Rotatable Straddle Vehicle Step for Foot Support Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Straddle type vehicles without a crank mechanism often compromise ride comfort as riders need to frequently lift their feet, lacking adequate foot support during travel.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pair of left and right steps with a base end portion attached non-rotatably to the body frame and a step main body portion having a footrest surface, rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction, to provide stable foot support and improve ride comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a straddle type vehicle does not have a crank mechanism and relies on ground-kicking travel, then the vehicle structure is simplified, but the rider cannot maintain stable foot support and ride comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The step main body portion is designed to be rotatable about a left-right axis, allowing dynamic adjustment of the footrest surface orientation. This rotational capability enables the footrest to adapt to rider posture changes and maintain optimal foot support angles during travel, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and foot support stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The step is divided into two functional segments: the base end portion fixed to the body frame and the step main body portion with the footrest surface. This segmentation allows the footrest surface to move independently relative to the vehicle body, providing adjustable foot support without complicating the overall vehicle structure.
2Device complexity
If the step main body portion is fixed non-rotatably to the body frame, then the structure is simpler, but the footrest cannot adapt to rider posture changes and comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The step main body portion is designed with rotational freedom about the left-right axis, transforming it from a static fixed structure to a dynamic adjustable component. This enables the footrest surface to adapt to various rider postures and travel conditions while maintaining relatively simple construction.
3Length of moving object
If the footrest surface is positioned low, then the vehicle can maintain compact size, but the footrest may contact the ground during vehicle tilting and cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable step main body portion can be dynamically positioned to change the orientation and height of the footrest surface relative to the ground. During vehicle tilting, the footrest can rotate to avoid ground contact, preventing damage while maintaining a compact vehicle profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational capability of the step main body portion provides preliminary protection against ground contact during tilting. The footrest can proactively adjust its position to prevent harmful contact with the ground before damage occurs, rather than being passively vulnerable to impact.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a straddle type vehicle including: a front wheel and a rear wheel; a body frame rotatably supporting the front wheel and the rear wheel; and a pair of left and right steps supported by the body frame. The steps each include a base end portion attached to the body frame without rotating about an axis extending in a left-right direction of the body frame, and a step main body portion having a footrest surface configured to support feet of a rider. The step main body portion extends outward in the left-right direction from the base end portion, and is coupled to the base end portion in a state of being rotatable about the axis extending in the left-right direction.