Sistema de acionamento eletrônico da embreagem aplicado em motocicleta

Abstract

This work presents the methodology for the development of an electronic motorcycle clutch system, aiming to reduce the force required for the movement of the clutch lever. The vast majority of clutch systems employed on motorcycles utilize the force applied to the lever to tension a wire rope that interacts with the clutch disc. Less common, there are also hydraulic clutch systems. Both can be considered lagged compared to technologies embedded in today's vehicles. These systems generate mechanical wear due to the friction generated by numerous drive cycles as they operate in a rugged environment with humidity and dirt. Such conditions can cause too much physical effort by the pilot, leading to tendonitis due to heavy drive of conventional systems. The electronic system presented uses a servomotor for tensioning the wire rope, which is controlled by the user through the clutch lever. The mechanical resistance of the lever can be considered null, as it is only the effort to turn a potentiometer attached to its axis. Thus, when activating the head, an analog signal is sent to a microprocessor system, which in turn drives the servomotor, controlling the movement of the clutch system cable. The methodology used for the development of the system is presented, from the development of the necessary components in computational tools, to their manufacture, through additive manufacturing. Also, the logic of programming the microcontrolled system is presented and finally, the installation of system equipment on the motorcycle, as well as its calibration, is described. The results presented by the system were as projected, and the force required to actuate the clutch lever was drastically reduced. Tests were carried out both at the university workshop and in the field for final validation of the project as well as the methodology.