Motorcycle Engine Mounting with Elastic Vibration Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing motorcycle designs experience delayed acceleration and lack of responsiveness due to the linkage system that transmits engine vibrations to the rider, and also fail to effectively suppress secondary vibrations, leading to reduced rider comfort.

Innovation Solution

A motorcycle design where the engine unit is directly mounted on the body frame with a balancer mechanism to suppress primary inertial forces and a rear cushion with elastic members at the connections to absorb vibrations, eliminating the need for a linkage and improving responsiveness and comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the engine unit is supported by the body frame through a linkage, then engine vibrations are transmitted through the body frame to the rider, but the linkage causes delayed acceleration and reduced responsiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration transmission suppressionVSAvoidacceleration response
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the linkage component from the support system, connecting the engine unit directly to the body frame. This extraction eliminates the source of vibration absorption that caused delayed acceleration, while the added elastic members provide the necessary vibration suppression function separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces elastic members as intermediary components between the engine unit and body frame. These elastic members serve as mediators that transmit support forces while absorbing vibrations, replacing the linkage's dual function with specialized components that separate the support and vibration suppression functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If a balancer mechanism is added to suppress engine vibrations, then primary inertial force vibrations are reduced, but secondary vibrations and 0.5 degree vibrations remain unsuppressed and the mechanism becomes complex and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprimary inertial force vibrationsVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses elastic members that replicate the vibration absorption function previously requiring complex balancer mechanisms. By copying the essential damping function through simpler elastic components, the system achieves vibration suppression without the complexity of multi-component balancer assemblies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the approach from active vibration cancellation (balancer mechanisms) to passive vibration absorption (elastic members). This parameter change in the vibration control strategy simplifies the system by eliminating moving parts and complex control mechanisms while maintaining effective vibration suppression.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If the engine unit is directly mounted on the body frame without a rear cushion, then responsiveness is improved, but vibration transmission to the rider increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethrottle responsivenessVSAvoidvibration transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions elastic members as intermediary elements in the direct mounting configuration. These intermediaries enable direct engine-to-frame mounting for responsiveness while simultaneously providing the vibration isolation necessary to protect the rider, resolving the contradiction between direct mounting benefits and vibration harm.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates elastic members that provide beforehand cushioning between the engine unit and body frame. This prior cushioning is built into the mounting structure itself, preventing vibration transmission before it can reach the rider, while maintaining the direct connection needed for responsive acceleration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 design enhances throttle responsiveness, reduces engine vibration transmission, and improves rider comfort by directly mounting the engine unit on the body frame and using elastic members to absorb vibrations, thereby addressing the issues of delayed acceleration and secondary vibration suppression.

Implementation Method 1

a first elastic member provided on at least one of the first and second connections

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP1864901B1Motorcycle
Publication Date: 2011.05.18 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP1864901B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1864901B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1864901B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A motorcycle (1) comprises an engine unit (8), a rear wheel (7) supported on the engine unit (8) and a body frame (2) which directly supports the engine unit (8) to enable the engine unit (8) to swing vertically. A cushion (10) is interposed between the engine unit (8) and the body frame (2), wherein the cushion (10) is pivotally coupled to the engine unit (8) via a first connection and is pivotally coupled to the body frame (2) via a second connection. In one embodiment an elastic member is provided on the second connection. In another embodiment the motorcycle (1) includes a balancer mechanism within the engine unit (8), wherein the balancer mechanism suppresses the engine vibrations caused by inertial forces.