Leaning Vehicle Turbocharger Layout for High-Voltage Harness Routing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge of integrating an electrically assisted turbocharger on a leaning vehicle, such as a motorcycle, is the need to facilitate the routing of a thick high voltage harness while allowing for the design freedom of the motor generator controller's position, due to the vehicle's compact size and presence of other components like coolant and fuel pipes.

Innovation Solution

The arrangement of the electrically assisted turbocharger and its controller, along with the motor generator controller, is optimized to utilize the space around the cylinder and crankcase members, routing the high voltage harness efficiently and providing design flexibility by separating or integrating these components to minimize harness length and resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the high voltage harness is made thick to handle high voltage, then the electrical safety and power transmission capability are improved, but the harness becomes less flexible and harder to route in the compact space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical safetyVSAvoidrouting flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the vertical space (up-down direction) above the crankcase member to route the high voltage harness, transitioning from horizontal routing to vertical routing. This dimensional change allows the thick harness to be routed without requiring excessive horizontal space, resolving the contradiction between harness thickness and routing flexibility in the compact motorcycle space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Length of moving object

If the motorcycle size is reduced for compactness, then the portability and maneuverability are improved, but the space for routing thick high voltage harness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle sizeVSAvoidharness routing
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent routes the high voltage harness in the vertical dimension above the crankcase member rather than consuming horizontal space. This allows the motorcycle to maintain a compact overall size while still accommodating the thick high voltage harness required for electrical safety and power transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the high voltage harness is made long to connect all components, then the design flexibility is improved, but the harness resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidharness resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions the controllers and electric components in advance during the design phase to optimize their spatial arrangement. By preliminarily determining the positions of the motor generator controller and electrically assisted turbocharger controller, the harness routing path is optimized to minimize length while maintaining design flexibility, thereby reducing resistance and energy loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Loss of energy

If the controllers are positioned to optimize harness routing, then the harness resistance is reduced, but the design freedom for controller positioning is constrained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharness resistanceVSAvoidpositioning freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions controllers in the vertical space above the crankcase member, utilizing the up-down direction rather than constraining positioning only in the horizontal plane. This provides freedom in the vertical dimension while optimizing horizontal positioning to minimize harness length and resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 arrangement facilitates the routing of the high voltage harness and enhances the design freedom for the motor generator controller's position, reducing harness resistance and complexity in the compact layout of a leaning vehicle.

Implementation Method 1

a motor generator which is configured to generate electric power by rotational force of the crankshaft

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

the electric motor being configured to rotate the rotational shaft of the turbocharger by utilizing electric energy generated by the motor generator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 3

a turbocharger which is configured to compress intake air supplied to the engine, by a compressor provided on the same rotational shaft as a turbine driven by exhaust gas exhausted from the engine

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas flow and pressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4549712B1Leaning vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4549712B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP4549712B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(b)
  • EP4549712B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(c)

AI summary

In a vehicle side view, an electrically assisted turbocharger controller (34) or an electrically assisted turbocharger (32) of a leaning vehicle (1) is provided forward of a front end face (11f) of a cylinder member (11) in a vehicle front-rear direction so as to at least partially face the front end face (11f), and a motor generator controller (22) or the electrically assisted turbocharger controller (34) is provided rearward of a rear end face (11r) of the cylinder member (11) in the vehicle front-rear direction so as to at least partially face the rear end face (11r). A part (42) of an electrically assisted turbocharger high voltage harness (40), which connects the electrically assisted turbocharger controller (34) and the motor generator controller (22) or a part (41), which connects the electrically assisted turbocharger (31) and the electrically assisted turbocharger controller (34) is at least partially provided in a space that is (i) above the lowermost end of a crankcase member (12) in a vehicle up-down direction, (ii) below the uppermost end of the cylinder member (11) in the vehicle up-down direction, (iii) inside the maximum width of the crankcase member (12) in the vehicle left-right direction, and (iv) outside the cylinder member (11) in the vehicle left-right direction.