Straddle-Type Vehicle Seat Damper Rearward Coupling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional straddle-type vehicles, such as scooters, face interference from the damper mechanism when loading or unloading luggage or performing maintenance due to its location between the seat and body frame, obstructing access to storage boxes and maintenance areas.

Innovation Solution

The straddle-type vehicle design features an axially extendable urging force generating mechanism with a frame-side coupling point located rearward relative to the seat-side coupling point and closer to the hinge member, allowing the seat to swing without obstructing the space between the seat and body frame, thus facilitating loading, unloading, and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the damper is coupled with the body frame and seat in the conventional manner, then the urging force is effectively applied to the seat, but the damper obstructs the space between the seat and body frame, interfering with loading/unloading of luggage and maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of loading and unloading luggageVSAvoidinterference from damper mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The damper is extracted from the conventional coupling position and relocated to a new configuration where the frame-side coupling point is positioned at the rear end of the body frame, separate from the storage box aperture area. This extraction removes the harmful interference of the damper from the loading/unloading space while preserving its urging force function on the seat

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The damper is repositioned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, with its coupling point located at the rear end of the body frame rather than beneath the seat. This dimensional relocation in the front-rear axis eliminates the spatial conflict with the storage box aperture, allowing simultaneous access for luggage handling and damper functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the damper is positioned to apply urging force to the open seat, then the seat can be held at fully-opened position, but the damper location obstructs access to storage box and maintenance areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat holding functionVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The damper mechanism is extracted from the space beneath the seat and repositioned with its frame-side coupling point at the rear end of the body frame. This extraction eliminates the obstruction to maintenance areas while the damper continues to perform its function of holding the seat at the fully-opened position through its urging force

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The damper acts as an intermediary mechanism positioned at the rear end of the body frame, transmitting urging force to the seat through a linkage system that does not require the damper body to occupy the space beneath the seat. This allows maintenance access while preserving the seat holding function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This design enhances the operational flexibility and ease of loading/unloading luggage and maintenance by preventing the damper from obstructing the space between the seat and body frame, improving workability and reducing interference with storage and maintenance tasks.

Implementation Method 1

an urging force generating mechanism for applying urging force to the seat in an opening direction, the urging force generating mechanism being axially extendable so as to generate an axial urging force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2036804B1Straddle-type vehicle
Publication Date: 2014.05.21 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP2036804B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2036804B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2036804B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present application relates to a straddle-type vehicle, in particular motorcycle, comprising: a body frame; a seat (9) supported by the body frame through a hinge member (50) in a vertically swingable manner; and an urging force generating mechanism (23) for applying urging force to the seat (9) in an opening direction, the urging force generating mechanism (23) being axially extendable so as to generate an axial urging force, one end of the urging force generating mechanism (23) and the other end thereof being coupled with the body frame and the seat (9), respectively, wherein a frame-side coupling point (A) of the urging force generating mechanism (23) is located in proximity to the hinge member (50).