Minibot Deployment Brainstorm!

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Nemisis

Ah nice! thank You for the Reply! Our team thought about using a pneumatic cylinder for that too, however we've already got two being used, one to raise our arm and the other for the grabber at the end... and with using a single small compresser, we dont really want to use any more cylinders. We're using the largest cylinder that Bimba makes! i think its like 2 feet long nearly! lol Thank You again for sharing!

Are you using a storage tank(s) in addition to the compressor? While the new compressor is physically smaller than previous years it's performance is actually higher. Here is the spec sheet for the legal compressor family. http://www.viaircorp.com/OnRoad/90C.html

[Nemisis]

Oh thats cool! different from others I've heard! So your arm deploys it? Thank you for the reply! Good Luck!

[mac]

To all: Can the minibot change shape? We are using the battery to swing down.
As it climbs the pole. Gravity takes over. Keeping the wheels cocked onto the pole.


Thank You, Mentor Mac Team 686

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by mac

To all: Can the minibot change shape? We are using the battery to swing down.
As it climbs the pole. Gravity takes over. Keeping the wheels cocked onto the pole.


Thank You, Mentor Mac Team 686

I see no rule that prohibits a minibot from changing shape, However <R91> must be complied with at all times

<R91> The MINIBOT may not exceed a 12” x 12” x 12” volume and weigh no more than 15 lbs.

[Andrew Zeller]

Here is a quick video that shows my team's deployment system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTh59TiHde4

We still need to cut a channel in the Plexiglass for the pole and we need to figure out how the minibot will attach to the plate, but the core of the system is there. We used a pneumatic cylinder and a 4-joint scissor lift with the sliders. The mechanism goes from 0 (totally inside the robot's perimeter) to 22 inches (touching the pole) in about 1.4 seconds. The maximum extension, like I said, is 22 inches, which gives us some space for the channel and for alignment error.

[Bill_B]

Originally Posted by boarder3512

Here is a quick video that shows my team's deployment system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTh59TiHde4

We still need to cut a channel in the Plexiglass for the pole and we need to figure out how the minibot will attach to the plate, but the core of the system is there. We used a pneumatic cylinder and a 4-joint scissor lift with the sliders. The mechanism goes from 0 (totally inside the robot's perimeter) to 22 inches (touching the pole) in about 1.4 seconds. The maximum extension, like I said, is 22 inches, which gives us some space for the channel and for alignment error.

Looks very good, guys. I know that drawer slide set from Amerock. 3#10oz and very sturdy. We're trying pneumatic actuation too with a two-arm linkage. that's quite a pile of washers you've got on the end there!

[EagleEngineer]

The standard deployment system is a slider or drawer system. Simply just slides out. . Its very good cause if most or all teams have the same type of deployment you can share minibot with other teams and visa-versa.

[Stimpy1901]

We are using pneumatics to push our bot onto the pole. For now, we can get it onto the pole by forcing it (the wheels are tensioned by rubber band and can be pushed open by forcing the minibot onto the pole and then it springs back to "grab" the pole (simple X design).

Edit: the distance traveled on the pole is 49" in case you were wondering.

http://www.youtube.com/user/stimp190.../0/TJAQzR_p85w

[joeweber]

We are using the slide that came in the KOP and attached a 12 in pneumatic to it. It slides out quick. We hace a "V" on the end to help guide it with to virtical post to slide the mini bot onto. We have to add wheels under it so it can ride on the top of the platform to the pole. Fuzzy picture.

[Seathan93]

Wow, are we the only team with a deployment system that doesn't slide out?

we just have a box...and a flap goes down, and the minibot drives out onto the pole and then up it...we're close to getting it to work.

[craigcd]

On team 2221 we are using a L shaped swing pivoted on a bar. The swing is spring loaded and triggered using a pneumatic cylinder.

[Newo95]

We are using a box with one side on a hinge to act as a draw bridge out to the pole. We are still working out how to get the minibot across the bridge

[Alex.q]

Originally Posted by Seathan93

Wow, are we the only team with a deployment system that doesn't slide out?

we just have a box...and a flap goes down, and the minibot drives out onto the pole and then up it...we're close to getting it to work.

The problem with that design is that although you can deploy your bridge earlier, making your minibot drive out rather than being on the end of that bridge you put out greatly increases the time it takes to deploy. Additionally, the extra fuctionality you need to make the minibot be able to drive on flat ground, then turn and drive up the pole translates to more complexity, more ways to go wrong, and more weight (meaning slower).

[jhusser]

are team is using a swing arm and spring for deployment letting gravity do all the work