Segmented Vehicle Frame with Dual-Material Construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Three-wheeled straddle-seat vehicles face challenges in achieving a low center of gravity while maintaining a good cost-to-strength ratio, as traditional frames are either too heavy or require costly, lighter materials to achieve stability and maneuverability.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle features a frame with a lower frame portion made from a denser, stronger material supporting load-bearing components, and an upper frame portion made from a lighter, less costly material, allowing for a lower center of gravity while maintaining structural integrity and reducing material costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the frame is made from heavy, strong material to achieve stability and low center of gravity, then the vehicle stability improves, but the vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into two distinct portions: a lower frame portion made from dense, strong material (steel) to provide stability and support load-bearing connections, and an upper frame portion made from lighter material to reduce overall weight. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different materials are used in different portions of the frame based on local requirements. The lower frame portion uses dense, strong material where high strength and low center of gravity are critical for stability, while the upper frame portion uses lighter material where weight reduction is more beneficial. This local optimization resolves the contradiction between stability and weight.
2Weight of moving object
If lighter material is used to reduce vehicle weight, then the vehicle weight decreases, but the material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies lighter, more expensive materials only in the upper frame portion where weight reduction provides the most benefit, while using conventional, cost-effective materials in the lower frame portion. This localized application of premium materials minimizes overall cost increase while achieving weight reduction goals.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the frame into portions with different material requirements, the patent avoids the need to use expensive lightweight materials throughout the entire frame structure. This allows selective use of premium materials only where necessary, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and cost control.
3Device complexity
If the entire frame is made from one material to simplify manufacturing, then the manufacturing complexity decreases, but the ability to optimize center of gravity and cost-to-strength ratio deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into two portions with different materials, each optimized for specific performance requirements. This segmentation enables independent optimization of the lower frame for stability and the upper frame for weight reduction, achieving better overall performance than a single-material design while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity through standardized connection methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a frame including a lower frame portion made from a first material and an upper frame portion made from a second material different from the first material, a center of gravity of the upper frame portion being above a center of gravity of the lower frame portion, at least one front suspension system connected to the lower frame portion, at least one front ground engaging member connected to the front suspension systems, at least one rear suspension system connected to the lower frame portion, at least one rear ground engaging member operatively connected to the rear suspension system, a power pack connected to and supported by the lower frame portion, a seat connected to and supported by at least one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion, and at least one body panel connected to and supported by the upper frame portion.