A snowmobile includes a frame, a tunnel, a seat, an endless track, at least one ski, a handlebar, a cowling defining an engine compartment, an engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) operatively connecting the engine to the endless track, and a pulley guard assembly disposed over at least a portion of the CVT. The CVT includes a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, and an endless flexible member operatively connecting the primary pulley to the secondary pulley. The pulley guard assembly is disposed between the CVT and a lateral side of the cowling, and defines an air inlet. The air inlet fluidly communicates with a space defined between the pulley guard assembly and the lateral side. In some implementations, the cowling defines an air inlet. In some implementations, an air duct fluidly connects the air inlet of the cowling to the air inlet of the pulley guard assembly.

A continuously variable transmission, a vehicular powertrain that includes a continuously variable transmission and a method of limiting belt slippage in a continuously variable transmission in a vehicle. The continuously variable transmission includes a pulley assembly, shafts, a clutch and hydraulic system. The hydraulic system is cooperative with both the clutch and the pulley assembly so that hydraulic pressures and associated clamping forces sent to both allow the clutch to preferentially absorb any driving load coming from the axle and wheels that is in excess of the normal load experienced at the continuously variable transmission. This in turn means that any additional load that would ordinarily cause slippage in the belt is instead experienced by the clutch. By providing such a clutch, the pump of the hydraulic system does not need to be oversized in order to provide excess clamping force, as any excess load experienced by the shaft that is coupled to the wheels of the vehicle will be taken up by slippage in the clutch so that slippage-related wear to the belt is avoided.

A continuously variable transmission, a vehicular powertrain that includes a continuously variable transmission and a method of limiting belt slippage in a continuously variable transmission in a vehicle. The continuously variable transmission includes a pulley assembly, shafts, a clutch and hydraulic system. The hydraulic system is cooperative with both the clutch and the pulley assembly so that hydraulic pressures and associated clamping forces sent to both allow the clutch to preferentially absorb any driving load coming from the axle and wheels that is in excess of the normal load experienced at the continuously variable transmission. This in turn means that any additional load that would ordinarily cause slippage in the belt is instead experienced by the clutch. By providing such a clutch, the pump of the hydraulic system does not need to be oversized in order to provide excess clamping force, as any excess load experienced by the shaft that is coupled to the wheels of the vehicle will be taken up by slippage in the clutch so that slippage-related wear to the belt is avoided.

A vehicle shown herein is a side by side utility vehicle having a powertrain an engine with at least three cylinders, an intake and an exhaust, where the intake is forward of the engine and the exhaust is rearward of the engine. The vehicle may further or alternatively include an engine block configured to couple with various transmissions without alteration of the engine block itself.

A vehicle shown herein is a side by side utility vehicle having a powertrain an engine with at least three cylinders, an intake and an exhaust, where the intake is forward of the engine and the exhaust is rearward of the engine. The vehicle may further or alternatively include an engine block configured to couple with various transmissions without alteration of the engine block itself.

A hybrid power train structure for off-road vehicles (ATVs, UTVs and SSVs) uses an internal combustion engine (ICE) rotating a crankshaft through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) as a primary source of locomotion torque, but also includes a driving/generator motor which, in certain established conditions, can either provide an additional or alternative source of locomotion torque or can harvest electricity from the torque created by the internal combustion engine. The driving/generator motor is an axial flux motor of small size for its relative torque output, which can either be directly coupled to the CVT output shaft or, when additionally used as a starter motor for the ICE in an automatic ICE starting and stopping routine.

A hybrid power train structure for off-road vehicles (ATVs, UTVs and SSVs) uses an internal combustion engine (ICE) rotating a crankshaft through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) as a primary source of locomotion torque, but also includes a driving/generator motor which, in certain established conditions, can either provide an additional or alternative source of locomotion torque or can harvest electricity from the torque created by the internal combustion engine. The driving/generator motor is an axial flux motor of small size for its relative torque output, which can either be directly coupled to the CVT output shaft or, when additionally used as a starter motor for the ICE in an automatic ICE starting and stopping routine.

A variable drive system to drive an accessory drive of a machine is disclosed. The variable drive system may include a first variable pulley to be mechanically coupled to the accessory drive and an engine output of an engine. The variable drive system may include a second variable pulley to be mechanically coupled to a flywheel. The variable drive system may include a drive element to rotate, according to a clutch system, about the first variable pulley and the second variable pulley to at least one of: drive the second variable pulley to charge the flywheel with kinetic energy or drive the first variable pulley via kinetic energy from the flywheel.

A variable drive system to drive an accessory drive of a machine is disclosed. The variable drive system may include a first variable pulley to be mechanically coupled to the accessory drive and an engine output of an engine. The variable drive system may include a second variable pulley to be mechanically coupled to a flywheel. The variable drive system may include a drive element to rotate, according to a clutch system, about the first variable pulley and the second variable pulley to at least one of: drive the second variable pulley to charge the flywheel with kinetic energy or drive the first variable pulley via kinetic energy from the flywheel.

A technique for providing a water pumping system suitable for fighting wildfire, flood mediation, sewage transport, and the like is revealed. The system includes an internal combustion engine, a CVT with an input shaft and an output shaft, and a pump with an axial flow impeller. In one variation, multiple impeller stages are used and/or several systems are daisy-chained to provide for suitable delivery of water from its source. In another form, the system is carried by an all-terrain vehicle, side-by-side, or the like, to reach remote areas that need to move water to address a hazardous condition.