Deliverable: Experimentation and Sketch Models
We started this class session brainstorming again, this time looking at the bike. We discussed many ideas about how to avoid having to lift the bike too high. We considered crank/pulleys (like a drawbridge that lifted two sides of the stand up to raise the bike), or two arms that raised up to grab the brackets and lift the back wheel up.
We needed to incorporate into our new design what our community partner suggested:
-Improved foldability/ease of transport
-The stand needs to allow one person to get the bike on with ease
Our biggest departure from the previous design was moving from one connected stand, with an adjustment mechanism, to two separate parts that attached to each of the brackets. Debbie brought up this design again:
We liked the simplicity of this design, as well as the fact that we wouldn't have to worry about the width of the bike, but we needed to attach the stands to the bracket, not the hub of the bike.
We made a single upside-down T first, with a U-shaped bracket holder. We showed the idea to Amy, and after we clarified that we would make one for each side, she said (in a roundabout way) that perhaps we were on the right track to completely eliminate the mechanism for adjustment. She also suggested that we use the power of the triangle to ensure stability.
This is our design:
We went to speak with Machine Shop Larry about the welding process we'll need to use, but he wasn't in, so we'll have to wait until Thursday to double-check that this design will be feasible to produce.
Amy said that tubing and angle iron metal are cheaper than flat sheets of metal. We adjusted our design to use just the outline of the design:
Next we made a model with the correct dimensions (exact dimensions are in orange in the picture below):
Height = 16"
Base = 8" square
Bracket support: 1.5" square, all three sides
Amy ordered our material today, and we gave her our estimate of how much material (a mixture of angle iron and tubing) to buy:
220" of tubing for the frame
10" of angle iron for the bracket support
Advantages of this design:
-No screws; minimal design
-Can accommodate for bikes of any width
-Easy to use- one person can put the bike on the stands (we'll have to test this)
-Stable
-Can be made with tubing & angle iron, materials that are easily found in Nica
-Can be made with other materials, such as PVC pipe, wood, or even very stiff cardboard
Disadvantages
-On the larger side
-Two pieces may be harder to transport or keep track of
-Height cannot be adjusted- every back wheel will be lifted up to 16" off the ground. This may make a particularly smaller bike inclined at a rather steep angle, up to 6" (we'll have to test this to make sure)
We're going to consider making the stand shorter, considering the average height of ground-to-bracket distance was 12.75".
During the next class we're presenting, and hopefully we'll get feedback and suggestions for improvements. After that, we'll be making a working prototype!
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