​Kristen Heaton
Fall 2016- Design One
Throughout this semester, I worked on a team of five people to get to know our client and end user, Elena. I also learned about bicycle measurements and the subsystems that a bicycle consists of (braking, steering, propulsion, structure, and stability). As part of this team, I sketched two different designs based upon ideas for each subsystem and then worked with my team using a Pugh chart, a morphological matrix, and design failure analysis to come to a final design.
One of my first assignments in this project was to learn about bike measurements and based upon these measurements for myself, draw my ideal bicycle.
This sketch was a result of a morphological matrix that my team and I created. Based upon different design features, I was assigned with sketching a design with each bicycle subsystem addressed. Propulsion for this design would be in form of a leg press movement that would drive the rear wheels with steering following that of a car's with controlling the front wheel by the steering wheel.
This design was also derived from the morphological matrix. This was a recumbent three wheel-design with propulsion in the form of a leg press that would drive the rear wheels with each compression by the riders legs. Steering was in the form of bars that when pushed by the rider, would change the direction of the vehicle.
As a result of different engineering decision tools, we as a team iterated our final design based upon our client's wishes for a two wheeled design. This design followed upright seating with a backrest for comfort, direct steering of the front wheel via handlebars, a step-through frame to allow our rider to mount and dismount with more ease compared to a frame with a higher top tube, and a crutch holder to allow the rider from going to walking to riding with independence.
Clicking this button will progress you to my spring semester work.