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Ontwikkel de BikeLightSaver: "Fietsverlichting op Zonne-energie

Rutgers, Bernd (2013) Ontwikkel de BikeLightSaver: "Fietsverlichting op Zonne-energie.

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Abstract:This bachelor assignment for the study Industrial Design at the University of Twente is about the development of a solar powered bike light, the BikeLightSaver. The assignment is commissioned by ComfortSavers, located in Zeeland, a province in the Netherlands. The goal of the assignment was to develop universal front and rear bike lights, which will charge in daylight and can be used at night with the generated and stored energy. Because the bike lights have to be universal, research started at guarded and unguarded bicycle parking lots in Enschede. The characteristics of hundred different bikes and frames were mapped, which lead to the best locations to position the front and rear bike light. The front light will be placed on the bike steer and the rear light at the mounting plate on the back of the baggage rack. In order to choose the mounting method, other bike lights were examined and evaluated on theft safety, usability, sturdiness and the mounting location. The results of this evaluation showed that the best mounting method for the front light is a ring with a screw connection and the best method for the rear light is the mounting with two bolts. Besides this, the police and Dutch cyclists association were contacted about the law and regulations of bicycle lights. With the requirements that followed, an analysis of parts was performed, which showed the needed parts and a description of every part. After that, concept sketches were made which connected to the prepared mood boards of the company and target group. In cooperation with ComfortSavers and by comparing them to the design brief, three sketch directions were selected, which were developed to drafts. SolidWorks models of the solar panel, batteries and printed circuit boards were made of those three drafts. Tablet drawings of the casing were made across those CAD parts. This resulted in three draft images of which a choice has been made. The casings of the two selected drafts were modelled in SolidWorks. The final draft selection followed after this and the casing of the chosen draft has been modelled in great detail. This means that the casing was modelled the way it will be manufactured. The front and the rear light exist of two casing parts and a window that will fit in. While modelling those casing parts, it was kept in mind that they needed to be removable from their moulds and that they needed to have space for all of the internal parts, like the solar panel, the batteries and the printed circuit board. In the end, a 3D print was made from the modelled parts, with an ABS printer. This prototype gives new insight for improving the casing and it was used to test the mounting of the lights on a bicycle.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:ET: Engineering Technology
Subject:20 art studies
Programme:Industrial Design BSc (56955)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/64114
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