EASELECTRIC

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EASELECTRIC

• Team 4
• Adam Frank Jackie Jon

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Introduction

• NSF Program
• Expanding world of disabled artists
• Growing demand for adjustable easels
• Disabilities involving limited dexterity, limited
  mobility, visual acuity trouble, cerebral palsy,
  moderate cognitive impairment.
• Increasing demand for a remotely adjustable easel
  with many ranges of motion

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Introduction

• General Requirements
• Electrically adjustable
• Easily controlled motion
• Light weight, easy to store
• Clamp to tables of different sizes and shapes
• Movable in three planes as well as a controllable
  tilt operation

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Introduction

• Safety Features
• Automatic mechanism to stop movement of easel
  beyond its maximal excursion
• Master switch to turn device on/off
• Powered by a wall switch
• Slow movements so there is sufficient time to
  control device due to delayed responsive skills
  of the artist
• No exposed cords or wires

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Market Analysis

• Patents
• 5,494,251 Artists Easel
• Allows for vertical motion
• Has a wheeled Base
• 5,725,192 Adjustable Artists Easel
• Allows for rotational adjustment, but no motion
  in other planes
• 5,590,864 Easel for Handicapped Artists
• Provides only a tilting function

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Market Analysis

• Commercially Available
• The Dreamer
• Allows for vertical, horizontal and tilt motions.
• Accessible only to artists who must paint with
  their mouths.
• Not applicable to artists with other disabilities.

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Market Analysis

• How is Easelectric Unique?
• Provides easy to use controls
• Electronically controlled motion in 4 planes
• Safe and Reliable

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Flow Diagram of Operations
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Design

• Material
• Aluminum Stock provided by Independent Welding
  Inc.
• Advantages
• Lightweight
• Sturdy
• Weldable, easy to fabricate
• Square tubing will conceal wiring and moving
  actuators throughout the easel

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Design

• Easel Components
• Base
• Clamping arms
• Major circuit parts
• Carriage
• Responsible for all motion
• Actuators
• Tracking System

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Design- Side Views of Easel
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Actuators

• Duff Norton Electromechanical Actuators
• Specs
• 100 lb. Load Capacity (300 lb. Static Load)
• 12VDC Motor with polarity reversal
• 6 and 8 Stroke lengths
• Speed 1 in/sec (slows with increasing load)
• Aluminum Construction to match easel frame
• Special Offer 4 for 400.00

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Tracking System

• Require strong tracks resistant to vibration or
  unwanted movement when painting

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Electrical System

• Client requested the use of joysticks to control
  motion of easel
• Use of Relays to accommodate low voltage/current
  joystick and higher voltage/current actuator

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Electrical System

• Circuit requires safety mechanisms including
• Master On/Off Switch
• Fuse to protect from unsafe current draw
• Limit Switch to constrain range of motion
• Possibility of attachments such as canvas light

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Optimal Design Budget
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Timeline

• End of December Parts ordering
• January March Building easel
• April Field testing
• May Completion of project

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Conclusion

• Easelectric meets the needs of our client and is
  less expensive than current products.
• Mechanically we are looking for a safe and simple
  design.
• Materials are strong and lightweight
• Electronics need to be simple yet able to
  properly control the device.