Straddled Vehicle Intake Layout for Narrower Width and Water Ingress Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional straddled vehicles with intake ports at the front of the side cover face issues of increased width, weight, and water intrusion during travel due to the design of the intake passage and port configuration.

Innovation Solution

The intake port is positioned rearward of the air cleaner, with an intake passage between the side cover and the fuel tank, reducing the width of the side cover and minimizing water intrusion by altering the intake passage layout.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the intake port is provided at the front portion of the side cover, then air can be easily taken in from the front, but the width of the side cover increases and the vehicle becomes larger

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair intake efficiencyVSAvoidvehicle width

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The intake port is repositioned from the front surface to the rear surface of the side cover, changing the spatial dimension of air intake. This allows air to be drawn from the rear rather than requiring front access, thereby reducing the side cover width while maintaining air intake functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the intake port is provided at the front portion of the side cover, then air intake is convenient, but water easily enters the intake port from the front while the vehicle is running

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair intake convenienceVSAvoidwater intrusion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The intake port is inverted from a front-facing position to a rear-facing position on the side cover. This reversal of the intake port orientation prevents water from entering from the front while the vehicle is running, as water naturally flows forward during vehicle operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If the intake passage extends rearward from the front intake port, then air can reach the air cleaner, but the weight of the vehicle increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair passage connectivityVSAvoidvehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The intake passage is extracted from the front portion of the side cover and repositioned to the rear portion. This extraction removes the need for a long intake passage extending from the front, thereby reducing the amount of material required and lowering the vehicle weight while maintaining air cleaner connectivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12371119B2Straddled vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.07.29 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A straddled vehicle, including a head pipe, a main frame extending rearward from the head pipe, a fuel tank supported by the main frame, an air cleaner arranged in front of the fuel tank, a side cover formed on a lateral side of the fuel tank to partially overlap the fuel tank in a side view of the straddled vehicle, an intake port provided at an edge of the side cover and opening toward an outside of the straddled vehicle, an air cleaner chamber in which at least a part of the air cleaner is arranged, and an intake passage including a first passage between the side cover and a side surface of the fuel tank, the intake port communicating with the air cleaner chamber through the intake passage. The side cover includes a front portion located forward of the air cleaner, and the intake port is arranged rearward of the air cleaner.