Modular Snowmobile Platform

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method for designing and manufacturing a snowmobile platform. The method entails designing and manufacturing a group of tunnel subassemblies, designing and manufacturing a group of engine cradle subassemblies, and designing and manufacturing a group of front suspension subassemblies. Next, one tunnel subassembly, one engine cradle subassembly, and one front suspension subassembly are selected from each respective group. Then, the tunnel subassembly is connected to the engine cradle subassembly at a rear portion thereof. Finally, the front suspension subassembly is connected to the engine cradle subassembly at a front portion thereof to create the snowmobile platform. The present invention also concerns a snowmobile platform constructed according to this method, which combines, among other elements, a tunnel subassembly, an engine cradle subassembly, and a front suspension subassembly.

1 . A family of snowmobile platform components comprising: 
 a subfamily of front suspension subassemblies, the subfamily of front suspension subassemblies including at least two members having different characteristics;    a subfamily of engine cradle subassemblies, the subfamily of engine cradle subassemblies including at least two members having different characteristics;    a subfamily of tunnel subassemblies, the subfamily of tunnel subassemblies including at least two members having different characteristics;    wherein each member of the subfamily of front suspension subassemblies is connectable to each member of the subfamily of engine cradle subassemblies, and wherein each member of the subfamily of tunnel subassemblies is connectable to each member of the subfamily of engine cradle subassemblies,    whereby a snowmobile platform is formable at least in part by a combination of a front suspension subassembly selected from the subfamily of front suspension subassemblies, an engine cradle subassembly selected from the subfamily of engine cradle subassemblies and a tunnel subassembly selected from the subfamily of tunnel subassemblies.    
   
   
       2 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the tunnel subassembly and the engine cradle subassembly are formable integrally as a single component of the platform.    
   
   
       3 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the engine cradle subassembly can be attached to the tunnel subassembly.    
   
   
       4 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the subfamily of tunnel subassemblies includes a short tunnel subassembly and a long tunnel subassembly.    
   
   
       5 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the subfamily of engine cradle subassemblies includes at least two from a group comprising a small engine cradle subassembly, a medium engine cradle subassembly, a large engine cradle subassembly, and an extra-large engine cradle subassembly.    
   
   
       6 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the subfamily of front suspension subassemblies includes at least two selected from a group comprising a small platform front suspension subassembly, a large platform front suspension subassembly, a deep snow front suspension subassembly, and a trail front suspension subassembly.    
   
   
       7 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an upper frame subassembly connectable to at least two of the tunnel subassembly, the engine cradle subassembly, and the front suspension subassembly.    
   
   
       8 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein the selected tunnel subassembly comprises: 
 a top with left and right sides,    a left side wall extending downwardly from the left side of the top, and    a right side wall extending downwardly from the right side of the top,    such that the selected tunnel subassembly forms an inverted U-shaped tunnel.    
   
   
       9 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 a width of the tunnel subassembly is selected at least as a function of a width of an endless track selected for attachment to the snowmobile platform; and    a length of the tunnel subassembly is selected at least as a function of a length of the endless track selected for attachment to the snowmobile platform.    
   
   
       10 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein the selected engine cradle subassembly comprises: 
 a bottom pan with left, right, front, and rear sides;    a left side wall attached to the left side of the bottom pan;    a right side wall attached to the right side of the bottom pan;    a front wall attached to the front of the bottom pan; and    a rear wall attached to the rear of the bottom pan.    
   
   
       11 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the width of the engine cradle subassembly is selected at least as a function of a size of an engine selected for placement onto the snowmobile platform; and    the length of the tunnel subassembly is selected at least as a function of the size of the engine selected for placement onto the snowmobile platform.    
   
   
       12 . The family of snowmobile platform components of  claim 1 , wherein the selected front suspension subassembly comprises: 
 a V-shaped member with left and right sides;    a left side wall attached to the left side of the V-shaped member;    a right side wall attached to the right side of the V-shaped member; at least four A-arms pivotally connected to the V-shaped member, two on the left side and two on the right side;    at least one shock absorber connected between the left side wall and one of the A-arms on the left side of the V-shaped member; and    at least one shock absorber connected between the right side wall and one of the A-arms on the right side of the V-shaped member.    
   
   
       13 . A method of assembling a snowmobile platform, comprising: 
 providing a family of front suspension subassemblies, the family of front suspension subassemblies including at least two members having different characteristics;    providing a family of engine cradle subassemblies, the family of engine cradle subassemblies including at least two members having different characteristics, each member of the family of engine cradle subassemblies being connectable to each member of the family of front suspension subassemblies;    providing a family of tunnel subassemblies, the family of tunnel subassemblies including at least two members having different characteristics, each member of the family of tunnel subassemblies being connectable to each member of the family of engine cradle subassemblies,    forming a snowmobile platform at least in part by combining a front suspension subassembly selected from the family of front suspension subassemblies, an engine cradle subassembly selected from the family of engine cradle subassemblies and a tunnel subassembly selected from the family of tunnel subassemblies.    
   
   
       14 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 forming the tunnel subassembly and the engine cradle subassembly integrally as a single component.    
   
   
       15 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 attaching the engine cradle subassembly to the tunnel subassembly.    
   
   
       16 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the family of tunnel subassemblies includes a short tunnel subassembly and a long tunnel subassembly.    
   
   
       17 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the family of engine cradle subassemblies includes at least two from a group comprising a small engine cradle subassembly, a medium engine cradle subassembly, a large engine cradle subassembly, and an extra-large engine cradle subassembly.    
   
   
       18 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the family of front suspension subassemblies includes at least two selected from a group comprising a small platform front suspension subassembly, a large platform front suspension subassembly, a deep snow front suspension subassembly, and a trail front suspension subassembly.    
   
   
       19 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 connecting an upper frame subassembly to at least two of the tunnel subassembly, the engine cradle subassembly, and the front suspension subassembly.    
   
   
       20 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , wherein the selected tunnel subassembly comprises: 
 a top with left and right sides,    a left side wall extending downwardly from the left side of the top, and    a right side wall extending downwardly from the right side of the top,    such that the selected tunnel subassembly forms an inverted U-shaped tunnel.    
   
   
       21 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 a width of the tunnel subassembly is selected at least as a function of a width of an endless track selected for attachment to the snowmobile platform; and    a length of the tunnel subassembly is selected at least as a function of a length of the endless track selected for attachment to the snowmobile platform.    
   
   
       22 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , wherein the selected engine cradle subassembly comprises: 
 a bottom pan with left, right, front, and rear sides;    a left side wall attached to the left side of the bottom pan;    a right side wall attached to the right side of the bottom pan;    a front wall attached to the front of the bottom pan; and    a rear wall attached to the rear of the bottom pan.    
   
   
       23 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the width of the engine cradle subassembly is selected at least as a function of a size of an engine selected for placement onto the snowmobile platform; and    the length of the tunnel subassembly is selected at least as a function of the size of the engine selected for placement onto the snowmobile platform.    
   
   
       24 . The method of assembling a snowmobile platform of  claim 13 , wherein the selected front suspension subassembly comprises: 
 a V-shaped member with left and right sides;    a left side wall attached to the left side of the V-shaped member;    a right side wall attached to the right side of the V-shaped member; at least four A-arms pivotally connected to the V-shaped member, two on the left side and two on the right side;    at least one shock absorber connected between the left side wall and one of the A-arms on the left side of the V-shaped member; and    at least one shock absorber connected between the right side wall and one of the A-arms on the right side of the V-shaped member.    
   
   
       25 . A snowmobile platform assembled according to the method of  claim 13.