Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Mechanics and Construction => Mechanics and Construction => Topic started by: curseddagger on February 03, 2010, 06:40:54 AM
-
Hey guys/girls,
Im working on a 110cc quad bike/atv in the hope of eventually making an autonomous vehicle.
I have throttle control, braking etc working but am having a little trouble finding a heavy duty method to steer the thing.
the steering is generally controlled via handlebars with a total width of about 2feet. I thought about attaching a linear actuator to the end of one of the handlebars to pull them in/out but it seems clunky and i dont think it will be strong enough.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. if you need more details, just ask!
Cheers
-
Chain drive motor with the two ends of the chain attached to each handlebar maybe. (think reins)
You'd need a powerful servo to do it.
-
Yeah thats one other possibility i considered, well sort of... i though of getting rid of the handlebars altogether (because they're huge) and mounting a sprocket in place of them which could be chain driven but the problem is finding a motor strong enough to drive it all... it requires a lot of force to turn the bars when the bike isnt moving.
-
flicking around online,
modfing a car jack to use as a linear actuator is a clunky way of doing it/ there is also a serriously high powered servo somewhere.
Ill try and find it.
-
Or you could implement some sort of power steering system depending on your budget.
-
I've seen on Mythbusters Jamie bolt a sprocket in place of the steering wheel of a car and drive the sprocket with a chain from a gear motor. I'm sure he used off the shelve parts.
-
yeah mythbusters have done allot of those things and they have been successful. and i to imagine that they would all be off the shelf parts.
so the mythbusters way seems like a very good way to do it.
-
The mythbusters were turning a power steering system. I think that your linear actuator idea is good. Linear actuators can have a worm gear or at least a lead screw. This is an area of design where the inefficiency of a worm gear or lead screw works in our favor. There are many types of drive combinations available. The back driving force needs to be considered when the wheels hit something or go over rough terrain.
I would probably have some kind of a shock dampened mounting.
You could use DC motor with potentiometer position feedback or stepper/servo.