Utility Vehicle Partition Member for Engine Room Maintenance Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional utility vehicle partition structures between the engine room and storage box are difficult to access, hindering maintenance of engine accessories like oil filters and oil coolers.

Innovation Solution

A detachable partition member attached to the chassis via an attachment portion, allowing easy access to the engine room from the storage box, while maintaining dust prevention through the use of an elastic partition member and strategic rivet placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the partition member is fixed to the chassis, then the structure is stable and dust prevention is reliable, but the engine room becomes inaccessible for maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAccessibility to engine roomVSAvoidFixed partition structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The partition member is divided into multiple sections with attachment portions at specific locations, allowing selective detachment of only the necessary portion for maintenance while keeping other sections attached to maintain structural stability and dust prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The partition member transitions from a completely fixed state to a partially detachable state through the attachment portions, enabling dynamic adjustment between stability (attached) and accessibility (detached) based on maintenance requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of repair

If the partition member is made detachable, then maintenance access is improved, but the structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveMaintenance of engine accessoriesVSAvoidPartition attachment structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition member is segmented with attachment portions at strategic locations, allowing simple detachable connections only where needed for maintenance access, rather than making the entire partition complex and fully detachable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment portions serve multiple functions: they provide detachable connections for maintenance access, maintain structural integrity when attached, and can be positioned to accommodate different maintenance scenarios, reducing the need for multiple specialized components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9446796B2Utility vehicle

Publication Date: 2016.09.20 KAWASAKI MOTORS LTD

AI summary

A utility vehicle including: a chassis; an engine provided on the chassis; an engine room accommodating the engine; a storage box provided next to the engine room and accommodating an air cleaner or a battery; a partition member dividing the engine room and the storage box; and a rivet configured to detachably attach at least part of the partition member to the chassis.