Straddle Vehicle Mudguard Key Cylinder Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing straddle-type vehicles, such as scooters, face challenges in preventing mud water from entering through the opening at the top of the inner fender, which can damage electrical components and cables around the handlebars and key cylinder, while also limiting the freedom of headlight positioning.

Innovation Solution

A mudguard is attached to the opening at the top of the inner fender and its upper section is secured to the key cylinder, effectively blocking mud water entry and protecting the components, while also bundling cables to eliminate the need for separate bundling members, thereby reducing component count and cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a bottom wall of a headlight is used as a mud cover, then protection against mud water is improved, but the ability to freely position the headlight is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against mud waterVSAvoidheadlight positioning freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mud cover function is separated from the headlight assembly. Instead of using the headlight's bottom wall as the mud cover, a separate mud cover component is introduced that can be independently positioned and attached to the vehicle frame, allowing the headlight to be freely positioned while maintaining mud water protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mud cover function is extracted from the headlight structure. The patent introduces a dedicated mud cover component that is distinct from the headlight assembly, enabling the headlight to be positioned independently without being constrained by mud cover requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the opening at the top of the inner fender is kept small, then component protection is improved, but cable management becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent protectionVSAvoidcable management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A cable guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the opening and the cables. This guide member facilitates cable routing through the restricted opening space, enabling effective cable management while maintaining the small opening size for component protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If multiple separate components are used for mud cover, cable bundling, and component protection, then functional effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional effectivenessVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple protective functions are merged into integrated components. The mud cover is designed to incorporate cable guide members and positioning structures that simultaneously provide mud water protection, cable management, and component protection, reducing the total number of separate parts while maintaining functional effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mud cover component is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously serves as a mud barrier, a cable guide structure, and a component protection shield. This universal design eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2017170B1Straddle-type vehicle
Publication Date: 2010.04.28 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP2017170B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2017170B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2017170B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mudguard (600) of a straddle type vehicle (1000) is attached to an opening (402b) at the top of an inner fender (402), and an upper section (601) of the mudguard (600) is attached to a key cylinder (300). Therefore, it is difficult for mud water to enter inside a body cover from the opening (402b) at the top of the inner fender (402). Furthermore, in this straddle-type vehicle (1000), the upper section (601) of the mudguard (600) is attached to the key cylinder (300). Therefore, it is possible for the mudguard (600) to more reliably protect components such as electrical cables around handlebars and the key cylinder from mud water.