E-Bike Fastener Nesting for Motor and Accessory Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bicycles, especially e-bikes, face challenges in aligning components due to frame deformation and complexity in threading, leading to misalignment, increased manufacturing and repair costs, and accessibility issues with fasteners, particularly on the drive side.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a fastener-within-fastener arrangement, where motor and accessory fasteners are configured to align components accurately, reduce threading in the frame, and allow access without disassembling other components, using hollow fasteners with internal and external threads and drive features for tool access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If threaded fasteners are used to secure components to the frame, then the components can be firmly attached, but the manufacturing and repair complexity increases due to thread damage risks and frame threading requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory fastener is nested within the motor fastener, with the accessory fastener's external threads engaging with the motor fastener's internal hollow portion. This nesting eliminates the need for frame threading while maintaining secure attachment, as the accessory component is secured through the motor fastener's hollow portion rather than requiring separate frame threads.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional separate fastener arrangement is used, then each fastener can be independently positioned, but accessing fasteners on the drive side requires disassembling portions of the bicycle
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory fastener is positioned within the hollow portion of the motor fastener, allowing both fasteners to be accessed from the same location. This nested arrangement enables technicians to access and service both the motor assembly and accessory components without disassembling other bicycle portions, as both fasteners are reachable from the same access point.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate fasteners are used for motor assembly and accessory components, then each component can be secured independently, but alignment precision decreases due to tolerance stack-up
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory fastener is nested within the motor fastener's hollow portion, creating a concentric alignment relationship. This nested configuration establishes a common reference axis for both the motor assembly and accessory component, eliminating tolerance stack-up between separate fastener locations and ensuring precise alignment of both components to the frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor fastener's hollow portion acts as an intermediary structure that mediates the alignment between the frame and accessory component. By providing a shared reference structure through its hollow portion, the motor fastener ensures that both the motor assembly and accessory component are aligned to the same axis, preventing misalignment issues.
Data Source
AI summary
An e-bike includes a frame assembly, wheels supporting the frame assembly, a motor assembly coupled to the frame assembly by a motor fastener having a hollow portion, and an accessory component coupled to the frame assembly by an accessory fastener positioned at least partially in the hollow portion of the motor fastener.