Hi all I was wondering if anyone knew how a yo-yo clutch worked, they are caled the brain yo-yo’s, pretty much what I understand, is that you have a string attached to a bearing, which is around the axle, and something or another at a certain rotational speed will catch the bearing. I could care less about the rotational speed, its just i’m working on ideas for a unicycle clutch, and was interested in if there was another clutching system I hadn’t thought of, my curent ideas, include, a radial pin clutch, and a disk brake clutch, although the designs for both have there flaws. Anyone else got any ideas for a uni clutch? I’d love to here.
i had one of those… brings back memories.
it had spring loaded clamps inside with weights (ball bearings) attached to the clamps so that the centrifical force pulled the clamps open and lets the axle spin freely when spun… then when the wheel slows, the spring clamps tense up and lock up the axle.
Yomega makes the yo-yos “with a brain.” I have a couple sitting on my shelf. They basically work how tomsey described.
I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish, but I don’t think their exact design would be very useful for a unicycle clutch because you’d never spin a unicycle wheel at a very high rpm. Also, the Yomega clutch often kicks in without warning, which would make for some interesting wipe out footage. 
if you want use it for a coasting uni, my idea is simpler but it would work.
I wasn’t really interested in the spin catch mechanism, but the manner in whitch it would catch, possibly to be controled remotly, insted of by rpm’s.
My favorite design so far for a clutch mechanism is a disc brake design, I got an idea right now that would just require a bearing braket on one side of the frame, and the clutch mechanism of cource, simplicity is what I’m going for, I don’t want special hubs, in the very little life I’ve lived i’ve learned simplicity and adaptability, even over usability in some cases, always is better.
Here’s my simple drawing of how the brain’s clutch works. Basically, when the yo-yo is not spinning, or spinning too slowly, the springs hold the spindle. When the yo-yo spins, the weights force the clutch to release.
Ahhh
Thank you ver much daino, I’ve been tinkering around, and I think i’ve finnaly created a clutch system that would work on a uni, using a reverse barrel brake system, (Alot like how your anti-lock brakes work on your car) I’m finishing up ideas and sketches, then I’m going to animate it in 3d max. I’ll post when its done. I’d personaly really like to see a uni clutch, I see alot of people talking/working on a planetary geared hub for a uni, but no exitment about a clutch, I don’t knnow about you guys but i’d rather see a clutch, but don’t get me wrong gears would be awsome.
P.S. just went off road on my uni for the first time at a park with some pretty steep trails, today, and yesterday. It was a blast, can’t wait until i can take on all the wooden steps that are there.
Re: yo yo clutch
“cyberpunk” <cyberpunk@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com> wrote in
message news:cyberpunk.1ifdzg@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com…
>
> Hi all I was wondering if anyone knew how a yo-yo clutch worked, they
> are caled the brain yo-yo’s, pretty much what I understand, is that you
> have a string attached to a bearing, which is around the axle, and
> something or another at a certain rotational speed will catch the
> bearing.
I occasionally wondered whether a magnetic dust clutch might be applicable:
As far as I remember ( it’s a while since I played with them) , you pump
electricity through a coil and the magnetic dust in the hub cloys together.
They seemed pretty efficient, worked off a fairly low DC voltage , although
I suspect these days you could also use a Neo magnet to move and affect the
dust in the clutch. They were either very smooth if you ramped the volts
slowly or instantaneous if you hit them full on with max volts.
Might be worth your looking at them. Whether a suitable one could be found
is another matter of course.
Nao
I played around with a magnetic clutch system, using coils, and even a dust system like you specified, the only problems with the system I found were water, but that could be protected with very secure waterproof cabling, and the second problem being battery life, your peddles suddenly catching becuase of a low battery would suck ^^, (I’m not sure how much of a problem with the battery would be since I don’t know how many joules a magnetic coil would need for the given system.) But yes, if I can get my drum braking/clutching system to work well on paper, maybe I can get someone to make a prototype, i’m working my ass off right now though 2 jobs, so i’ll post some more info latter, I’d also like to see ideas you had on the magnetic clutch system, i’m determend to find atleast two or three well though, and presented solutions, then maybe some people will take notice.
Sorry about the lenghy post.
brett
What’s the point of the clutch? To function as a brake or gears or…? It’s a pretty sweet idea but I don’t think I fully grasp why yet, other than it’d be hella cool.
I believe the clutch is to allow the wheel to coast. But I’m not sure.
Yes it is to allow the wheel to spin while the peddles are stationary. But, unlike the freewheeling uni’s you will still beable to peddle backwards. The implications of this are quickly obvious, the only problem about the idea is that the hub already can spin while the frame is stationary, so it will really reqire a sort of double set locking bearings, (just incase you are wondering, yes I made that up) the reason I prefer the idea of the double set locking bearings insted of a special hub with free rotating lockable axle is that you can still use that bad ass onza hub or profile hub, all you need is the special set of clutch bearings, and special brackets on your frame for them (Pretty much just oversized).
Well i’m working feaverishly on the idea, but sadly only in my mind more or less, I just started on a making a uni model in 3d max, so I can create a presentation on my idea, its just i’ve been very busy lately, (I just worked 37 hours in 3 days) so yes, busy to say the least ^^. and I still have been finding time to uni. I dunno how though.
Brett,
if any one is interested and has ideas? I’m really looking for a simple way for the cabling to get to the seat I have many ideas, but none have the simplicity I prefer, anyhow I’d love to hear it email me cyberpunkZ<at>gmail.com