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Category: Recreation

Foot And Hand Cycle

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---- PROTOTYPE --------- PURPOSE: To create a prototype of an exercise vehicle for persons with varying physical disabilities that prevents beneficial physical exercise through traditional cycling. The Foot and Hand Cycle, First Iteration (FAHC1) allows the rider to use both the hands and feet to power a tricycle intended for street use. The FAHC1 combines the ergonomics of an elliptical aerobics machine with the traditional pedal and gear system of a recumbent bicycle for its power train. The tricycle is composed of two wheels in the front and one wheel behind the seat. For its frame and other structural components, the FAHC1 uses round steel tubing. A rack and pinion steering system is connected to the power arms to translate the steering motion to an Ackerman setup at the front wheels. The seat is padded with weather-proof material and has shocks on the rear base to isolate the rider from vibrations. This cycle has hydraulic hand brakes on the rear wheel. It has a firm upright seat with high visibility that sits at a comfortable height. The three-wheeled design is stable. The widest geometry of the frame does not exceed 30 inches which allows the vehicle to pass through a standard doorway with the front wheels removed. The force required to initiate motion is comfortable for our sponsor and tester for whom the cycle is designed. The cycle can be started from rest by the arms, legs or a combination of arms and legs. Testing results indicated that the vehicle has comparable cruising speed to a standard road bicycle with testing speeds easily reaching 25 miles per hour. The force required to initiate motion is slightly higher than a traditional bike design using foot power only because the power stroke is initiated normal to the pull of gravity; however, with the addition of hand power, initiating motion is relatively easy and sustaining a constant velocity required the same or less force than a bicycle. The steering is intuitive and easy to control after an average of 10 minutes training on the vehicle. The minimum turning radius is larger than a traditional bike at approximately 13 feet. During the final phase of testing, the suggestions for improvement include shortening the length of the foot crank pedal from 7 to 6 inches, shortening the total travel of the power arms from 15 to 12 inches, and raising the seat by 1.5 inches. The cost to produce the prototype is $2188.00 in materials. TITLE: The Foot and Hand Cycle: First Iteration. JOURNAL: NSF 2010 Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons with Disabilities. REF: Chapter 6: pp. 42-43. PAGES: 3 with cover. 2010. WEB: http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu/2010/CHAPTER%206%20CALIFORNIA%20POLYTECHNIC....

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as of: 
08/08/2013
Foot And Hand Cycle