Leaning Vehicle Rear Load Capacity via Lateral Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leaning vehicles face challenges in increasing load capacity without enlarging their size, particularly when carrying rear-mounted loads, as the weight distribution between the front and rear wheels changes significantly when loads are added or removed.
Innovation Solution
The design positions the rider-only single seat near the rear wheel, with a carrying section behind the seat, ensuring that most of the rider's and load's weight is applied to the rear wheel, minimizing changes in weight distribution and allowing for increased load capacity without increasing the vehicle's size. This is achieved by optimizing the layout of the left and right front wheels, the rear wheel, and the link mechanism, along with a storage space below the seat for efficient weight distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the carrying section is extended backward or widened to increase load capacity, then the load capacity is improved, but the vehicle size is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the carrying section laterally outward from the vehicle centerline rather than extending it backward along the longitudinal axis. This lateral placement in the transverse dimension allows increased load capacity without increasing the longitudinal vehicle size, effectively using dimensional repositioning to resolve the contradiction between load capacity and vehicle length.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrying section is positioned asymmetrically on one side of the vehicle (the right side in the patent) rather than being centrally located or symmetrically distributed. This local concentration of carrying function allows the vehicle to carry loads without requiring symmetric expansion of the vehicle body, thereby increasing load capacity while minimizing overall vehicle size increase.
2Quantity of substance
If the carrying section is extended backward or widened to increase load capacity, then the load capacity is improved, but the weight distribution stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a load detection mechanism that monitors the weight on the carrying section and provides feedback to the control system. This feedback enables the vehicle to dynamically adjust its steering angle and leaning angle to compensate for the asymmetric weight distribution caused by the lateral carrying section, thereby maintaining weight distribution stability even when carrying loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle employs dynamic adjustment of steering and leaning angles based on real-time load conditions. Rather than maintaining fixed geometric relationships, the vehicle's posture and steering are continuously adapted to compensate for the asymmetric weight distribution from the lateral carrying section, ensuring stable weight distribution during operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An object of the present teaching is to increase a load capacity for a rear mounted load on a leaning vehicle while preventing the leaning vehicle from increasing in size. In the leaning vehicle (1), Formulae (a), (b), and (c) hold: L1 < L2 ... (a), L3 < L2 ... (b), and L4 < L5 ... (c), where L1 is defined as the distance from a seat rear end (SB) to a rear wheel axle (414), L2 is defined as the distance from the seat rear end (SB) to a wheelbase center (WBC), L3 is defined as the distance from the seat rear end (SB) to a carrying section center (BC), L4 is defined as the distance from the seat rear end (SB) to the front end of a carrying section (85), and L5 is defined as the distance in a rider-only single seat (24) from a seating surface front end (SFF) to a hip point (HP).