Saddle-Riding Vehicle Battery Removal With Rotating Supports

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing saddle-riding type vehicles face challenges in achieving sufficient travel autonomy while maintaining compact dimensions and facilitating simple, tool-free battery removal and repositioning, especially in electric or hybrid vehicles.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle is designed with a pair of batteries positioned on opposite sides of a longitudinal center plane, supported by movable supports that rotate between retracted and extended positions, allowing easy access and reducing lateral dimensions during travel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the volume of the battery pack is reduced to maintain compact vehicle dimensions, then the overall dimensions are improved, but the travel autonomy duration is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack volumeVSAvoidtravel autonomy
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack is divided into multiple individual batteries arranged in series. This segmentation allows the system to achieve the required voltage (and thus travel autonomy) without requiring a single large-volume battery pack, thereby maintaining compact vehicle dimensions while ensuring sufficient energy capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Volume of moving object

If the battery pack is compacted with other components to reduce overall vehicle dimensions, then the vehicle size is improved, but the ease of accessing batteries for charging is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle dimensionsVSAvoidbattery access
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the battery pack into separate individual batteries, each battery can be independently accessed and removed. This segmentation enables users to charge batteries externally without needing to access complex internal compartments, thereby maintaining compact vehicle dimensions while preserving ease of battery access and removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Duration of action of moving object

If multiple batteries are arranged to achieve high travel autonomy, then the energy capacity is improved, but the complexity of removal and repositioning operations is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetravel autonomyVSAvoidbattery removal system
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery system is segmented into multiple independent, identically-designed battery units. Each battery is equipped with its own support structure and removal mechanism, allowing them to be removed and repositioned independently. This segmentation simplifies the overall removal system complexity compared to a monolithic battery pack, as each unit follows the same simple removal procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The battery supports are designed to be movable between retracted and extended positions, enabling dynamic adjustment of battery accessibility. This dynamic mechanism allows batteries to be easily removed when needed while maintaining a compact configuration during normal operation, thereby reducing the complexity of the removal system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If tools are required for battery removal, then the reliability of battery securing is improved, but the ease of operation for battery removal is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery securingVSAvoidbattery removal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The battery support system incorporates movable supports that can be automatically actuated between retracted and extended positions. This dynamic mechanism provides reliable battery securing during operation while enabling tool-free removal when the support is extended, thereby maintaining both reliability and ease of operation without requiring tools.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4288330B1A saddle-riding type vehicle with a simplified battery removal system
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 PIAGGIO & C SPA
  • EP4288330B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4288330B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4288330B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a saddle -riding type vehicle (1) comprising a frame (2) extending mainly along a longitudinal direction (L) and comprising a front portion (2A), a central portion (2B) and a rear portion (2C). The vehicle comprises a powertrain connected to the frame (2) and comprising at least one electric motor (11) operatively connected to at least one driving wheel (9). The vehicle also comprises an electrical power supply assembly suitable for powering said electric motor (11) so as to allow the traction of the vehicle (1) and comprising at least one first pair of batteries (12, 12') arranged on opposite sides with respect to a longitudinal center plane (a) of the vehicle (1), orthogonal to the axis of rotation of said at least one driving wheel (9). According to the present invention, each battery (12, 12') is supported by a corresponding support (13, 13') movable between a retracted position and an extended position, each support (13, 13') being operatively connected to moving means which releases and/or causes the rotation of the support (13, 13') itself around a corresponding axis of rotation (R, R') to allow said supports (13, 14) to reach said extracted position.