Driveline assembly for a utility vehicle

Abstract

A driveline assembly for a utility vehicle includes an engine, a transmission positioned forward of the engine, and a gearbox operably coupled to the transmission.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A utility vehicle, comprising:
 a plurality of ground-engaging members;   a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members;   an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including seating having a first seating portion for an operator and a second seating portion for a passenger; and   a driveline assembly operably coupled to the plurality of ground-engaging members, the driveline assembly comprising:
 an engine positioned rearward of the operator area; 
 a transmission operably coupled to the engine and positioned at least partially rearward of a rearwardmost extent of at least one of the first seating portion and the second seating portion; and 
 the engine includes a crankcase, a cylinder coupled to the crankcase, and a cylinder head coupled to the cylinder, and the cylinder and the cylinder head are positioned laterally intermediate the first and second seating portions at a first longitudinal position, and the first and second seating portions are positioned at a second longitudinal position spaced apart from the first longitudinal positions. 
   
     
     
         22 . The utility vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein the transmission is positioned rearward of a forward extent of the first and second seating portions. 
     
     
         23 . The utility vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising a gearbox operably coupled to the transmission, wherein the gearbox is positioned rearward of a forward extent of the first and second seating portions. 
     
     
         24 . The utility vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising a gearbox, wherein the gearbox is positioned under the first and second seating portions and laterally extends between the first and second seating portions. 
     
     
         25 . The utility vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein a forward portion of the transmission is positioned under a portion of the second seating portion. 
     
     
         26 . The utility vehicle of  claim 25 , wherein the engine is positioned rearward of second seating portion and is laterally spaced apart from the first seating portion. 
     
     
         27 . A utility vehicle, comprising:
 at least one front ground-engaging member;   at least one rear ground-engaging member;   a frame assembly supported by the at least one front ground-engaging member and the at least one rear ground-engaging member;   an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including seating for at least an operator;   a rear suspension assembly operably coupled to the at least one rear ground-engaging member and including trailing arms operably coupled to the at least one rear ground-engaging member and the frame, a first shock absorber operably coupled to a first trailing arm of the trailing arms and the frame, a second shock absorber operably coupled to a second trailing arm of the trailing arms and the frame, at least one radius rod operably coupled to the at least one rear ground-engaging member;
 the first shock absorber coupled to the frame at a first mounting point and the second shock absorber coupled to the frame at a second mounting point, the first mounting point and the second mounting point longitudinally aligned; and 
   a driveline assembly operably coupled to the at least one front ground-engaging member and the at least one rear ground-engaging member, the driveline assembly comprising:
 an engine positioned rearward of the operator area and positioned within a longitudinal envelope defined by the trailing arms; 
 a transmission operably coupled to the engine and positioned at least partially rearward of the operator area, and the transmission is positioned at least partially within the longitudinal envelope defined by the trailing arms; and 
 a prop shaft extending rearward from the transmission to a rear drive member, the prop shaft operably coupled to the transmission at a first coupling point and operably coupled to the rear drive member at a second coupling point; and 
 the first coupling point is positioned forward of the first mounting point and the second mounting point, and the second coupling point is positioned rearward of the first mounting point and the second mounting point. 
   
     
     
         28 . The utility vehicle of  claim 27 , further comprising a gearbox, and the gearbox is positioned forward of the longitudinal envelope defined by the trailing arms. 
     
     
         29 . The utility vehicle of  claim 28 , wherein the gearbox is positioned within a portion of the operator area. 
     
     
         30 . The utility vehicle of  claim 27 , wherein the transmission includes a first portion positioned on a first side of a longitudinal centerline and operably coupled to the engine and includes a second portion positioned on a second side of the longitudinal centerline and operably coupled to prop shaft. 
     
     
         31 . The utility vehicle of  claim 27 , wherein the engine includes an outer housing and the transmission is directly coupled to the outer housing of the engine. 
     
     
         32 . A utility vehicle, comprising:
 at least one front ground-engaging member;   at least one rear ground-engaging member;   a frame assembly supported by the at least one front ground-engaging member and the at least one rear ground-engaging member;   an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including seating for at least an operator;   a rear suspension assembly operably coupled to the at least one rear ground-engaging member and including trailing arms operably coupled to the at least one rear ground-engaging member and the frame, the trailing arms including a left trailing arm and a right trailing arm;   a driveline assembly operably coupled to the at least one front ground-engaging member and the at least one rear ground-engaging member, the driveline assembly comprising:
 an engine positioned rearward of the operator area and positioned within a longitudinal envelope defined by the trailing arms, the engine including a plurality of longitudinally aligned cylinders; 
 a transmission comprising a plurality of gears operably coupled to the engine longitudinally forward of the plurality of cylinders, and the transmission is positioned at least partially rearward of the operator area and at least partially within the longitudinal envelope defined by the trailing arms; and 
 a prop shaft extending rearward from the transmission to a rear drive member, the prop shaft extending rearward at a position laterally intermediate the left trailing arm and the engine. 
   
     
     
         33 . The utility vehicle of  claim 32 , wherein the engine includes an outer housing and the transmission is directly coupled to the outer housing of the engine. 
     
     
         34 . The utility vehicle of  claim 32 , wherein the rear suspension further comprises a shock absorber extending between the frame and one of the left trailing arm and the right trailing arm, the shock absorber coupled to the frame at a first mounting point; and
 the prop shaft is coupled to the transmission at a position longitudinally forward of the first mounting point.