Motorcycle Headlight Sensor Mounting via Depressed Housing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Straddle type vehicles, such as motorcycles, face challenges in arranging driving support sensors due to limited space, requiring a simple and effective installation method.

Innovation Solution

A straddle type vehicle design featuring a vehicle body frame with a head pipe and main frame, a headlight unit, a support stay to hold a predetermined component, and a driving support sensor fixed to the lower side of the headlight unit within a depressed portion of its housing, ensuring appropriate placement and detection range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If driving support sensors are installed on a straddle type vehicle, then driving support function is achieved, but the limited space on the vehicle body makes sensor arrangement difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriving support functionVSAvoidavailable space on vehicle body

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the driving support sensor mounting function with the existing headlight unit housing. The sensor is integrated into the headlight housing structure, allowing the headlight unit to serve dual purposes: illumination and sensor mounting platform, thereby utilizing existing space efficiently without adding separate mounting structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by creating a depressed portion in the headlight housing where the sensor can be mounted on its upper surface. This vertical integration allows the sensor to be positioned in the limited space available on the vehicle body front, utilizing the depth of the headlight housing rather than requiring additional lateral or longitudinal space

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If driving support sensor is installed below the headlight unit, then space utilization is improved, but the sensor position must not obstruct headlight irradiation range

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidheadlight irradiation obstruction

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a localized depressed portion in the headlight housing specifically designed to accommodate the sensor. This localized modification allows the sensor to be positioned in an area that does not interfere with the main light emission path, while the rest of the headlight housing maintains its original light-transmissive properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The headlight housing acts as an intermediary structure that accommodates the sensor while protecting the light path. The depressed portion serves as an intermediate space that houses the sensor, separating it from the main illumination area and preventing direct obstruction of the headlight beam

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11498634B2Straddle type vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.11.15 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A straddle type vehicle comprising a vehicle body frame including a head pipe and a main frame extending from the head pipe to a rear side, and a headlight unit provided on a front side of the vehicle body frame, and further comprising a support stay fixed to the vehicle body frame to support a predetermined vehicle constituent component on the front side of the vehicle body frame, and a driving support sensor fixed to the support stay on a lower side of the headlight unit.