Image from patent no. 8,596,405, the basis of the Polaris lawsuit against Arctic Cat. See link below to patent for other images and information.
Polaris is suing Arctic Cat for alleging violating patent no. 8,596,405 which covers versions of the Ranger RZR side-by-side. The patent was originally filed in 2006, updated in 2010 and approved several weeks ago. The alleged violation relates to the Arctic Cat Wildcat and the patent appears to pertain to trail riding side-by-sides.
I’m no patent lawyer but the patent seems to be very broad, covering the basic design of a trail riding side-by-side. One key element of the vehicle design as described in the patent claims is the placement of the engine in the rear of the vehicle behind the seat. This lawsuit could have major implications for the UTV market and further enhance the dominant position of Polaris if they win. This is just another sign of how competitive this market has become, especially in the higher end trail riding/recreation segment. Learn more: Startribune.com