Motorcycle Swing Arm with Segmented Support Struts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional swing arms for vehicles, such as motorcycles, are heavier due to reinforcing walls that cross the internal space, compromising their rigidity and weight efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A swing arm design featuring a hollow body with a pivot hole, suspension fixing portion, and arms with open cross-sections, where reinforcing support-struts partition the open portions to enhance rigidity while reducing weight by eliminating the need for a crossing reinforcing wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a reinforcing wall crossing the internal space of the body portion is provided, then the rigidity of the swing arm is improved, but the weight of the swing arm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reinforcing structure into multiple separate support struts instead of a single continuous wall. The first and second support struts are positioned at different locations within the body portion, each providing localized reinforcement. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve necessary rigidity while using less material, thereby reducing weight compared to a full reinforcing wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies reinforcement only where structurally necessary rather than uniformly across the entire body portion. The support struts are strategically positioned to provide strength at critical load-bearing points while leaving other areas lighter. This localized approach maintains rigidity where needed while minimizing overall weight.
2Weight of moving object
If the body portion is made as an extrusion molding article without internal reinforcing walls, then the weight is reduced, but the rigidity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the lightweight extrusion molding structure by dividing the reinforcement into discrete support struts rather than adding a continuous internal wall. These segmented struts are integrated into the extrusion process, providing necessary rigidity while preserving the weight advantages of the extruded hollow body structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the extrusion molding technique with integrated support struts to create a composite structure. The body portion and support struts are formed as a single integrated component through extrusion, combining the weight benefits of hollow extruded structures with the strength benefits of internal reinforcement elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A swing arm secures rigidity, and is lighter than a conventional swing arm, includes a hollow body with a pivot hole in which a pivot shaft is disposed, a suspension fixing portion in the body connected to one end portion of a suspension unit, and a pair of arms extending from the body and supporting respective ends of a wheel axle. Each of the pair of arms includes an outer member having an open cross-section and an inner member having an open cross-section. The outer member and the inner member of each of the arms are joined at respective open end portions. The body includes first opening portions joined with a corresponding one edge portion of the outer member of the arms, second opening portions joined with a corresponding outer surface of the inner member of the arms, and reinforcing support-struts that partition the first and second opening portions.