Straddle-Type Vehicle Cowl Tunnel Wind Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Riders of straddle-type vehicles, such as motorcycles, experience fatigue due to the constant exposure to traveling wind, which can cause discomfort and strain on the knees during long high-speed rides, as existing designs do not effectively manage wind flow around the knees.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a straddle-type vehicle design featuring a tunnel portion between the inner and outer side cowl members, with a front opening to introduce traveling wind and a rear opening that directs it towards the knee contact members, dispersively guiding the wind to reduce external forces on the rider's knees.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the outer side cowl member diverges traveling wind outward, then the wind flow is redirected away from the knee, but the rider still needs to maintain posture against remaining wind pressure causing fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an inner side cowl member as an intermediary structure between the outer side cowl member and the rider's knee. This inner cowl member creates a tunnel portion that actively channels and redirects traveling wind away from the knee area, providing additional wind management beyond what the outer cowl member alone can achieve. The tunnel portion acts as a mediator that guides airflow through a controlled path, reducing direct wind impact on the rider's knee and lessening the burden of posture maintenance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tunnel portion channels traveling wind through the cowl members, then wind is directed away from the knee, but the structural complexity of the cowl assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cowl assembly into distinct segments: an outer side cowl member and an inner side cowl member, with the inner cowl member further divided into portions that form the tunnel structure. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific function - the outer cowl for initial wind diversion and the inner cowl for creating the wind channeling tunnel. By segmenting the structure, the patent achieves effective wind management while allowing for modular manufacturing and assembly, balancing functionality with structural considerations.
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
This design effectively reduces the burden on the rider by dispersively directing traveling wind towards the knees, minimizing wind-induced fatigue and discomfort during extended high-speed travel.
Implementation Method 1
A tunnel portion extending along a front-rear direction of the vehicle and provided between the inner side cowl member and the outer side cowl member. The tunnel portion has a front opening that introduces traveling wind when the vehicle travels into the tunnel portion and a rear opening that leads the traveling wind in the tunnel portion toward the knee contact member.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a straddle-type vehicle including: an inner side cowl member that covers a vehicle body frame from an outer side in a vehicle width direction; and an outer side cowl member that partially covers a part of the inner side cowl member from the outer side in the vehicle width direction in front of a knee contact member against which a knee of a rider comes into contact. A tunnel portion extending along a front-rear direction of the vehicle and provided between the inner side cowl member and the outer side cowl member. The tunnel portion has a front opening that introduces traveling wind when the vehicle travels into the tunnel portion and a rear opening that leads the traveling wind in the tunnel portion toward the knee contact member.