Here's The Challenge

[Mark_]

Look at this thread...what an awesome display of forums should be all about. A new guy pops in and everyone pitches in to help. This is exactly what separates this forum from the others...good luck to you helimechanic.

 

Mark

[TwistedSpar]

I'd be concerned about any twisting, bending or other contortionist activities needed to release any mechanism. Think if you're in an accident...you may not have that ability to twist anything around and get the F out of the aircraft.

I think you would be wanting to look at a quick disconnect that your left hand activates, one handed but multiple inputs required.that is protected from any accidental activation by any outside force, whether it be a bird strike or a falling headset. Think of opposing buttons that index and thumb need to press simultaneously to release.

you will also want to look at a disconnect that is simple to use for others too...you may be unconcious and it's going to be someone else saving your a$$....you don't want that last few pulls to get you out being hampered by some swivelling ball attached with some wild wacky and confusing attachment.

Also don't forget to completely brief all your passengers about the use, they may be the ones who receive a medal for saving your life...make sure they get all the instruction on how to beforehand.

 

As far as approval, I'm guessing anything will have to be considered a temporary install....anything beyond that, such as permanant attachment means of any item, will likely require some serious paperwork and STC's. You want to get back to work to live your life, not get back to pay for your invention.

[Swissmatt]

true about the not being able to twist the wrist, then again, who says you have your other hand ready to free yourself .. hm .. I wonder whether the quickrelease could be built into the sleave, rather than the mechanism itself? I don't know anything about prosthetics, aka, how they attach to the limb, but if it's a matter of a quickrelease on a velcro rather than a 90 degree twist on the metal piece, sure sounds easier to me

[helimechanic]

Guy's what are your thoughts on this, guy's with prosthetic arms use this addaption to ride motorbikes?

Here's the link with more details

http://www.mertlawwill.com/prosthetic/Laww...rostheticFS.htm

It would allow for rotation and body movement like when you've got a line on and your head out the door, and should be able to be re attached in flight the designer tells me.

My office is starting to look like a preschool with everones ideas and sketches taped to the wall. I'm like a pig in mud!

 

Cheers

[TwistedSpar]

the motorcycle world is probably a good place to look for ideas, they've been tinkering for years looking at ways to keep the freedom of riding for injured riders.

 

they have it much easier though, they don't have a governing body to convince....none the less though, lots of good ideas to build on. just google it and tons of websites come up to gather info.

[206Rookie]

Twistedspar, you've got a great point there. I hadn't though of what would happen in the worse of all cases, which naturally is the one that should be considered first!

 

That motorcylce grip looks pretty promising helimechanic.

[Lee07]

Contact Rick Crout @ Bruce Jenner Aviation in Columbia, S. C. - he flies corporate jets and is typed - has left arm missing below the elbow - he has a web site - BruceJennerAviation.com - or something like that - good luck - Tyler Lee

[helimechanic]

Hey 206Rookie,

They say the simple ideas are usually the best! I really like the key chain idea, it's simple to make, easy to use, reattachable in flight and would allow for rotation of the arm. Here's a pic of my arm and grab that I'm flying with at the moment albeit taped closed for extra safety.

The carbon sleeve has a alloy end with a female threaded insert, so the shaft with the ball and plunger could screw into the end. In the picture the cable is used to close the grab, it's body powered and is attached to webbing around my left sholder like a pistol holster. We could maybe design it to allow the cable and lever device to depress the plunger and release. Funnel at the other end is a good call as it will help with realignment when I have to demo it in flight. How strong in tension do you think it would be, it's just a UH1-H takes some wrestling with the hydraulics off. Thanks again for the help!

 

Cheers

[206Rookie]

Hi helimechanic,

 

Sorry for the long delay, I had a busy work week!

 

I was thinking about a hydraulic off situation and figured that little u-joint wasn't going to handle the stress. I took inspiration from that motorcycle grip and here's what I came up with.

 

 

The finger in green is the ball lock attached to your cuff (brown). It's now in-line with your forearm which aught to reduce the shear loads. The light blue pipe represents a short cable as would be used in a bicycle hand brake system. The cable would pull up the locking pin (not shown) inside the finger to release the locking balls. It's just like the key chain except it's a pull rather than a push activation.

The white knob can is used to pull on the wire. Twisting it clockwise or counter clockwise would release the lock.

 

Here's a short description of a ball locking mechnism:

http://books.google.com/books?id=b6aD_JR4I...0338UkP7kHRd9_c

 

The socket had been modified too.

 

View from top.

 

It's now set in a gimbal to allow rotation around the pitch and roll axis. This would allow you to more comfortably position your arm. The small spaces between the red socket, the blue ring and the yellow mounting braket restricts the rotations so that the funnel will always face upwards.

 

I think this makes a stronger mount than my previous suggestion and allows for the necessary three degrees of freedom.

[opie]

Hi helimechanic,

 

I stumbled across this today, it is basically a robotic prosthetic designed by the people who made the Segway transporter. Watch the video, it is really amazing!

http://spectrum.ieee.org/video?id=221

 

Owen