Straddled Vehicle Headlight Lateral Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current straddled vehicle designs, such as motorcycles, face challenges in maintenance due to limited space within the upper cowling for electrical components and the headlight unit, which restricts flexibility and complicates maintenance processes.

Innovation Solution

The design features a straddled vehicle with a dividable upper cowling configuration, where the headlight unit is positioned below the first upper cowling, allowing for enhanced space utilization and flexibility, and a harness system that reduces the length of main harnesses and eliminates the need for additional couplers, enabling easier access and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the headlight unit is attached from below of the upper cowling, then the headlight unit can be mounted, but the front wheel interferes with the attachment and maintenance operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment operationVSAvoidfront wheel interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the attachment dimension from below (vertical direction) to the lateral side (horizontal direction). The headlight unit is attached to the lateral side of the upper cowling, which eliminates interference from the front wheel while maintaining proper positioning and functionality of the headlight unit

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

2Device complexity

If the upper cowling is made as a single integrated piece, then the structure is simple, but the space for electrical components is limited and maintenance is complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupper cowling structureVSAvoidspace utilization for electrical components
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The upper cowling is divided into multiple sections: a first upper cowling and a second upper cowling. This segmentation creates additional space for electrical components while maintaining structural integrity. The divided structure also facilitates easier maintenance by allowing access to different components independently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the headlight unit is integrated with the upper cowling, then the assembly is compact, but maintenance of the headlight unit requires removal of the entire upper cowling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly compactnessVSAvoidheadlight unit maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The headlight unit is separated from the main upper cowling structure and attached to the lateral side of the first upper cowling. This segmentation allows the headlight unit to be maintained independently without removing the entire upper cowling assembly, while still maintaining a compact overall structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The headlight unit is extracted from the main upper cowling body and positioned on the lateral side. This extraction enables independent access and maintenance of the headlight unit while preserving the compact integration of the overall assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3006313B1Straddled vehicle
Publication Date: 2017.05.17 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3006313B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3006313B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3006313B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A straddled vehicle including an upper cowling (21), a harness, and a headlight unit wherein the upper cowling (21) includes a first upper cowling (31) at least partially disposed laterally of a duct and attached to the duct, and a second upper cowling disposed above the duct and attached to the first upper cowling (31), the harness includes a main harness (36) adjacent to at least a first end of a vehicle body frame, and a sub harness (38a, 38b) branched from the main harness (36) and connected to electrical components (51), a part of the sub harness (38a, 38b) is connected to the electrical components (51) adjacent to a second end of the vehicle body frame through a space above the duct and the headlight unit is attached to a lower part of the first upper cowling (31) laterally.