Patent

A Look At Honda’s Proposed Clutch-by-Wire System

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by Graeme Jones from https://www.rideapart.com Computer-assisted clutch would open up new possibilities. Recent filings with the US Patent Office reveal that Honda is working on a clutch-by-wire system that has the potential to bring some pretty noteworthy tech advances to motorcycles. Patent filings aren’t very easy to understand nor digest, so here’s a Clutch-by-Wire For Dummies version of the basics. Think about it like a ride-by-wire throttle system, which replaced the age-old throttle cable with an electronic setup. Ride-by-wire, or throttle-by-wire, uses sensors and actuators that control the fuel injectors rather than a cable controlling carbs. Similarly, Honda’s clutch-by-wire system would eliminate the use of a clutch cable or conventional hydraulic setup entirely. Instead, the clutch lever’s position would be monitored electronically, and that data would be fed to the clutch, telling it what to do without any physical connection between the lever and the clutch itself. Sounds simple, and yet… whoa. The patent drawings show a hydraulic pressure control unit, which would serve as the heart of this system. In addition to gear lever position, this unit would be fed instantaneous data from the ride-by-wire system like rpm, throttle position, and vehicle speed. The most obvious result would be improved shifting and smoother clutch operation at slower speeds, great for newer riders and possibly something that could bring new blood into the sport. For experienced riders that still want the usual lever feel, Honda’s got a “reactive force generation device” to replicate the feel of a conventional clutch lever. According to the patent drawings, this system will employ a traditional clutch lever setup on the handlebar. Hydraulic pressure would still be used to engage the clutch, albeit via an electric motor rather than any direct physical connection from your hand. Neat, huh? What’s the point, you ask? Well, in […]

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Yamaha E01 electric scooter patent filed

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from https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Yamaha is yet to go public with the E01. However recent trademarks along with this patent show an imminent arrival for the EV is bound to happen soon. Yamaha E01 electric scooter takes shape, patent filed. The patents show Yamaha has a new product in the works. Yamaha plans to make a comeback in the electric scooter segment with its upcoming product – the E01. The concept for this scooter was first showcased back in 2019 at the Tokyo Motor Show. What makes this scooter stand out from the rest of its electric cousins carrying the family name is the fact that this particular Yamaha is designed to have a 125-class or equivalent motor. This should result in a better performing EV. The concept has undergone changes to become road-worthy. While it may not be as flashy as before, the E01 continues to carry certain design cues from the concept. Patents from the Japanese Patent Office give a clearer idea of what to expect from the EV. Fancy upholstery has now been replaced with conventional plastic. Traditional tail lights with reflectors can also be seen to allow it on city streets. The battery pack is expected to non-removal. The electric motor is behind the frame to power the rear wheel. Most of the changes in design to the Yamaha E01 are to make mass production easier while also keeping costs reasonable.

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Car and Motorcycle Companies Now Making Electric Bikes

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by Roy Furchgott from https://www.nytimes.com They see branding opportunities as the pandemic and a desire by cities to curb traffic propel e-bike sales to new heights. The transportation industry has seen the future, and the future is 1895. That was the year Ogden Bolton Jr. of Canton, Ohio, was awarded U.S. Patent 552,271 for an “electrical bicycle.” A century and change later, electric bikes have gained new currency as car and motorcycle companies like Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Yamaha have horned into the market with their own designs. While the pandemic has accelerated bike sales, the overriding attraction is that cities worldwide are beginning to restrict motor traffic. These companies are betting that e-bikes are the urban vehicles of tomorrow — or at least vehicles for good publicity today. “In the past 12 to 18 months, you have seen a lot of new brands come into the market,” said Andrew Engelmann, an e-bike sales and marketing manager at Yamaha, which has been in the electric bike business since 1993 and claims sales of two million worldwide. “We in the U.S. have not seen this new energy toward cycling since Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France.” Credit the coronavirus pandemic, which has ignited bike sales of all stripes, but none so much as e-bikes. While retail unit sales of bicycles from January to October last year were up 46 percent from a year earlier, electric bikes were up 140 percent. Measured in dollars, regular bikes were up 67 percent and e-bikes 158 percent — so don’t expect a discount. Those numbers, from the market researchers at NPD, do not include online-only retailers such as Rad Power Bikes, so sales may actually be higher still. Ogden Bolton aside, there is a historical connection between bicycles and motorcycles. Many early

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Is This Patented Simulator The Future Of Motorcycle Testing?

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by Sabrina Giacomini from https://www.rideapart.com When we think of motorcycle riding simulators, we usually think of video games. The closest you can get to the real deal, however, is by hitting the arcades and getting in the saddle of one of those plastic replicas attached to the Superbikes games that only lean at a 70-degree angle. Italian firm Mototrainer took things a step further with its simulator, allowing gamers and pro racers alike to attach their bike to a sort of tipping platform that allow riders to lean the bike safely. All you need is a big enough screen to make you believe you’re there. Now, driving simulator specialist Vi-Grade is taking things up a notch with its version of a motorcycle simulator and the Germans aren’t messing around. The contraption places the bike inside a cube-shaped frame attached to six seemingly hydraulic arms that allow the bike to tip without falling. The system also includes a sort of harness worn by the rider and attached to the frame using cables, a design meant to mimic the forces exerted on the body while riding (being pulled backward during acceleration, for instance). According to Bike Social, the system would have a more commercial/professional application rather than a personal one. The U.K. publication suggests that the system could be used by manufacturers to test their new products, for instance, or by pro racers to get some practice in off the track. While the company specializes in advanced simulators, there’s nothing in Vi-Grade’s patent that suggests a customer couldn’t get their hands on one provided they have the space and the funds for the setup that likely won’t go for cheap. After all, it does make a desktop automotive racing set up complete with steering wheel and pedals which suggests that they do

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Electric Honda motorcycle in the works

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from https://www.financialexpress.com Electric Honda motorcycle in the works: Leaked patent images depict bike to be based on CB125R Honda patent images reveal a new electric motorcycle that seems to be based on the existing CB125R. The patents show a Neo Sports Café inspired motorcycle with chassis parts of the CB125R but with an electric motor. It was rather sudden focus on electric motorcycles grew but soon the global markets were dotted with electric two-wheeler startups. Did they pay attention to a segment that would see growth at a time when mainstream players didn’t? That may have been the case but now, the story got different when Harley-Davidson rolled out in its first electric motorcycle. Kawasaki is working on an electric Ninja and Royal Enfield has an ongoing electric motorcycle project. And now, the word is that Honda too is stepping in the game. According to a report by Visordown, Honda seems to be working on multiple electric motorcycle models. The report mentions patent images that depict an electric motorcycle based on the Honda CB125R, adding that the manufacturer recently patented design for the electric CB125R hinting that the bike likely in its final stages of development. There is so far no confirmation from the company and Honda have not given it a name yet either. But the patent images do show frame from a CB125R that houses an electric powertrain, along with drawings of the electric motor as well. The motor seems to be a slim pancake-style design with a large diameter that should make it easier to fit onto the slim frame of the CB125R. The Honda electric motorcycle will not be one of those performance EVs and would likely have similar power figures as its petrol-powered counterpart. The ICE (internal combustion engine) CB125R puts out 13 hp and

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Harley-Davidson’s gyroscope patent app would help new riders not drop their bikes

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by Kyle Hyatt from https://www.cnet.com The system would fit inside a top case and be easily removable from the motorcycle. So, the thing is about motorcycles is that even the light ones are real damned heavy and that means that keeping one upright — particularly as a new rider — can not only be tough, it’s also intimidating. Harley-Davidson — makers of definitely-not-lightweight motorcycles — believes that it has a solution to this and it’s kind of ingenious. According to Cycle World, Harley filed a patent application for a type of gyroscope that would work at very low speeds to keep the bike upright and make the bike a little easier to sling up when dropped. The best part is that this whole gyroscope deal is designed to fit inside Harley’s already-existing top case, so you don’t need to build it into the motorcycle — something that would drive up cost and complexity — and which also means you can remove it once you feel more comfortable with your motorcycle. Like all gyroscopes, this one works by using an electric motor to spin a heavy weight around really fast (like between 10,000 and 20,000 rpm), and that motion imparts a stabilizing effect on the motorcycle at low speeds. The gyro would shut off at speeds over three miles per hour because as you begin moving faster, the motorcycle’s wheels start to offer their own gyroscopic stabilizing effect. Also cool is that this wouldn’t necessarily be limited to one bike. As long as you had a power source and a way for the unit to detect vehicle speed, it would work. Now, precisely what something like this would retail for is hard to say, but if it’s coming from Harley, we expect that it wouldn’t be especially cheap, if it ever

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Honda’s upcoming inline-four ADV to take on Ducati Multistrada: Patent images leaked

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by Pradeep Shah from https://www.financialexpress.com Looks like Honda’s Multistrada V4 challenger will come with a breathtaking design! Find all details here. Honda is currently working on a full-fledged ADV and very recently, the patent for the same has been filed with the European Intellectual Property Office. While on one hand, Honda’s Africa Twin CRF1100L aims at serious off-roading, on the other, the said ADV model will have a focus on the roads and will compete against the likes of the upcoming Ducati Multistrada V4, BMW S 1000 XR and the Kawasaki Versys 1000 in the segment. One of the important highlights of the upcoming Honda ADV will be that it will feature an inline four-cylinder engine. The ADV will get 17-inch alloy wheels at both ends. As one can see in the patent images, courtesy RideApart, the bike will get a semi-fairing and should get a full-LED lighting system. Moreover, in terms of features, the ADV is expected to get a fully coloured TFT instrument cluster and the unit should support Bluetooth connectivity as well. The bike is also expected to get an adjustable windscreen. Also, as one can see in the patent images, the bike will get inverted forks upfront along with a rear monoshock. Moreover, the bike will come with dual disc brakes upfront along with a single disc at the rear and a dual-channel ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) will be a part of the package as well. The bike will get a single-sided swingarm too. Coming to the powertrain, there aren’t much details available yet. However, we believe that being a full-fledged, full-size ADV, the bike will draw power from a litre-class engine that should have a power output of well over 100hp. We can expect to see this bike sometime next year with a public debut

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Honda patents a 3-step telescopic side stand design

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by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com Honda Motorcycle’s new side stand design seems a bit counter-intuitive rather than being innovative In the automotive industry, Honda has contributed numerous technological innovations pertaining to factors such as performance, efficiency, dynamics and safety, alongside a range of exciting products (four-wheelers and two-wheelers). In fact, Honda Motorcycle has been the largest two-wheeler manufacturer from the Land of the Rising Sun ever since it started operations back in 1955. Honda was one of the first brands to put a disc brake on a motorcycle (1969 750cc Four). The first fuel-injected motorcycle in the world was the 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo (yes, it had a turbo!). Slipper clutch, a necessity in high-end motorcycles and a luxury in low-end motorcycles, was innovated by the Japanese brand in the mid-1980s. Furthermore, the industry has seen some revolutionary motorcycles with a Honda badge. Examples include Honda’s CB750, Fireblade, Goldwing, RX211V (‘V-five’ engine), Cub and more. Today, Honda Motorcycle is working on a new side stand design. Despite having decades of heritage in the field of automotive innovations, Honda’s new side stand visualisation seems a bit counter-intuitive. In essence, it is a three-step telescopic system. The fresh patent images show its functioning clearly. Manufacturers often tend to patent some basic system in order to innovate some radical idea over it in the future. The traditional side stand has taken various forms and sizes depending on brands or models, but the modus operandi had always remained the same — kick or pull down and forget. The unusual mechanism you see here requires the rider to slightly twist a spring-loaded locking mechanism using a lever at the base, to three individual positions. To retract, the lever needs to be pushed forward and the spring mechanism does the rest. This engineering would be welcome

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NCOM Biker Newsbytes for January 2020

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From Helmet Laws to the Freedom to Race By Bill Bish, NCOM ALL MOTORCYCLE RIDERS URGED TO SUPPORT FEDERAL ANTI-PROFILING MEASURE RPM ACT TO PROTECT RACING HAS BEEN REINTRODUCED IN CONGRESS CONGRESS EXTENDS TAX CREDITS FOR ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES HELMET REPEAL EFFORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY NEW DRIVER ACCOUNTABILITY LAW IN OREGON WASHINGTON STATE ENDEAVORS TO MAKE ROADS SAFER MOTORCYCLE MARKET TRENDS HONDA PATENTS VERTICAL AIRBAG FOR MOTORCYCLES CLICK HERE TO READ THE Newsbytes

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Flash Electronics files suit in U.S against Royal Enfield for patent infringement

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As per the suit filed, Royal Enfield has infringed Flash electronics’ patent on “Regulator Rectifier Device and Method for Regulating an Output Voltage of the Same” duly issued by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) to Flash Electronics on February 20, 2018 after Flash’s R&D department made a breakthrough invention of the component in 2014. Home-grown electronic and electric auto components player Flash Electronics India Ltd against Royal Enfield challenging patent infringement in the US regarding the production of an important component for motorcycles, the company said in a press release. As per the suit filed, Royal Enfield has infringed Flash electronics’ patent on “Regulator Rectifier Device and Method for Regulating an Output Voltage of the Same” duly issued by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) to Flash Electronics on February 20, 2018 after Flash’s R&D department made a breakthrough invention of the component in 2014. Since then Flash Electronics has been the key manufacturer and supplier of this component to many leading two-wheeler manufacturers in India and overseas. The regulator-rectifier is a vital component that smoothly and efficiently converts the AC (Alternating Current) voltage produced in motorcycle engines into DC (Direct Current) voltage to charge the batteries, power the headlights, light up the instrument panel hence drives the motorcycle’s electrical systems. Besides USA, Flash has been granted patent in various other countries including many European countries including Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Switzerland as well as Turkey and the company would be filing similar suits in the respective jurisdictions soon. Commenting on the incident, Sanjeev Vasdev, Founder and MD, Flash Electronics India Pvt Ltd said “We have been trusted suppliers to leading auto manufacturers across India and overseas and it’s unfortunate to have to deal with such an unexpected and

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