Segmented Shock Absorber Rigidity for Vehicle Toe and Camber Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing vehicle designs with leanable body frames and two front wheels face challenges in maintaining desired driving performance while avoiding enlargement in size, particularly due to twist-induced deviations in toe and camber angles caused by load applied from the road surface.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves enhancing the rigidity of the shock absorbing devices by connecting the outer and inner tubes with connecting members, positioning these members to minimize the influence of road loads on toe and camber angles, and using a split fastening structure to distribute stress and reduce part count, thereby maintaining performance without enlarging the vehicle's size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the diameters of outer tubes and inner tubes are increased to enhance rigidity, then the driving performance is improved, but the vehicle size is enlarged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverigidity of shock absorbing devicesVSAvoidvehicle size
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The shock absorbing device is segmented into front and rear sections with separate outer tubes and inner tubes. The connecting member divides the inner tube into front and rear sections, allowing independent optimization of each segment's rigidity and dimensions, thereby maintaining overall rigidity without uniformly increasing the size of all components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of increasing rigidity solely through larger diameters (one-dimensional solution), the invention introduces a new dimensional approach by adding connecting members that structurally link the front and rear sections. This creates a three-dimensional framework that enhances rigidity through spatial configuration rather than simply scaling up component sizes.

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

2Manufacturing precision

If the diameters of outer tubes and inner tubes are increased to enhance rigidity, then the twist-induced deviations in toe and camber angles are reduced, but the shock absorbing devices are enlarged in size

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetoe angle and camber angle precisionVSAvoidshock absorbing device size
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting member segments the inner tube into front and rear sections, allowing the front inner tube to be optimized for maintaining toe angle precision while the rear inner tube is optimized for camber angle precision. This segmentation enables targeted rigidity enhancement in specific zones without uniformly enlarging the entire shock absorbing device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the shock absorbing device are given different local qualities through the connecting member structure. The front section prioritizes toe angle stability while the rear section prioritizes camber angle stability, with each section's dimensions and wall thicknesses optimized for its specific functional requirement rather than using uniform dimensions throughout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If larger tube diameters are used to increase rigidity, then the desired driving performance is achieved, but the vehicle becomes inevitably enlarged in size

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving performanceVSAvoidvehicle size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The shock absorbing device is divided into front and rear sections with separate outer tubes and inner tubes connected by a connecting member. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for specific driving conditions and performance requirements, maintaining high reliability without requiring uniform enlargement of all components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a one-dimensional rigidity enhancement approach (larger diameters) to a three-dimensional structural solution using connecting members that link front and rear sections. This spatial configuration provides the necessary stiffness and reliability for high-performance driving while keeping the overall vehicle dimensions compact.

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

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 configuration maintains desired driving performance while preventing the enlargement of the vehicle's size by enhancing the rigidity of the shock absorbing devices and reducing the need for larger tube diameters, thus addressing the issue of twist-induced deviations in toe and camber angles.

Implementation Method 1

The left front inner tube is smaller in diameter than the left front outer tube and is slidably connected to the left front outer tube. The left rear inner tube is smaller in diameter than the left rear outer tube and is slidably connected to the left rear outer tube.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTelescopic motion:

Data Source

PatentEP3162683B1vehicle
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3162683B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3162683B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3162683B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A left shock absorbing device is provided with a left front outer tube, a left rear outer tube, a left front inner tube, a left rear inner tube and a left connecting member. The left front outer tube and the left rear outer tube are supported on a left bracket. The left front inner tube is connected to the left front outer tube so as to be slidable in an interior of the left front outer tube along a left telescopic axis. The left rear inner tube is connected to the left rear outer tube so as to be slidable in an interior of the left rear outer tube along the left telescopic axis. The left connecting member connects the left front outer tube and the left rear outer tube.