wheels, which are, at least
in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to handlebars which can
be operated by a driver to steer the vehicle, an engine which in
the land mode of the vehicle is connected to at least one of the
wheels to drive the wheel, and marine propulsion means to propel
the vehicle on water, wherein: the planing hull is formed as a
single component and the vehicle has one or more deck components
all joined to the hull component along a join line which extends
around an entire periphery of the vehicle at a level above a water
line of the vehicle in water; and the or at least one of the deck
components forms a majority of an upwardly facing surface of the
vehicle and is demountable to allow access to the engine located
there beneath.
23. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 22, wherein: the hull
and each deck component is formed of a composite of fibres set in
resin and localised areas of at least some of the deck components
are provided with fibre reinforcement additional to the fibre
reinforcement in a remainder of the component(s) to provide a
greater structural strength in such areas, whereby reinforced areas
provide load paths for transmission of loading of the vehicle and
the load paths extend around an entire transversely viewed
periphery of the vehicle to resist torsion loads acting to twist a
front part of the vehicle relative to a rear part of the
vehicle.
24. An amphibious vehicle comprising: a sit-astride seat, a planing
hull, at least four wheels, each of which is movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
two of the wheels being front steerable wheels of the vehicle,
which are, at least in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to
handlebars which can be operated by a driver to steer the vehicle,
an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected to at
least one wheel to drive the wheel, and marine propulsion means to
propel the vehicle on water, wherein: the engine is mounted on a
frame releasably connected to the hull, the vehicle also comprising
a transmission connecting the engine to the driven wheel(s), at
least part of the transmission also being mounted on the frame.
25. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 24, wherein: a
suspension system is provided for the road wheels and the
suspension system is also mounted on the frame.
26. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 25, wherein a
steering mechanism is connected between the handlebars at the front
steerable wheels and the steering mechanism is also mounted on the
frame.
27. An amphibious vehicle comprising: a sit-astride seat, a vehicle
body having a planing hull, at least four wheels, each of which is
movable between an extended land mode location and a retracted
water mode location, two of the wheels being steerable wheels,
which are, at least in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to
handlebars which can be operated by a driver to steer the vehicle,
an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected to at
least one of the wheels to drive the wheel, and marine propulsion
means to propel the vehicle on water, wherein: the vehicle body
defines a pair of footwell areas spaced apart on both sides of the
sit-astride seat with the vehicle body having sill portions
positioned laterally outside the footwell areas.
28. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 27, wherein buoyancy
chambers are provided in the sill portions of the vehicle.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from Great Britain
Application Serial Nos. 0423463.9, 0423470.4, 0423474.6, 0423483.7
and 0423517.2, all filed Oct. 22, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an amphibious vehicle and
in particular, to a sit-astride amphibious vehicle having
all-terrain vehicle (ATV) capability on land.
[0003] Amphibious vehicles are now well known in the art. However,
the present applicant has identified a need for an amphibious
vehicle having ATV capability on land and which performs as a high
speed personal watercraft on water. A number of prior art proposals
have proceeded to prototype. However, such vehicles have opted to
either optimise operation in the marine mode or, alternatively,
operation in the land mode. The result is an amphibious vehicle
having poor performance in one mode of operation or the other.
[0004] Sit astride amphibious vehicles have previously been
described such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,046 to Grzech. Grzech
teaches an amphibious tricycle. The problem identified by the
inventor in this document, was to provide his personal watercraft
(PWC) with limited on land capability in order that it was at least
partially mobile when going ashore. GRZECH is limited in that it is
only suitable for travel on well made up roads when operating in a
land mode. This is because the vehicle has only three wheels and
these are connected to the remainder of the vehicle by a suspension
arrangement which is adapted to cope only with smooth road surfaces
and does not have the suspension travel suitable for off-road use
of the vehicle. Also, GRZECH needs a large heat exchanger which
protrudes through the keel of the vehicle to provide the very
necessary cooling required to cool the highly overpowered marine
combustion engine. This dictates against off-road land use since
the heat exchanger could easily be damaged in such a use. GRZECH
has opted for a single steerable front wheel since this is easiest
to provide in an adaptation of a personal watercraft.
[0005] Accordingly, there exists the need for an all terrain high
speed amphibian vehicle, more particularly, having at least four
retractable wheel assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an
amphibious vehicle comprising:
[0007] a sit-astride seat,
[0008] a planing hull,
[0009] at least four wheels, each of which is movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
two of the wheels being front steerable wheels, which are, at least
in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to handlebars which can
be operated by a driver to steer the vehicle,
[0010] an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected
to at least one of the wheels to drive the wheel, and
[0011] marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on water.
[0012] GRZECH only seeks to provide a PWC with a limited on-land
function; he has taken an existing PWC and adapted it with few
changes. GRZECH teaches that the engine can be connected to the
driven wheels through a transmission with one fixed gear ratio.
[0013] In a second aspect the present invention provides an
amphibious vehicle comprising:
[0014] a sit-astride seat
[0015] a planing hull,
[0016] at least four wheels, each of which is movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location, at
least two of the wheels being front steerable wheels, which are, at
least in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to handlebars
which can be operated by a driver to steer the vehicle,
[0017] an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected
to at least one of the wheels to drive the wheel, and
[0018] marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on water.
[0019] GRZECH in adapting a PWC has sought to keep the overall
dimensions of the vehicle within those of an existing PWC; thus he
has chosen rear wheels on a trailing arm suspension with a track
width less than the hull beam and also a single retractable front
wheel.
[0020] In a third aspect the present invention provides an
amphibious vehicle comprising:
[0021] a sit-astride seat,
[0022] a planing hull,
[0023] at least four wheels, all of which are movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
each being pivoted about an axis running fore and aft along the
vehicle when moved between the land mode and the water mode
locations thereof, two of the wheels being front steerable wheels,
which are, at least in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to
handlebars which can be operated by a driver to steer the
vehicle,
[0024] an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected
to at least one of the wheels to drive the wheel, and
[0025] marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on water.
[0026] In a fourth aspect the present invention provides an
amphibious vehicle comprising:
[0027] a sit-astride seat,
[0028] a planing hull,
[0029] at least four wheels, each of which is movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
two of the wheels being front steerable wheels, which are, at least
in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to handlebars which can
be operated by a driver to steer the vehicle,
[0030] an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected
to at least one of the wheels to drive the wheel, and
[0031] marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on water,
wherein:
[0032] the planing hull is formed as a single component and the
vehicle has one or more deck components all joined to the hull
component along a join line which extends around an entire
periphery of the vehicle at a level above a water line of the
vehicle in water; and
[0033] the or at least one of the deck components forms a majority
of an upwardly facing surface of the vehicle and is demountable to
allow access to the engine located there beneath.
[0034] In a fifth aspect the present invention provides an
amphibious vehicle comprising:
[0035] a sit-astride seat,
[0036] a planing hull,
[0037] at least four wheels, each of which is movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
two of the wheels being front steerable wheels of the vehicle,
which are, at least in the land mode of the vehicle, connected to
handlebars which can be operated by a driver to steer the
vehicle,
[0038] an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected
to at least one wheel to drive the wheel, and
[0039] marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on water,
wherein:
[0040] the engine is mounted on a frame releasably connected to the
hull, the vehicle also comprising a transmission connecting the
engine to the driven wheel(s), at least part of the transmission
also being mounted on the frame.
[0041] In a sixth aspect the present invention provides an
amphibious vehicle comprising:
[0042] a sit-astride seat,
[0043] a vehicle body having a planing hull,
[0044] at least four wheels, each of which is movable between an
extended land mode location and a retracted water mode location,
two of the wheels being steerable wheels, which are, at least in
the land mode of the vehicle, connected to handlebars which can be
operated by a driver to steer the vehicle,
[0045] an engine which in the land mode of the vehicle is connected
to at least one of the wheels to drive the wheel, and
[0046] marine propulsion means to propel the vehicle on water,
wherein:
[0047] the vehicle body defines a pair of footwell areas spaced
apart on both sides of the sit-astride seat with the vehicle body
having sill portions positioned laterally outside the footwell
areas.
[0048] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of preferred embodiments which, taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, illustrate by way of example the
principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0049] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of an amphibious
vehicle according to the present invention;
[0050] FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the amphibious
vehicle of FIG. 1;
[0051] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the amphibious vehicle of FIG.
1;
[0052] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the amphibious vehicle of
FIG. 1;
[0053] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the amphibious vehicle of
FIG. 1;
[0054] FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the amphibious vehicle
according to FIG. 1;
[0055] FIG. 7 is a rear end elevation view of the amphibious
vehicle of FIG. 1;
[0056] FIG. 8 is a view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 in which the top
surface of the vehicle has been made transparent;
[0057] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a steering and suspension
assembly of the vehicle;
[0058] FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of the steering and
suspension assembly of FIG. 9, with the wheels in their lowered
land mode operation location;
[0059] FIG. 11 is the same front elevation view as FIG. 10, but
with the wheels raised in marine mode operation;
[0060] FIGS. 12-18 correspond to the views shown in FIGS. 1-7 save
that the views shown in FIGS. 13 to 18 show the amphibious vehicle
with its wheel assemblies retracted for use in marine mode
[0061] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a rolling chassis of the
vehicle; and
[0062] FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic view of a transmission of the
vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0063] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there can be seen an
amphibious vehicle 10 having a forward bow end 12 and a rear stem
end 14.
[0064] The vehicle 10 has four road wheels 50,51,52,53 which are
connected to the remainder of the vehicle by a wheel suspension
system which includes a wheel retraction mechanism for moving the
wheels 50,51,52,53 between a lowered state for road use and a
raised state for marine use. The front wheels 50 and 53 are
steerable and handlebars 54 enable steering of these wheels. The
rear wheels 51,52 are driven to propel the vehicle on land. A jet
drive unit 55 (see FIG. 2) provides propulsion in marine use.
[0065] The structure of the amphibious vehicle 10 comprises an
upper deck section 30 and a lower hull section 40. The upper deck
structure 30 is sealed to the lower hull section 40 around a
peripheral planar edge which is above the water line when the
amphibious vehicle 10 is displaced in water--(as can best be seen
in FIGS. 5 and FIGS. 8). The complete upper deck section 30 is
detachable from the lower hull section 40 as a single unit; this
permits ease of access to internal components of vehicle for
servicing, etc.
[0066] Air inlet openings 31 provide an entry for cooling air (e.g.
fan-assisted) for use by the cooling systems of the amphibious
vehicle 10. Air entrained via inlets 31 is eventually exhausted via
outlets 32. Between air inlet 31 and air outlet 32, a dorade system
is installed to prevent the ingress of water. The dorade system
facilitates righting of the vehicle on water by use of a
labyrinthine air inlet passage system to prevent the ingress of
water should the amphibious vehicle 10 be inverted in use in the
marine mode. Sit-astride seats 33 and 34 are provided for a driver
and a passenger of the amphibious vehicle 10. A footwell area 35 is
provided either side of the sit-astride seats 33, 34, each shrouded
by bodywork positioned laterally outside of the footwell area 35 to
provide protection. These footwell areas 35 may be provided with
means to bail automatically any water shipped in use of the
amphibious vehicle 10.
[0067] Front and rear wheel arches 36, 37 are provided on either
side of the amphibious vehicle 10 so as to contain a retractable
wheel assembly which is retracted when the amphibious vehicle 10 is
operating in the marine mode. An instrument panel 38 is provided
ahead of the steering controls to convey relevant parameters of the
amphibious vehicle 10 to the driver. Additionally, rear view
mirrors (not shown) may be provided as a visual aid to the driver.
Furthermore, navigation lights may also be provided within or on
the upper deck structure 30 in accordance with the local
legislative requirements.
[0068] The upper deck structure 30 forms an integral part of the
entire structure of the vehicle. It is a structural component and
not merely cladding. Typically it will take the form of a composite
structure (e.g. glass fibres or carbon fibres set in resin)
although any suitable manufacturing method may be employed. Where
localised areas of strength are required in the upper deck
structure 30, extra layers or mats of fibres may be laid down
during manufacture. The deck 30 will be formed with localised
reinforced areas in order to provide a complete force transmitting
path extending around the vehicle in a complete circle in a plane
orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, in order to
provide resistance to torsional loads on the vehicle.
[0069] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4 the underside of the hull can
be seen extending from the front bow section 12 to the rear stem
section 14. Starting from the planar interface with the upper deck
section 30, there is a relatively shallow section 41 extending
around a periphery of the amphibious vehicle 30 and in this section
there are provided front and rear wheel arches 42, 43. These areas
of the hull provide stability when the amphibious vehicle 10 is
operated at high speed in marine mode because they provide enclosed
volumes spaced laterally from the centre line of the amphibious
vehicle 10. As such, when cornering sharply, for example, an
increase in righting force is experienced as the angle of lean
increases. The bodywork lateral of the footwell areas could be
provided with buoyancy inserts which would provide righting forces
spaced from the vehicle centre line when the vehicle corners on
water.
[0070] Cutouts are provided in the hull on either side of the
centre line of the vehicle in the region of the front and rear
wheel arches 42, 43 to provide slots through which the retractable
wheel assemblies can be protracted and retracted. Suitably profiled
covers 44, 45 are provided as part of the wheel assemblies so as to
reconstruct the lines of the hull when the wheel assemblies are
retracted for use in marine mode.
[0071] A lower V section 46 depends from the mid section 41 and is
provided with a keel section running from the bow 12 of the
amphibious vehicle to approximately halfway along the length of the
vehicle. At this point, the keel splits to incorporate a water
intake area 49 for a jet drive marine propulsion unit of the
amphibious vehicle 10. The design of the hull 40 is critical in
determining the performance achieved when the amphibious vehicle 10
is operated in the marine mode.
[0072] The present applicants have spent considerable time and
effort in the design of the hull 40 which has resulted in a rather
surprising shape in that usually expected for a planing water
craft. The dead rise angle of the hull is substantially 20.7
degrees along substantially its entire length. This compares with
traditional planing hulls which start at the bow section with a
very steep dead rise angle and these dead rise angles become more
shallow along the length of the hull towards the stern, typically
ending at 5 degrees or less of dead rise angle.
[0073] Since the seating of the vehicle is arranged longitudinally
along the vehicle, the vehicle is narrower than a passenger car.
Aligning the engine longitudinally along the vehicle gives a body
shape which is narrow in beam and deep. Rather than adopting the
flat planing hull common in the prior art, the applicant has
adopted a greater dead rise angle for the agile marine handling
this provides, accepting that this gives a need for a suspension
with a lot of travel to give adequate ground clearance on land.
Large wheels also enable off-road usage, although they give
problems of packaging. Whereas before vehicles such as that of
GRZECH strove to keep the track width of the wheels within the beam
of the vehicle, the applicant has realised that better land mode
operation can be achieved if the track width of the vehicle is
greater than the beam of the hull. The approach adopted by the
applicant does mean that wheels must be retracted through a large
angle in order to be clear of the vehicle waterline in marine use,
but the strategy does provide for a vehicle capable both on land
and on water.
[0074] The hull 40 is additionally provided with hydrodynamic aids
in the form of strakes 47, 48 and the profiled suspension arm
covers 44, 45 previously referred to. Even with the small footprint
of the hull of the amphibious vehicle 10, the hull design 40 is
capable of propelling the amphibious vehicle 10 up onto the plane
with little difficulty in fast time periods. Furthermore, on-water
performance of the amphibious vehicle 10 is not compromised and
adequate ground clearance is available in operating the amphibious
vehicle 10 in land mode as an all terrain vehicle.
[0075] FIG. 8 illustrates location of the major internal components
of the amphibious vehicle 10.
[0076] In FIG. 8 there can be seen a prime mover 60 which is a
multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. It is connected by a
transmission 61 to drive the rear wheels 51,52 during land use of
the vehicle and to drive the jet drive unit 55 during marine use.
As described in other applications of the applicant the jet drive
unit is permanently connected to the engine 60 to be driven thereby
at all times, whilst the wheels 51 and 52 are connected to the
engine 52 only in their lowered land use positions.
[0077] In FIG. 8 it can be seen that the handlebars 54 are
connected by a steering column 62 to a steering mechanism 63 for
steering the front wheels 50,53 of the vehicle which is described
in detail in another application of the applicant. Spring and
damper assemblies 64,65,66,67 are provided in-board for the wheels
50,51,52,53. Two wheel retraction hydraulic actuators (which cannot
be seen in the Figure) are provided, one for the front wheels 50,53
and one for the rear wheels 51,52 to allow the wheels to be
retracted from their lowered positions shown in FIG. 8 to their
raised positions. These hydraulic actuators will be powered by
hydraulic fluid supplies from a pump (not shown) powered by the
engine 60.
[0078] The seating in the vehicle is provided substantially above
the vehicle powertrain, with the handlebars located roughly halfway
along the length of the vehicle, this comparing with traditional
PWC designs which locate the handlebars roughly two thirds along
the length of the vehicle (measured from the back). This gives a
good weight distribution for both marine and land use.
[0079] The powertrain components illustrated in FIG. 8, i.e. the
engine 60, the transmission 61 are built up on a frame platform
which is then connected to the hull; this gives considerable
advantage for ease of manufacture. Indeed it is envisaged that a
chassis could be constructed with a frame supporting all of the
wheel suspension components, the wheel steering mechanism, the
wheel retraction mechanism, the engine 60 and the transmission 61.
This would considerably aid construction and repair. This is
illustrated in FIG. 19 where a rolling chassis 300 of the vehicle
can be seen stripped of the surrounding hull and deck sections. In
the Figure there can be seen the engine, the transmission 61 as
well as the suspension assemblies for the front and rear wheels and
radiators 70, 302 of the cooling system of the vehicle, all mounted
to a common supporting structure 303.
[0080] The radiator 70 can also be seen in FIG. 8 located at the
front of the vehicle which will cool the vehicle's engine, at least
in land use. The vehicle's engine can also be cooled by a
water/water heat exchanger (not shown) in marine use, with water
being drawn from beneath the vehicle to cool water used by the
engine cooling system.
[0081] The transmission 61 comprises an output shaft 71 leading
drive from the engine to a gearbox 72 which has two output shafts;
a horizontally extending shaft 73 taking drive to the jet drive
unit 55 and a vertically extending shaft 74 leading to a
continuously variable transmission arrangement, the pulleys 75,76
of which can be seen in FIG. 8 and which is shown schematically in
FIG. 20. As shown in FIG. 20, the continuously variable
transmission has a vertically extending output shaft 400 which
extends downwardly to a differential 401 through which drive is
relayed to the rear wheels 51,52. The CVT transmission 61 could be
replaced in other embodiments by a conventional automatic gearbox
or a manual gearbox.
[0082] FIGS. 9 to 11 show the front steering and suspension
assemblies of the vehicle. A frame 101 has swingably mounted to it
left and right suspensions 103 and 105 as seen from the rear of the
vehicle.
[0083] Each suspension 103 and 105 comprises an upright member 107
(see FIG. 10) connected to a lower suspension arm 109 and an upper
wishbone 111. Wheels 50 and 53 (shown in FIG. 1) are each mounted
to a hub 114, which is rotatably carried on upright member 107.
[0084] Extending from each of the upright members 107 is a steering
arm 117 (see especially FIG. 9) to which is pivotally connected a
track rod extension 119 at its outer end 121. The inner end of
extension 119 is connected to a track rod 123. The track rod 123 is
moved transversely by means of link 125 which is connected to a
swingable connection 127 on steering column 129.
[0085] An actuator 141 having piston rod 143 acts on one arm of
swing arm 137 to pivot the arm, the outer ends of which are
connected to piston rods 144 of suspension dampers 145 (see FIGS.
10 and 11), which are surrounded by coil springs 146. The base of
each damper 145 is connected at 147 to retraction arm 149 pivotally
mounted at 151 to frame 101. On retraction the suspension swings
about an axis running fore and aft longitudinally along the
vehicle; a torsion tube 151 rotates and the lower suspension arm
109 rotates with it (compare FIGS. 10 and 11).
[0086] Whilst above a single internal combustion engine is used to
both drive the wheels is land mode operations and also to power the
jet drive, separate engines could be provided, one for the road
wheels and another for the jet drive could be replaced by a
propeller.
[0087] While a particular form of the present invention has been
illustrated and described, it will also be apparent to those
skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited
except by the appended claims.
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