Straddled Vehicle Fender Mud Adhesion Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road motorcycles face issues with mud adhesion on the fender base due to the weight increase from mud accumulation and the inefficiency of mud removal, which can restrict exhaust pipe layout and wheel movement.
Innovation Solution
A fender design featuring a crystalline resin base with a film having a higher hardness than the surface, affixed or integrally formed with the base, to reduce mud adhesion without restricting exhaust pipe layout or wheel movement, incorporating a water repellent layer for enhanced mud shedding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flexible mudguard made of mesh material with slack is provided on the back side of the fender, then mud removal is facilitated through vibration, but clayey mud passes through the meshes and lodges onto the back side of the fender base, and the slack restricts exhaust pipe attachment position and wheel up-down movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a thin film layer with specific hardness characteristics on the back side of the fender base. This film is sufficiently flexible to accommodate wheel movement and exhaust pipe routing while providing a smooth, non-porous surface that prevents mud adhesion. The film's thin nature allows it to conform to complex geometries without restricting mechanical movements, resolving the contradiction between mud removal capability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise hardness parameters for the film (pencil hardness 2B to 2H) to achieve optimal performance. This parameter control ensures the film is hard enough to prevent mud adhesion but soft enough to allow vibration-based mud removal and accommodate structural flexibility requirements for exhaust pipe layout and wheel movement.
2Ease of manufacture
If the fender base surface has low hardness to reduce mud adhesion, then mud shedding is improved, but the overall rigidity and durability of the fender may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a film with specific hardness properties only on the back side of the fender base where mud adhesion occurs, while the main fender body maintains its structural integrity. This localized application allows the mud-contact surface to have optimal shedding properties without compromising the overall strength and rigidity of the fender structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by bonding a film layer to the fender base. This composite construction combines the mud-shedding properties of the film with the structural strength of the base material, achieving both low mud adhesion and high structural integrity simultaneously.
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
The design effectively suppresses mud adhesion and facilitates easy mud removal without restricting exhaust pipe layout or wheel movement, maintaining the required rigidity and durability of the fender.
Implementation Method 1
the fender for straddled vehicles comprises, on a surface thereof that is closer to the wheel, a water repellent layer
Data Source
AI summary
A fender for straddled vehicles according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base made of a crystalline resin and disposed above a wheel, and a film which is in close contact with the back side of the base facing the wheel. The hardness of the surface of the base is lower than the hardness of the interior of the base. The hardness of the film is higher than the hardness of the surface of the base.