30. Mechanical Cookbook

• This book should be used to generate ideas.

• When designing you may have a general idea of some function in the final mechanism, try to find a reasonable match for the desired functions here.

30.1 Transforming Devices

• Typical inputs and outputs can be characterized using the following terms

motion type (rotation, translation, other)

intermittent/continuous/variable

limited/unlimited range

uni- or bidirectional

axis of rotation/line of action

force/velocity ratios

• The conversions between these can typically convert some input to an output

• Use tables, like those on pgs 105-108 in Erdman and Sandor.

Problem 30.1 Consider the mechanism in an automobile between the engine and the rear wheels. At the engine there is a torque shaft that turns effectively over a limited range of angular velocities. We need to transmit the torque to the back tires of an automobile. a) Describe the overall inputs and outputs. b) Breaks the differences down into smaller increments. c) Select components from the text that would serve the various functions.

30.2 References

30.1 Erdman, A.G. and Sandor, G.N., Mechanism Design Analysis and Synthesis, Vol. 1, 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall, 1997.