tiltmaniac
Zen MBB Master
For those who followed what was happening with the first prototype, I wanted to let people know that there is slow progress on prototype #2, which is still in the design phase.
The first prototype used a cam and cam follower arrangement that caused the rear end to 'lift' a millimeter or so when tilting to +-15 deg. While this worked, making the prototype robust enough to last any real amount of time was going to add too much weight, so I wanted to do something better.
In prototype 2, I hope to significantly reduce the amount of weight needed to do a balance assist (i.e. lifting the rear end up ever so slightly as one tilts to +-15deg of vertical).
I think I've found a way to do that, and am slowly working on modeling it in my CAD program.
Like prototype #1, swingarms are still going to be used.
The bellcrank will be fixed (unlike in prototype #1, where the bellcrank would move closer/farther from the swingarm axle depending on tilt angle), as in a standard tilting trike with swingarms (like the MunzoTT, etc.).
The 'special' thing is that there will also be a cable that is wrapped around the swingarm (where it covers the swingarm axle). It'll be something that is like a pulley wheel. Unlike a regular pulley wheel, it won't be completely round. Instead, it will have a larger radius corresponding to the place where the tilt angle is +- 15deg.
The pullrods will be jointed in the middle (and may well be chains), and attached to the cable which wraps the pulley wheel.
The additional weight for this should be relatively minimal. Safety wise, in the unlikely event that the balance assist cable snaps, there is the normal 'pullrod' to keep things from getting messy, and if you don't like the balance assist, you just disconnect the cable and get a regular tilting trike.
If folks find it interesting, I can post pictures of the napkin drawings
The first prototype used a cam and cam follower arrangement that caused the rear end to 'lift' a millimeter or so when tilting to +-15 deg. While this worked, making the prototype robust enough to last any real amount of time was going to add too much weight, so I wanted to do something better.
In prototype 2, I hope to significantly reduce the amount of weight needed to do a balance assist (i.e. lifting the rear end up ever so slightly as one tilts to +-15deg of vertical).
I think I've found a way to do that, and am slowly working on modeling it in my CAD program.
Like prototype #1, swingarms are still going to be used.
The bellcrank will be fixed (unlike in prototype #1, where the bellcrank would move closer/farther from the swingarm axle depending on tilt angle), as in a standard tilting trike with swingarms (like the MunzoTT, etc.).
The 'special' thing is that there will also be a cable that is wrapped around the swingarm (where it covers the swingarm axle). It'll be something that is like a pulley wheel. Unlike a regular pulley wheel, it won't be completely round. Instead, it will have a larger radius corresponding to the place where the tilt angle is +- 15deg.
The pullrods will be jointed in the middle (and may well be chains), and attached to the cable which wraps the pulley wheel.
The additional weight for this should be relatively minimal. Safety wise, in the unlikely event that the balance assist cable snaps, there is the normal 'pullrod' to keep things from getting messy, and if you don't like the balance assist, you just disconnect the cable and get a regular tilting trike.
If folks find it interesting, I can post pictures of the napkin drawings
Last edited:
