Composite Brake Lever Structure for Impact Resistance and Grip
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle levers, particularly those for manual brakes and clutches, are prone to damage from impacts due to their small and thin design, with metallic levers being heavy and polymeric levers being fragile and lacking robustness and customization options.
Innovation Solution
A lever design combining a metallic core with a polymeric cover, where the metallic core provides strength and the polymeric cover allows for customization, featuring a fuse portion for controlled deformation and a thickening portion for improved grip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a wholly metallic lever is used, then strength and impact resistance are improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The lever combines a metallic core (steel or aluminum) with a polymeric cover (acrylic, polycarbonate, or ABS plastic) to create a composite structure that achieves high impact resistance while reducing weight compared to solid metal levers
Solution Approach 2:
The lever is divided into two functional segments: an internal metallic core that provides structural strength and impact resistance, and an external polymeric cover that reduces weight and enables customization of color and texture
2Weight of moving object
If a wholly polymeric lever is used, then weight is reduced and customization is improved, but strength and robustness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The lever uses a composite construction with a metallic core providing the necessary strength and impact resistance, while the polymeric cover maintains low weight and enables color/texture customization that solid metal cannot achieve
3Strength
If a solid piece lever is used, then strength is improved, but adaptability and customization options deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The polymeric cover can be manufactured in various colors, textures, and finishes (including translucent, opaque, metallic, or matte) while the metallic core maintains structural integrity, enabling extensive customization without compromising strength
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the lever have different material properties: the core provides uniform structural strength throughout, while the cover provides localized customization in terms of color, texture, and surface finish to match different aesthetic requirements
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is enclosed in the area of levers for vehicles such as bicycles, tricycles, motorcycles, snowmobiles or snow motorcycles. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a highly resistant finger or hand lever (10) suitable for use on a manual brake or clutch control lever assembly of such vehicles. In an embodiment, the finger or hand lever (10) comprises a metallic core (11) and a polymeric cover (12), the metallic core (11) extending along the lever (10) and the polymeric cover (12) at least partially covering the metallic core (11), the lever (10) comprising a working portion (21) suitable for a user to provide more than one finger and a coupling portion (22) suitable for coupling to a corresponding section of a manual brake or clutch control lever assembly of the vehicle.