Venture One + Two

[Mark Tomlinson]

It's way premature to think about the next vehicle past the V1, but I just got to share a random thought I had.

Does anyone think it would be possible to enlarge the design so that it seats three in a 1+2 configuration? Fatten it up about the middle, add some length, and beef up the motor/engine unit. Then put two seats in the back side by side and make a sedan-ish sort of vehicle.

[rogwild]

Sure it could be made, but the major problem would be the added width of the rear passenger compartment. To get a 45* tilt for turns, the passenger section would have to be much 'higher' off the ground (raising the overall CG) in order to keep the sides of the vehicle from hitting the ground in a full tilt. If you raise the CG you also increase the forces on the 'tilting mechanism' (plus the added weight of the extra passenger, seat, etc.) requiring a much 'heftier' system, and probably a slower response time. Whatever the outcome it would not look, nor perform like the proposed V-1.

[MikeB]

Hiya Mark,

This idea was suggested in the other forum some time ago, and Ian didn't think it was feasible. The big issue is that the tilt would no longer be rotating the passengers around their center of mass. Each rear passenger would feel a lift or a drop as soon as the vehicle started to tilt, and a drop or a lift as it returned upright. Roller coaster fans would like it, but most passengers would probably have issues.

[Mark Tomlinson]

Kinda figured as much. That, and you get one "hefty" person in one passenger seat and leave the other empty - the tilting dynamics are impossible to figure out.

My real reason for posting was just to get some threads going so that others don't feel intimidated.

[rogwild]

Not a problem Mark, its good to 'hash out' some ideas, and get everyone educated and up to speed. Not much else to do while we are waiting for our bi-weekly ration of 'crumbs' on the Friday Update. Hope we get to see some new drawings soon.

[MikeB]

I've also been thinking about this, Mark, it's just that your particular version isn't very feasible.

However, consider this 4-passenger concept: two V1s mated together in parallel, both tilting in unison as they do turns. The controls for the 2nd unit would become slaved to the 1st. I'd imagine that there would be some sort of strut connecting them at the front, and in back the center wheel would simply be mated to both chassis.

For a visual, imagine the twin pod design of the Bespin Cloud Car (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Storm_IV_Twin-Pod_cloud_car).

Yea, it's funky, and it'd never work, but we gotta keep thinking about these things. :D

[rogwild]

Or the Me609 (never built).
http://www.luft46.com/mess/me609.html

[Jrogers]

Rather than a 1+2 configuration, yielding the aforementioned cornering issues, a 2+1 allows the back end to still be skinny enough to turn. On the carver engineering page they have a demonstration of a four wheeler (ATV, whatever they're called where you live) using their lean and steer technology, so a four wheeled version is not an impossibility...

[rogwild]

'Jrogers', the 2+1 would have the 'tilt clearance' problem also. It is not with clearing the Power Pod in the rear, but the fat side of the vehicle clearing the road when it tilts 45*. The 4 wheel ATV concept works, but there is no 'body' problems with the road, a 4-wheel could tilt some, but probably not the 45* of the Carver and V-1, but it would be interesting.

[rogwild]

In the recent 'Carver One Video', at the end they mention a "3" person model with a larger engine to go into mass production. Wonder if it will be a 2+1, 1+2 (both would have 'tilting' problems), or a 'longer' 1+1+1? Or maybe a 4-wheeler with a less radical tilt. Guess we will have to wait to see what Carver is thinking.

[PHEVadvocate]

I would guess the 1+1+1 would be the best. Make the middle seat sliding and you could get some real leg room in back. The weight imbalance shouldn't be any problem with the 2+1 or 1+2 for the hydraulics. I enjoyed reading the papers on the Carver tilt system. I was able to understand the patents, because I sometimes work on hydraulic steering system design and I have a Hydrostatic Power Steering System Patent myself. The Carver One has some good engineering behind it. =y:

[WarpedOne]

Maybe just widen it a bit at the back seat so two small children (up to 10 years) could fit in there and mount a split 4point safety belt. One adult or two kids, fine for me :)