Straddled Vehicle Cord Guide Roller

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Solution Overview

Problem

Straddled vehicles face challenges in installing cord-like members without compromising aesthetic design and compactness, as existing guide members cause abrasion due to high contact loads, especially when the handle bar is swung or suspensions are in motion, leading to increased wear and reduced installation freedom.

Innovation Solution

A guide member with a support shaft orthogonal to the cord-like member's direction and a rotatably supported roller with a constant outer diameter, made of resin materials like polyamide or polypropylene, is used to guide the cord-like member, allowing it to move freely in one direction while preventing contact in the other, thus reducing abrasion and enhancing installation flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a guide member is used to guide the cord-like member, then the cord-like member is restrained from contacting the body, but abrasion occurs due to high contact load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of cord-like member contact with bodyVSAvoidabrasion of cord-like member
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A resin material layer is introduced as an intermediary between the guide member and the cord-like member. The resin material has a coefficient of friction of 0.3 or less, which significantly reduces the contact load and prevents abrasion of the cord-like member while still allowing the guide member to effectively guide and restrain the cord-like member from contacting the body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the friction parameter by coating the guide member with a resin material that has a specific coefficient of friction (0.3 or less). This parameter change transforms the high-friction metal-to-metal or metal-to-cable interface into a low-friction resin-to-cable interface, thereby reducing abrasion while maintaining guiding functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Volume of moving object

If the cord-like member is installed with a small bend radius to maintain compactness, then aesthetic design and compactness are improved, but contact load between cord-like member and guide member increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompactness of cord-like member installationVSAvoidcontact load between cord-like member and guide member
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The resin material coating changes the friction parameter at the contact interface, allowing the cord-like member to navigate small bend radii without experiencing excessive contact load. The low friction coefficient (0.3 or less) enables smooth movement through tight spaces while reducing the force required to bend the cord-like member.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The resin material layer acts as a mediator that reduces the mechanical stress concentration at sharp bends. By providing a low-friction surface, it allows the cord-like member to change direction more easily through small bend radii without generating excessive contact load on the guide member.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the handle bar is swung or suspensions are in motion, then the cord-like member slides against the guide member, but this creates even greater contact load and abrasion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemovement of handle bar and suspensionsVSAvoidincreased contact load and abrasion during operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The resin material coating fundamentally changes the friction parameter at the interface, reducing it to 0.3 or less. This allows the cord-like member to slide freely during handle bar steering and suspension motion without generating excessive contact load or abrasion, thereby accommodating full operational movement while minimizing wear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The resin material serves as a protective intermediary layer that absorbs and reduces the sliding friction generated during dynamic operations. When the handle bar is swung or suspensions move, the cord-like member can slide along the resin-coated guide member with minimal resistance and wear, as the resin material mediates the interaction between the moving components.

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 solution effectively suppresses abrasion, allows for more flexible installation of cord-like members with larger contact loads, and reduces vibrations felt by the rider, while maintaining a compact and cost-effective guide member design.

Implementation Method 1

the guide member includes a support shaft which is substantially orthogonal to the first direction and which extends so as to intersect the longitudinal direction of the cord-like member, and includes a roller rotatably supported by the support shaft

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling contact: Roller

Data Source

PatentEP3828064B1Straddled vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.02.23 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3828064B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3828064B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3828064B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

A straddled vehicle (100) includes: a body (1); and a cord-like member (20) installed on the outside and/or the inside the body (1). The straddled vehicle (100) further includes a guide member (30) disposed so as to guide the cord-like member (20), the guide member (30) restraining the cord-like member (20) from moving in a first direction (D1) which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction (LD) of the cord-like member (20). The guide member includes a support shaft (31) which is substantially orthogonal to the first direction (D1) and which extends so as to intersect the longitudinal direction (LD) of the cord-like member (20), and includes a roller (32) rotatably supported by the support shaft (31). The guide member (30) does not restrain the cord-like member (20) from moving in a second direction (D2) which is an opposite direction to the first direction (D1).