Dropping Ramp Issues
 

We have a piston mounted on the base of our robot to push the ramp down. But it isn't strong enough to push our ramp passed the point where gravity will bring it down. Our bot's frame is triangle shapped. We can't mount the piston higher on the frame to increase leverage because the throw isn't long enough. An extra piston wouldn't have the power either. We need a way to multiply the force from the piston. Any ideas?

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

have u tried attaching a spring near the hinge on the ramp? that would decrease the amount of weight the piston has to push to get it over the point where gravity takes over. i don't really know how to explain it but maybe that will get ur mind going. think something like a counterweight with a spring...

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

Just an idea... maybe you can have the piston push a lever. You could have something like a seesaw... so if you mounted the piston to go out the opposite way (away from the ramp) it would push the see saw that could push out the ramp at a point higher up.

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

We're worrid about the spring knocking the ramp down if we get hit during a match. Im not sure what was meant by the seesaw idea. I think you mean the piston would push a rotating arm that would be longer and intern push the ramp with more leverage becasue it would be higher. Is that right?

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

Thats the basic idea I had... I'm not sure exactly how it would work out though. I'm still thinking about it though! :)

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

Thanks for your help, we found a bigger piston in the back but we're not sure we have the power or pressure to run it.

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

Hello,
I just registered to cheif delphi, so i am new at using this site.
I hope i am doing this right.
Anyway, does anybody know what kind of what kind of motors can we use for the robot?
Can we use a motor from power drill?

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

i suck at paint
i think this could be a possible solution

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

I agree, this is pretty similar to my idea, only with more of a wheel to guide the rotation. I think it could work pretty well.

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

our team tried this as a possible solution be we came across problems such as the angles that we would need to set the piston because it would need to be relatively low and create a big amount of force in order to get the wheel rolling

the seesaw idea worked better for us but we don't know right now what we are goign to do

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

Only the ones in the kit. Drill motors have not been included since 2004.

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

I don't think a lever is going to do what you want. A lever would trade off between strength (torque) and the distance you can push the ramp.

If you have the piston push the shorter end of the lever, and the longer end of the lever push the ramp over, then the end of the lever might go a farther distance, but you lose torque.

If you have the piston push the longer end, then you'll end up with more torque but a smaller output distance.

EDIT: Similar thing with a wheel...in terms of transferring rotational motion, levers, gears, and wheels are similar.

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

If you had a spring could you maybe put it somesort of mechanical lock on the ramp so that i cannon deploy until you disengage it. Maybe power it with a servo or something small. This way if you are concerned that it will deply accidentally there is always a good mechanical lock preventing it then you can still keep you current piston mount.

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

this is what our ramp folks are building, usign a gas spring to lift and deploy the ramp (it also cushions the fall, due to careful spring placement), with a small pneumatic cylinder to securely lock the ramp in the stowed position.

Hopefully it will all be built by the end of the week and we can make it work :)

the ramp surfaces are done, and the supports and such are mostly designed and ready to build.

Re: Dropping Ramp Issues
 

Just an idea - if you already have an arm on your robot that's used to pick up the ringers / keepers, maybe you can incorporate that into getting your ramps out. Shouldn't be a problem if you use something like a Fisher Price + the kit gearbox, we found the speed of it to be about perfect and it still have a lot of power.