Vehicle Brake System with Multi-Operator Resultant Force Activation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle brake systems for straddle-type vehicles are not easily operable for individuals accustomed to four-wheeled vehicle brake systems, and vice versa, as they often require different operating mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle brake system with a combination of hand-operated and foot-operated levers, where the first master cylinder activates both front and rear brakes, allowing operation through a resultant force from multiple input levers, ensuring compatibility for users of both scooter and four-wheeled vehicle brake systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a brake system is designed for straddle-type vehicles with hand-operated levers, then it is easy to operate for scooter users, but it becomes difficult to operate for users accustomed to four-wheeled vehicle brake systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operation for scooter usersVSAvoidadaptability to four-wheeled vehicle users
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The brake system incorporates multiple operators (hand lever and foot lever) that can function independently or in combination, allowing the same system to serve both scooter users (hand operation) and four-wheeled vehicle users (foot operation), thereby achieving universality across different user groups and vehicle types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If a brake system is designed for four-wheeled vehicles with foot-operated levers, then it is easy to operate for users accustomed to four-wheeled vehicle brake systems, but it becomes difficult to operate for users accustomed to scooter brake systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operation for four-wheeled vehicle usersVSAvoidadaptability to scooter users
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The brake system incorporates multiple operators (hand lever and foot lever) that can function independently or in combination, allowing the same system to serve both scooter users (hand operation) and four-wheeled vehicle users (foot operation), thereby achieving universality across different user groups and vehicle types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If multiple operators are combined to activate the master cylinder, then usability is enhanced and excessive force on a single lever is reduced, but the mechanical configuration becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveusability and force distributionVSAvoidmechanical configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple operators (hand lever and foot lever) into a single master cylinder activation system where forces from different operators are combined through mechanical linkages and levers, allowing force distribution while maintaining a unified brake activation mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary mechanical elements (levers, linkages, and force transmission mechanisms) that mediate between multiple operators and the master cylinder, allowing forces to be combined and transmitted efficiently while isolating the complexity of multiple inputs from the core braking mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3604057B1Vehicle brake system and vehicle including same brake system
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3604057B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3604057B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3604057B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a vehicle brake system 10 including: a first master cylinder 12 configured to activate a first brake device 30; a first operator 11 configured to be operated by a hand of a user; a second operator 13 configured to be operated by a hand or a foot of the user; and a third operator 15 configured to be operated by a foot of the user. The first master cylinder 12 is configured to be operated according to a resultant force of forces applied to the first operator 11, the second operator 13, and the third operator 15.