Motorcycle Rear Fork Diffusion Channel for Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motorcycles, particularly racing motorcycles, experience negative aerodynamic phenomena such as turbulence between the rear driving wheel, rear fork, and frame, which affect their efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A motorcycle design featuring a fairing with a lower wall extending under the engine to the rear driving wheel, and a rear fork with a joining structure that forms a diffusion channel with the fairing, improving airflow around the rear wheel and fork.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a conventional rear fork structure is used, then the motorcycle structure is simple, but turbulence is generated between the rear driving wheel, rear fork, and frame, reducing aerodynamic efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The joining structure of the rear fork is designed with a curved rear surface that is substantially parallel to the profile of the rear driving wheel. This curvature allows the air flow to follow the contours of the wheel and fork structure, preventing flow separation and reducing turbulence generation in the gap between the rear fork and rear driving wheel.
Solution Approach 2:
A diffusion channel is introduced as an intermediary flow path between the rear driving wheel and the rear fork. This channel, formed by the curved rear surface of the joining structure and the fairing, acts as a mediator that guides and smooths the air flow through the gap area, preventing direct turbulent interaction between the wheel and fork structures.
2Volume of moving object
If the rear fork is positioned close to the rear driving wheel, then the motorcycle structure is compact, but negative aerodynamic phenomena are generated between the rear driving wheel, rear fork, and frame
Solution Approach 1:
The design extends the fairing in the longitudinal dimension to wrap around and cover the area between the rear driving wheel and the rear fork. This three-dimensional fairing structure creates a diffusion channel that spans multiple dimensions, effectively managing air flow in the gap area without increasing the overall footprint of the motorcycle.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a fairing extending under the engine is added, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing structure is merged with the existing lower wall that extends under the engine from the front area toward the rear driving wheel. The rear portion of this integrated fairing structure forms the diffusion channel together with the rear fork joining structure, combining aesthetic coverage with aerodynamic function in a single integrated component.
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 design enhances aerodynamic efficiency by smoothing airflow around the rear wheel and fork, reducing drag and improving handling and cooling of the motorcycle.
Implementation Method 1
a first portion of the rear surface of the joining structure and a rear portion of the fairing, which extends from the lower wall toward the rear fork, together form a diffusion channel for an air flow between the rear fork and the rear driving wheel
Implementation Method 2
The diffusion channel improves the conditions of motion of the air in the area of the rear driving wheel and of the rear fork
Data Source
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AI summary
A motorcycle (1) with fairing is provided with a rear fork (17) that supports the rear driving wheel, which has two arms (51) connected by a joining structure (53). This structure has a rear surface (55) oriented toward the rear driving wheel (13) and forms, with a rear portion (59) of the fairing (21) a flow channel to guide the air around the rear driving wheel (13).