Tour Easy Daytime Running Light: Now with Chirality!

In the unlikely event our bikes need two running lights or, perhaps, a running light and a headlight, the solid model now builds mounts for the right side of the fairing, as before:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Right side - solid model
Fairing Flashlight Mount – Right side – solid model

And for the left side:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Left side - solid model
Fairing Flashlight Mount – Left side – solid model

Ahhh, chirality: love that word.

Those pix come from a cleaned-up version of the OpenSCAD code that finally gets the 3-axis rotations right, after a rip-and-replace rewrite to deliver the ball model with its origin in the center of the ball where it belonged and rotate the ring about its geometric center. Then the rotations become trivially easy and a slight hack job spits out a completely assembled model:

if (Component == "Complete") {
  translate([-BracketHoleOC,0,0])
    PlateBlank();
  mirror(TiltMirror) {
    translate([0,0,ClampOD/2]) {
      rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
        SlotBall();
      rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
        BallClamp();
    }
  }
}

However, putting the center of rotation directly over the center of the base plate means the ToeIn rotation shifts the bottom of the clamp ring along the X axis, where it can obstruct the mounting holes. Shifting the ring by a little bit:

ClampOD*sin(ToeIn/2)

… keeps the ring more-or-less centered on the top of the plate. That’s not quite the correct geometry, but it’s close enough for the small angles needed here.

Aiming the beam slightly higher makes a 400 lumen flashlight about as bright as any single LED in new car running lights:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Mary approaching
Fairing Flashlight Mount – Mary approaching

You can just barely make out the snazzy new blue plate on the left side of the fairing.

A bike’s natural back-and-forth handlebar motion sweeps the beam across the lane, so I think there’s no real benefit from blinking.

The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist:

// Tour Easy Fairing Flashlight Mount
// Ed Nisley KE4ZNU - July 2017
// August 2017 -
/* [Build Options] */
FlashName = "AnkerLC40"; // [AnkerLC40,AnkerLC90,J5TactV2,InnovaX5]
Component = "Complete"; // [Ball, BallClamp, Mount, Plates, Bracket, Complete]
Layout = "Show"; // [Build, Show]
Support = false;
MountSupport = false;
/* [Extrusion] */
ThreadThick = 0.25; // [0.20, 0.25]
ThreadWidth = 0.40; // [0.40]
function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);
Protrusion = 0.01; // [0.01, 0.1]
HoleWindage = 0.2;
/* [Fairing Mount] */
Side = "Right"; // [Right,Left]
ToeIn = 0; // inward from ahead
Tilt = 15; // upward from forward (M=20 E=15)
Roll = 0; // outward from top
//- Screws *c
/* [Hidden] */
ID = 0;
OD = 1;
LENGTH = 2;
/* [Screws and Inserts] */
ClampInsert = [3.0,4.2,8.0];
ClampScrew = [3.0,5.9,35.0]; // thread dia, head OD, screw length
ClampScrewWasher = [3.0,6.75,0.5];
ClampScrewNut = [3.0,6.1,4.0]; // nyloc nut
/* [Hidden] */
F_NAME = 0;
F_GRIPOD = 1;
F_GRIPLEN = 2;
LightBodies = [
["AnkerLC90",26.6,48.0],
["AnkerLC40",26.6,55.0],
["J5TactV2",25.0,30.0],
["InnovaX5",22.0,55.0]
];
//- Fairing Bracket
// Magic numbers taken from the actual fairing mount
/* [Hidden] */
inch = 25.4;
BracketHoleOD = 0.25 * inch; // 1/4-20 bolt holes
BracketHoleOC = 1.0 * inch; // fairing hole spacing
// usually 1 inch, but 15/16 on one fairing
Bracket = [48.0,16.3,3.6 - 0.6]; // fairing bracket end plate overall size
BracketHoleOffset = (3/8) * inch; // end to hole center
BracketM = 3.0; // endcap arc height
BracketR = (pow(BracketM,2) + pow(Bracket[1],2)/4) / (2*BracketM); // ... radius
//- Base plate dimensions
Plate = [100.0,30.0,6*ThreadThick + Bracket[2]];
PlateRad = Plate[1]/4;
RoundEnds = true;
echo(str("Base plate thick: ",Plate[2]));
//- Select flashlight data from table
echo(str("Flashlight: ",FlashName));
FlashIndex = search([FlashName],LightBodies,1,0)[F_NAME];
//- Set ball dimensions
BallWall = 5.0; // max ball wall thickness
echo(str("Ball wall: ",BallWall));
BallOD = IntegerMultiple(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD] + 2*BallWall,1.0);
echo(str(" OD: ",BallOD));
BallLength = IntegerMultiple(min(sqrt(pow(BallOD,2) - pow(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD],2)) - 2*4*ThreadThick,
LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPLEN]),1.0);
echo(str(" length: ",BallLength));
BallSides = 8*4;
//- Set clamp ring dimensions
ClampOD = 50;
echo(str("Clamp OD: ",ClampOD));
ClampLength = min(20.0,0.75*BallLength);
echo(str(" length: ",ClampLength));
ClampScrewOC = IntegerMultiple((ClampOD + BallOD)/2,1);
echo(str(" screw OC: ",ClampScrewOC));
TiltMirror = (Side == "Right") ? [0,0,0] : [0,1,0];
//- Adjust hole diameter to make the size come out right
module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,h=Height,$fn=Sides);
}
//- Fairing Bracket
// This part of the fairing mount supports the whole flashlight mount
// Centered on screw hole
module Bracket() {
linear_extrude(height=Bracket[2],convexity=2)
difference() {
translate([(Bracket[0]/2 - BracketHoleOffset),0,0])
offset(delta=ThreadWidth)
intersection() {
square([Bracket[0],Bracket[1]],center=true);
union() {
for (i=[-1,0,1]) // middle circle fills gap
translate([i*(Bracket[0]/2 - BracketR),0])
circle(r=BracketR);
}
}
circle(d=BracketHoleOD/cos(180/8),$fn=8); // dead center at the origin
}
}
//- General plate shape
// Centered on the hole for the fairing bracket
module PlateBlank() {
difference() {
translate([BracketHoleOC,0,0])
intersection() {
translate([0,0,Plate[2]/2]) // select upper half of spheres
cube(Plate,center=true);
hull()
if (RoundEnds)
for (i=[-1,1])
translate([i*(Plate[0]/2 - PlateRad),0,0])
resize([Plate[1]/2,Plate[1],2*Plate[2]])
sphere(r=PlateRad); // nice round ends!
else
for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1])
translate([i*(Plate[0]/2 - PlateRad),j*(Plate[1]/2 - PlateRad),0])
resize([2*PlateRad,2*PlateRad,2*Plate[2]])
sphere(r=PlateRad); // nice round corners!
}
translate([2*BracketHoleOC,0,-Protrusion]) // punch screw holes
PolyCyl(BracketHoleOD,2*Plate[2],8);
translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
PolyCyl(BracketHoleOD,2*Plate[2],8);
}
}
//- Inner plate
module InnerPlate() {
difference() {
PlateBlank();
translate([0,0,Plate[2] - Bracket[2] + Protrusion]) // punch fairing bracket
Bracket();
}
}
//- Slotted ball around flashlight
// Print with brim to ensure adhesion!
module SlotBall() {
NumSlots = 8*2; // must be even, half cut from each end
SlotWidth = 2*ThreadWidth;
SlotBaseThick = 10*ThreadThick; // enough to hold finger ends together
RibLength = (BallOD - LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD])/2;
translate([0,0,(Layout == "Build") ? BallLength/2 : 0])
rotate([0,(Layout == "Show") ? 90 : 0,0])
difference() {
intersection() {
sphere(d=BallOD,$fn=2*BallSides); // basic ball
cube([2*BallOD,2*BallOD,BallLength],center=true); // trim to length
}
translate([0,0,-LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD]])
rotate(180/BallSides)
PolyCyl(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD],2*BallOD,BallSides); // remove flashlight body
for (i=[0:NumSlots/2 - 1]) { // cut slots
a=i*(2*360/NumSlots);
SlotCutterLength = LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD];
rotate(a)
translate([SlotCutterLength/2,0,SlotBaseThick])
cube([SlotCutterLength,SlotWidth,BallLength],center=true);
rotate(a + 360/NumSlots)
translate([SlotCutterLength/2,0,-SlotBaseThick])
cube([SlotCutterLength,SlotWidth,BallLength],center=true);
}
}
color("Yellow")
if (Support && (Layout == "Build")) {
for (i=[0:NumSlots-1]) {
a = i*360/NumSlots;
rotate(a + 180/NumSlots)
translate([(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD] + RibLength)/2 + ThreadWidth,0,BallLength/(2*4)])
cube([RibLength,2*ThreadWidth,BallLength/4],center=true);
}
}
}
//- Clamp around flashlight ball
module BallClamp(Section="All") {
BossLength = ClampScrew[LENGTH] - 1*ClampScrewWasher[LENGTH];
BossOD = ClampInsert[OD] + 2*(6*ThreadWidth);
difference() {
union() {
intersection() {
sphere(d=ClampOD,$fn=BallSides); // exterior ball clamp
cube([ClampLength,2*ClampOD,2*ClampOD],center=true); // aiming allowance
}
hull()
for (j=[-1,1])
translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2,-BossLength/2])
cylinder(d=BossOD,h=BossLength,$fn=6);
}
sphere(d=(BallOD + 1*ThreadThick),$fn=BallSides); // interior ball with minimal clearance
for (j=[-1,1]) {
translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2,-ClampOD]) // screw clearance
PolyCyl(ClampScrew[ID],2*ClampOD,6);
translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2, // insert clearance
-(BossLength/2 - ClampInsert[LENGTH] - 3*ThreadThick)])
rotate([0,180,0])
PolyCyl(ClampInsert[OD],2*ClampOD,6);
translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2, // insert transition
-(BossLength/2 - ClampInsert[LENGTH] - 3*ThreadThick)])
cylinder(d1=ClampInsert[OD]/cos(180/6),d2=ClampScrew[ID],h=6*ThreadThick,$fn=6);
}
if (Section == "Top")
translate([0,0,-ClampOD/2])
cube([2*ClampOD,2*ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
else if (Section == "Bottom")
translate([0,0,ClampOD/2])
cube([2*ClampOD,2*ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
}
color("Yellow")
if (Support) { // ad-hoc supports
NumRibs = 6;
RibLength = 0.5 * BallOD;
RibWidth = 1.9*ThreadWidth;
SupportOC = ClampLength / NumRibs;
if (Section == "Top") // base plate for adhesion
translate([0,0,ThreadThick])
cube([ClampLength + 6*ThreadWidth,RibLength,2*ThreadThick],center=true);
else if (Section == "Bottom")
translate([0,0,-ThreadThick])
cube([ClampLength + 6*ThreadWidth,RibLength,2*ThreadThick],center=true);
render(convexity=2*NumRibs)
intersection() {
sphere(d=BallOD - 0*ThreadWidth); // cut at inner sphere OD
cube([ClampLength + 2*ThreadWidth,RibLength,BallOD],center=true);
if (Section == "Top") // select only desired section
translate([0,0,ClampOD/2])
cube([2*ClampOD,2*ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
else if (Section == "Bottom")
translate([0,0,-ClampOD/2])
cube([2*ClampOD,2*ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
union() { // ribs for E-Z build
for (j=[-1,0,1])
translate([0,j*SupportOC,0])
cube([ClampLength,RibWidth,1.0*BallOD],center=true);
for (i=[0:NumRibs]) // allow NumRibs + 1 to fill the far end
translate([i*SupportOC - ClampLength/2,0,0])
rotate([0,90,0])
cylinder(d=BallOD - 2*ThreadThick,
h=RibWidth,$fn=BallSides,center=true);
}
}
}
}
//- Mount between fairing plate and flashlight ball
// Build with support for bottom of clamp screws!
module Mount() {
TextRotate = (Side == "Right") ? 0 : 180;
MountShift = [ClampOD*sin(ToeIn/2),
0,
ClampOD/2];
difference() {
translate([-BracketHoleOC,0,0]) // put bracket center at origin
PlateBlank();
mirror([0,1,0])
translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
linear_extrude(height=3*ThreadThick + Protrusion) {
translate([BracketHoleOC + 15,0,0])
text(text=">>>",size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
translate([-BracketHoleOC,8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
text(text=str("Toe ",ToeIn),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
translate([-BracketHoleOC,-8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
text(text=str("Tilt ",Tilt),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
translate([BracketHoleOC,-8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
text(text=Side,size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
translate([BracketHoleOC,8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
text(text=str("Roll ",Roll),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
translate([-(BracketHoleOC + 15),0,0])
rotate(90)
text(text="KE4ZNU",size=4,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
}
}
mirror(TiltMirror) {
translate(MountShift)
rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
BallClamp("Bottom");
color("Yellow")
if (MountSupport) { // anchor outer corners at worst overhang
RibWidth = 1.9*ThreadWidth;
SupportOC = 0.1 * ClampLength;
difference() {
rotate([0,0,Tilt])
translate([(ClampOD - BallOD)*sin(ToeIn/2),0,0])
for (i=[-4.5,-2.5,0,2.0,4.5])
translate([i*SupportOC - 0.0,0,(5 + Plate[2])/2])
cube([RibWidth,0.7*ClampOD,(5 + Plate[2])],center=true);
translate(MountShift)
rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
sphere(d=ClampOD - 2*ThreadWidth,$fn=BallSides);
}
}
}
}
//- Build things
if (Component == "Bracket")
Bracket();
if (Component == "Ball")
SlotBall();
if (Component == "BallClamp")
if (Layout == "Show")
BallClamp("All");
else if (Layout == "Build")
BallClamp("Top");
if (Component == "Mount")
Mount();
if (Component == "Plates") {
translate([0,0.7*Plate[1],0])
InnerPlate();
translate([0,-0.7*Plate[1],0])
PlateBlank();
}
if (Component == "Complete") {
translate([-BracketHoleOC,0,0])
PlateBlank();
mirror(TiltMirror) {
translate([0,0,ClampOD/2]) {
rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
SlotBall();
rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
BallClamp();
}
}
}

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