Compact Hydraulic Clutch Sensor Arrangement for Motorcycle Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines with multiple hydraulic clutches face challenges in compactly disposing oil pressure sensors and controlling oil supply paths, leading to increased engine size due to the need for multiple sensors and complex oil path arrangements.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves disposing clutch oil pressure sensors in parallel and the oil filter sensor in a crossing configuration with the engine's axial direction, using a cylindrical filter case, and strategically positioning them to avoid overlap and optimize space, along with crossing oil supply paths to reduce engine width and prevent size increases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple oil pressure sensors are provided for multiple hydraulic clutches, then oil pressure control precision is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple oil pressure sensors into a single integrated sensor unit that can detect oil pressure at multiple points simultaneously. This merging approach maintains the precision of monitoring multiple clutch systems while reducing the overall number of separate sensor components, thereby simplifying the device structure and reducing spatial requirements compared to having individual sensors for each clutch.
Solution Approach 2:
The oil pressure sensor is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple hydraulic clutch systems simultaneously. A single sensor unit can monitor oil pressure across different clutch circuits, eliminating the need for dedicated sensors for each clutch. This universal approach reduces device complexity while maintaining adequate measurement precision for controlling multiple clutches.
2Reliability
If controlling oil supply paths are disposed in different directions, then oil supply reliability is improved, but the space necessary for sensor disposition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement by disposing oil supply paths in different directional layers rather than merely spreading them out in a single plane. The sensors are positioned to access oil paths from multiple angular directions, allowing reliable monitoring of oil supply in complex three-dimensional routing without increasing the overall engine footprint. This dimensional approach enables compact sensor placement while maintaining supply reliability.
3Reliability
If the cover member size is increased to accommodate spaced oil supply paths, then oil supply reliability is improved, but the internal combustion engine size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where oil supply paths and sensors are integrated within the existing cover member structure rather than requiring external extensions. The sensor unit is positioned to access oil paths through the cover member's internal geometry, nesting the monitoring function within the existing structural envelope. This eliminates the need to increase cover member size while maintaining reliable oil supply through properly spaced paths.
Data Source
AI summary
An internal combustion engine is provided with a plurality of hydraulic clutches, a plurality of hydraulic controlling valves for individually controlling the oil pressure for the hydraulic clutches, and a plurality of clutch oil pressure sensors for individually detecting the controlling oil pressure of controlling oil supplying paths interconnecting the hydraulic controlling valves and the hydraulic clutches. The oil pressure sensors individually correspond to the hydraulic clutches compactly, thereby to preventing an increase in size. The clutch oil pressure sensors are provided on an engine main body so as to be disposed in the proximity of and in parallel to each other while axial directions thereof are directed in a forward and backward direction of a saddle type vehicle in a state in which the engine main body is mounted on the saddle type vehicle.