Motorcycle Windscreen Support Using Elastic Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind screen supporting mechanisms for motorcycles are expensive due to the complexity of motorized moving devices, limiting their widespread adoption.
Innovation Solution
A wind screen supporting mechanism using left and right rails with elastic members that compress to apply a pushing force, reducing the number of components and allowing smooth vertical movement of the wind screen, thereby decreasing costs and improving rigidity and compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a motorized moving device with electric motor, push cables, and guide parts is used to vertically move the wind screen, then the wind screen can be moved smoothly, but the device becomes expensive due to many components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex motorized components (electric motor, push cables, guide parts) from the wind screen supporting mechanism, retaining only the essential rails and sliders. This extraction reduces component count and cost while maintaining the core function of vertical movement through a simpler elastic member-based system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive motorized components with inexpensive elastic members (springs) that provide the necessary pushing force. This substitution uses simple, low-cost mechanical elements instead of complex electrical systems, achieving cost reduction while maintaining functionality.
2Device complexity
If the number of components is reduced to lower cost, then the device becomes inexpensive, but the rigidity and stability of the supporting mechanism may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the rail-slider-elastic member assembly. The rails provide structural support and guidance, the sliders enable movement, and the elastic members provide both pushing force and structural rigidity. This merging of functions maintains strength while reducing component count.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces elastic members that extend in the body transverse direction (left-right dimension) to provide pushing force, rather than using complex mechanisms in the vertical dimension. This dimensional change allows the elastic members to contribute to both movement and structural rigidity simultaneously.
3Ease of manufacture
If elastic member fitting parts protrude in the body longitudinal direction, then the elastic members can be easily fitted, but the assembly becomes longer and less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the elastic member fitting parts to protrude in the body transverse direction (left-right) instead of the body longitudinal direction (front-back). This dimensional reorientation allows the elastic members to be fitted easily while keeping the assembly compact in the longitudinal direction, as the elastic members now extend sideways rather than lengthening the front-to-back dimension.
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
The mechanism provides an inexpensive, compact, and rigid solution for vertically movable wind screens, preventing jolting during movement and reducing the overall cost of the supporting system.
Implementation Method 1
left and right elastic members which are fitted to the left and right sliders respectively and are in sliding contact with the left and right rails
Implementation Method 2
the rails have elastic member compressing surfaces inside them to compress front and rear faces of the elastic members
Data Source
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AI summary
A wind screen supporting mechanism (40,132) for a motorcycle (10) which vertically movably supports a wind screen (31) provided on an upper part of a cowling (29) covering a front upper part of a body (12), the wind screen supporting mechanism (40,132) comprising: left and right rails (41) which are fixed on the body (12) and extend vertically; left and right sliders (42) which are attached to the wind screen (31) and engaged with the left and right rails (41); and left and right elastic members which are fitted to the sliders (42) respectively and are in sliding contact with the left and right rails (41) respectively, wherein, when fitting the sliders (42) into the rails (41), the elastic members are compressed to apply a pushing force to the rails (41).