John Deere TeamWeekly Status Report

Week 3

Josh EbelingJamari Haynes

James JuneMike RenoBen SpiveyGary Twedt

Project: Modification of Gator for Handicap Accessibility Task assigned by John Deere is

the open-ended modification of their six wheeled Gator Utility Vehicle to facilitate handicapped accessibility

Two primary suggestions: wheelchair hoisting mechanism and controls modification

Review of Previous Action Items Continued contact with Bobby and other John Deere

personnel to facilitate web conferencing with teams at other schools. Responsibility: Gary Twedt

Informed that other school began school this week; the goal is to make contact with other schools this week or next week.

Review of Previous Action Items Continued updating of webpage with relevant

documents. Responsibility: Gary Twedt Webpage has been updated to include the weekly

deliverables from the first two weeks and relevant documents created by the previous team.

Contact information has been updated for new team members.

Review of Previous Action Items Contact companies for information and advice on

incorporating wheelchairs as the driver seat on the Gator vehicle and possibly obtain free equipment to test. Responsibility: Ben Spivey

Met with a physical therapist from Emory’s Center for Rehabilitation Medicine and decided not to incorporate the wheelchair as a driver’s seat after discussion due to the customization needed for wheelchairs.

Established connection with a representative from National Seating and Mobility.

A folding wheelchair was donated by Diane Beckwith from ECRM.

Review of Previous Action Items Investigate preliminary design possibilities for

implementation of steering wheel-controlled gas and brake pedals. Responsibility: Josh Ebeling

Developed a couple ideas for a mechanical hand-controlled gas and brake system but decided that the wheelchair hoist was more suitable for this project.

Team has decided to make the wheelchair hoist the primary objective but will leave open the possibility for designing handicapped-accessible controls permitted the primary objective is being met.

Review of Previous Action Items Investigate preliminary design possibilities for

wheelchair hoisting mechanism. Responsibility: Mike Reno and James June

Possibilities considered include placing the wheelchair on roll-bars mounted above passenger seats, placing it in the bed, or placing it in front of the passenger seat.

Team has decided to move forward with a hoist located in the bed which will transfer the folded wheelchair into the bed behind the driver seat.

Problem Statement Product Idea: semi-automatic hoist that lifts wheelchair

into bed while retaining a majority of bed storage space.

Market Need: John Deere customers have requested an option to assist with transferring their wheelchairs into the Gator, a currently unavailable feature.

Functional Goals: Lifting and lowering wheelchairs, positioning wheelchair, and collapsing hoist when not in use.

Challenges: robustness under moment loading conditions, minimize usage of cargo space

Design Partition Grasping Function

• Challenges: wheelchairs disassemble when lifted, variance of wheelchair assemblies

Folding Function• Challenges: wheelchairs lifted by seat typically

Lifting Function• Challenges: moment loading, space limitations,

power for automatic device

Design Partition Reverse Function

• Challenges: designing the device to reverse previously mentioned functions

Project Plan Project Responsibility Assignment

• Group Management: Gary Twedt• CAD/FEA Support: Ben Spivey• All members will be involved with concept

development, drawing support, report writing, etc.

Project Plan Short-term Project Timeline

• 9/8- Complete 5 Conceptual Designs• 9/15- Patent Search Completed

Long-term Project Timeline• 9/29- Mid-term Presentation• 10/20- Engineering Analysis• 11/24- Prototype Review Completed• 12/1- Final Project Submitted

Current Action Items Conduct patent/product search for products similar to

wheelchair hoist. Responsibility: All team members Develop at least five feasible concepts with written

description, sketches, and analysis of advantages and disadvantages.