Effects of a Torsion Spring Used in a Flexible Delta Tricycle

Abstract

A new tilting delta tricycle is developed as a last-mile vehicle. This vehicle has a hinge between the front driver module and the rear cargo module to allow the driver to tilt while maneuvering. The driver module resembles a conventional bicycle without a rear wheel and the cargo module consists of a cargo area between two propelled rear wheels. The concept vehicle ensures proper handling qualities independent of the cargo. However, the driver module can still tip over when parked. Multiple solutions are being considered to improve the ergonomics of this vehicle. A metal-elastomer torsion spring with an integrated angle limit has the most advantages as this prevents the driver module from tipping over without requiring it to enable a mechanism while stepping off. Furthermore, the torsion system dampens vibrations while cycling and influences tilting while turning. These improvements are tested using the concept vehicle. The influence of this torsion system is calculated and validated with measurements. The influences of different torsion curves aimed to improve the low-speed stability are calculated.

Keywords

• last-mile vehicle
• flexible delta tricycle
• handling qualities torsion