US 6,981,564 B2
Side panel for a recreational vehicle
Yvon Bédard, Orford (Canada); André Fournier, Sherbrooke (Canada); Jean-François Desmarais, Racine (Canada); and Michel Lefebvre, Valcourt (Canada)
Assigned to Bombardier Recreational Products Inc., Valcourt (Canada)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2001, as Appl. No. 9/877,190.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/282187, filed on Apr. 09, 2001.
Prior Publication US 2002/0011364 A1, Jan. 31, 2002
Int. Cl. B62D 25/12 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 180—69.24 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A snowmobile, comprising:
at least two skis;
an engine;
a track operatively connected to the engine;
a steering device operatively connected to the at least two skis for steering the snowmobile;
a chassis for supporting the engine, the track and the steering device; and
a side panel mounted to the snowmobile, the side panel comprising
a body having at least one side edge being oriented generally vertically; and
at least one hinge affixed to the side panel along the at least one side edge, the panel being mounted to the snowmobile via the at least one hinge, whereby the side panel opens along a generally vertical axis defined by the at least one side edge, wherein the body of the side panel further includes an interior surface and an exterior surface and the exterior surface of the side panel deflects air away from a driver of the snowmobile.