Straddled Vehicle Handle Assembly Reinforcement Member Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handle assemblies for straddled vehicles are bulkier due to the placement of reinforcement pipes, which compromises their compactness while attempting to maintain strength.
Innovation Solution
A handle assembly design featuring a reinforcement member that overlaps the handle post and pipe in a specific orthogonal cross-section, with protrusions extending radially from the pipe's surface, allowing for a more compact form factor while enhancing rigidity by increasing the geometrical moment of inertia, and strategically positioning these protrusions to avoid stress concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a reinforcement pipe is provided for reinforcing the handle pipe, then the strength is improved, but the handle assembly becomes bulkier
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is positioned inside the handle pipe, with its outer peripheral surface facing the inner peripheral surface of the handle pipe. This nested configuration allows the reinforcement to be contained within the existing external dimensions of the handle assembly, thereby improving strength without increasing the overall volume or making the assembly bulkier.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement member extends in the axial direction of the handle pipe rather than adding radial thickness. By utilizing the axial dimension for reinforcement placement, the design achieves enhanced strength while maintaining a compact cross-sectional profile and avoiding increased bulkiness.
2Ease of manufacture
If the reinforcement member is positioned away from the handle pipe, then the formability is improved, but the compactness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is nested within the handle pipe structure, allowing it to be positioned close to the handle pipe without requiring external clearance space. This nested arrangement maintains compactness while the reinforcement member's specific geometry (including curved portions and linear portions) ensures ease of manufacture and formability.
3Strength
If the protrusion is located at the edge of the reinforcement member, then the rigidity is improved, but the stress concentration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion is positioned at a specific location on the reinforcement member that is not at its edge. This local quality differentiation creates a gradient in rigidity distribution, with the protrusion providing enhanced rigidity at a strategic position while avoiding edge locations where stress concentration would occur during welding or loading.
4Strength
If excessive welding is performed to ensure strength, then the strength is improved, but the thermal effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is designed with a specific configuration including protrusions at non-edge positions and curved portions with specific radii. This design achieves sufficient strength through optimized geometry and minimal necessary welding, thereby reducing thermal effects from excessive welding while maintaining required strength levels.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A handle assembly for straddled vehicles includes a handle post, a handle pipe, and a reinforcement member coupled thereto. The handle pipe includes a central portion, an upper-right stretch, and an upper-left stretch. The reinforcement member is overlaid on the handle post and the handle pipe in a front-rear direction, at least a part thereof extending along a peripheral direction of the handle pipe. The reinforcement member includes a right pipe-overlapping portion, a left pipe-overlapping portion, and a post-overlapping portion that overlaps an area from the central portion of the handle pipe to the handle post. At least one of the right pipe-overlapping portion and the left pipe-overlapping portion includes a protrusion that protrudes, in a cross section orthogonal to a pipe center line, from an outer peripheral surface of the handle pipe in a radial direction. The protrusion or protrusions extend in a direction that the pipe center line extends, and is located neither at an edge of a right end of the right pipe-overlapping portion nor at an edge of a left end of the left pipe-overlapping portion.