Team John DeereWeekly Status Report

Week 5

Josh EbelingJamari Haynes

James JuneMike RenoBen SpiveyGary TwedtWade Burch

Review of Previous Action Items

Group meeting scheduled on Friday to meet as a whole and to teleconference with other schools. Responsibility: Gary Twedt and Ben Spivey

• Met ID group members and obtained contact info

• Learned how projects were divided by school

• John Deere contacts willing to provide supplies

Revised conceptual designs from last week

Responsibility: Gary, Ben, Jamari, and James

Problem Statement: Controls

Product Idea: Gas and brake hand controls that can be effectively operated by the user.

Functional Goals: Activating and releasing the gas and brakes with a reasonable amount of effort.

Challenges: Decreasing the amount of force needed by the user to operate the controls by hand instead of foot; making the controls dependable.

Conceptual Design Review(1) Combined Cable/Pulley Control System

Pull Handle

Cable

Pulley

Brake Pedal

Pull Handle

Cable

Pulley

Brake Pedal

Pull Handle

Cable

Pulley

Brake Pedal

Conceptual Design Review(1) Combined Cable/Pulley Control System

Pros:

• One lever controls both gas and brakes

• Mechanical design meets class goals

• Ability to alter mechanical advantage with pulleys Minuses:

• Mechanical parts may require maintenance Interesting:

• Combined gas and brake in one lever

Conceptual Design Review(2) Brake/Gas Lapbar

Top View

Conceptual Design Review (2) Brake/Gas Lapbar

Pros:

• Simplicity

• Mechanical design meets class goals Minuses:

• Inability to alter mechanical advantage

• Operates using a less natural motion to brake and accelerate

Interesting:

• Few parts needed

Conceptual Design Review(3) Bicycle style brake/gas control

Conceptual Design Review (3) Bicycle style brake/gas control

Pros:

• Ability to alter mechanical advantage

• Mechanical design meets class goals

• Natural hand motion for braking/acceleration Minuses:

• Mechanical parts requiring maintenance

• Requires two hand levers

• May take time to go from gas to brake quickly Interesting:

• User has good control with hand grip motion

Conceptual Design Review (4) Steering Wheel Controls

Motor

Conceptual Design Review (4) Steering Wheel Controls

Pros:

• Control positioning allows user to maintain control of wheel while braking/acceleration

• Little modification of dash needed Cons:

• Requires knowledge of electrical controls most students don’t have

• May not have enough mechanical parts to meet class requirements

Interesting:

• Professional controls appearance

Conceptual Design Review (5) Pivot bar control

Conceptual Design Review (5) Pivot bar control

Pros:

• Natural user motion similar to airplane throttle

• High mechanical advantage with taller handle post

Cons:

• Little flexibility to have different MA for gas and brake

• Requires gas and brake pedals to be relatively aligned

Interesting:

• Throttle-like control