Design of a Hydraulic Bicycle Brake Housed Within a Bicycle Fork for Increased Aerodynamics
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Design of a Hydraulic Bicycle Brake Housed Within a Bicycle Fork for Increased Aerodynamics Shawn Phillip Gravois Spring 2010 Magna Cum Laude Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Introduction The purpose of this design project is to design an original front brake for a time trial bicycle. A time trial is an individual cycling event, where each rider is timed on their completion of a set course. Typically, specialized bikes are used for time trialing, which are more aerodynamic than standard road bikes. Figure 1 below shows an example of a typical road bike (left) and a typical time trial bike (right). http://www.roadcycling.com/reviews/Cervelo.shtml Figure 1: Road bike (left) and time trial bike (right). A rider is limited to how much power they can produce, thus the increased aerodynamics of a time trial bike allows the rider to complete the course more quickly, without having to produce more power. Time trialists usually use aero wheels, handlebar extensions, streamlined helmets, and tighter clothing to reduce the total drag on them when riding. Any further increases to the aerodynamics of a time trial bike help to further reduce the course time of the rider, so companies are continually working to streamline their bikes. Typically, the front brake is a dual pivoting caliper mounted to the front of the front fork as shown in the above Figure 1, but many companies have looked into changing the brake locations in order to streamline the bike and reduce drag. Companies have recently mounted the front brake behind the front fork and most recently Trek has mounted a mechanical cable operated brake in the front fork. The objective of this design project is to design a hydraulically actuated cam driven brake that is integrated into the front fork of a time trial bike. The part count should also be reduced to decrease the brake complexity and to reduce the total cost. The purpose is to reduce the drag on the bike as well as to reduce the amount of force needed to squeeze the brake lever by the rider to apply the brake. Constraints There are limitations put on bicycle brakes by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The UCI is the main governing body of bicycle racing and they have a few regulations regarding brakes, component shape, and fairings. The following regulations were found in the UCI’s Technical Regulations for Bicycles: A Practical Guide to Implementation. 2 o Article 1.3.006: “Bicycles used in road events must be fitted with an efficient braking system that acts on both wheels (either simultaneously or independently) operated by two brake levers.” Pg.2 o Article 1.3.021: “For time trials on the road…the elements making up the frame are not restricted provided they fit freely inside a defined template and comply with the 1:3 ratio described above (Article 1.3.020)” Pg. 6. o Article 1.3.021: “For offset fork designs, the pivoting part must be contained within the template of the head tube.” Pg. 6. o Article 1.3.024: “Protective screens, aerodynamic shapes, fairings or any other device that is added or forms part of the structure, and that is destined or has the effect of reducing wind resistance, are prohibited.” Pg. 9. For the design, size and weight should be minimized, although weight is not crucial for time trial applications. Aerodynamic advantages outweigh weight savings in time trials as most time trials are relatively flat, so gravity is not as impactful as drag force. The cost of the hydraulic brake should also be minimized within reason, as this brake is being designed for high-end race bikes that are quite costly to start with. Functionality The functional requirements of the hydraulic brake are to transfer a brake lever input from a rider to an actuation of the brakes onto a rotating rim in order to slow or stop a bicycle. The hydraulic brake must provide a similar clamping force to that of conventional cable driven brakes and require a similar gripping force input from the rider. The brake need to hold up to environmental factors without failing or corroding. The brake actuation is accomplished through the use of hydraulic cylinders and cams. First, the rider squeezes the brake lever, which depresses the plunger in the brake piston. The brake piston forces hydraulic fluid from the brake piston, through tubing, into the cam bracket piston. The cam bracket piston moves based on the relation of the piston areas and stroke lengths. The cam bracket piston extends from the input from the brake piston, which moves the cam bracket down. The downward movement of the cam bracket causes the wedge shaped cams to move down as well. The cams widen as they move down, thus pushing on the bearings on the brake shoe guides. The brake shoe guides are oriented and supported by the guide posts. The cams force the brake shoe guides to slide along the guide posts, which causes the brakes to move together. The pistons spring return to their naturally retracted positions due to their spring return, thus lifting cams. The brake shoe guides are returned by the springs attached to the bearing support arms. Figure 2, below, shows the brake open (left) and compressed (right) 3 Figure 2: Brake open (left) and compressed (right). Design The design calls for the brake to be integrated into the front fork of a time trial bicycle. To save space and reduce the force needed to actuate the brake, a brake lever and hydraulic piston are used to depress a set of cams, via a cam bracket, to compress the brakes against the wheel rim. Hydraulics were used because they use incompressible fluid, so braking power is directly transferred without fade. The cams provide a large mechanical advantage, and the use of hydraulics eliminates the stretching of cables found in traditional bicycle brakes. The proposed design of the hydraulic brake is pictured below in Figure 3 with a close-up view of the brake pad area. Detailed and dimensioned drawings can be found in Appendix D. Figure 3: Hydraulic brake assembly. 4 The design is broken down into three subassemblies. These subassemblies are the piston subassembly, the brake subassembly, and the guide subassembly. These subassemblies are pictured below in Figures 4, 5, and 6. Piston Piston Support Cam Bracket Cam Cam Screw (hidden) Figure 4: Piston subassembly. Brake Shoe Guide Brake Shoe Bearing Bearing Screw Spring Brake Shoe Screw (hidden) Figure 5: Brake subassembly. 5 Guide Post Plate Guide Post Figure 6: Guide subassembly. The brake assembly will be completely housed within the front fork, although a custom fork will be needed to house the design. The fork will need an enclosure that passes in front of the head tube of the bike frame and connects the fork crown to the handlebar stem. The protrusion will also increase the length to thickness ratio of the front end of the bicycle, allowing for a more aerodynamic profile, thus reducing drag. An example of the typical dual pivot front brake caliper setup (left) and the proposed design setup (right) are pictured below in Figure 7. Figure 7: Conventional front brake (left) and proposed brake design (right). An example of the general shape of this fork protrusion is pictured below in Figure 8. 6 http://www.velonews.com/photo/91773 Figure 8: Brake housing fork protrusion. The functional requirements and design specifications for each part are presented in the following section. Cam Bracket The cam bracket is a curved aluminum piece that connects the piston rod to the cams, as well as orients the cams. Aluminum was chosen for its light weight and corrosion resistance. The FEA justification of aluminum can be found in the Analysis section. The piston rod threads into the 10-32 UNF threaded hole in the top of the cam bracket. The bottom of each leg of the cam bracket has a 1-72 UNF threaded hole for the cams to screw into. The cam bracket was designed with curved segments to strengthen the member and reduce distortion. The cam bracket is shaped so that it fits in the crown of a fork and can move through its full range of motion. The cam bracket would be cast as the surface finish is not critical and casting is relatively quick and inexpensive. 7 Cam The cams are wedge shaped pieces that transfer the vertical motion of the piston and cam bracket to the brake shoe guide. The cam has a countersunk hole through the top for the cam screws. The sides of the brake shoe guide fit in the notch that is in the middle of the cam. The bearings on the brake shoe guide roll along the faces of the prongs on either side of the cam to achieve their horizontal motion. The back surface of the cam is Teflon coated to reduce the friction between the cam and the guide post plate. Aluminum was chosen for the cam for its light weight and corrosion resistance. The cams will be cast and surface finished yielding smooth surfaces to slide on. The cam profile can be adjusted to fit the preference of the rider, which makes the braking characteristics of the system adjustable. Cam Screws The cam screws are ½ inch long with 1-72 UNF threading. The screws are stainless steel to prevent rusting. Stainless steel also has a high yield strength and is an industry standard for bicycle hardware. Piston 8 The piston is a nose-mount single acting cylinder with a spring return. The cylinder is naturally retracted with a one inch stroke length.