Straddled Vehicle Frame Reinforcement for Adjustable Rear Suspension Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing straddled vehicle body frames face challenges in achieving compatibility across different models due to varying stiffness requirements, leading to increased weight or reduced stiffness when using frames that are not optimally designed for specific uses.
Innovation Solution
A straddled vehicle design featuring a first reinforcing component disposed outside the rear arm, connected to the pivot support portion and rear frame, which enhances stiffness and allows for easy adjustment or omission to accommodate different models, with components like first and second reinforcing members and a cross member for further reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a vehicle body frame with high stiffness is used for a straddled vehicle model not requiring high stiffness, then the required stiffness is met, but the vehicle is increased in weight and vehicle width
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle body frame is segmented into a base frame and a separate reinforcing component. The base frame provides basic structural support, while the reinforcing component (first reinforcing member and second reinforcing member) can be selectively added to specific locations to provide additional stiffness only where required by the application, rather than reinforcing the entire frame uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing reinforcement only at specific locations where stiffness is needed. The first reinforcing member connects the pivot support portion to the first rear frame, and the second reinforcing member connects the pivot support portion to the second rear frame, creating localized stiffness enhancement at the rear suspension mounting points without unnecessarily increasing weight throughout the entire frame structure.
2Strength
If a vehicle body frame with high stiffness is used for a straddled vehicle model not requiring high stiffness, then the required stiffness is met, but the vehicle width is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing members are arranged in a configuration that utilizes the vertical and longitudinal dimensions rather than increasing width. The first and second reinforcing members extend from the pivot support portion toward the rear frames in a manner that provides stiffness through structural triangulation and moment arm leverage, rather than by simply widening the frame laterally.
3Strength
If different vehicle body frames are used for different straddled vehicle models to meet varying stiffness requirements, then the required stiffness is met for each model, but the developmental cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base vehicle body frame is designed as a universal platform that can serve multiple straddled vehicle models (e.g., town use models and racing models). The stiffness requirements for different models are met by selectively adding or omitting the reinforcing members rather than designing completely different frames, allowing one base frame design to support multiple applications with varying performance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame system provides dynamic adaptability through optional reinforcement configurations. The same base frame can be configured with different levels of stiffness by selectively installing the first and second reinforcing members, allowing the vehicle body frame to adapt to different stiffness requirements for different models without requiring entirely different frame designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A straddled vehicle including a rear wheel, a first rear arm rotatably supporting the rear wheel, a vehicle body frame and a first reinforcing component. The vehicle body frame includes a head pipe, a main frame connected to the head pipe, a pivot support portion connected to the main frame, the pivot support portion including a pivot shaft swingably supporting the first rear arm and a pivot support frame supporting the pivot shaft, and a first rear frame extending rearward from the main frame, the first rear frame being connected to the main frame on a more inner side than the first rear arm in a right-and-left direction of the straddled vehicle. The first reinforcing component is separated from the first rear frame, the first reinforcing component being disposed outside the first rear arm in the right-and-left direction, and being connected to the pivot support portion and the first rear frame.