Proposal
Human Powered Tadpole Trike
S13-45-TRKE
Saluki Engineering Company
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes
Cory Tuttle, ME (PM)
Jarod Peyton, ME
Dylan Polus, ME
Cory Schueller, ME
Daniel Unes, ME
ctuttle@siu.edu
jarod.peyton@siu.edu
dpolus@siu.edu
cory21@siu.edu
danunes@siu.edu
Faculty Technical Advisor: Dr. Marek Szary
April 9, 2013
2
Transmittal Letter
April 9, 2013
Saluki Engineering Company
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
College of Engineering – Mail Code 6603
Carbondale, IL 62901
Dr. Alan Weston
Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Carbondale, IL 62901
Dear Dr. Weston,
We have received your request for a proposal for a human powered tadpole tricycle. Attached
you will find a proposal for a design that implements a unique and effective steering system as well as
an overall vehicle that meets our high performance and economical standards. We would like to thank
you for giving us the opportunity to bid on this project and we are grateful for your interest in our
system’s design.
Our method of attaining a trike that outperforms others comes from the proposed design’s
tilting and turning front wheels. While we have put much effort into simplicity, through effective
designing, this tricycle will compete with those available on the market while having capabilities beyond
others in its class.
Through research, testing and recording comfortable turning and leaning ratios on bicycles, we
have attainable and, what we have found to be, optimal performance goals. We thank you again for the
chance to bid our design on the project. Great expectations lie ahead in working with your business; we
look forward to our groups’ collaboration in putting together a great product. If there are any concerns
or questions regarding the attached documents please feel free to contact us.
Sincerely,
Cory Tuttle
Project Manager
S13-45-TRKE
Saluki Engineering Company
(815) 546 - 6361
ctuttle@siu.edu
3
Executive Summary (CT)
A tadpole trike is inherently more stable than a delta trike due to the placement of the two
adjacent wheels. Placing the two wheels more centrally allows for greater resistance to moments that
may induce inner wheel lift while cornering. The effect is a much more radically handling machine than
the trike that toddlers are first introduced to.
Traditionally tadpole trikes are designed so that the rider sits with the rear wheel just behind
them and the two front wheels within reach while the legs hang out over the cross member holding the
two front wheels to the frame in order to reach the pedals. This provides a nice weight distribution over
each of the three wheels and helps to achieve a stable stance. The new trike will put to use this time
tested body placement while achieving more stability. Greater stability will be achieved through a
proprietary linkage system which allows the trike to respond to the centripetal force being enacted
upon it by leaning. This leaning will be in the direction of the turn, much like a bicycle, so as to
counteract the centrifugal forces felt by the user. The advantages of such a response are safety and
longevity. The user will no longer be subjected to being ejected from their seat, and with less lateral
loading the wheels will break less spokes and last longer.
The project is expected to be complete by November 3, 2013 allowing for two weeks of testing
and tuning before unveiling. The total cost of the project will be no more than $2,000.00. This cost is
tentative as it is based on MSRP for components and S13-45-TRKE was quoted a 15% discount at The
Bike Surgeon.
4
Non-Disclosure Statement (DP)
RESTRICTION ON DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
The information provided in or for this proposal is the confidential, proprietary property of the Saluki
Engineering Company of Carbondale, Illinois, USA. Such information may be used solely by the party to
whom the proposal has been submitted by the Saluki Engineering Company and solely for the purpose of
evaluating this proposal. The submittal of this proposal confers no right in, or license to use, or right to
disclose to others for any purpose, the subject matter, or such information or data, nor confers the right to
reproduce or offer such information for sale. All drawings, specifications, and other writings supplied
with this proposal are to be returned to Saluki Engineering Company promptly upon request. The use of
this information, other than for evaluating this proposal, is subject to the terms of agreement under which
services are to be performed pursuant to this proposal.
5
Table of Contents
Transmittal Letter ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Executive Summary (CT) ............................................................................................................................... 3
Non-Disclosure Statement (DP) .................................................................................................................... 4
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Introduction (CT) ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Literature Survey........................................................................................................................................... 7
Project Description...................................................................................................................................... 23
Design Basis (CT) ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Project Deliverables (CT) ............................................................................................................................. 26
Data Acquisition (DP) .................................................................................................................................. 27
Project Organization (CT) ............................................................................................................................ 27
Block Diagram (CT) ...................................................................................................................................... 28
Action Item List (CT) .................................................................................................................................... 29
Time Line (CT) ............................................................................................................................................. 30
Resources (CT)............................................................................................................................................. 31
Appendix A: Resumes (CS) .......................................................................................................................... 32
Appendix B: References (CS) ....................................................................................................................... 40
Appendix C: Specifications (CT)................................................................................................................... 43
6
Introduction (CT)
The tadpole trike is not a new concept; in fact, it has been around for a while. The
tadpole trike is part of a much larger class of Human Powered Vehicles (HPV) called
recumbents. A tadpole trike is any three wheeled vehicle (trike) that has been laid out such that
two wheels lead followed by one wheel (tadpole). The tadpole trike is a great alternative to a
bicycle because it frees the user from needing to worry about balance while providing more
comfort. However, the trike has some inherent pitfalls which are addressed with the tadpole
configuration. Our team aims to provide one more step of assurance in this field of stability.
A trike of any configuration has the potential to lift its inside wheel in a demanding turn.
Push that turn too far and the trike will flip, or at least eject the occupant. A Human Powered
Tadpole Trike (HPTT) counters this slightly by moving the two adjacent wheels up front and
leaving the single wheel in the rear. This allows for better weight distribution upon two wheels
reducing the likelihood of tipping the trike far more than that which is thought of as the standard
trike. However, this alone will not save the occupant.
A bicycle or motorcycle achieves stability in radical turns by leaning. Leaning balances
the centrifugal force with the weight of the rider, such that a vector of an equivalent force can be
drawn from the center of gravity to the ground where the tires meet the pavement. This is
achieved by moving the center of mass to a location where force equivalency is possible.
Leaning does this, flawlessly, every time as figures 1 and 2 shown below clearly show.
In order to create the most assurance possible when cornering it becomes apparent that
a design that allows a vehicle to lean is needed. A leaning trike which responds to these
centrifugal forces enables users to enjoy the best qualities of trike and bicycle riding all while
maintaining a level of safety which is unmatched in the area of recumbents.
Fig 1: Upright Trike
Fig 2: Leaning Trike
7
Literature Survey
Current Designs (CT)
The range of trike designs that are currently available varies widely from heavy to light and
come in many variations of creature comforts such as the ability to fold and suspension. Refer to Table 1
shown below to view characteristics for a few popular trike models.
Trike
2013 KMX
Typhoon [33]
TerraTrike Rover
Nexus [32]
Catrike 700 [33]
Catrike RS Trike
[32]
HP Velo
Scorpion FS [33]
SteinTrikes Wild
One [37]
Challenge Alize
[8]
Table 1: Existing Trike Designs [8][33]
Weight
Wheel
Wheel
Low
Sup. (lbs) Base (in)
Track (in)
Suspension Profile
300
41.0
29.50
No
Yes
Seat
Angle (°)
-
Weight
(lbs)
-
350
42.0
29.25
No
No
50-65
42
250
275
45.0
41.5
27.50
29.00
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
27
39-47
33
38
286
43
30
No
Yes
32-41
39
-
43
29
Yes
Yes
-
34
285
46
30
Yes
Yes
31-38
39
Catrike is the market leader with their lightweight trikes. Catrike employs quality components
from Shimano and boasts frames designed, modeled, and analyzed through Solid Works. The trikes are
precision cut in a warehouse and welded together by technicians in the most refined and finished way
on the trike market, making Catrike synonymous with the term tadpole trike. TerraTrike has a fair bit of
catching up to do in order to be competitive with Catrike. TerraTrike’s designs are simple, square tubing
is welded and painted and there almost no attention to aesthetics or performance. As a result of the
aforementioned conditions TerraTrike’s are some of the heaviest trikes that exist on the market. The
Alize trike by Challenge Bikes sits in the middle with a moderate weight and healthy supported weight.
However, what sets this trike apart is the aesthetics and the incorporation of many creature comforts,
such as the ability to fold for transportation and suspension. Trike prices vary as widely as the
specifications do, and as a result a customer may cut certain features to stay within a budget. Table 2
shown below is a comparison of prices between the models listed in Table 1.
Trike
Source
Price ($)
Typhoon
[35]
1100
Table 2: Trike Prices [6][7][19][24][38][40]
Rover Nexus
700
RS Trike Scorpion FS
[35]
[6]
[35]
[35]
1100
2750
2750
4390
Wild One
[43]
3895
Alize
[7]
4800
Frame Design (JP)
Many different frames have been built in the trike sector of human powered vehicles (HPV).
This section will discuss in detail the trikes available to the everyday consumer. In the private sector
there have been a multitude of designs but these are specialty builds. A user has an idea and by trial
8
and error determines which design works best for their specific objective. Specialty-built trikes will not
be discussed further because they haven’t been engineered for mass market. The designs under
consideration are the ones that can be readily purchased by any user.
The most popular design style of trike is a mono-tube design. The frame comprises a single
main tube and the components all mount off this central tube. There have been straight tube designs
where the user sits up high on top of the frame and curved designs where the user sits down in the
frame. The latter is a far superior design because of the much lower center of gravity that can be
achieved. If the bike has a high center of gravity it will be harder to keep the trike stable at speed, this is
because the higher the load is away from the center of mass of the machine it will create a moment
about that center and therefore make the trike unstable. The lowered center of gravity design gives the
trike the capability of maintaining better tire grip in cornering situations. The reason is that no moment
is created about the center of mass of the trike when is cornering at speed. For a comparison of frame
weights and materials refer to Table 3 shown below.
Table 3: Trike Frame Weights and Materials [6][7][19][24][38][40]
Trike
Frame Weight
Frame Material
Catrike 700
33 lbs. [7]
Unspecified Aluminum
TerraTrike Sportster Pro
37 lbs. [38]
6061-T6 Heat Treated Aluminum
Steintrikes Roadshark
35.2 lbs. [40]
ST52BK Steel
I.C.E. Trikes Vortex
32.33 lbs. [24]
4130 Chromoly
CarbonTrikes Race
23.1 lbs. [6]
Carbon Composite
Innesenti Sport
34 lbs. [19]
Carbon Composite
Position of the wheels is the next largest design difference. The most popular style is to have
two wheels in the front to do the steering and one in the back to do the driving. At the same time
several designs use two wheels in the back as drive wheels and one in the front to steer. Both designs
have their place. If the user wants to cruise along on level ground and not have to deal with sharp turns
or high speed cornering then one front wheel doing the steering would be sufficient. When the inertial
force of the trike is greater than the force of friction that is working against the tire when the user tries
to turn the one steer wheel the trike will continue along its original path and will not turn until the
velocity slows and the force of the trike reduces to below the force of friction between the tire and the
ground. Having two drive wheels is also not the most efficient use of user input in a trike. Splitting the
input force between two tires requires more energy because you have twice the number of chains,
pulleys and sprockets to absorb energy.
Two wheels to do the steering at the front of the trike creates the most efficient use of user
input energy in a trike design. The driving force only has losses in one drive setup eliminating nearly half
of the parasitic loss that occurs when components must be added to distribute energy across a system.
Two steering tires also increase the friction factor to maintain good steering and maneuverability
capabilities. This design is so popular even some motor powered trike companies have adopted this
design. Refer to Tables 4 and 5 below to see trike turning radii.
9
Table 4: Trike Turning Radii [13][21][24]
Trike
Turning Radius
Delta Trikes X1
12’[13]
Greenspeed Anura
11‘ 10“ [21]
Hase Kettwiesel Comfort
Left-10’ 10” Right-11’ 6” [24]
Table 5: Trike Turning Radii [7][19][22]
Trike
Turning Radius
Catrike 700
9’ 2” [7]
I.C.E. Vortex
9’ [22]
Greenspeed X5
12’ [19]
Suspension in a trike design is mostly driven by the purpose of the trike. If a trike is designed to
be used in road race situations where the riding area is consistent and meant to be ridden at high
speeds then it is unlikely that trike will have suspension, because it would add weight and therefore
increase the amount of user input force it would require to go as fast as a lighter bike. If the design of
the trike is for a more rugged area such as off road riding then the suspension will be a very important
feature of the bike because of the inconsistent riding surface the suspension will absorb the vibrations
coming thru the wheels. In a two front wheel steer design the front wheels will be connected to the
frame with two A-arms having two connections each at the frame and one at the wheel, making two
triangles parallel with each other. This design keeps the wheels moving only in a vertical plane which
compresses a shock and dampens vibrations. For the rear wheel a swing arm design is the most
popular, where the rear wheel is connected to the frame only at one point and that point is the pivot
then a shock is used to create a triangle. When the swing arm is cycled it works the shock to give
vibration damping.
Any of the above combinations can be combined to create a trike and many of them currently
on the market are foldable. This means that the trike itself has joints and disconnects so that it can be
folded into and onto itself to create a much more convenient way of transporting a trike. This ultimately
will increase the cost of a design and the weight of the trike because of the extra systems needed to
keep the strength of the design while being able to fold it up as well. Table 6 shown below is a small list
of companies that offer foldable trikes.
Table 6: Foldable Trikes [16][21][39]
Manufacturer
Model
Greenspeed
GT 3 Series II [21]
Evolve Trikes
Evolve [16]
Trident Trikes
Trident [39]
Steering (JP)
All trikes have some type of steering. The following is a discussion and comparison of the
different types and combinations that are available in the marketplace. Trikes with two front wheels are
split into two types: those that lean in the corners and those that do not. The other style of trike with
one front wheel uses only that one wheel to steer without taking advantage of leaning the trike. This is
10
mostly due to the fact that leaning a trike in a turn creates even more of an angular force on the tires
and with the limited traction of one steering tire it would not react as well as a design utilizing two front
wheels. Trikes that do have this a single front wheel design are used more for what the industry calls
"cruising" where the user drives the vehicle at low speeds and is not concerned with speed but comfort.
When designing a steering system many factors need to be included. Bump steer, camber and castor
change through the cycling of the suspension, toe adjustments and clearance all have their own set of
tolerances that must be calculated.
Bump steer is an effect that happens when the suspension is cycled the steering system design
doesn't have the same radius as the radius the a-arms move on and therefore will push the wheel off of
its intended axis. This effect can only be reduced by reducing the length of the link that moves with the
a-arms and pushes or pulls on the spindle. This link is known as a tie rod because it ties the mechanism
that the user inputs the steering into and ties that motion to the motion of the wheels.
Castor is the angle that the suspension mounting points create in relationship to the vertical
center of the wheel and tire. When a design has positive castor that means the lower mounting point of
the wheel and tire is farther towards the front of the vehicle than the top wheel and tire mounting
point. Positive castor helps to keep the wheel traveling in a straight line. If a negative castor situation
was produced then the tire isn't being led but doing the leading and therefore is free to track in a
direction that isn't led by user input. This design would be very unstable because it would take input
from the surfaces that it rides on more easily than from the user. Imagine the free spinning front wheel
of a shopping cart. The top mounting point is in front of the lower mounting point. this makes the
steering of the cart unpredictable because the inputs from the ground will have a larger effect on the
steering than the user input steering.
Camber is the angle of the tire from a straight on point of view. When the top of the tire is
leaned in towards the vehicle then the tire is in a negative camber situation. A small amount of negative
camber is normally set in a suspension design so that when the suspension cycles the tire would have to
move down on its arc to tip the tire to a positive camber situation. When a vehicle hits bumps in the
road the tire cycles up on its arc and therefore should not reach the point where it would be in positive
camber.
Toe is a measurement of the direction the tires are pointed in relation to the centerline of the
vehicle. The center of the tires on a vehicle are connected with an imaginary line that should be parallel
to the center line of the vehicle. When that line is not parallel with the centerline of the vehicle then
the toe is out of adjustment and the vehicle steering will be unbalanced and unpredictable. This is often
the only adjustment that is designed into a suspension system because the camber and the castor do
not affect the tracking of the vehicle only how the vehicle rolls and how the suspension affects traction.
Toe in is a situation where the tire is pointing inward of the direction that the vehicle center is pointing
and toe out is the opposite situation.
When two tires steer they move on an arc. Since the two tires are a set distance apart this will
cause the outside tire to have a larger turning radius and therefore the distance that it has to travel is
longer than the inside tire, this pulls the outside tire towards the inside, which is called scrubbing.
Ackermann steering geometry takes care of this situation. The Ackermann geometry changes the
mounting points of the steering system to give the outside tire a smaller radius than the inside tire
during a turn so that it will not scrub.
11
Suspension (DP)
For the human powered tadpole trike there is a plethora of ways to attach the suspension. The
most common form of suspension is the rear swing arm design. This type of suspension can be attached
in a variety of ways. In most designs the rear swing arm is connected to the frame at a pivot point,
allowing the up and down travel of the rear tire. Also connecting the rear swing arm is the shock itself.
The shock is placed above the pivot point at the top of the swing arm and behind or below the seat. This
type of design for the rear suspension allows for a lot of travel which would give the rider a smooth ride
when traveling over bumps and holes. Also with this design, the rider usually has the ability to adjust the
stiffness of the shock allowing the rider to customize the riding experience. There are also cons to this
type of rear suspension. The first is that the some of the rider’s power that he/she is inputting into the
crank can be absorbed by the shock causing the rider to put forth more effort. This can be fixed by the
type of shock absorber that is place on the bike. Another con to this design is that it will add extra
weight to the tricycle. Refer to Figure 3 shown below to view samples of rear swing arms.
Fig. 3: Rear swing arm suspensions [2]
The rear swing arm is not the only option for connecting a rear suspension to the human
powered tadpole trike. Another design is to have a pivoting seat. This design consists of the seat being
attached to the frame at two points. The front attachment point would be the pivot point, which would
allow the seat to rock back and forth around this point. The rear attachment point would be the shock
absorber connecting the rear of the seat to the frame. This shock absorber would cushion the travel of
the seat which is pivoting around the front attachment point. The cons to this design are the amount of
travel and added weight. The shock absorber attached to the seat would not allow for much travel,
especially when compared to the swing arm design. This limited amount of travel for the shock would
cause the rider to experience a rougher ride.
Another design for the suspension is to have a rear swing arm attached to the frame and have
the shocks be a part of the seat stays. There are two versions of this type of design, one with multiple
shocks and the other with a single shock. The multiple shock design would include a rear swing arm that
is connected to the frame at a pivot point behind the seat. This swing arm would have two seat stays
that rise up from the point of the rear axle to the back of the seat. These seat stays would have a shock
absorber in the middle of each of them. This would absorb the shock created when hitting a bump or
hole in the road. The single shock design would be a rear swing arm that is connected to the frame at a
single pivot point. This swing arm would have two seat stays that came up from the rear axle point and
12
connected together right above the tire. After the point of connection, a single seat stay would project
up and connect to a shock absorber that would connect the seat to the seat stay.
Drivetrain (CS)
The only way to transmit power to the wheels is through some sort of drivetrain. Various
different drivetrains are possible with variables such as wear, maintenance, availability, and complexity
to consider.
Chain and Sprocket
The roller chain and sprocket system is composed of a few different components. It requires at
least two sprockets, a roller chain, and some kind of pedal for the user to apply torque to. The torque
that is applied to the pedal is transferred using the roller chain from one sprocket to the sprocket that
requires the torque. The simple chain and sprocket setup can be found in figure 4 displayed below.
Fig. 4: Chain and Sprocket [45]
If different gearing is required the set up will become a bit more complicated. This requires a
derailleur which allows the different gearings. The derailleur consists of multiple sprockets of different
diameters attached to one another, and a mechanism that moves the roller chain from one sprocket to
another. As the roller chain moves from a smaller diameter sprocket to a larger diameter sprocket the
gear ratio decreases. Figure 5 displayed below shows the derailleur that allows different gearing in the
chain and sprocket design.
Fig. 5: Derailleur [34]
13
The roller chain and sprocket poses many positives and negatives compared to other driveline
options. Some of the positive attributes associated with this system consists of the ease of the design
and construction of the roller chain and sprocket. This is the conventional drivetrain for most cycles that
are built. Since the roller chain and sprocket are the conventional drivetrain method for cycles it also
makes all the parts necessary to construct the system very easily accessible and much cheaper than
other methods. Table 7 shown below displays the prices and weights of different drivetrain parts; two
separate brands are considered and compared.
Table 7: Drivetrain Components and Prices [34][35]
Brand
Cost ($) speed
weight(g)
SRAM X.9 Rear Derailleur 2012
97.00
9
215
SRAM PG-970 9-speed MTB Cassette
45.99
9
321
SRAM PC-951 9-speed Chain
22.99
9
303
SRAM Apex Crankset w/ GXP 2011
99.98
890
Shimano XT M772 Shadow 9 Speed (derailleur)
84.98
9
235
Shimano XT M770 9 Speed Cassette
86.98
9
300
Shimano SLX HG61 9 Speed Cassette
49.98
9
330
(alternative)
Shimano XT CN-HG93 9 Speed Chain
32.98
9
304
Shimano Deore M521 Crank With Octalink BB
59.98
9
1058
Due to the systems simplicity, it also makes it much easier to incorporate into complex designs.
Although all of these things would help the overall design of the project, there are many things about
the roller chain and sprocket set up that would be considered to be negatives in the overall design of the
system. In trike design the weight is a major factor, and a chain and sprocket set up would add
substantial amount of weight to the design. Another downfall of the chain and sprocket would be the
maintenance requirement. For the system to operate at maximum efficiency it is required that the chain
and sprocket stay properly lubricated and cleaned. If it is not properly maintained the efficiency is
dramatically decreased. Due to required maintenance the chain and sprocket system would have to be
located in a position that is easily accessible for removal and maintenance reasons. This setup also runs
into possible safety issues. The roller chain and sprocket is an external drivetrain system, which leaves
opportunity for injury in the system. A body part or article of clothing can easily be caught in between
the roller chain and sprocket. This requires for further steps to be taken to insure that the user is
completely safe while operating any device that has the chain and sprocket close to the user. According
to a study done by engineers at Johns Hopkins University, a chain drive bicycle has an efficiency of up to
98.6 percent if in the right conditions. Engineers at Johns Hopkins also determined that the higher the
tension on the chain the more the efficiency will rise. If the conditions that the system is tested in are
not adequate, the efficiency can drop as low as 81 percent [27]. With this being said the maintenance
must be properly taken care of to insure efficiency.
Timing Belt
Timing belt drivetrain is similar to the design of the roller chain and sprocket, but with different
components. The drivetrain consists of a toothed timing belt that is run from one sprocket to another to
transmit torque from the input pedal to the desired output. The set up for a simple timing belt drivetrain
14
is similar to the chain and sprocket, and can be seen in Figure 6 shown below. This design includes a
tensioner to keep tension on the timing belt at all times.
Fig. 6: Timing Belt and Sprocket [4]
Although the setup of the timing belt and the conventional chain and sprocket is very similar,
the way of changing gears differs greatly. The timing belt is required to use an internal gear hub, as
opposed to the derailleur that a traditional chain and sprocket setup uses. The internal gear hub is
displayed in Figure 7 shown below.
Fig. 7: Internal Gear Hub [25]
15
The timing belt drivetrain only has a few negatives about it but these things can pose major
problems when attempting to integrate it into a design. For the most part timing belts come in standard
sizes, so the design would have to be engineered around the drivetrain as opposed to engineering the
drivetrain around the design. This would cause major problems in the design and would most likely
cause many problems later in the project. The cost of the timing belt drive train becomes much higher
when a multiple geared system is required. This requires an internal gear hub, which by itself will drive
the overall price of a project way up. According to the Bike Surgeon located in Carbondale IL, a reliable
internal gear hub can cost anywhere from 200-300 dollars. Although the timing belt and internal hub
would increase the price of the design there are many positives that can be found. The internal gear hub
requires little to no maintenance, and the timing belt used will not rust. The internal gear hub also
allows the user to change gears while at rest, as opposed to having to be moving for the gears to
change. The weight of the system is low so it will not affect the overall design of a project. Other positive
things about the timing belt drivetrain would be the safety and quietness of the system. The timing belt
and gear hub make virtually no noise which makes the ride much more comfortable. The safety while
using the timing belt also increases with respect to the chain and sprocket. The U.S. department of
energy states that timing belts have consistent efficiencies of 98 percent, and over a wide load range.
The timing belt and sprocket will also operate at the high efficiency through wet or oily environments
[35]. If timing belts are installed properly they require little maintenance or retensioning.
Universal Driveshaft
A universal drive shaft uses a shaft as opposed to a chain or some type of belt to transfer power
from the pedals to the wheels. The universal drive shaft uses bevel which allow the axis to be shifted by
90 degrees. The shifting of the axis allows the shaft to transmit the power horizontally along the frame
of the cycle. The universal drive shaft was at one time only for the transmission of power through a one
gear system, but due to technology in internal gear hubs universal drive shafts can now consist of
several gear inputs. A simple universal drive shaft is shown in Figure 8 below.
Fig. 8: Universal Driveshaft [20]
The weight and the cost of are a couple of the main problems associated with the universal
driveshaft. Due to the complexity of the gear workings and the material they are often made out of the
weight is much higher compared to other types of drivetrains. Since the universal driveshaft is only able
to travel with one gearing, it is required to have an internal gear hub to change gears. This will greatly
increase the cost of the design, but also has some positives that are included with an internal gear hub.
The internal gear hub along with the universal driveshaft requires little to no maintenance, and allows
the changing of gears while stopped or in reverse. They are also very dependable and should have no
problem with failures while riding the cycle. This in turn makes it very safe to ride since there will be no
16
failures with the drivetrain. This setup will also produce little to no noise while operating, so the ride
then becomes more comfortable. Dynamic Bicycles claim that their universal drive shaft operates at
over 90 percent efficiency [10]. They also claim that the universal drive shaft is able to operate
consistently at a high efficiency through any conditions with minimal maintenance.
Front Wheel Drive
All of these options can be adapted to both front and rear wheel drive vehicles. Both options
bring negatives and positives to a project. The rear wheel drive option allows a simpler integration into a
design. Although applying it to a design is easier, it requires a longer driveline, which can add more
weight into a project. The front wheel drive option is a bit tougher to integrate into a design but allows a
more compact drivetrain since the area of torque input is very close to the desired area of the output.
Most of the time the front wheel drive option requires having a rear wheel steering system. This is often
more difficult and unusual to implement into a vehicle design. With this being said the choice of either
front wheel or rear wheel drive depends on the specifications of the project.
Brakes (DU)
In any tricycle, not only does the driver need to accelerate the vehicle, but he must also apply force to
stop it. There are many different ways to slow a rolling wheel, and there are many different types of
brakes that can be bought off the shelf, normally used in bicycles. The regular cyclist has choices to slow
down his vehicle: the normal recreational bicycle uses a very simple, cheap and effective design with rim
brakes, which can be applied by a number of different mechanisms that all essentially perform the same
action where a caliper pulls rubber pads against rim of the wheel; a bike the requires more endurance,
such as a touring or mountain bike will often use disc brakes that has a metal disk, fixed to the wheel
hub, and a caliper pulls shut on this disk, which in turn is slowed, therefor slowing the vehicle; some
BMX bikes will be outfitted with no braking mechanisms at all, and rely on the rider to skid his shoe
along the ground or against the treads of the tire between the back fork and seat, which acts as a spoon
brake, the simplest of options, where a pad is applied with a downward force on the top of the tire to
cause friction to slow the wheel. Any of these braking mechanisms can be implemented with a
mechanical cable, or a hydraulic system. Examples of hydraulic and rim disc brakes can be found in
Figure 9 and Figure 10, respectively shown below.
Fig. 9: Hydraulic Disc Brake [28]
Fig. 10: Mechanical Rim Brake [41]
17
The first choice in any design is always to go with the cheapest, lightest option that can meet the
performance standards; but, the wheels of delta tricycle have a number of dissimilarities from its 2wheeled cousin that make the standard options difficult to choose from. First and foremost, the trike
does not use a standard bicycle fork on the front wheels, rather the wheels are supported by strong
cantilever arms, therefor a custom mount will be necessary, as most brakes our designed for a fork
attached from both sides. Other differences from a bike include that there are three wheels as opposed
to two and the weight of the system, and its center of gravity. A bicycle can be made very lightweight
and the rider makes the system’s center of gravity very high off of the ground, having a back brake is
crucial so that the rider does not flip over with a sudden front brake; a tricycle has a lower COG so that
front braking is more applicable. In addition, the extra wheel and the dissimilarity of the rear to the front
wheel mounting makes it plausible that two different types of brakes be used on a tricycle.
Weighing the options, there are certain advantages that come out of each system. While having
no brakes would indeed increase the acceleration and overall simplicity of the trike, a decision in the
favor of safety and existing brakes would probably defeated this choice. The spoon brake is a much
outdated design, and while simplicity reigns with the spoon option, it can be very ineffective when
exposed to dirt, mud or water and has been seen to wear out a tire rather quickly. With either of the
two remaining choices, the brakes require custom parts will need to be created to mount either rim
brake calipers or a disc brake on the front wheels. In the battle between front or back brakes, logic
dictates that as the more the vehicle slows down, the momentum of the trike and user is going to be
acting more toward the front of the vehicle, reducing the effectiveness of the back brake. One
advantage of the back brake, though, is that in the event of a sudden front-brake stop, the momentum
could cause the vehicle to flip over the front axis, posing a danger to the rider and trike itself. It seems
that a combination of both front and back brakes are needed for an effective tricycle; with this option
there could be a combination of disc and rim brakes on either the front or back wheels. Acknowledging
this, research has been conducted on brake pricing for both types, and with both hydraulic and
mechanical action. Price and weights of different breaking system can be found in Table 8 shown below.
Table 8: Brake Rotors and Systems [8]
Rotor
Hayes Disc Rotor V8
Hayes Disc Rotor V6
Shimano XT RT76
Avid G3 Cleansweep
Price ($)
38
28
35
41
Weight (g)
204
114
135
155
Rating of 5
4.8
4.1
4.6
2.5
18
Wheels and Spokes (CT)
Wheels are responsible for supporting the vehicle, transferring power to the pavement, and
keeping the rider in a turn when necessary. Observably, the most common form of the wheel for an
HPTT is the spoked bicycle wheel. This is because these wheels are designed to carry loads equivalent to
a cyclist and gear while maintaining a low weight. While other wheel options have been implemented
they are not common due to large cost to benefit ratios. Thus, it is important to note the qualities of
spoked wheels for use in such applications. The arrangement of a single spoke can be found in Figure 11
displayed below.
Fig. 11: Spoke, nipple, and rim arrangement. 1) Spoke 2) Nipple 3) Rim [15]
The spoked wheel was designed to be strongest in the radial direction and maintains that design
goal by running spokes from the outer rim to the inner hub of the wheel. These spokes are then put in
tension by rotating the nipple in order to draw the spoke into the rim. The average bicycle wheel has 36
spokes laced from the rim to two sides of the hub. This gives 18 spokes per side all in tension. As the
wheel goes around the rim deflects slightly where it meets the pavement which causes a relief in
tension on the bottom spokes. The net effect is that the hub and bicycle end up “hanging” from the
upper spokes still in tension, which is why the wheel is most resilient under radial loading. [20] A spoked
wheel in a laterally loaded situation does not have as much force available from the tension of the spoke
as a wheel in a radially loaded case does to counteract the force of the pavement on the wheel. The
force in the Y-direction,𝐹𝑦 , is the force available to hold the rim centered between the flanges of the hub
as shown below in eq. 2 and Figure 12 on the next page. [20]
𝑒𝑞. 1. )
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝐿)
𝑒𝑞. 2. )
𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝐿)
19
Fig. 12: Geometry of a Spoke [23]
Spokes come in many varieties varying in shape, diameter, and material. The standard for spoke
measurement is to reference the spoke diameter instead of using the old term “gauge.” Table 9 shown
below gives a quick comparison of spoke materials and their Maximum Supported Weights (MSW) as
well as the respective strains. [13]
Table 9: Strength of Spokes of Various Materials [3]
Spokes
Steel [3]
Aluminum [3]
Composite (CF) [3]
Tensile (MPa)
1269
310.0
4150
E (GPa)
200
68.9
231
ρ (g/m3)
7.92
2.70
1.78
MSW† (N)
2551
623
8244
ε‡ (mm/m)
2.2
6.4
1.9
A rim is needed in order to keep all these spokes together and aligned. That rim’s stiffness can
be approximated by eq. 3. [20]
𝑒𝑞. 3. )
𝑘=
𝑁𝑠 𝐸𝑠 𝐷𝑠2 cos2 𝛼
(
)
16𝑅𝑟
𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑓
Where 𝑁𝑠 is the number of spokes, 𝐸𝑠 is the spoke modulus of elasticity, 𝐷𝑠 is the diameter of
the spokes, 𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑓 is the effective length of the spoke (spoke length – distance threaded into nipple). In
order to know the length of the spoke one must know what lacing pattern is being used as eq. 4 shows.
[20]
𝑒𝑞. 4. )
𝑙 = √𝑑2 + 𝑟12 + 𝑟22 − 2𝑟1 𝑟2 cos 𝑎
Where 𝑑 is the distance from the center of the hub to the hub flange, 𝑟1 is the radius from the
center of the axle to the circle on which the spoke holes lie, 𝑟2 is the inside radius of the rim, and 𝑎 is
defined by the number of spoke crossings divided by the number of spokes on one side multiplied by
360°. Figure 17 shows the various types of spoke lacing for a bicycle wheel with the most common being
2x, 3x, and 4x. Spoke lacing means that any one spoke traced from hub to rim will cross exactly n other
20
spokes. The effect of increasing the number of spoke crossings is easily distinguished in Graph 1
displayed below.
Figure 13: Spoke Lacing Effects [23]
Wheels laced with less spoke crossings are stiffer, according to figure 13, which makes sense
due to the angle of the spoke with respect to the hub flange circumference being closer to normal; this
allows more force to be counteracted by the tension in the spokes. Figures of In-plane spoke length and
spoke lacings can be found in Figures 14 and 15, respectively, shown below
Fig. 14: In-plane spoke length [23]
Fig. 15: Spoke Lacings [23]
21
Hubs (CT)
The wheel hub is what transfers weight but allows rotation through bearings and an axle. The
quality of construction, weight, and price can all be factors for one hub or another making its way into a
design. Hubs come in many varieties ranging from weatherproof ceramic bearings held in cartridges and
carbon fiber shells to plain steel with loose bearings held in place with a cone shaped axle. Table 10
shown below illustrations these attribute for various front hub layouts.
Table 10: Front Hub Comparison [17][26][35][36]
Front Hub†
Shimano SLX (15mm) [36]
Shimano Deore XT [36]
Circus Monkey MDW [17]
Cannondale Lefty IS [35]
Cannondale Lefty SL [35]
Chris King ISO 20mm [26]
Price ($)
60
40
70
170
180
190
Weight (g)
190
235
130
106
100
207
Performance††
7
6
4
8
8
9
Table 11 shown below illustrates the same points as table 9 but for rear hub considerations.
Through axle hubs have a larger diameter hollow axle that runs through the inner bearing race allowing
the distribution of more force without bending as readily as the axles in hubs whose axles are only large
enough to fit a quick release bar.
Table 11: Rear Hub Comparison [36][37]
Rear Hub
Shimano SLX [36]
Shimano Deore XT [36]
SRAM 406 [37]
SRAM X.9 [37]
Price ($)
50
70
35
80
Weight (g)
450
-
Performance††
8
8.5
7
9
Electricity generation can also be achieved through the hub. Hub generators come at a higher
cost than the friction based bottle dynamos which rub on the sidewall of the tire in order to cause
rotation. The hub generator offers better efficiency when converting kinetic energy to electricity and
less resistance when rolling while the bottle dynamo offers ease of setup and completely resistance free
riding when disengaged. Table 12 shown below illustrates the differences between various brands and
type of dynamos.
Table 12: Generator Types and Efficiencies [4][11][30][36]
Generator
Hub Generator
Schmidt SONdelux [30]
Shimano DH-3N72 [36]
Shimano NX-30 [36]
BIOLOGIC Joule 3 [4]
Dynamo
AXA HR [11]
Price ($)
272
130
50
150
40
Weight (g) Efficiency (%)
390
64
680
53
720
49
355
73
230
<40
22
The standard for USB power connections is 5 V at 500 mW which yields 2.5 W; lighting will
consume additional power. The use of a generator on a trike is not a new concept; in fact, the GT-Series
from Greenspeed comes ready for a 6-V or 12-V hub generator. [18] However, most trike manufacturers
that exist today do not sell trikes with built in generators due to the cost.
Component Materials (DP)
In order to make a lighter weight tadpole trike, the components need to be made of a lighter
material that is of equal or greater strength. These components consist of the handle bars, fenders, seat
frame, and seat stays. It is required to know the mechanical properties of the materials that have been
used and the ones that will be used on this project. With this information, the different types of
materials can be analyzed and compared in order to determine the proper material to use. The known
materials used for these components are 4130 chromoly steel, aluminum (6061-T6, 7005-T6), titanium,
and carbon fiber. These materials are shown in comparison in Tables 13 and Table 14 shown below.
Table 13: Material Properties [10][14][27][29]
E [GPa]
G [GPa]
Ult.
Tensile
Strength
[MPa]
190-210
-
670
-
0.27-0.3
360.6
7900
68.9
26
300
-
.33
241
2700
Aluminum
7005-T6 [10]
72.0
26.9
510-538
-
0.330
434-476
2800
Titanium
[14]
110
41
950
970
0.342
-
4500
70
5
600
570
0.10
-
1740
Material
4130
chromoly
steel [29]
Aluminum
6061-T6 [10]
Standard
Carbon
Fiber [27]
Ult.
Comp.
Strength
[MPa]
Major
Poisson’s
Ratio
[MPa]
Yield
Strength
[MPa]
Density
(kg/m3)
Table 14: Material Properties Continued [29]
Longitudinal
Modulus
Transverse
Modulus
In Plane Shear
Modulus
In Plane Shear
Strength
Symbol
Units
Std. CF
Std. CF
Fabric
Steel
Al
E1
GPa
17
19.1
207
72
E2
GPa
17
19.1
207
72
G12
GPa
33
30
80
25
S
MPa
260
310
-
-
23
Other than the mechanical properties, the price of these materials is also a factor. The prices of
these materials are shown in comparison in the Table 15 shown below.
Table 15: Tubing Prices [10][29]
Tube Material (0.25”x0.035” OD 1’ Length)
4130 Chromoly Steel [10]
Aluminum 6061-T6 [10]
Aluminum 7005-T6 [10]
Titanium [10]
Standard Carbon Fiber Fabric (24”) [29]
Price
$7.60
$2.29
$11.60
$21.25
$29.75
Project Description
By the time of project completion, November 21, 2013, a fully functional tadpole trike prototype
will be unveiled. The prototype will be expected to meet the specifications provided. Among the list of
expected results is the ability of the rider to enter any curve at any speed and the trike should not lift
the inside wheel. The prototype shall use a system of mechanical linkages implemented in such a way
that allows for the articulation of the frame and rider. The mechanical linkages will allow the trike to
respond to the amount of centripetal force being applied by the pavement by leaning the trike in the
direction of the turn. With these provisions made the trike will have an increased safety factor while
maintaining the thrill that is alluring of a recumbent.
Frame (JP)
The frame is the most integral part of the trike. The main design is a single tube that has a
curved section in the middle that will create the shape for the user to sit down in the trike. The
suspension mounts off the rear of the frame at the bend and is triangulated at a point further up the
frame using the shock. Front wheels are mounted forward of the seat so that the users weight can be
low and have good maneuvering abilities. Hand controls will be positioned on each side of the user to
provide the input to initialize the mechanical steering system. The input for the brake system, the gear
selection system and the parking brake control will be mounted on these hand controls. The seat of the
trike will be a suspension seat that will be mounted between two adjustable seat stays to be able to
accommodate a wide range of riders. The majority of the frame will be made from aluminum tubing,
with some small parts and accessories being molded from carbon fiber. The main tube and the
suspension components will be made from a specific aluminum tubing that has good strength but has
enough flex so that it will not break when being used to its maximum potential.
Steering (JP)
The steering system will use a combination of Ackermann and a proprietary leaning system to
control the trike. The Ackermann system will be the main system when the trike is moving at low
speeds. The leaning system will use a series of linkages that will utilize the natural forces produced by
the tire while it’s spinning to lean the tire over thereby turning the trike much like a two wheeled
motorcycle turns at speed. This system will be comprised of a tire and wheel mounted to a steering
knuckle that will be connected to both the Ackermann and the leaning systems. The steering knuckle
24
will pivot on two both the x and the y axes to utilize both the steering systems. The pivot for the knuckle
will be a tube that is perpendicularly mounted to the main frame tube. The wheels will be connected so
that when the wheels are leaned during a turn it will be controlled. This means that once the turn has
been completed the trike will be able to be up righted and continue on its intended path.
Rear Suspension (DP)
For the human powered tadpole trike, the best form of suspension is the rear swing
arm. This design consists of a single swing arm that is a separate piece from the frame. With this design
the rear swing arm is connected to the frame at a pivot point located behind and below the seat of the
driver. This pivot point allows for the most up and down travel of the rear wheel. Also connecting the
swing arm is a shock absorber. The shock is placed above the pivot point and connects to the top of the
swing arm and the rear of the seat frame. This form of rear suspension allows for a lot of vertical travel
in the rear wheel which gives the rider a smoother ride when traveling across bumps and holes. Also
with this design the driver has the ability to adjust the stiffness of the shock absorber allowing the driver
to customize the riding experience.
Drivetrain (CS)
The Human Powered Tadpole Trike had three options to use for the drive line, roller chain and
sprocket, timing belt, and a universal driveshaft. The drivetrain that was chose for this project was based
off of three major parameters, efficiency, cost, and maintenance. Due to these parameters the choice
made for the project is the roller chain and sprocket. The main choice to use the roller chain and
sprocket in our design was based on cost, and the ease to implement it into the design. Since roller
chains are the conventional device to transfer torque from a crank to a wheel, the parts will be much
more available and cheaper. The gearing for a roller chain and sprocket, which is a derailleur and
cassette, will allow the separate gearing for the trike, as opposed to using an internal gear hub which is
much more complicated and more expensive. Although the roller chain and sprocket require
maintenance for the system to work at optimum efficiency, the maintenance required is easily
accessible due to the simplicity of the drivetrain system. The components required in the drivetrain
consist of a crank to input the initial torque to, and then the torque will be transferred through the roller
chain to the rear cassette. The rear cassette will then transfer the torque to the wheel which will
produce and angular velocity to move the trike. The rear cassette is also the gear mechanism which will
require a derailleur so many different gearing options can be achieved while riding. Due to the
complexity of the trike design it will require extra guiding devices to guide the chain through the design.
It will consist of tensioners and roller gears to guide the chain to the rear wheel. These tensioners and
roller gears will cause the chain to have constant tension to prevent from being derailed, and will
prevent the chain from coming in contact with the ground. A simple schematic of this device can be
found in Appendix X, in figure 9.99. This design will allow easy implementation into the overall design,
and will be the best choice for the project due to price and simplicity.
25
Brakes (DU)
In order to address the challenge of implementing traditional, off the shelf brakes into an
unconventional tilt and turn steering system, custom mounted disc rotors will serve as the brake system
for the tadpole trike. Using parts normally used for high-performance bicycling, disc brakes will be
attached to the wheels at the hubs, and will be controlled by levers found at the handlebars. In the favor
of simplicity and economy, the method of control will be mechanical, rather than hydraulic, and a cable
will be strung along the frame to connect the caliper to the levers. Logic dictates that two brakes on the
front wheels would be sufficient to stop the trike, seeing that more weight will be working toward the
front of the vehicle as braking force is applied. The potential for a ground strike at the chainring will be
amended by placing a sturdy guard in such a manner as to greatly reduce the chances of contact with
the ground.
Wheels (CT)
The hubs that will be used are called Thru-Axle hubs. The Thru-Axle hubs will allow for the
mounting of the two front wheels on only one side as opposed to mounting them traditionally on a fork.
This allows the wheel to be mounted to a steering knuckle in order to gain steering functionality as well
as leaning functionality.
Electrical (JP)
The trike will have an electrical system that will be made up of a battery, headlight, a taillight, a
battery, a photoresistor, an Arduino Uno and two momentary switches. The battery will be a small 12V
rechargeable source that can be plugged into any wall outlet to recharge. From the battery there will be
connections to both lights that run through the Arduino which will utilize the photoresistor. The
photoresistor will be wired into the Arduino microcontroller, which will be programmed so that when
the amount of light that the photoresistor reads reaches designated points it will turn the headlight and
taillight circuit on or off accordingly. The two momentary switches will be mounted onto the brake
levers and will trigger a second circuit in the taillight to alert anyone who is behind the trike that it will
be stopping. The headlight and taillight will both utilize light emitting diodes (LEDs) to keep the
amperage use low and the battery life lengthy. There will be a powered USB connector so the user will
be able to connect and charge any number of devices from a cell phone to a dedicated GPS receiver. A
bracket will also be made so that device can be mounted to the frame safely and be seen by the user
while operating the trike
The battery that we chose is a small 12 volt absorbed glass matt unit that will provide
8000 mAh of life. The headlight that we chose is a four LED light bar most commonly used as an
accessory to normal headlights and requires 1340 mA to function. The taillight will be a 15
7
16
in. nine
LED light bar used commonly for over-the-road style trailers as auxiliary running, brake, and tail lights
and requires 250 mA to function. The Arduino Uno microcontroller will draw 50 mA to control the light
system. The USB port will be weatherproof and will draw 500 mA when powering a device using the
port. When the circuit is running all components at their max draw the system will require 2140 mA to
function properly and by using an 8000 mAh hour battery we will have 3.7 hours of run time before the
battery will require a recharge.
26
Design Basis (CT)
The basis of design work to be carried out by S13-45-TRKE can be found in this list of documents:
Document
Request for Proposal
Specifications
Block Diagram
Date Created
February 5 2013
March 5 2013
March 19 2013
In the specifications various goals are described and most are created for the safety of the rider
except for a few. The minimum turning radius is based on the average two lane street in America and
allows for a full u-turn on such a street. The maximum speed achieved is a goal that is set and related to
weight and just further emphasizes that it must be light yet efficient. The total width of the trike as
stated in the specifications is not to exceed 34 in. This is to account for the average width of a sidewalk
in Illinois which is 36 – 42 in.
Project Deliverables (CT)
Project deliverables to be included are as follows:
 CAD drawings of all components, subsystems, and frame pieces
 FEA for key joint stress analysis, as well as spring rate determination
 Data on destructive analysis of key weld points
 Testing data from actual rides for meeting specifications set forth in the proposal
 User Manual
 Instruction Manual
 Prototype unveiling
What is required for deliverables:
 Components to be measured and drawn in CAD
 CAD drawings imported and analyzed in FEA
 CAD drawings imported and motion tested in SolidWorks
 Data collection during rides using accelerometer, seismometer, camera, and stopwatch
 Destroy welded components and record data for stress analysis
 All warnings and caution labels placed in the manuals and on the prototype
27
Data Acquisition (DP)
There are a few key parameters of the human powered tadpole trike such as the lean angle of
the front two tires, the amount of damping that is created by the rear suspension, and the braking
distance. These parameters will be collected by a variety of methods. For the lean angle of the front two
wheels, the team will employ an inclinometer from FSAE team. For the damping parameters of the rear
suspension, an MPU-9250 Nine-Axis (Gyro + Accelerometer + Compass) MEMS sensor (contained within
a smart-phone) will be attached to the trike in a variety of locations. The attachment points of the
accelerometer will be located on the frame near the pivot point, on the swing arm near the pivot point,
and also on the seat itself. With the data from the accelerometer attached at these points, we will be
able to determine the amount of damping that the rear suspension is creating. For the braking system,
the maximum amount of distance it takes to completely stop the trike will have to be determined. The
braking distance will be determined by bringing the trike up to 20 mph and applying the brakes at a
marked point and recording the distance it takes to completely stop the trike. Multiple trials of this test
will be conducted in order to calculate an average braking distance. There will also be a variety of FEA
analyses ran on the frame and other components of the trike. These analyses will include the total
deformation, equivalent stresses, total amount of strain, and factor of safety with a variety of different
loads in different locations on the trike.
Project Organization (CT)
Cory Tuttle
Project Manager
Wheels & Lean
Jarod Payton
Frame &
Steering
Dan Unes
Brakes
Cory Schueller
Drivetrain
Dylan Polus
Suspension &
Composites
Note: Colors indicate team member responsible for corresponding system in the block diagram
Battery
Initial
Displacement
Electrical
Initial
Displacement
Suspension
Switch
Current
Reaction
Force
Shock Absorber
Brake LED
Frame
Velocity
Brake Pad
Torque
Δθx
Sunset
Current
Circuit
Headlight
Deceleration
Final
Displacement
Brake Disk
ω / Velocity
Seat / Rider
Force
Wheel
Photo Resistor
Reduced
Upward Force
Force
Rear Cassette
Force
Hub Mount
Caliper Lever
Tension
Hub Mount
Force
Chain
Circuit
Cable
Upward
Force
Torque
Tension
Swing Arm
Lever
Pedals / Crank
Force
Linkages
Block Diagram (CT)
Finger Force
Brakes
Leg Force
Drivetrain
Δθz
Reaction
Force
Variable Rate
Spring
Steering Handle
Steering / Leaning
Arm Force
28
29
Action Item List (CT)
Project: Human Powered Delta Trike
Sec Ref #: S13-45-TRKE
Action Item List
Team Members
Date: 5/1/2013
Jarod Peyton, ME
Dylan Polus, ME
Cory Schueller, ME
Cory Tuttle, ME (PM)
Daniel Unes, ME
#
Activity
1 Contact all members
Design Subsystems
2 Design Frame
3 Design Moveable Seat
4 Design Suspension
5 Design Steering System
6 Design Lean System
7 Design Brakes
8 Design Drivetrain
9 Order Parts
10 Weld / Assemble Frame
11 Assemble Wheels
Assemble Mock-Up
12 Frame
13 Suspension
14 Steering
15 Lean
16 Wheels
13 Test Mock-up
14 Attach Lean / Steering
15 Perfect Lean / Steering
Subsystem Final Assembly
16 Suspension
19 Brakes
20 Drivetrain
21 System Testing
22 Perfect Trike
23 Document Design Delegations
Person
Assigned
CT
ALL
JP
JP
DP
JP
CT
DU
CS
CT
JP
CT
ALL
JP
DP
JP
CT
CT
ALL
CT
ALL
ALL
DP
DU
CS
CT
ALL
CT
8/19/2013
5/1/2013
5/1/2013
5/1/2013
5/1/2013
5/1/2013
5/1/2013
5/1/2013
5/1/2013
8/20/2013
8/27/2013
9/3/2013
9/17/2013
9/17/2013
9/17/2013
9/17/2013
9/17/2013
9/17/2013
9/24/2013
9/24/2013
10/8/2013
10/15/2013
10/15/2013
10/15/2013
10/15/2013
10/29/2013
10/29/2013
11/5/2013
Due
8/20/2013
10/1/2013
8/27/2013
8/27/2013
9/3/2013
9/17/2013
9/17/2013
9/24/2013
10/1/2013
9/3/2013
9/24/2013
9/17/2013
9/24/2013
9/19/2013
9/19/2013
9/20/2013
9/20/2013
9/23/2013
10/1/2013
10/8/2013
10/22/2013
10/29/2013
10/29/2013
10/29/2013
10/29/2013
11/5/2013
11/12/2013
11/26/2013
New Due
Status
Comments
30
Time Line (CT)
Schedule for SEC Project #: S13-45-TRKE
Activity
20-Aug
27-Aug
3-Sep
10-Sep
17-Sep
Lean
Steering
24-Sep
Design Frame
Design Movable Seat
Design Suspension
Design Lean/Steering
Assemble Mock-up
Design Drivetrain
Design Brakes
Order Parts
Wheels
Frame/Seat Suspension Lean Stearing
Brakes
Assemble Wheels
Design Reviews
Weld/Assemble Frame
Attach Lean/Steering
Progress Report
Perfect Lean/Stearing
Assemble Subsystems
System Testing
Perfect Trike
Document design
Legend:
As bid:
Activity
Milestone:
As worked:
Added:
Drivetrain
1-Oct
8-Oct
15-Oct
22-Oct
29-Oct
5-Nov
12-Nov
19-Nov
26-Nov
31
Resources (CT)
32
Appendix A: Resumes (CS)
33
Cory Tuttle
Cell: (815) 546 – 6361
CoryM.Tuttle@gmail.com
Plainfield, IL. 60586
16136 S Harmony Drive
Objective
Entry level position in Mechanical Engineering
Education
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Date of Graduation 12/2013
Grade Point Average 3.141 (in field of study)
Honors and Awards
Engineering Dean’s List – Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012
Outstanding Performance in Mechanical Concepts - Spring 2012
Employment
08/2011 – Present
Team Leader | Equipment Maintenance
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Student
Recreation Center, Carbondale, IL.
05/2007 –Present
Handyman | Professional Painter
Tuttle’s Painting, Plainfield, IL
Skills


Proficient with office software
o Word / Excel / PowerPoint / Access
Proficient with CAD design software
o Rhinoceros / AutoCAD / MatLab
 Applied in-class concepts to real world mechanics
 Effective team leader in a positive and fast paced
environment
 Reported project progress to superiors and
worked with asset management software
 Performed various preventative maintenance
measures including tracking usage trends in
Microsoft Excel
 Maintained or exceeded client-contractor
expectations
 Inspected both load and non-load bearing aspects
of residential properties
34
Cory Schueller
805 Adams Street
email: cory21@siu.edu
Ottawa IL, 61350
Phone: (815)830-2774
Objective
To use my engineering skills to gain knowledge in practical situations, in order to obtain work experience
and learn how to apply my skills in a business setting.
Education
BS in Mechanical Engineering, December 2013
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL
GPA: 2.7/4.0
Experience
Member, SIUC Senior Design, Team Human Powered Delta Trike
 Worked as a team to research and design project
 Designed drivetrain for specified project
Internship at Vactor Manufacturing Company



January 2012-Present
July-August 2012
Worked on negative quantity driveshaft project
Changed parts stocking codes
Digitized old build tickets
Summer Bridge Program Counselor, Southern Illinois University Carbondale



Mentored incoming freshman engineers
Tutored students in pre-calculus
Assisted students in on-campus life
Summer Bridge Program, Southern Illinois University Carbondale


July 2011
July 2009
Six week engineering program
Extensive pre-calculus classes
Skills
Drafting- Studied three years of AutoCAD


Drafted extensive drawings of mechanical parts for an independent study program
Drafted the first electronic copy of school courtyard
Microsoft Office

Proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
35
Dylan Polus
dpolus@siu.edu
524 W. Wood St.
Hillsboro, IL 62049
Phone: (217)556-1593
Education
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering & Energy Processes, expected Dec 2013
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901
Relevant Coursework:



Finite Element Analysis in CAD
AutoCAD
Senior Design
Experience
Member, SIUC Senior Design, Team Human Powered Delta Trike



Work as a team in order to research, design, and build the project
Designed the rear suspension for the project
Manufactured carbon fiber parts for the project
Warehouse Picker, Sierra International, Litchfield IL

January- Present
May 2009- August 2009
Packaged marine and lawn maintenance goods according to the orders of the customer
Intern, Hurst-Rosche Engineering, Hillsboro IL
June 2007- January 2009





Collected soil samples from future build sites
Drilled for soil samples and shale levels
Tested water wells
Conducted various soil test to collect data on the soil
Conducted compression tests on sample concrete cylinders





Finite Elements and Analysis in CAD
AutoCAD
Proficient with Microsoft Office
Some MATlab experience
Teamwork Training and Experience

Member, ASME, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Skills
Activities
36
Jarod Peyton
jarod.peyton@gmail.com
Address:
Route 2 Box 99
Dahlgren, IL 62828
(618)231-4571
Education



Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering & Energy Processes, expected Dec 2013
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901
Relevant Coursework
Internal Combustion Engines
AutoCAD
Senior Design
Experience
Member, SIUC Senior Design, Team Human Powered Delta Trike
 Researched currently available technology to find market gaps
 Wrote Proposal to Faculty advisors detailing specifics of project
 Designed frame, steering and electrical systems for project
January 2012-Present
Body Shop Technician, Martin Custom Auto Body
June 2010-Present
 Led the teardown of several customer projects including identifying and inventorying
parts as they came off the vehicle
 Designed several custom pieces for customer projects using AutoCAD
 Managed many different projects with other team members as my responsibility
Parts Manager, Black Diamond Harley-Davidson
July 2007-July 2009
 Implemented new processes to create a more customer service oriented department
 Trained new staff on computer system
 Increased profit margins and sales for department every month by at least 1.5%
 Developed system of inventory management that was able to create 99% inventory
accuracy
Parts Manger, Dale’s Harley-Davidson
Feb 2001-July 2007
 Implemented inventory accuracy system that achieved 99% inventory accuracy
 Supervised over-the-counter sales and parts-to-service sales to ensure customer service
levels were kept at their highest
 Achieved highest total sales and profit margins for the entire company
 Created employee instruction manual for step-by-step operation of Lightspeed software
being used at the dealership
37
Skills





AutoCAD
Management Training and Experience
Teamwork Training and Experience
Skilled MIG Welder and Fabricator
Proficient with Microsoft Office
Activities

Member, ASME, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
38
Daniel Unes
Dn.unes@yahoo.com
Address
1005 W Northcrest Ave.
Peoria, IL 61614
(309)688-9285
Education
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Mathematics May 2014
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
GPA: 2.6 /4.0 scale
Work Experience
Southern Illinois University
Aug, 2012- Nov 2012
 Building and Grounds Crew- Various labor and grounds work including weed
whacking, recycling projects and general campus upkeep.
Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd.
May 2012- Aug 10, 2012
 Engineering Intern- included designing and drafting in Microstation V8i on many
different team-based projects including street lighting, plumbing, HVAC work, utility
coordination and more.
 Office work included filing and organization into the company database and other tasks;
extensive work in Microsoft Word and Excel.
Leonard A Unes Printing
May 2008-Aug 2009; Summer 2010, 2011
 Product shipping and delivering
 Shop work including running various printing and binding machines
Kouri’s Pub
Summer 2010, Winter 2010/2011
 Bar back, laborious work included stocking bars, washing glasses
Lariat Club Steakhouse
Nov 2006-Aug 2009; Winter 09/10, 10/11, 11/12
 Bus Boy, Bar Back provided assistance to waitstaff and bartenders
 Utility duties, maintained facilities and serviced any patron needs
Skills




Technical Software, familiar with Autodesk Inventor, AutoCad and Microstation v8i
Fluent with Microsoft Office, extensive work done with Excel, Word and PowerPoint
Machine shop knowledge, experience with different drills, presses, lathes, saws and mills
Experience in office-work group projects as well as extra-curricular leadership and teamwork
oriented positions
Honors/Awards




Certificate of Excellence, SIUC Department of Mathematics
Member, Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society
SIUC College of Engineering Dean’s List
Thomas J Murray Scholarship Recipient
Fall 2009
2010-Present
Fall 2009
2010/2011
39
Activities





FIRST Robotics elected team captain, Peoria Notre Dame High
SIUC Men’s Rugby Tournament Coordinator
SIUC Men’s Rugby Team President/ Captain
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
SIUC Sport Club Executive Board Member at Large
Fall 08-Summer 09
Fall 09- Spring 2012
Spring 2012-Present
Fall 2009- Present
March, 2013- Present
40
Appendix B: References (CS)
[1] http://www.utahtrikes.com/Trikes.html
[2] “Atomic Zombie.” (2013,February 22).The TimberWolf Suspension Delta Trike[Website].
Available: http://www.atomiczombie.com/TimberWolf%20Suspension%20Delta%20Trike.aspx
[3] “Automation Creations.” (2013, February 20). MatWeb. [Data Sheet Catalog]. Available:
http://www.matweb.com/search/PropertySearch.aspx
[4] “Autozone.” (2013, February 20). Timing Belt General Information [Website]. Available:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/repairinfo/repairguide/repairGuidContent.jsp?pageld=099
6b43f8037e926
[5] “Biologic.” (2013, February 17). Joule™ 3 Dynamo Hub [Website]. Available:
http://www.thinkbiologic.com/products/joule-3-dynamo-hub
[6] “Carbontrikes.com” (2013 February 20). Carbontrikes [Website]. Available:
http://www.carbontrikes.com/eng/models.html
[7] “Catrike.com” (2013, February 20). Catrike [Website] . Available:
http://www.catrike.com/catrike_700.html
[8] Chain Reaction Cycles & Export Technology. (2012,Dec 5). Brakes (1st Edition) [Online].
Available: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com
[9] “Challengebikes.com.” (2013, February 25). Challenge | Handmade Recumbent Bikes & Trikes
[Website]. Available: http://www.challengebikes.com/alize24_detail.php
[10]“Dragon Plate.” (2013, February 23). Roll Wrapped Unidirectional Tubes [Website]. Available:
http://www.dragonplate.com/ecart/categories.asp?cID=136
[11]“Dutch Bike Bits.” (2013, February 16). Dutch Bike Bits [Website]. Available:
http://www.dutchbikebits.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=131
[12]“Dynamic Bicycles.” (2013, February 23). Shaft Drive Versus Chain Technology Comparison Table
[Website]. Available: http://www.dynamicbicycles.com/chainless-technology/shaft_v_chain.php
[13]“Ecocycle.ca” (2013 February 20) EcoCycle [Website]. Available: http://www.ecocycle.ca/X1Vector-Specifications.php
[14] “Engineering Toolbox, The.” (2013, February 23).Metal and Alloy – Densities [Website].
Available: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/metal-alloys-densities-d_50.html
[15]Eve. (2013, February 19). Webster's Online Dictionary [Web Dictionary]. Available:
http://www.websters-dictionary-online.com/definition/spoke
[16]“Evolvetrikes.com” (2013 February 20) Evolve Trikes [Website]. Available:
http://evolvetrikes.com/index.html
[17]Faxson. (2013, February 19). Circus Monkey Front Hubs [Website]. Available:
http://www.circusbike.com/product.php?op=list&cat=FRONT%20HUBS
41
[18]G. Howard, Chassis and Suspension Engineering-Road and Track Theory and Practice.
London:Osprey, 1987
[19]“Gadgetreview.com” (2013 February 20). Gadget Review [Website]. Available:
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2010/03/the-innesenti-tricycle-costs-12000-uses-formula-1tech.html
[20]“gknservice.com.” (2013, February 19). Cardan Shaft Applications [Website]. Available:
http://www.gknservice.com/gb/industry/cardan_shafts.html
[21] “Greenspeed.com” (2013 February 20) Greenspeed [Website]. Available:
http://www.greenspeed.com.au/gt3.html
[22]“Greenspeed.com” (2013 February 20) Greenspeed [Website]. Available:
http://www.greenspeed.com.au/x5.html
[23]H. P. Gavin, “Bicycle Wheel Spoke Patterns and Spoke Fatigue,” ASCE Journal of Engineering
Mechanics, vol 122, no. 8, pp. 736–742, Abbrev. Aug 1996
[24]“Hasebikes.com” (2013 February 20) Hase Bikes [Website]. Available: http://hasebikes.com/931-Recumbent-Bike-Kettwiesel-Comfort.html
[25]“Harris Cyclery.” (2013, February 19). Cardan Shaft Applications [Website] Available:
http://sheldonbrown.com/internal-gears.html
[26]“Icetrikes.co” (2013 February 20). ICE Trikes [Website]. Availvable:
http://www.icetrikes.co/explore-our-trikes/vortex
[27]L. Russel. (2013, February 23). Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fibre Composite Materials, Fibre
/ Epoxy resin (120°C Cure) [Website]. Available: http://www.performancecomposites.com/carbonfibre/mechanicalproperties_2.asp
[28]Nice, Karim. (2000, April).How Disc Brakes Work(2nd Edition)[online]. Available:
http://www.howstuffworks.com
[29]“Onlinemetals.com.” (2013, February 23). Onlinemetals.com [Website]. Available:
http://www.onlinemetals.com
[30]P. White. (2013, February 16). Schmidt's Original Nabendynamo [Website]. Available:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt.asp
[31]P. White. (2013, February 16). Shimano 6 volt/3 watt Dynohub [Website]. Available:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/shimano3n70.asp
[32]Phil Sneiderman, “Pedal Power Probe Shows Bicycles Waste Little Energy,” Headlines@Hopkins,
August 1999.
[33]PJ. Prince and A. Al-Jumaily, ‘Bicycle Steering and Roll Responses’, Proceedings of the Institution
of Mechanical engineers Part K-Journal of Muli-Body Dynamics, 226, K2, Pages 95-107, 2012.
[34]“Probert Encyclopaedia.” (2013, February 20). Derailleur [Website]. Available:
Http://probertencyclopedia.com/cgi-bin/res.pl?keyword=Derailleur&offset=0
42
[35]“ProWheelBuilder.com.” (2013, February 19). Cannondale Sl Lefty Hub Black [Website].
Available: http://www.prowheelbuilder.com/cannondale-sl-lefty-hub-black.html
[36]“Shimano.” (2013, February 19). Shimano | North America [Website]. Available:
http://bike.shimano.com/#
[37]“SRAM.” (2013, February 19). SRAM Mountain Products [Website]. Available:
http://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/products
[38]”Terratrike.com” (2013 February 20). Terratrike [Website]. Available:
http://www.terratrike.com/specifications.php
[39]“Tridenttrikes.com” (2013 February 20) Trident Trikes [Website]. Available:
http://www.tridenttrikes.com/stowaway.htm
[40]“Trikkeshoppe.com” (2013 February 20) Trikke Shoppe [Website]. Available:
http://www.trikeshoppe.com/Anura-SL.html
[41]Unlisted Author. (2009, August). Rear Brakes (1st Edition) [Online]. Available:
http://www.mountainbikeforum.net
[42]“U.S. Department of Energy.” (November, 2012). Replace V-Belts with Notched or Synchronous
Belt Drives. Washington D.C., U.S. [internet] Available:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_deployment/pdfs/replace_vbelts_motor_sy
stemts5.pdf
[43]“Velomobiles.net” (2013 February 20). Velomoblies [Website]. Available:
http://www.velomobiles.net/wildfire/index.htm
[44]“Veloverde.net.” (2013, February 22). SteinTrikes [Website]. Available:
http://www.veloverde.net/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=167
[45] “Vex Robotic Design System.” (2013, February 20). Term-Sprocket [Website]. Available:
http://www.vexforum.com/wiki/Term_-_Sprocket
43
Appendix C: Specifications (CT)
Tadpole Trike Design Specifications
Maximum Trike Weight
Maximum Lean Angle
Maximum Speed†
Maximum Acceleration†
Maximum Deceleration†
Maximum Braking Distance†
Maximum Turning Diameter
Total Width††
“Visible Height” ‡
Maximum Suspension Travel
Maximum Weight Capacity
Brakes
X-Seam‡‡
Seat Width
Steering Centering
Slip vs. Tip Threshold
†
35 lbs
55° from Vertical
24 mph
2.412 mph/s
11.68 mph/s
25 ft
12 ft 6 in.
34 in.
7 ft
4 in.
300 lbs
Single Pull, Dual Rotor & Parking Brake
32 – 47 in.
14 in.
Caster & Ackerman
Never Tip → for consideration
Data based on Cory Tuttle as the rider at 177.5 lbs and power output of 1.73 hp
Based on typical sidewalk and bike lane width
‡
Referring to the maximum height of the flag or safety device attached for visibility
‡‡
X-Seam is the measurement from the heel of the foot to the tailbone used for sizing boom length
††