Project Number: MQP KZS 1102 Low Speed Motorcycle Stabilization Device A MQP Proposal Submitted to the Faculty of the WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering by ___________________________________ Adam Sears ___________________________________ Alexander Segala ___________________________________ Jessica White Date: 04/25/2012 Approved: Prof. Kenneth Stafford, Major Advisor Prof. Torbjorn Berstrom, Co-Advisor Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 7 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Objective ..................................................................................................................................... 10 2 Design Criteria ..................................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Assessment of Customer Needs ................................................................................................. 11 2.2 State of the Art ............................................................................................................................ 12 2.3 Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.1 Stability ............................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.2 Tadpole and Delta ............................................................................................................... 23 2.3.3 Design Decision ................................................................................................................... 27 3 Linkage ................................................................................................................................................ 28 3.1 Design Criteria ............................................................................................................................. 28 3.2 Preliminary Designs ..................................................................................................................... 29 3.2.1 Bell Crank ............................................................................................................................ 29 3.2.2 Expanding Leading Arm ....................................................................................................... 30 3.2.3 Expanding Trailing Arm ....................................................................................................... 31 3.3 Final Linkage Design .................................................................................................................... 32 3.3.1 Testing and Analysis ........................................................................................................... 34 4 Fluid Power ......................................................................................................................................... 39 4.1.1 Air to Hydraulic Converter ................................................................................................. 42 4.1.2 Deployment Cylinder .......................................................................................................... 44 4.1.3 Secondary Cylinder ............................................................................................................. 45 4.1.4 Testing and Analysis ........................................................................................................... 47 5 Controls System .................................................................................................................................. 49 5.1 Design Criteria ............................................................................................................................. 49 5.2 Proof of Concept ......................................................................................................................... 49 5.3 Microcontroller Selection ........................................................................................................... 52 1 5.4 Controller Input ........................................................................................................................... 54 5.5 Controller Outputs ...................................................................................................................... 56 5.5.1 Air-Hydro Converter ........................................................................................................... 56 5.5.2 Deployment Solenoid .......................................................................................................... 56 5.5.3 Secondary Solenoid............................................................................................................. 56 5.6 Programming .............................................................................................................................. 57 5.6.1 mph_sense Function ............................................................................................................ 58 5.6.2 print2screen Function .......................................................................................................... 59 5.6.3 Testing and Analysis ........................................................................................................... 60 6 Frame .................................................................................................................................................. 61 6.1 Design Criteria ............................................................................................................................. 61 6.2 Final Design ................................................................................................................................. 62 7 Manufacturing .................................................................................................................................... 63 8 Conclusions and Future Work ............................................................................................................. 67 9 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 69 Authorship .................................................................................................................................................. 70 Appendix ..................................................................................................................................................... 73 2 Table of Figures Figure 1: Customer, Howard Sears, on the Existing Motorcycle ............................................................... 10 Figure 2: Sportster Trike Conversion.......................................................................................................... 13 Figure 3: Motorcycle Outfitted with Sidecar .............................................................................................. 14 Figure 4: BRP Spyder ................................................................................................................................. 15 Figure 5: Piaggio MP3 ................................................................................................................................ 16 Figure 6: Tilting Motor Works Prototype ................................................................................................... 17 Figure 7: Ghost Wheels Unlocked at Speed (Left) Locked in Stationary Position (Right) ........................ 18 Figure 8: Motorcycle outfitted with Retract-a-Trike extended at rest (Left) in motion (Right) ................. 20 Figure 9: Motorcycle outfitted with LegUp extended at rest (Left) retracted at rest (Right)...................... 21 Figure 10: Location of the CG on the existing motorcycle ........................................................................ 23 Figure 11: Free-body diagrams for Delta and Tadpole Configurations (Three Wheeled Vehicle Dynamics) .................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 12: Rollover stability to Lateral Acceleration ................................................................................. 26 Figure 13: Rollover Velocity as a function of track width .......................................................................... 26 Figure 14: Sketch of Bell Crank Design ..................................................................................................... 30 Figure 15: Sketch of Expanding Leading Arm Design ............................................................................... 31 Figure 16: Sketch of Expanding Trailing Arm Design .................................................................................. 32 Figure 17: Coupler Curve