Radiator Bracket Indentation for Saddle-Ride Vehicle Weight Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiator structures for saddle-ride vehicles face challenges with space constraints, increased weight, and higher costs due to the need for a clearance zone and multiple layered brackets for protection, which compromise the vehicle's size and weight balance.
Innovation Solution
A radiator structure with a core composed of radiating fins and tubes, where the bracket includes an extension portion with an indentation that allows for direct fixing to the body frame, providing a clearance without increasing the vehicle's width or weight, and using an elastic member for shock absorption, while maintaining the left-right weight balance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clearance is provided between the brackets and the core for protection, then the radiator body is protected from external force, but the space for the clearance becomes necessary and therefore there is a space-related problem with respect to providing a reduction in the size of the radiator body
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket includes an extension portion that extends in the vehicle widthwise direction, moving the fixing portion to a different spatial dimension. This allows the clearance to be formed in the widthwise direction rather than requiring additional space in the front-rear or vertical directions, thus protecting the radiator body while maintaining compact overall dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is divided into a main body portion and an extension portion that extends from the main body. This segmentation allows the extension portion to provide the necessary clearance space while the main body remains fixed to the original position, enabling protection without increasing the overall radiator body size.
2Strength
If a plurality of plate materials for the bracket are laid one upon the other to increase retention forces, then the stiffness is increased, but the weight increases and the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extension portion includes an indentation formed by bending the sidewall, creating a curved or non-linear structural feature. This curvature provides structural reinforcement and increases retention forces through geometric strength rather than requiring additional material layers, thus avoiding weight and cost increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket utilizes a single plate material with a complex geometry (including the extension portion and indentation) rather than multiple layered materials. This composite geometric design provides the necessary stiffness and retention forces through shape optimization rather than material multiplication.
3Ease of manufacture
If the extension portion is provided to extend along the vehicle front-rear direction, then the fixing portion can be fixed to the mounting portion of the body frame, but the area on which stress is concentrated cannot be eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The indentation formed by bending the sidewall creates a curved geometric feature that distributes stress more evenly across the extension portion. This curved geometry eliminates stress concentration points that would occur with sharp corners or straight-line transitions, while maintaining the fixing capability to the body frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The sidewall is bent to form an indentation, changing the geometric parameters of the extension portion. This parameter change (from a straight sidewall to a bent sidewall with indentation) modifies the stress distribution pattern, eliminating concentration while preserving the structural integrity needed for fixing to the body frame.
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 solution effectively reduces the radiator's size, maintains weight balance, and absorbs vibrations, while avoiding stress concentration and weight increase, thus addressing the issues of space, weight, and cost effectively.
Implementation Method 1
the mounting hole is provided with an elastic member clamping a peripheral edge of the mounting hole from both sides in a thickness direction of the extension portion
Data Source
AI summary
A radiator structure includes a radiator body having a core composed of radiating fins and cooling water passing tubes alternately laminated and a bracket disposed at one end of the core. The bracket includes an extension portion disposed at a vehicle widthwise inner end of the core and extending along a vehicle front-rear direction. The extension portion has a fixing portion on a leading end thereof, the fixing portion being fixed to a mounting portion of a body frame. An indentation is provided in a portion of an opposed sidewall where a front end of the core and the opposed sidewall of the bracket overlap each other when the vehicle is viewed from the side and which overlaps the fixing portion at least in the vehicle front-rear direction. The indentation is formed by bending the opposed sidewall in a direction away from the front end.