Bicycle Battery Protector Absorbs Impact via Hardness Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle battery units lack effective protection against obstacles, leading to potential damage when exposed to gravel or other road debris during travel, and existing solutions either do not adequately mitigate impact or interfere with the coupling and removal processes.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle battery unit design featuring a housing with a protector integrated into its outer surface, which has a lower hardness than the housing, absorbs kinetic energy and limits impact transmission, while being strategically positioned to avoid enlargement and interference with coupling mechanisms, and can be formed from materials like resin or elastomers for lightness and ease of processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a cover is coupled to the housing to protect it from obstacles, then the protection effect is improved, but the device complexity and interference with coupling/removal operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protector is integrated into the housing as a unified structure, eliminating the need for separate cover components. The protector forms an integral part of the housing body, providing obstacle protection while maintaining structural simplicity and avoiding interference with coupling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective function is extracted from the main housing structure and implemented as a distinct protector component with different material properties (lower hardness). This allows the protector to be optimized for impact absorption while the housing maintains its structural integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the protector extends outward from the housing periphery, then the protection coverage is improved, but the battery unit size increases and coupling/removal operations are interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The protector is positioned only at specific locations on the housing where obstacle contact is most likely to occur. Rather than extending uniformly in all directions, the protector is strategically placed to provide localized protection while maintaining a compact overall dimensions.
3Strength
If the protector has the same hardness as the housing, then the structural strength is maintained, but the kinetic energy absorption capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hardness parameter of the protector is deliberately changed to be lower than that of the housing. This parameter change allows the protector to deform more easily under impact, absorbing kinetic energy through deformation while the harder housing maintains its structural strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The protector effectively reduces damage from obstacles by absorbing impact and preventing transmission to the housing, while maintaining the functionality of the battery unit's components and ensuring easy coupling and removal without enlargement or interference.
Implementation Method 1
The protector has a lower hardness than a hardness of the housing. With the bicycle battery unit according to the first aspect, the protector absorbs kinetic energy more easily than the housing. Thus, even when an obstacle comes into contact with the protector, the transmission of the impact to the housing is limited.
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle battery unit is configured to reduce the effect of contact with an obstacle. The bicycle battery unit includes a plurality batteries, a housing accommodating the batteries and a protector. The protector is integrally provided on at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing. The protector has a lower hardness than a hardness of the housing.