Center Stand Setup via Rear Suspension Damping Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing saddled vehicles with center stands require significant force to set up due to high vehicle weight, and existing solutions increase component count and weight with dedicated actuators.
Innovation Solution
A saddled vehicle with a pivotally held swingarm and rear suspension whose expansion-side damping force is minimized by an actuator-controlled system, allowing easier setup and automatic recovery of damping force when the center stand is fully unfolded, with a center stand angle sensor and ignition signal integration to prevent accidental actuation during riding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a dedicated actuator is added to change the droop angle of the swingarm, then the rider can easily set up the center stand, but the number of components and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The existing actuator originally designed for adjusting ride height is made multi-functional by enabling it to also adjust the droop angle of the swingarm for center stand setup. This allows one actuator to perform multiple functions, eliminating the need for a dedicated actuator for center stand setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of setting up the center stand is merged with the existing ride height adjustment function. By controlling the droop angle of the swingarm, the system combines two functions (ride height adjustment and center stand setup) into a single integrated operation.
2Ease of operation
If a dedicated actuator is added to change the droop angle of the swingarm, then the rider can easily set up the center stand, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing actuator originally designed for adjusting ride height is made multi-functional by enabling it to also adjust the droop angle of the swingarm for center stand setup. This allows one actuator to perform multiple functions, eliminating the need for a dedicated actuator for center stand setup.
3Ease of operation
If the expansion-side damping force of the rear suspension is minimized, then the rider can easily lift the rear of the vehicle body, but the damping force must be recovered after setup
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the center stand angle sensor to automatically control the actuator. When the center stand reaches the fully unfolded position, the sensor signals the controller to restore the expansion-side damping force, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs automatic restoration of damping force without rider intervention. The actuator and control system work autonomously to restore the damping force when the center stand is fully deployed, making the system self-servicing.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a saddled vehicle whose center stand is set up with ease in a simplified structure. A saddled vehicle includes: a center stand that retains a vehicle body upright with a rear wheel lifted off a ground surface; a swingarm that pivotally holds the rear wheel and is swingably held on the vehicle body by a swingarm pivot; a rear suspension that suspends the swingarm from the vehicle body, the rear suspension having its expansion-side damping force varied by drive of an actuator; and a controller that controls the actuator. The controller minimizes the expansion-side damping force of the rear suspension according to an operation on an actuation switch.