View Single Post
  #11   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 03-07-2010, 22:33
rahilm's Avatar
rahilm rahilm is offline
Registered User
AKA: Rahil Mehta
FRC #0668 (The Apes of Wrath)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Rookie Year: 2007
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 116
rahilm has a spectacular aura aboutrahilm has a spectacular aura about
Re: pic: Off-Season Kicker Design

Quote:
Originally Posted by apalrd View Post
We used an anti-backdrivable window motor, and attached it to parts of a toughbox (1 stage). We made an assembly that, using a 2" bore piston, separated the gears in the direction of force, so the piston held the two gears together when not kicking. This was after we were unable to release a dog gear, even after greasing it and pulling it by hand. I don't know if there are any good pictures of it, but if you're at IRI, you can come to our pit and ask us about it.

In a nutshell: We un-mesh the gearbox by attaching the motor side to a plate that moves to pull the two gears apart.
I was thinking about this, and the way you guys did it inspired another thought for me:

Make a slot in the gearbox where that final gear is so that the gear can slide, and then have a pneumatic cylinder attached on either side of the shaft. When the pneumatic is at one end, the gear meshes. At the other end it disengages and you get a kick. That shouldn't take nearly as much force.

(The slot shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Just something following a line at a smaller angle than that of the line tangent to the pitch circle of both gears, right?)
__________________
Team 668 - Apes of Wrath - 2008-2011
Team 668 - Apes of Wrath - 2011-Present (Mentor)
Reply With Quote