instructables

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair

by ankarnaz1

Our company, Jesus Take the Wheel, was asked by
the Free Wheelchair Mission to design a lever driver
mechanism for their wheelchairs. Our group decided
to make a design that is more similar to a hand-
pedaling mechanism than a lever arm. Our pedaling
mechanism is designed almost similar to a bike
pedaling system with its multiple gears and chain.
Our main sprocket is designed to have custom holes,
which act as our multiple gears. Our intention is that
the different gears will allow our wheelchair to
function through different terrains by using a handle
that is allowed to transition between gears using a
key and locking system.

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 1

Step 1: Addressing the Market and Population Needs
Current Market: In the market today, there are
multiple designs of lever arm wheelchairs that are
already being put to use. According to the Journal of
Medical Engineering & Technology, “[l]ever-propelled
wheelchairs have been described as more efficient
and less physically demanding than hand-rim
propelled wheelchairs” (van der Woude, Veeger, et
al.). However, there are many problems and
constraints with the designs and use of lever arm
living with disabilities in third world countries are
faced with the challenges of living around rugged
terrain and varying doorway sizes where it may be
difficult for them to maneuver around. According to
the Medical Science Monitor, “[f]or many of the
disabled, a wheelchair is a critical source of mobility
which aids independence and integration into society,
including their ability to earn a livelihood. For disabled
children, a wheelchair aids their cognitive and
psychosocial development” (Shore and Juillerat).
Market Value: From the wheelchairs provided by
Free Wheelchair Mission,the “cost to produce, ship,
assemble, and deliver the chair to recipients was
$59.20 worldwide” (Shore and Juillerat). However,
recipients were able to receive “local and national
fundraising efforts,” and the “wheelchairs are provided
free of charge to recipients” (Shore and Juillerat).
Market and Value Proposition: As a way to address
wheelchair users who may have upper extremity
weakness and need to propel themselves through
rough terrain in third world countries, our company
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 2
wheelchairs in the market today, like the inability to
spin in place efficiently.
Population Needs: Our wheelchair design would be
going towards “people in the world living with
disabilities, many of whom do not have equal access
to medical care, education, and employment. This is
particularly true for those living in low and middle-
income countries” (Shore and Juillerat). Also, people
has designed a mechanism with hand pedaled
sprockets, allowing them to go farther and faster in
their wheelchair without having to use the push rim.
References:
1. van der Woude L. H. V., Veeger H. E. J., de Boer
Y. & Rozendal R. H. (2009) Physiological evaluation
of a newly designed lever mechanism for
wheelchairs, Journal of Medical Engineering &
Technology, 17:6, 232-240, DOI:
10.3109/03091909309006331
2. Shore S., Juillerat S. The impact of a low cost
wheelchair on the quality of life of the disabled in the
developing world. Medical Science Monitor:
International Medical Journal of Experimental and
Clinical Research. 2012;18(9):CR533-CR542.
doi:10.12659/MSM.883348.
3. freewheelchairmission.org
Step 2: The Game Plan

In order to figure out how we were going to try to solve the problem we had multiple brainstorming session. As you
will see our final design was different from the sketches in beginning. As we tested we encountered obstacles that
didn’t anticipate, and that’s great because that’s how we learned.

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 3

Step 3: Designing the Small Sprocket in Solidworks
The sprocket located on the release axle of the
outside of the wheelchair tire is positioned so that it
moves in relation to the main sprocket where the
handle is attached. As the consumer applies force to
the handle, the main driving sprocket will move
causing the chain to move, and lastly, the smaller
sprocket on the tire to rotate. After researching gear
ratios and understanding how bike gears work, we
decided to create a 3:1 ratio between our sprockets.
This is the average gear ratio for bikes and we
believe that it would be the most effective for this
project. Therefore, the smaller sprocket has ten teeth
while the larger has 30 teeth.
Through much effort and design changes, the driven
sprocket was designed to be able to attach to the
custom push-fit shaft using nuts and bolts. A driven
gear on McMasterCarr was used as a basic template
for the final design. The original part contained two
different holes, and a key hole on the driven gear. All
of these components were deleted using Solidworks
in order to design this part with the necessary
personalized components for our project.
First, I sketched a circle with a diameter of 1.100
inches on the flat side of the driven sprocket. I then
used extrude cut to create a cylindrical hole that went
product, if you so choose. Driven gear is another
name for our small sprocket.
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 4
through the whole sprocket. This step is necessary in
order for the driven sprocket to slide over the custom
shaft part. Two symmetrical circles were then
sketched onto the driven sprocket using hole wizard.
These circles were 180 degrees apart from each
other and had a diameter of 0.26 inches. These holes
were then aligned to the holes created on the custom
shaft in order to secure the two parts together using a
bolt and a nut.
The first figure above showcases the multiple steps
taken to create the smaller sprocket in SolidWorks.
Step 1 presents the original downloaded SolidWorks
gear from McMaster Carr. The product can be found
on McMaster Carr using the product ID number
6280K323, this product is a sprocket with ten teeth
and can be used with an ANSI 35 Chain. After
downloading the part, I deleted the extra components
that it contained; such as, the keyhole, screws, and
extra holes. After doing so, in Step 2 I changed the
dimension of the inner diameter to 1.1000 inches.
Following this, in Step 3 I used Hole Wizard to
successfully create two holes aligned 180 degrees
away from each other. Each hole containing a
diameter of 0.26 inches.
The STL file will give you the ability to 3D print the
 https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FM7/H1MR/JI4TW9F2/FM7H1MRJI4TW9F2.stl
… Download

Step 4: Designing the Custom Shaft

The custom part was designed to act as a shaft in
order to secure the driven sprocket to the tire of the
wheelchair. The design mimicked the custom shaft
that we had made in class together. For this specific
part, I used a top down assembly design in order to
create the custom shaft in regards to the hexagonal
bolt at the center of the wheelchair tire. First, I used
the solidworks file that contained the assembled tire
and created a reference plane parallel to the center
bolt. Second, I used convert entities to replicate the
outline of the hexagonal bolt and the inner circular
shape of the release axle onto the reference plane
that was previously created. This outline of the circle
and hexagonal bolt was then used as my base sketch
for the custom part. In order to add volume to this
sketch, extrude boss was used to create the
cylindrical shape of the part. This part was extruded
3.28 inches from the base. Lastly, I sketched two
symmetrical circles with diameters of 0.26 inches
onto the shaft. I used hole wizard to cut through the
whole shaft and create two holes exactly 180 degrees
apart. These holes will later be aligned to custom
holes in the driven gear allowing the two parts to be
secured with a bolt and nut. The holes of the shaft
were created so that they were 1.57 inches away
from the end that is sticking away from the release
axle.
This custom shaft is secured onto the hexagonal bolt
of the tire using a push fit. This means that it will need
a small amount of physical force to shove the shaft
onto the hexagonal bolt. After doing so successfully,
the custom shaft will be able to mold to the area it is
shoved into and act as a bridge between the tire and
the driven sprocket.
This figure showcases the steps taken to achieve the
custom shaft. Step one, we utilized convert entities to
replicate the outline of the hexagonal bolt along with
the circle of the release axle of the wheelchair tire to
a reference plane. Step two, we used extrude boss to
add depth to our part. Finally, in step three, hole
wizard was used to create two symmetrical holes with
a diameter of 0.26 inches. These holes were placed

1.57 inches away from the end opposite of the keyhole.

release axle in order to allow the proper alignment of
the smaller sprocket to the larger main gear with

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 5

Step 5: Designing the Butterfly Bar and Support System in Solidworks

To begin with, create a sketch from the Top View,
showing the direction of the pipe and adding
dimensions of 60 mm and 279.40 mm, perpendicular.
From the Front View, create another sketch by using
the endpoint as the center of the circle with diameter
of 27.85 mm. This might take a couple of tries
because there are two different sketches.
Once you completed this task, you use the Sweep
Extrude feature. The blue profile should be the circle
sketch and the pink profile should be the direction of
the pipe. This will happen naturally, as the Sweep
feature will use the blue profile as a reference,
following the path of the pink profile.
interior mass of this part. For this part, Shell, 1 mm to
create the illusion of a pipe. To cut a hole in this pipe
that will allow a screw to go through, start off with a
plane.
Go to Reference Geometry and click Plane. Using the
Front Plane as a reference, set the distance to be 60
mm. From here, you can sketch a circle, and using
dimensions, 137 mm, 13 mm, and a diameter of 8
mm. Extrude cut, through all to get the cut. You can
play around with the edge, by using the Fillet feature
to round out that ‘ugly’ edge, with maximum fillet of
13.00 mm. You are finished with the butterfly for your
wheelchair!

From here, use the Shell feature to remove the

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 6

Step 6: Designing the Sprocket With Keyholes in Solidworks
The larger sprocket is attached to our wheelchair
using the butterfly bar, and that is designed with our
multiple “gear” holes. Our sprocket also contains
keyholes and a locking system that will allow our
handle to transition between gears as well as keeping
the handle in place while the gear is in motion. For
the base feature sketch of our main sprocket, a flat
sprocket from McMaster-Carr was used. The part
downloaded from the website has a product ID
number 2299K55 or you could search “sprockets” and
click on Roller Chain Sprockets, then Flat Chain
Sprockets for ANSI Roller Chain and then choose the
appropriate sprocket that contains 30 teeth and
corresponds to the ANSI 50 chain.
Once the part is downloaded into SolidWorks, we had
to customize the sprocket so that it was designed to
have our gear and key holes, as well as a hole for the
screw that will connect the latches onto the sprocket.
If we were to cut the sprocket in half and we use that
half circle to sketch our gears, keys, and screw holes
on there.
First, we wanted to sketch three circles that will act as that was created as our gear holes. From there, we
also used the through all extrude cut feature.
Fourth, we created holes for the screws that will
attach our latches for our locking system by sketching
three small circles with a diameter of 2.9000 mm and
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 7
our “gears” and we made each circle to have a
diameter of 15.2400 mm. Also, we wanted those
holes’ center points to be vertically aligned to the
sprocket’s center point, and the bottom circle’s center
point to have a distance of 25.4000 mm from
sprocket’s center point. Next, we chose the extrude
cut feature and set it up as through all so the holes
cut through the whole sprocket.
Second, we created the transitions for the handle
onto the sprocket by first sketching a rectangle that
starts from the top circle’s center point to the bottom
circle’s center point and it has a height of 36.3568
mm and a length of 5.0800 mm. Then we also used
the through all extrude cut feature for the transitions.
Third, we created the key holes that will be attached
to the handle by sketching a circle with a diameter of
6.3500 mm, and where its center point is horizontal to
the center point of the circle that was created in the
first step. Also, we made sure the center point of the
circle was touching the left, outer edge of the original
circle. We repeat this step for each of the three circles
we sketched those above and to the left of the key
holes that were created in the previous step. From
there, we used the through all extrude cut feature.
Step 7: Designing the Latches in Solidworks

Making these latches are fairly simple! Start of with a
sketch on the front plane. Use the Slot sketch feature.
However, you will need to click the drop-down arrow
to see the Centerpoint Arc Slot. Use the origin as the
centerpoint that will allow this part to be fully defined
easier. Now it is time to add dimensions! Dimension
the arcs with a radius of 3 mm, the centerline of 9 mm
and the inner radius, closer to the origin, of 11 mm.
Extrude this sketch by 0.5 mm. Now, you either
choose Hole Wizard or manually, sketch and a circle.
Either way is correct, just make sure you dimension
the hole with a diameter of 3 mm, and use the
concentric relation to fully define this sketch.

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 8

Step 8: Designing the Handle (Key) in Solidworks
Our handle is designed cohesively with our gear box
as a ‘key and lock’ system. This part essentially has
two “keys”, each with its own distinct purpose. Two
inches into the handle resides the first key, who
functions primarily as the entity permitting the user to
switch in and out from different gears. The second
key at the base of the part enables the handle to be
initially inserted into the gear box, however it’s 45
degree offset from the first key ensures that when our
user may be switching from gear to gear, the handle
simply is not completely removed from the gear box.
This part was designed off of a series of small,
individual boss extrudes in order to implements each
feature. We started by sketching a .4” diameter circle
concentric with the origin and extrude bossed blindly
2.375”. After doing so, we sketched a .27” by .22”
rectangle, with one .17” side coincident and midpoint
with the origin, on the base of the cylinder. This was
then boss extruded .125” with its direction facing into
the preexisting cylinder. This “key” permits the user to
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 9
shift in and out of desired gears.
From there, we sketched a .12” diameter circle ,
concentric with the first cylinder, on the base of the
current handle, and extrude bossed .1” outwards.
With this additional small cylindrical region, users are
able to transition from gear to gear without having to
physically remove the handle during movement.
Finally, to finish the handle, we needed to create the
base “key”. Sketching again from the base of our last
created transitionary cylinder, we created another
circle .4” in diameter. We then created another
rectangle, with the same dimensions, however laying
perpendicular and to the left of the first. Since both
the sketched circle and rectangle are overlapping, the
trim entities tool was utilized to remove the any
unnecessary pieces, leaving only the perimeter of our
sketch. This piece could then be extrude bossed
.125” outwards from our part to create our base “key”.
Step 9: Designing the Cover in Solidworks

For safety purposes, we decided to include a cover
around the driving gear to prevent our uses from
hurting themselves. To design the cover on
SOLIDWORKS, we first have to open a new part and
create a sketch. The first sketch is a circle with its
center at the origin and have its dimension be
190.5mm. Next, you use the feature Extruded
Boss/Base and extrude the circle by 6.35mm. Then,
you create another sketch with the dimensions shown
in the first figure above. After that, you use the
Revolved Boss/Base feature for 180 degrees. Next,
you create another sketch on the design for the screw
to enter. The dimension of the sketched circle is
8.89mm. Then, you use the Extruded Cut feature to
cut the hole. The design should look like the second
figure above.

Step 10: Assembly in Solidworks

Butterfly Bar with Clamp-on Frame Fitting Insert Components: Main Sprocket and Small
Sprocket made in the prior. Mate the Main Sprocket
We are about to do one of the major assemblies that using both Concentric and Coincident. For the
is needed for your wheelchair. This next part can be concentric mates, use the arcs and in the inner radii,
obtained at www.mcmaster.com. Search this part and for the coincident mate use the origins. You will
called Clamp-On Frame Fitting or the part number see that this is still not ‘fixed.’ To avoid this, mate a
2534T210. Click on the part number ID and it will take line to the top plane.
you to another page, where it shows you the
Engineering Drawing of this part. The page should We are a step closer! Go to your Assembly menu and
look like this. Download this part into your folder and click on the drop-down arrow of Assembly Features,
as you will see an option to add a Belt/Chain. For
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 10
 as you will see an option to add a Belt/Chain. For
open this part into SolidWorks. Next, click on the
your Belt Members, make sure you click on one the
drop-down menu and click Make Assemblyfrom Part.
crests of the both gears. You will see a preview, in
You also need to Insert Component and add the
yellow and bold. Click the green check and you are
butterfly bar that you created prior to this assembly.
ready to add your links. To find these parts, search
part number ID, 6261K194 and 6261K244, on
Now it is time to mate! On the Assembly menu, you
mcmaster.com. Download these two parts and Insert
can find the Mate option. First, mate the outer surface
Components.
of the bar with the inner surface of the clamp. This will
be mated by a concentric mate. Now, this mate is a
To make the chain, there is a feature under Linear
bit tricky! You will mate the outer edge of the bar with
Component Pattern. In this drop-down menu, click the
some edge in the clamp. (Do not worry, this is just a
Chain Pattern Feature, that will do the chain with two
section view to show you this mate!) This will be
simple links. For the Pitch Method, click the third
mated by the tangent mate.
button because this will make sure that the chain will
not have any gaps between links. For Sketch Path,
You are done with this assembly!
use the sketch that was created in the Belt/Chain and
click on Fill to Path.
Gear Assembly Mechanism

These next few steps are going to be a bit tough, and

We are about to do another assembly that will be a
a little bit of trial and error. For the Chain Group 1,
little difficult, but not impossible. You will also need
click on of the Adding Link. Then, click on the inner
this for your wheelchair, as it will provide the
surfaces, as SolidWorks will automatically move
accessible to move your wheelchair.
down. For the Path Alignment Plane, for both links,
just make sure you are clicking the front plane of the
We start of with a Reference Assembly. This is more
links. Do the same for Chain Group 2, just make sure
of a sketch, so we, as the designer, can know where
you are clicking on the outer surfaces of the
to place the gears, in our assembly. Sketch an arc on
Connecting Links. Remember this will take some time
the Front Plane, making sure that the origin of the arc
because you got to make sure that the chain will be
is coincident with the origin in SolidWorks. Sketch a
between the outer faces of the gears.
line from the endpoint of the arc to an arbitrary
distance. Connect this line with another arc, and
Once you are good to go, you will see that the chain
finish it off with a line. Have the bigger arc with a
will not move with the gears. To fix this, mate the
dimension of radius of 80.26 mm and the smaller arc
surface of the Adding Link to one of the edge in the
with a radius of 29.19 mm. The lines should have a
gear. This will, of course, move this Adding Link, to
length of 426.58 mm. You will probably have an
that destination. However, there is an option, under
under defined sketch, by this point. To make this fully
Mechanical Mates, that will fix this problem, called
defined, use Add Relations to make the arc and lines
Gear Mate. Once you click the green check, you are
tangent to each other. Also, have the origins of the
done with this major assembly!
arcs, horizontal to each other. Once this is fully
defined, you are ready to Make Assembly from
To finish off our assembly of the gear mechanism, we
Part/Assembly.
need to add and secure our latches for the keyholes,

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 11

ensuring that the handle key will not be accidentally
removed during operation. After inserting the latch
into assembly, you concentric mate the edge of the
hole of the latch with the the edge of the keyhole of
the main sprocket, aligning the two. Next, you
coincident mate the base face of the latch with the
outerface of the main sprocket, now placing the latch
directly against the sprocket. From there, we need to
secure the latch and sprocket with an appropriate
screw fastener. We can choose a suitable
McMasterCarr screw (92314A110) and start by
aligning it to our latch and sprocket by adding a
concentric meet between the bottom edge of the
screw and the edge of the hole of the latch. Then, we
lay the screw flat on top of the latch by a coincident
mate between the face of the base of the screw head
at the outer face of the latch. Finally, we restrict
rotation of our screw by mating its top plane parallel
with the top plane of the the assembly. Our screw can
then be secured in place with its corresponding
McMasterCarr nut (91841A005). We again start by
aligning it with the screw with a concentric mate
between the outermost edge of the nut hole and the
bottom edge of the screw. From there, we add an
essential screw mate, which is a mechanical mate.
To do this, we mate the axis of our screw with the
outermost thread of the nut, and set the revolutions
per mm to 20 to replicate the rotation of the nut. To
create an axis in our screw, we can click on reference
axis in our features, and choose the right and top
planes, since these are perpendicular. Finally, we
mate the base of the nut coincident with the
outermost face of the sprocket, locking the nut in
place. Repeat for the additional two latches.*
Now that you have your Gear Assembly Mechanism,
you can then insert that subassembly to the
wheelchair. From there, we start with a concentric
mate between the inner round face of a screw hole of
the small sprocket of the Gear Assembly Mechanism
with the inner round face of a screw hole of the
Custom Shaft, aligning the two pieces. Next, we
center the Custom Shaft inside the small sprocket
with an additional concentric mate between the
innermost round face of the sprocket with the outer
round face of the Custom Shaft. The small sprocket
must then be secured to the Custom shaft with an
appropriate fastener. Here, we can use McMasterCarr
part 91253A550. After creating an axis in the screw
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 12
using the two plane method explained above, we can
insert the component into our assembly. The bottom
edge of the screw is first mated concentrically with
the inner face of the screw hole of the small sprocket.
We then insert our corresponding McMasterCarr nut,
part 95462A029. Here, we can concentric mate the
outermost edge of the nut hole and the base edge of
the screw aligning the two. Furthermore, a screw
mate is applied using the axis of our screw and the
outermost thread of the nut, at 20 revolutions per mm.
To lock the nut into place, we implement a tanger
mate between the outermost round face of the small
sprocket and the innermost flat face of the nut.
Finally, we can prevent the rotation of the nut and
screw by applying a parallel mate between both of
their right planes.
Next, we can input our second subassembly, the
Butterfly Bar with Closed-Clamp. To assemble the
closed clamp on the armrest of the chair, we begin
with a concentric mate between the innermost round
edge of the top clamp and the edge of the wheelchair
armrest indicative the start of its gradual taper,
aligning the two pieces. Then, in order to prevent the
undesired free movement of the Butterfly Bar around
the armrest, we can coincident mate the front plane of
the assembly with the top plane of the Butterfly Bar
with Closed-Clamp assembly. Next, we need to set
the Butterfly Bar assembly position correctly on the
armrest. We can do so using a Distance Mate
between the outermost round face of the top clamp
with the round face of the Gen 2 Left Frame/Frame of
the wheelchair, and set it to 127.186mm.
From here, we can begin with adding some finishing
touches to the main sprocket. We start by inserting
two abrasion resistant cushioning washers from
McMasterCarr, part 90131A102. Once inserted, the
inner edge of the washer hole is concentrically mated
with edge of the hole of the main sprocket. We can
then coincident mate the innermost face of the
washer with the outermost face of the main sprocket,
thus aligning the washer and laying it flat on the
outside of the sprocket. We can additionally restrain
its rotation by creating a coincident mate between the
top plane of the Gear Assembly Mechanism and the
top plane of the washer. This same process can then
be repeated with the second washer, however using
a coincident mate between its outermost face and the
innermost face of the main sprocket. Next, we need concentricity and screw mates. However, it becomes
to add a fastener to connect our main sprocket to the a little bit difficult to create a coincident mate between
butterfly bar, specifically McMasterCarr part the flat face of the nut and the round face of the
92620A553. With this screw, we can create a butterfly bar. So instead, we implement a distance
concentric mate between the bottom edge of the mate between the outermost face of the nut and the
screw and the inner round edge of the washer, innermost face of the Driven Gear Cover and set to
aligning the two. The screw can then be placed flat on 36mm, placing it at the edge of the butterfly bar. Now
the washer with a coincident mate between the that all our components are in place, we must restrict
bottom face of its head with the outer face of the the rotation of the Driven Gear Cover, ensuring that
washer. We can finally restrict screw rotation with a it’s doing its job of protecting our users. Using an
perpendicular mate between the top plane of the angle mate of 65.9 degrees, between the right plane
assembly and the top plane of the screw. With our of the Driven Gear Cover and the top plane of the
screw in place and through the main sprocket, we can assembly, we can maximize protection from any
add a nut, part 94895A029, in order to secure the possibly harm from the main sprocket. Last but not
placement of the sprocket. With this nut, we will need least, we insert our handle into the assembly. From
to align it with the screw using a concentric mate here, we can apply a concentric mate the large inner
between its outermost edge and the base edge of the round face of one of the three handle holes in the and
screw. We can similarly implement a screw mate with the smallest cylindrical face of the handle. We can
the outermost thread of the nut and the axis of the then apply one final coincident mate between the
screw, and setting it to 20 revolutions per mm. The innermost small rectangular key face and the
outermost face of the screw can subsequently be outermost face of the main sprocket. With only these
coincidently mated with the exposed face of the two mates in place, the handle can be twisted
innermost washer, laying it flat. Next, we proceed by mimicking its movement between the keys and
inserting the Driven Gear Cover. The inner round keyholes that would occur for the user when wanting
edge of the hole of the cover will be concentrically to switch to a different location on the main sprocket
mated with the base edge of the screw, aligning the
two. Afterwards, we can utilize the outermost face of After repeating this long process for the opposite side
the nut we just previously added, and create a of the wheelchair, we can come to our final design!
coincident mate between that and the inner face of
the Driven Gear Cover, laying the two flat. We then
attached another 94895A029 screw using the same
process just previously stated, however using a
coincident mate between the outermost face of the
nut and the innermost face of the Driven Gear Cover.
Now, we need to attach our screw holding our main
sprocket, Driven Gear Cover, washers, and nuts to
the butterfly bar. Due to the fact that the hole position
of the butterfly bar was created due to a series of trial
and error, it would be inconvenient to use the typical
concentric mate between the hole and the screw. We
however instead could use a distance mate between
the inner round face of the butterfly bar’s screw hole
and the very tiny flat edge of the thread of the screw,
and set it to 0.05mm. Due to the clearance of the
butterfly bar’s screw hole, the screw is set inside,
perhaps just slightly off center. To finish off the
securing of the screw to the butterfly bar, we add one
final 94895A029 nut to the end of the screw against
the butterfly bar using the same processes of

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 13

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 14
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 15
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 16
Step 11: Prototype Designing
After you are done with everything in Solidworks you
get to start prototyping! This is the fun and frustrating
part. Things begin falling together and falling apart all
at the same time. You need to decide to materials,
analyze your costs, and make some tough decisions.
Look at the images for our specific parts choices and
their information.
Tolerances
We needed a locational clearance fit for our ¼”-20
screws on our holes for the PVC pipe, therefore we
created holes with a tolerance of approximately
0.05in. We also needed a force fit on the release axle
on the wheelchair, therefore we used a 1” PVC pipe
with a tolerance of approximately 0.005in. Using
washers between the hex head screw and the
keyhole sprocket allowed us to lower the tolerance
and make the assembly a tighter fit.
For building our prototype, we had to use cheap and
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 17
durable materials. Since our design revolves around
a bike design with sprockets and chains, we decided
to order these parts off-the-shelf since our assembly
in SOLIDWORKS used the off-the-shelf parts.
However, we still had to alter the driving gear
sprocket, so it can contain the desired transitions for
the handle. We cut holes into the metal with a 7/16”
and 7/32” cobalt drill bit. Some other materials that
we bought that were off the shelf included screws,
metal washers, nuts, bolts, PVC pipes, and metal
clamps. We used steel and PVC because they were
cheap material that we believed had the durability of
spinning the sprocket which would result in spinning
the wheelchair wheel. Although we bought many of
our parts off the shelf, we also had to 3D print one of
our parts because it was custom made for the
wheelchair and our design. We 3D printed our driven
gear with ABS plastic and made it with 30% infill with
3 shells so it can be strong enough to handle the
chain.
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 18
Step 12: Building the Sprocket System for Presentation
Due to some unforeseen problems, we were not able
to present our original design on the day that our
project was due. Some of the materials and parts that
we made are not in our original design and they are
not our ideal manufactured design.
First, we attached the smaller sprocket to the
wheelchair by force fitting a 1” PVC pipe onto the
release axle of the wheelchair wheel. We decided to
use PVC for the force fit so it can mold around the
release axle and be fixed in place. We then inserted a
metal rod that has a 1” outer diameter inside the PVC
pipe by bolting a 2” length 6/32”-20 screw and nut.
We then attached our 3D printed gear to our metal
rod by screwing a 2” length ¼”-20 bolt with a
compatible hex nut.
To create the bars that will attach the driving gear to
the wheelchair, we used PVC pipes and elbows
along with metal clamps. To create the assembly of
the PVC bars, you must connect a 1” outer diameter
and 2 ½” PVC pipe to another PVC pipe that is 9” in
length with an elbow. Then connect a 3” length PVC
pipe to the other end of the long PVC pipe with an
elbow and connect another 2 ½”. The pipes should
look like the first figure.
Then, to connect the PVC pipes onto the wheelchair,
put one end of the PVC pipe near the armrest of the
wheelchair and connect them using a 1” metal clamp.
Lock the clamp and pipe into place on the wheelchair
with a nut and bolt that comes with the metal clamp
packaging. To attach the other end of the PVC pipe,
to the wheelchair, you must use a routing clamp with
one mounting point. To attach the routing clamp onto
the wheelchair, you must drill a hole onto the PVC
pipe and have it attached to the hook with a nut and
bolt like shown in the second image. Then hook the
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 19
routing clamp onto the wheelchair.
Drill a 7/16” hole onto the bigger sprocket with a
cobalt drill bit to make holes for shifting gears and drill
a 7/36” holes along the sides of the bigger holes to
create the keyholes on the sprocket. The sprocket
should look like the third figure.
To create the handle for the gear, you must drill a
total of three holes onto the PVC pipes that go
completely through the pipe. Two of the holes should
be the same distance as the two top holes on the
gear and connect them with a rubber washer, nut,
and bolt. There should also be a hole at the end of
the PVC pipe handle that would have a 3” length bolt
that would work as a handle. To create some comfort
for the tester, wrap the bolt with duct tape thick
enough for your comfort. The handle should look like
the fourth and fifth figure.
To connect the sprocket with the keyholes, to the
PVC pipes, drill a hole on the long PVC pipe that is
half the length of the PVC pipe. Then insert a metal
washer on the 3” length ¼”-20 bolt and then insert the
sprocket with the keyholes along with another metal
washer behind it. Next, insert three hex nuts onto the
bolt to create a larger distance between the sprocket
and the PVC pipes. After that, insert the bolt onto the
PVC pipe and lock it into place with another hex nut
at the end of the bolt. The connection between the
sprocket and the pipe should look like the sixth figure.
Then, add the 4” chain along the smaller sprocket and
the sprocket with the key holes.
Repeat these steps for the other side of the
wheelchair.
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 20
Step 13: Iterative Testing, Methods, and Results

Our testing methods can be best described as trial Holy Handle

and error.
In order to account for keyhole's odd shaping, we
Pipe problem specially made a handle from wood. While our
whittling intentions were pure we did not realize that
The original design did not account for the main it’s not smart to mix materials with such different
sprocket and the chain being so heavy, so we had to chemical properties as the handle could snap like a
add an additional part to the pvc piping system. We sad little twig.
decided to add an extra clamp to the bottom in
addition to the clamp on the top of our pvc piping Race Day
system to stabilize the top and bottom to the
wheelchair. Once we added the new support we We wanted to get our wheelchair to work somewhat,
found that it was still not enough so we added duct so we did some last minute changes. We ditched the
tape thinking that would fix the problem. To our specially made handle because it didn’t create
dismay, we then realized that the pvc was too ductile enough torque. then, we bolted a 10in pvc pipe to our
to support such a large gear. You can’t mix materials gear with a bolt for a handle. This created a lever arm
of such different strengths. The pvc pipe tended to that, unfortunately, would not have the ability to
rotate towards the ground. This caused our sprocket change torques, but it did allow use to move the
to be displaced at an angle which was inefficient to wheelchair. In order to support the pipes we threw as
much
Custom Sprocket Driven duct tapePage
Wheelchair: on our
21 wheelchair as humanly
our overall gear and chain system. Then, we thought
if we can laser cut a wooden gear would that fix our
problem since it is lighter. Laser cutting is not
expensive, and it is very efficient. Unfortunately, in
order to get that done we needed to be trained, and
we just didn’t have that kind of time. This would have
been an big improvement to our prototype since the
wooden gear would create less strain on the pvc
pipes.
Sprocket Surprise
The main sprocket was thicker than anticipated and
created quite a problem when we tried to drill holes in
it.. We created our own holes in it by drilling through
the gear. This was a difficult task because of the
material and thickness of the gear, but we somehow
managed to properly create our intended design.
much duct tape on our wheelchair as humanly
possible. The chain was not tight enough because of
the lack of tension, but miraculously it did move
slowly forward (as long as no one was in the chair).
It wasn’t until the end when we started doing the
physics equations, where we found our biggest error.
In order to have a mechanical advantage with a lever
arm you need a long lever arm length because the
moment of the arm is proportional to the torque. In
other words, the longer your lever arm, the easier it is
to move.
Here are the equations and values:
L = moment arm
T = torque

Another Sprocket Surprise F = force = 130N (estimated through research on the

When you 3D print the object tends to shrink and
reshape a little bit because the plastic starts out hot
and then cools down. This caused the gear teeth to
shift and made it harder for the chain to grip. It was
also very rough increasing the chance of
misalignment in our system. We also didn’t realize
that the more teeth you have, the easier it is for it to
grip the chain. In hindsight we should have make the
small sprocket with more teeth and not 3D printed it.
The small sprocket was designed on SOLIDWORKS
to have a 3:1 gear ratio with the larger sprocket. We
thought this ratio would be ideal because we had
modeled it off of a bike.
Physics forums, it is roughly the force an average
person must use to move themselves in a wheelchair)
T = F*L
Lever arm on race day
L = 10in = 0.0254m
T(LEVER ARM) = (130N)(0.254m) = 33.02Nm
Handle (Has multiple positions) L1 is the length
closest to the center
L1 = 0.5in = 0.0127m L2 = 1in = 0.0254m L3 = 1.5in

= 0.0381m F = 130N

T1 = 1.651Nm T2 = 3.302Nm T3 = 4.953Nm

As you can see the torques in the original design

were a lot smaller, than the torque for the lever arm. If
we wanted our original design to work we would have
needed to make the sprocket a lot bigger or create a
long handle that was parallel to the sprocket to utilize
the torque.

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 22

Step 14: Lessons Learned

1. The outside diameter of a metal pipe is measured bit.

while the inside of the pvc pipe is measured. For
example, if get an 1in pvc pipe and an 1in metal pipe
they will be different sizes.
2. Be careful using a 3D printer because when it
prints the plastic is hot, and then when it cools down
its shape will change, which may affect your
assembly.
5. Duct tape is a useful tool when you’re in a pinch.
6. You can’t mix material of greatly different molecular
strengths.
7. Laser cutting is cheap and easily accessible on the
UCI campus.

3. Always have a drill buddy. (see Julianna’s hand)
4. When using a power drill, it’s important to put
enough weight on it that you begin drilling, but no too
much, as it could compromise the integrity of the drill
8. When you are in your brainstorming process it’s a
good idea to use physics to backup your assumptions
before you begin your CAD modeling.

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 23

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 24
Step 15: Cost Analysis and Results
Total Price of Materials: $ 4.20
Zinc Alloy for Sprocket with Keyhole, Latches,
Small Sprocket, and Handle:
Zinc Alloy is often used to create gears and
automotive parts. This material has a lower melting
temperature and it requires lower pressure for
casting. These traits allow a zinc die to last longer
than most other metal dies. A zinc die is a term
representative of the process it takes for Zinc Alloy to
be molded into the intended shape of the
manufacturer. Because we require the zinc alloy to be
molded into an articulate gear shape, this would allow
our product to last longer when in use. Plus, zinc
alloy is known to contain reduced corrosion effects.
Along with this, because zinc alloy has a low melting
point then it allows for a hot chamber casting. A hot
chamber casting is less expensive and a faster
process when compared to cold chamber casting.
This material is also recyclable which would allow it
to be re-melted and reshaped into other products or
the same product when needed to be replaced.
Because Zinc Alloy is recyclable it reduces pollution,
saves resources, and reduces waste overall.
Malleable Cast Iron for Custom Shaft:
We are choosing to use Malleable cast iron as the
material for our custom shaft. This material is often
used for shafts that are meant to mold into a specific
shape with enough pressure. This is important to our
custom shaft due to the fact that it will be secured
with a push fit to the head of a hex bolt and should
mold into that shape. This material will allow our
custom shaft to mold into the area where it will be
push fitted thus increasing the stability of the shaft
overall. Plus, this material is strong and able to
withstand heavy weight. It is a perfect middle ground
material because it exemplifies the strength of cast
iron while also being malleable. This material is also
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 25
recyclable which would allow it to be re-melted and
reshaped if needed be for other materials. This
assists in reducing pollution, saving resources, and it
reduces waste.
Low Alloy Steel for Bike Chain and Bar:
We chose to use Low Alloy Steel as the material for
our chain. This material is within the same family of
Alloy Steels used for most bike chains. Because we
are essentially using a bike chain for our wheelchair,
this product is easily accessible if it needs to be
replaced. Plus it is fair priced and durable.
We also chose to use Low Alloy Steel as the material
for our bar. This part acts as a holder for our main
gear. This gear needs to have a base that is strong,
and able to sustain heavy weight due to the gear
being on the heavier side. Low Alloy Steel is fair
priced and affordable, and has a high young’s
modulus - meaning it is stiff and will not change its
shape under pressure.
Low Alloy Steel is also recyclable, has great abrasion
resistance, and it is not particularly energy intensive
to create.
Polyethylene for Cover:
Polyethylene is the material chosen for the cover part
of our wheelchair. This material is most often used for
household products and containers. As a result, this
material contains thermal stability and can be molded
to whatever shape we would like. The cover would
work best with this material because it would be able
to prevent any injuries done by the gear, and also it
would be able to sustain weather conditions and last
long. This material is very inexpensive and it is also
recyclable.
Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 26
Step 16: Contributions Page

Everyone put in 100% effort to help make this project
come together. We are all happy with how great this
team worked together.
Project Manager: Anastasia Karnaze 54437048
Researcher: Jazmin De Los Santos 41677160
The researcher, Jazmin, was responsible for
designing the sprocket with keyholes and doing the
market value research.

The project manager, Anastasia, was responsible for Team Signatures:

organizing meetings, making sure everyone was
doing their work at the right time, and doing any Sign:Anastasia Karnaze
random thing that was need. She designed the cover
for phase 1 that was cut from the final design, and Date: 6/7/18
outlined and compiled the instructables.
Printed Name: Anastasia Karnaze
Manufacturer: Cynthia Ilynn Perez Partida 85388301
Sign: Cynthia Perez
The manufacturer, Cynthia, was responsible for
choosing the materials, picking them up, and altering Date: 6/7/18
materials. She also designed the cover for the
sprocket with keyholes. Printed Name: Cynthia Perez

Materials Engineer: Julianna Bordas 10256482 Sign: Leilani Camara

The materials engineer, Julianna, was responsible for Date: 6/7/18

designing the small sprocket, deciding the final
product materials, and the cost analysis for Printed Name: Leilani Camara
everything. She also took part in the iterative testing,
and did lots of drilling. Sign: Julianna Bordas

Tester: Anastasia Karnaze 54437048 Date: 6/7/18

The tester, Anastasia, was responsible for testing all Printed Name: Julianna Bordas
of the different parts at each phase of design, racing
on race day, and coming up with fixes when things Sign: Jazmin De Los Santos
did not work.
Date: 6/7/18
Lead Designer: Leilani Camara 34405517 and Jose
Martinez 57524771 Printed Name: Jazmin De Los Santos

The lead designers, Leilani and Jose, were Sign: Jose Martinez
responsible for making engineering drawings for each
part, communicated an changes, and full assembly Date: 6/7/18
drawing for the entire wheelchair. Leilani designed
the handle key and Jose designed the support Printed Name: Jose Martinez
system and butterfly bar.

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 27

Custom Sprocket Driven Wheelchair: Page 28