Two-Front-Wheel Tilting Mechanism With Compact Crossbar Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing tilting mechanisms for vehicles with two front wheels result in an enlarged front vehicle-body cover, limiting the tilting angle and compromising operation safety by interfering with the steering handlebar clearance and design.
Innovation Solution
A tilting mechanism with an upper crossbar and lower crossbar, where the right-side and left-side bars are pivotally connected, and equipped with bearing units located below the rotation center axes, ensuring the upper ends of the bars do not project beyond the upper crossbar, thus minimizing the vehicle-body cover and maintaining steering handlebar clearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bearing unit is positioned above the pivotal joint point to support the axle, then the axle can be properly supported for wheel rotation, but the upper end part of the bar projects beyond the upper end face of the upper crossbar, necessitating enlargement of the front vehicle-body cover
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional positioning of the bearing unit by placing it below the pivotal joint point instead of above it. This inversion allows the axle to be supported while the upper end of the bar remains within the upper end face of the upper crossbar, eliminating the need to enlarge the front vehicle-body cover.
2Reliability
If the front vehicle-body cover is enlarged to accommodate the projecting upper end part of the bar, then the axle support structure is achieved, but the design clearance and control clearance of the steering handlebar are limited
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the bearing unit position to below the pivotal joint point, the patent eliminates the projection of the bar's upper end beyond the upper crossbar. This maintains adequate design clearance and control clearance for the steering handlebar while still achieving reliable axle support.
3Reliability
If the upper end part of the bar projects beyond the upper end face of the upper crossbar, then the bearing unit can be positioned to support the axle, but the tilting angle of the vehicle is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the tilting angle constraint by inverting the bearing unit position. With the bearing unit below the pivotal joint point, the bar's upper end does not project beyond the upper crossbar, allowing the vehicle to achieve a larger tilting angle while maintaining reliable axle support capability.
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 configuration enhances the tilting angle, improves the vehicle's resistance to centrifugal forces during high-speed turns, and maintains operational safety by reducing the front vehicle-body cover size without sacrificing shock absorber stroke or steering handlebar clearance.
Implementation Method 1
the left-side bar and the upper crossbar are provided therebetween with one of the upper supporting members... the bearing units being mounted to the upper supporting members; pivotal joint points between the left-side and right-side bars and the upper crossbar form rotation center axes, the bearing units being located below the rotation center axes
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle includes a vehicle frame unit (41) having a steering support member (42) that is rotatably provided with a tilting mechanism (5) and receives a steering column (44) to extend therethrough. The tilting mechanism (5) includes an upper crossbar (51) and a lower crossbar (52) rotatably mounted to the steering support member (42) and a right-side bar (53) and a left-side bar (54) respectively and pivotally jointed to two ends of the upper crossbar (51) and two ends of the lower crossbar (52) and respectively including a right-side axle (533) and a left-side axel, a right-side supporting piece (534) and a left-side supporting piece (544) coupled to the right-side axle (533) and the left-side axle (543) and supporting a right-side shock absorber (6) and a left-side shock absorber (7), respectively, a central supporting member (45) coupled to a lower portion of the steering column (44). The right-side bar (53) and the left-side bar (54) have upper ends that are not projecting beyond an upper end face (51a) of the upper crossbar (51).