Vehicle Storage Compartment Above Engine for Enhanced Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing saddle-riding type four-wheel vehicles face challenges in ensuring sufficient storage capacity anterior to the seat due to the placement of air cleaners and fuel tanks, which restricts access and storage space.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle design positions the engine forward of the seat, with the air cleaner and fuel tank below the seat, allowing for a storage compartment above the engine with an opening forward of the seat's upper surface, thereby increasing storage capacity and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the air cleaner is disposed above the engine and the storage portion is disposed above the air cleaner, then the storage portion can be positioned anterior to the seat, but the capacity of the storage portion becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions components from a vertical stacking arrangement to a horizontal distribution arrangement. The air cleaner is moved to the lower portion of the vehicle body, the fuel tank is placed in the rear portion, and the storage portion is positioned in the front portion above the engine. This spatial redistribution in multiple dimensions resolves the conflict between accessibility and storage capacity by eliminating the vertical stacking constraint.
2Ease of operation
If the storage portion and air cleaner are arranged in the front-back direction of the vehicle body, then they can both be positioned anterior to the seat, but the capacity of the storage portion becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional front-back arrangement to a three-dimensional spatial distribution. By placing the air cleaner in the lower portion, the fuel tank in the rear, and the storage portion in the front above the engine, the invention utilizes vertical and lateral dimensions to resolve the capacity limitation while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the vehicle body into distinct functional zones: the front portion for storage, the lower portion for air cleaner, the rear portion for fuel tank, and the central region for engine. This segmentation allows each component to occupy its optimal spatial location, maximizing storage capacity while ensuring rider accessibility to the storage portion.
3Volume of stationary object
If the engine is positioned such that at least a front portion is disposed farther forward than the seat, then space for storage portion is ensured, but the engine occupies more forward space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the space conflict by utilizing the vertical dimension. The engine is positioned with its front portion extending forward of the seat, while the storage portion is placed above the engine in the vertical space. This three-dimensional arrangement allows the engine to occupy forward horizontal space while the storage portion utilizes the vertical space above it, effectively resolving the contradiction between engine positioning and storage space availability.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a storage case. The storage case includes an opening. The storage case is disposed above a cylinder portion, and the opening is disposed farther forward than the front end of the upper surface of the seat. An air cleaner and a fuel tank are disposed below the seat. According to such a vehicle, it is possible to ensure a space for the storage case anterior to the seat. As a result, it is possible to readily increase the capacity of the storage case. In addition, a rider is able to access the opening while sitting on the seat.