Adjustable Power Unit Mounting Bracket for Cycle Vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power-assisted cycle vehicles face challenges in aligning and maintaining motor position, handling during maintenance, and achieving cost-effectiveness, with complex and expensive mounting arrangements that lead to operational inefficiencies and increased wear.
Innovation Solution
A powered cycle vehicle design featuring a mounting bracket with a unitary portion including a first opening for the wheel axle and an elongate slot for the power unit, allowing adjustable and secure positioning of the power unit relative to the frame, facilitating easy maintenance and alignment, and enabling cost-effective manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the motor bracket is attached directly to the wheel, then the motor is securely positioned, but removal, installation, and handling of the wheel during maintenance becomes awkward due to the heavy object pivoting around the axle
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate components: the motor bracket attaches to the frame rather than the wheel, and the wheel can be independently removed. This segmentation allows the heavy motor to remain stationary on the frame while the wheel is freely accessible for maintenance, resolving the contradiction between secure positioning and maintenance accessibility.
2Device complexity
If the motor is clamped to existing frame tubes, then the mounting structure is simple, but the motor twists out of alignment during operation or if bumped, requiring realignment
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket incorporates an adjustable mechanism that allows the motor position to be dynamically modified. This enables initial alignment during assembly and subsequent realignment if needed, maintaining both structural simplicity and alignment precision by making the system adaptable rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket allows changing the positional parameters of the motor relative to the frame. By providing adjustment capability, the system can achieve precise alignment while maintaining a simple overall structure, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision.
3Reliability
If existing mounting arrangements are used, then the power unit can be secured to the frame, but the arrangements are overly complex, difficult to adjust or maintain, and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket combines multiple functions into a single component: it attaches to the frame, positions the motor, and provides adjustment capability. This consolidation reduces the number of separate parts needed, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining secure power unit attachment, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket serves multiple purposes: structural support, motor positioning, and alignment adjustment. By making the component multi-functional, the design eliminates the need for separate adjustment mechanisms and complex assembly procedures, reducing manufacturing complexity while ensuring reliable power unit securing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A powered cycle vehicle (100) having an adjustable mounting system for a power unit is described. A power unit (130) is attached to a wheel mounting bracket (102) which is affixed to the vehicle frame (101) and carries the cycle wheel (120). The wheel mounting bracket (102) may be a unitary structure that defines a wheel mount location and a power unit mount location (137). Adjustment of the power unit (130) can be made independently of adjustment of the cycle wheel (120).