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Athlon (Hand Powered Tricycle) |
Table of Contents |
Group MembersAndrew CoatsKevin Cunningham Stephen Hamilton Andrew Lykins Joseph Sumners |
Mission StatementOur team mission is to build a hand-powered tricycle for ages 10 - 16+. This main goal of this device is to inspire physical activity and recreation for a growing child who has no use of their lower extremities. |
IntroductionFor the fall of 2010, our team has chosen to design a whole new tri-wheeled device. This device is meant to inspire physical activity and recreation for children ages ten and up who have either lost, or never had the use of their lower extremities.The name we have chosen for our device is the Athlon, which is Greek for the verb meaning “to compete.” Because we do not have a specific child in mind for our design, we have decided that one of the initial requirements for the Athlon is that certain sections should be adjustable in length. We believe that this will not only allow the Athlon to be used by a variety of middle-school aged children, but that it will also be capable of simple extension to provide use for the child as they reach adulthood. Our second requirement is that the Athlon should be powered by both pushing and pulling forces generated by the arms. Additional specifications involve safety, lightness of weight, easy transitions for mounting and dismounting, steering, breaking, and gear shifting. We hope to implement a continuously variable transmission for the Athlon; however, the addition of CVT’s would dramatically increase the production cost. |
Design SpecificationsGeneral Design Requirements1. Hand Powered only (acceleration, brakes, steering, gear shift) 2. Fully Size-Adjustable (for a growing child, including growing arm lengths) 3. Adjustable Strength (a geared bike should allow a stronger rider to change gears for a faster ride(and more exercise)) 4. Ease of use (can the person easily move from their wheelchair to the trike?) 5. Safety of the child 6. Desirability (Is it fun, does the child think it looks cool? Will he/she ride it?) 7. Cost (Will the design meet our budget requirements) |
Design ConceptsOur team is currently considering 3 designs. The first concept uses rotational motion to power the trike. It has two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back. With this design, each of the front wheels is independent of one another. Each has it own braking and acceleration. This design offers a high level of maneuverability.Our 2nd design is a row-action powered trike. It is the only design with one wheel in the front and two wheels in back. The power drive is 2-wheeled, meaning the back two wheels will be locked together, and the steering is left to the front single wheel. Our 3rd deign is the most complex. It encompasses a mix between the last two designs. This design would be row-action like the first, but have its two wheels in the front. Like the 2nd design, each of the front wheels will be independent of one another, giving the driver steering ability in pumping and braking. This last design is expected to be the most unique, but most expensive to manufacture. Concept Design Part Color Specification
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Design Concepts (1-3)For our previous two designs, we utilized functional base models that have been successfully built and tested. Each of these models has their own set of advantages and disadvantages, but both have been proven in the field. Our third design is meant to distinguish a hybrid concept of hand powered tricycle that implements features from both of the previous designs. Because we have not yet witnessed a completed prototype of similar design, many specifications are yet to be determined. Seating, breaking, handles, and gear-shifting has not yet been incorporated into design. Pros:
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Concept EvaluationMeeting with a team of three engineers, the project received some clarification. The biggest change would be the order of importance we ranked our different objectives. We were advised not to focus on adjust-ability. Issues like functionality, efficiency, and safety will be our core focus.The engineer group commented on several specific ideas. One concern was a child's ability to learn to drive on a bike that requires two seperate inputs. Would a child that has never rode a bike before struggle steering? Here our second design stands out in the simplicity of controls. Another concern is an overcomplicated design. We were advised that time and cost constraints should narrow the scope of our project to the points that matter. Again, the second design was chosen as the best choice. With a unanimous decision among the engineering group, Design 2 will now be the focus of our project.
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Design Overview |
Engineering Analysis (1-4)Our Analysis focus on the kinematic movements of our Bike. First we've chosen to look at a Gear Ratio Analysis, which looks mostly at gear teeth relations. Second, we've examined the Ratio of Rotations per Full Stroke and the Distance per Full Stroke, which take into account the CVT we will be using to gear the bike. Next the steering Ratio was examined. Here we look at input vs. turn angle to make sure the bike will turn properly. Lastly, we look at the drive system, measurements, and expected lengths of the drive system.Gear Ratio Analysis
Ratio of Rotations per Full Stroke
Distance per Full Stroke
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Bill of Materials
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Part Drawings |
AssemblyImagesSorry, no photos. VideosThe video below demonstrates the trike's Grashof Mechanism, which has 2 toggle points when the two bars are in parallel. To get around this we will attempt to use a magnetic assist to push/pull the bars through. |
Implemented Design |
Summary and Conclusions |
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