Clutch Operating Mechanism for Disabled People with Leg Amputee
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as Force Tuner lever) with the help of rod 8 and roller 9. The rod 8 is welded with the
clutch near to the clutch pedal pad. The rod 8 is fixed in the inner bore of the bearing
of the roller 9 so that the roller 9 can easily rotate about the rod axis. The roller rolls
and slides over the slot provided in the Force Tuner lever so that the clutch and the
Force Tuner can maintain the same arc during the operation of clutch engagement
and disengagement.
The Force Tuner serves as the most essential component in the assembly. It
provides mechanical advantage to the assembly so as to reduce the force required to
press the clutch pedal. The shape and size of the Force Tuner, developed for Maruti
800, are shown in Fig. 3. In the Force Tuner, a slot has been provided in which the
roller 9, as in Fig. 2, rolls so as to compensate the differences in arcs made by the
clutch and Force Tuner. The mechanical advantage is calculated as the ratio of output
force to the input force. Here, input force (F) is the force required to press the clutch
pedal which is around 200 N as required to push the clutch pedal by leg [7]. Effort
required (E) to pull the Force Tuner is calculated by the moment balance Eq. (1).
F ∗ e 1 = E ∗ e 2
(1)
where F = Force required to press clutch pedal; E = Effort required to pull the
Lever; e 1 (distance between the axis of the roller 9 to the axis of rotation of the
lever) = 10 cm; e 2 (distance between the point where effort is applied on the lever
to the axis of rotation of the Lever) = 20 cm. The required effort (E) is calculated
as 100 N. Therefore, mechanical advantage (MS) is calculated by Eq. (2). Thus, the
mechanical advantage helps the driver to easily pull the handle with one hand.
Fig. 3 Shape and size of force turner (all dimensions are in mm)
35
as Force Tuner lever) with the help of rod 8 and roller 9. The rod 8 is welded with the
clutch near to the clutch pedal pad. The rod 8 is fixed in the inner bore of the bearing
of the roller 9 so that the roller 9 can easily rotate about the rod axis. The roller rolls
and slides over the slot provided in the Force Tuner lever so that the clutch and the
Force Tuner can maintain the same arc during the operation of clutch engagement
and disengagement.
The Force Tuner serves as the most essential component in the assembly. It
provides mechanical advantage to the assembly so as to reduce the force required to
press the clutch pedal. The shape and size of the Force Tuner, developed for Maruti
800, are shown in Fig. 3. In the Force Tuner, a slot has been provided in which the
roller 9, as in Fig. 2, rolls so as to compensate the differences in arcs made by the
clutch and Force Tuner. The mechanical advantage is calculated as the ratio of output
force to the input force. Here, input force (F) is the force required to press the clutch
pedal which is around 200 N as required to push the clutch pedal by leg [7]. Effort
required (E) to pull the Force Tuner is calculated by the moment balance Eq. (1).
F ∗ e 1 = E ∗ e 2
(1)
where F = Force required to press clutch pedal; E = Effort required to pull the
Lever; e 1 (distance between the axis of the roller 9 to the axis of rotation of the
lever) = 10 cm; e 2 (distance between the point where effort is applied on the lever
to the axis of rotation of the Lever) = 20 cm. The required effort (E) is calculated
as 100 N. Therefore, mechanical advantage (MS) is calculated by Eq. (2). Thus, the
mechanical advantage helps the driver to easily pull the handle with one hand.
Fig. 3 Shape and size of force turner (all dimensions are in mm)