Elevated Bicycle System Using Retractable Suspension for Aerial Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bicycles face safety hazards, are unsuitable for adverse road conditions, require excessive effort to navigate rough terrain, and are limited by speed and terrain accessibility, leading to inefficiencies and congestion in urban environments.
Innovation Solution
An elevated bicycle-based transportation system featuring a bicycle with front and rear suspension members that can be raised onto an overhead track, allowing the bicycle to be ridden suspended in the air, with optional propulsion systems and adjustable struts for stability and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bicycles are ridden on roads shared with trucks and automobiles, then transportation connectivity is maintained, but rider safety deteriorates due to constant danger of being struck by vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions bicycle transportation from ground level to elevated aerial tracks, moving the system to a different spatial dimension. This elevation separates cyclists from vehicular traffic on roads below, eliminating safety hazards while maintaining transportation connectivity through the aerial pathway network
2Adaptability or versatility
If bicycles are used on adverse road conditions such as snow, ice, mud, or debris, then transportation flexibility is maintained, but travel safety and convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By elevating the bicycle track above ground level, the system bypasses adverse road conditions including snow, ice, mud, and debris. The aerial position allows cyclists to traverse over rather than through these harmful conditions, maintaining transportation flexibility while eliminating safety and convenience issues
3Adaptability or versatility
If bicycles travel over rough and uneven roads, then terrain adaptability is maintained, but rider effort increases due to excessive force required for propulsion
Solution Approach 1:
The elevated track system provides a smooth, controlled pathway above rough terrain. cyclists travel on a stabilized aerial route rather than directly over uneven ground, maintaining terrain adaptability while significantly reducing the excessive force and rider effort normally required to navigate rough roads
4Object-affected harmful factors
If bicycles are ridden on sidewalks or street edges to avoid traffic, then safety is improved, but travel speed deteriorates due to frequent braking and slow movement
Solution Approach 1:
The aerial elevated track provides a dedicated bicycle pathway above street level, allowing cyclists to maintain high speeds without frequent braking. The separation from ground-level obstructions and traffic enables sustained velocity while preserving safety, eliminating the speed reduction experienced when riding on sidewalks or street edges
5Object-affected harmful factors
If dedicated bicycle paths are constructed to improve safety, then rider safety is improved, but urban space utilization deteriorates due to scarce and valuable space being consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The elevated bicycle track system utilizes aerial space above existing urban infrastructure rather than consuming ground-level urban space. This vertical utilization of space provides dedicated safe bicycle pathways without reducing the area available for other urban purposes, effectively resolving the conflict between safety improvements and space utilization
6Adaptability or versatility
If bicycles share road space with trucks and automobiles, then transportation network integration is maintained, but traffic congestion worsens due to coexistence of different modes with different behaviors
Solution Approach 1:
The aerial elevated track creates a separate transportation layer above ground-level vehicular traffic. This dimensional separation allows bicycle and motor vehicle flows to occur simultaneously without interaction, eliminating congestion caused by behavioral differences between modes while maintaining integration through shared urban airspace and complementary routing
Data Source
AI summary
An elevated bicycle-based transportation system comprises a bicycle, a front suspension member, connected to a front portion of the bicycle and having on the upper end a rolling, sliding, or gliding member, a rear suspension member, connected to a rear portion of the bicycle and having on the upper end a rolling, sliding, or gliding member, and an overhead track, which is a supporting member substantially horizontal in orientation, on which the rolling, sliding or gliding members of the suspension members rest. When suspended in this way, the bicycle can be ridden along the overhead track. When the suspension members are not suspended from the overhead track, the bicycle can be used in the normal manner, and at least one of the suspension members can be retracted, collapsed, folded, pivoted, detached, or otherwise modified by a simple operation, to be made less prominent.