I'm fascinated by your linear drive system and would like to learn more about it. Your design is more versatile than others I have seen. Would you kindly contact me at shannonpoint@netzero.net. S.P.
Hi James, I am designing a recumbent bike with both hand and foot power. I might use a tandem bottom bracket to combine the two but am having a hard time simplifying the hand power. It would be easy to use a circular crank but I am leaning towards a push/pull setup- linear motion. Can you tell me what parts you use to convert the dual direction linear motion to a single?
Hi James, this 2:1 ratio has been around for years BUT it takes into account the wind only. You will find that the VAWT has an APPARENT WIND direction and velocity, with wake vortices both internally and externally. How ever the Pure drag type as you have designed here is very powerful and is suitable for things like lifting water and grinding grain because of it's very low RPM and very high torque.
James, if you shape the blades like a symmetrical airplane wing pivoting at about 20% of chord there must also be a version possible whereby the blade arms stay fixed and each blade rotates on its own pitch axis in synch with the wind direction indicator. Together there will be a positively contributing torque. Right?
This is spot on mathematically. For youtube you need to make a simple model showing how a metal weight will rotate a wheel using your layout contrasting with the conventional pedal layout. The sliders look a bit heavy. I drew a similar outline and came to the same conclusions about 2 feet together or alternating. I thought a cable/thin chain between feet and over the frame would feel more natural.Emphasise easier rides up hills , it would appeal to more people. Nice work.
@James12345cb Yes, there is always a room for creating better different ones in every product category. I just hoped to suggest "Less but Better - Dieter Rams" :-)
Some prior arts related to @whpthomas 's mention - 1890s Pony Star Bicycle - 2000s StringBike I think your solution is positioned between Pony Star and StringBike ;-)
You should have read the book Bicycle Science first, before making claims like 50% energy wasted... Linear drives have been studied extensively. It turns out that the way out muscles work, they are more efficient when we recruit leg muscles in an elliptical motion, rather than a linear motion which recruits only a limited muscle group - which becomes fatigued quicker. Good effort, thought and a nice approach, but you should do a bit more research of the prior art in the field.
Yeah, our legs are perfect pistons we only need a crank. He is setting another set of pistons only to make it heavier. The best thing to do would be a direct drive from legs to wheel if you could get the balance right and also a compact integrated gear system
I think your design is good and your presentation is great. Only suggestion I have would be to add supports at the ends of the blades to reduce defliction.
