Off-Road Vehicle Powertrain Layout for Lower Cargo Box Height
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle designs for off-road recreation have a powertrain mechanism that is configured to be large in the vertical direction, leading to high ground clearance, which compromises the usability of the cargo box by making it less accessible and less useful.
Innovation Solution
The powertrain mechanism is compactly configured in the vehicle width and vertical directions by strategically positioning components such as the engine, CVT, transmission, intake and exhaust systems, and air cleaner, with the exhaust pipe extending outward in the vehicle width direction and the air cleaner located below the cylinder head, allowing for a more compact and efficient layout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the air cleaner is disposed directly above the engine, then the powertrain mechanism is configured to be large in the vertical direction, but the cargo box usability deteriorates due to high ground clearance
Solution Approach 1:
The air cleaner is repositioned from a vertical arrangement (directly above the engine) to a lateral arrangement (on the side of the engine in the vehicle width direction). This dimensional change allows the powertrain mechanism to be compact in the vertical direction while maintaining all necessary functional clearances, thereby reducing the overall height without compromising cargo box accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The powertrain components are segmented and distributed in different spatial zones: the air cleaner is positioned on one side of the engine, the exhaust system on the other side, and the transmission below. This segmentation allows each component to occupy its own spatial niche, preventing vertical stacking and reducing the overall vertical dimension of the powertrain mechanism.
2Reliability
If the powertrain mechanism is configured to be large in the vertical direction to secure ground clearance, then off-road performance is improved, but the cargo box ground clearance increases and usability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust system is repositioned from a vertical arrangement to a lateral arrangement that extends in the vehicle width direction. The exhaust pipe is configured to extend outward from the cylinder head in the vehicle width direction, allowing the exhaust muffler to be positioned laterally rather than vertically above the engine. This maintains adequate ground clearance for off-road performance while reducing the vertical height of the powertrain mechanism.
3Length of moving object
If components are positioned to achieve compact layout, then vertical dimension is reduced, but component arrangement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each component is positioned in its optimal local zone: the air cleaner on one side for easy air intake, the exhaust system on the other side for efficient exhaust discharge, and the transmission below for direct power delivery. This localized positioning achieves compact vertical dimensions while maintaining simple, functional arrangements that are easy to service and maintain.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle including an engine body that has a crankcase that rotatably supports a crankshaft, a cylinder, and a cylinder head provided with an intake port and an exhaust port, in which a central axis of the crankshaft extends in the vehicle width direction, a CVT disposed on a side portion in the vehicle width direction of the engine body, a transmission disposed on one side in a front-rear direction of the engine body, an intake pipe connected to the intake port, an air cleaner connected to the intake pipe, an exhaust pipe connected to the exhaust port, and an exhaust muffler connected to the exhaust pipe. At least a part of each of the transmission, the intake pipe, the air cleaner, the exhaust pipe, and the exhaust muffler is disposed in a region where the engine body is projected in the front-rear direction.