USOO9604683B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,604,683 B2 Kunsch et al. (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 28, 2017 (54) REAR ENGINE, FRONT WHEEL DRIVE 2,306,042 A * 12/1942 Custer .................... B62D 61,08 THREE WHEELED VEHICLE 180,214 2.434,759 A 1/1948 Donovan (71) Applicants: Gregory W Kunsch, Virginia Beach, 2,740,486 A 38. Wayman VA (US); Alexander Andre Kunsch, is: A 8'85 EF - - - w kW orff Virginia Beach, VA (US) 3,640,545. A * 2, 1972 Citroen .................. B60G 11 OO 180,210 (72) Inventors: Gregory W Kunsch, Virginia Beach, 3,826,326 A 7, 1974 Blair VA (US); Alexander Andre Kunsch, 4,020,914 A 5, 1977 Trautwein Virginia Beach, VA (US) 4,353,567 A 10/1982 Weldy 4,373,600 A 2f1983 Buschbom et al. (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 3.43 A 3E E. patent is extended or adjusted under 35 4.453,763 A 6, 1984 Ras U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. 4,573.546 A 3/1986 Irimajiri et al. 4,625,825 A * 12/1986 Ethier .................. B62D 61,065 (21) Appl. No.: 14/752.971 180,215 4,630,702 A * 12/1986 Irimajiri................. B60K 2004 (22) Filed: Jun. 28, 2015 180,215 (Continued) (65) Prior Publication Data US 2016/0375944 A1 Dec. 29, 2016 OTHER PUBLICATIONS (51) Int. Cl. Author: Elvis Payne, Three Wheelers.Com-query : Manufactures B62D 6L/06 (2006.01) with 2 Wheels in Front Web site link: http://www.3 wheelers.com/ ; B6ON 2/01 (2006.01) Database Query: Wheel Configuration = 2F1R or “Both Date: Jun. B6OK 5/00 (2006.01) 21, 2015. (52) U.S. Cl. (Continued) CPC .............. B62D 61/065 (2013.01); B60K 5/00 (2013.01); B60N 2/01 (2013.01); B62D 61/06 Primary Examiner – Faye M Fleming (2013.01); B60K 2005/003 (2013.01) (58) Field of Classification Search (57) ABSTRACT CPC ... B62D 61/06; B62D 61/065; B62D 31/003; The general layout for a front wheel drive, three-wheeled B60K 5/00; B60K 2005/003; B60N 2AO1 vehicle designed for road use with two steerable driven See application file for complete search history. wheels in the front of the vehicle, and the engine located behind the front of the passenger seating. The vehicle layout (56) References Cited is designed for optimal stability and traction by the location U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS of the passenger seating, engine or engines, steering and M driven wheels. 1989,995 A 2f1935 Martin 2,038,843 A 4/1936 Jones 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Sheets Drawing 2 Enbodiment: Side Wiew r--- -Dual passenger, Side by Side seating Single Engine --- - Rear Wise C - Engine rent of Engine located :-B - Passenger Seats their font of Seat A - Front Wheets - Driven, Steering A - Front. Wheels - Driver, Steering B - Passenger Seats C - Engine * - Rear Wiete Pian View s Front of Weicle Front of Engine located behind front of Seat US 9,604,683 B2 Page 2 (56) References Cited OTHER PUBLICATIONS U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS Unknown Author, Wikipedia: Three Wheeled Vehicles with Two Front Wheels Web site link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three 4,662,468 A * 5, 1987 Ethier .................. B62D 61,065 wheelerii Examples Date: Jun. 21, 2015. 180,211 Author. Elvis Payne, Three Wheelers.Com-query : Manufactures 4,697,663 10, 1987 Trautwein with 2 Wheels in Front Web site link: http://www.3 wheelers.com/ ; 4,703,824 ck 11, 1987 Irimajiri ............... B62D 61,065 Database Query: Wheel Configuration = 2F1R or “Both Date: Jun. 180,210 21, 2015. 4,717, 164 ck 1, 1988 Levavi ................... B60G 17FOO Unknown Author, web page image of LaBolle vehicle, Jun. 27. 180,210 2015, one page Web Link: http://thegegeblog.canalblog.com/ar 4,787,470 11, 1988 Badsey chives/2010/04/01/174396.28.html. 4.919,225 4, 1990 Sturges Unknown Author, web page Wikipedia Griffon vehicle, Jun. 27. 5, 1992 Miller 2015, one page Web Link: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 5,116,069 %C3%89tablissements Griffon. 5,236,060 8, 1993 Huber Unknown Author, web page AC History, Jun. 27, 2015, two pages 5,248,011 9, 1993 Richards Web Link: http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/heritage ac. 5,307,889 5, 1994 Bohannan ............ B62D 51,008 php. 180/13 Unknown Author, web page Searching for lost Indians, Jun. 27. 5.431.243 7, 1995 Richards 2015, two pages Web Link: https://touringroads.wordpress.com/ 5.433,285 7, 1995 Richards 2013/10/05/searching-for-lost-indians-an-archival-journey?. 5,495,905 3, 1996 Fini, Jr. Elvis Payne, web page Asia, Jun. 27, 2015. One page Web Link: 5,806,622 9, 1998 Murphy http://www.3 wheelers.com/aisa.html. 5,927,424 7, 1999 Van Den Brink et al. Elvis Payne, webpage A.F.Cars, Jun. 27, 2015. One page Web Link: 6,641,154 11/2003 Vey http://www.3 wheelers.com/afcars.html. 7,090,234 8, 2006 Takayanagi et al. Unknown Author, web page, Welcome to the home of Doug 7,185,900 3, 2007 Bogatay, Sr. et al. Malewicki's Inventions, engineering projects and fun stuff. Jun. 27. 11/2008 Pickering 2015, two pages Web Link: http://www.canosoarus.com/. 7,445,070 Unknown Author, web page Welcome to BRAMotorworks, Jun. 27. 7.464,781 12, 2008 Guay et al. 2015, one page Web Link: http://www.bra-cars.com/. D584,188 1/2009 Jenkins et al. Hanlon, Mike, the three-wheeled driving machine, Gizmag. Jan. 21. 7,543,672 6, 2009 Codere et al. 2005, 4 pages Web link: http://www.gizmag.com/go/3628/. 7,549,494 6, 2009 Zichek Unknown Author, web page Home=>Concept Cars, Jun. 27, 2015, 7,588,110 9, 2009 Martino one page Web Link: http://www.diseno-art.com/encyclopedia/con 8,540,045 9, 2013 Hall ......................... B60G 3, 20 cept cars/aprilia magnet.html. 180,210 Hanlon, Mike, VW's 3-wheel sportcar, Gizmag. Jan. 5, 2006, 4 8,544,587 10, 2013 Holroyd pages Web Link: http://www.gizmag.com/go/4990?. 8,646,794 2, 2014 Mullin Hanlon, Mike, Peugeot's exciting new 3-wheeler-the 20OUP 8,662,228 3, 2014 Hill Gizmag. Aug. 28, 2005, 4 pages Web Link: http://www.gizmag. 4, 2014 Holroyd com/go/4494. 8,695,746 Unknown Author, web page Polaris Slingshot company web page, 8,781,684 T/2014 Bruce Jun. 27, 2015, one page Web Link: http://www.ipolaris.com/en-us/ 8,840,131 9, 2014 Calley slingshot. 9,221,508 12, 2015 de Haan ................ B6ON 2,005 Ian Stent, CKC Jun. 2012 Issue 63, pp. 17-19 Web Link: http:// 2005/0212329 9, 2005 Gillies De www.grinnallcars.com/grin-factor.pdf. Landeta ............... B62D 21, 186 Unknown Author, web page. The Petrol Stop, Jun. 27, 2015, 1 page 296,190,07 Web Link: http://www.thepetrolstop.com/2012/03/stimson 2013,0056287 3/2013 Park Scorcher.html. 2014/0217714 8, 2014 Sekiya ................... B62D 21/04 280/781 * cited by examiner U.S. Patent Mar. 28, 2017 Sheet 1 of 5 US 9,604,683 B2 &3. S&Ss 8. 2.8 8Sk ;*--§§- leeuweeh-q! U.S. Patent Mar. 28, 2017 Sheet 2 of 5 US 9,604,683 B2 U.S. Patent Mar. 28, 2017 Sheet 3 of 5 US 9,604,683 B2 U.S. Patent Mar. 28, 2017 Sheet 4 of 5 US 9,604,683 B2 ?eÐSJ06uessed-3,! : S. U.S. Patent Mar. 28, 2017 Sheet S of 5 US 9,604,683 B2 leeuwleeg-q! US 9,604,683 B2 1. 2 REAR ENGINE, FRONT WHEEL DRIVE inconsistent driving experience. This is of most concern THREE WHEELED VEHICLE during hard cornering, or situations involving wet or loose gravel roads where the traction of the rear wheel is reduced BACKGROUND causing the vehicle to react differently due to the change in loading. Even the most experienced drivers may be chal Field of the Invention lenged by the radical change in vehicle dynamics The present invention pertains to motor vehicles. More Vehicles with straddle type seating, Type (2A) and (3B) specifically, the present invention pertains to those having provide certain advantages, however they do not provide the comfort and safety of traditional seating. only three wheels. Each of the layout types defined above could incorporate Description of the Related Art 10 front wheel or rear wheel steering as further layout sub Typical road use, highway speed, three wheeled vehicles types, as depicted under Type (3C). Vehicles with primary consist of the following layout types: steering provided through the rear wheels are generally less Type-1 Two wheels in the rear of the vehicle with the stable at higher speeds, causing additional stability concerns rear wheel driven. with a three wheeled vehicle. Type 2 Two wheels in the front of the vehicle with the 15 rear wheel driven. Variations of this are: SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (A) Straddle type seating where the body or engine is straddled by the passenger, whether the engine is In contrast to the layouts described above, the present directly underneath, forward, or rearward of the invention defines a layout which is a unique variation of driver. Type (3), with the engine(s) placed behind passenger seat(s) (B) Traditional seating with engine in front of the while still driving the front wheels. The wheels are arranged passenger Seat. with two in the front of the vehicle and one in the rear. The (C) Traditional seating with engine behind the passen front wheels are the driven wheels as well as the primary ger Seat.