Minibot Design

[E2207]

The minibot was never built and could have never been tested. Everything is all theoretical. I would agree that this would weigh a ton, hehe. 4 Tetrix wheels +2 motors with a #25 chain, it more of a utility bot. Is actually opens like a claw, there's supposed to be a line where there is supposed to be a hinge joint, get the picture? The gearing ratio is 2:1. Thanks for the creativity points , our team was planning to paint the exterior in black and white cow spots and have logo stickers on the top of a lexan cover, for our sponsor Kemps. I would just love to see it built, even if its too heavy for competition.

[cire]

That is similar conceptually to our minibot, which worked quite well for a non modified gearbox minibot. Ours was quite a bit simpler though, with only 4 custom made pieces including the limit switch and light switch mounts, it used the wheels at a angle as the guide. Surgical tubing was used to pull them back together.

[E2207]

For traction, the minibot uses sort of like a push-pull system to keep all the 4 wheels on the pole. Those two little hooks extending from the walls for the minibot, one would have a string tied to it and the second one would guide the string to the other side. In the open position the string is going over where the pole would be. Hinges on the side keep the "jaws" from flopping around. When the minibot is deployed the pole comes in through the middle, and I would believe with little precision alignment, and pulls the string taut. Kind of like putting a rubber band between your thumb and forefinger and pulling it back like a slingshot. Anyways this closes the jaws, and a locking mechanism(not pictured but would be a magnet and both sides of the joint) would keep the jaws closed.
The two drive drive and the servo pivot bracket. There would be a aluminum rod where the bracket is and a little behind each of the wheels on the Tetrix 288mm bar. A couple of rubberbands would be used (and adjusted) to pull the wheels at such an angle so it can expand (let me explain what expansion I mean). When the drivewheels come in contact with the poles, the jaws haven't fully closed yet, so when the jaws have finally closed the wheels move up a bit from their normal position and the rubber bands have stretched because of that upward movement(this is what I mean by expansion). We can call this the drive position. Now because the rubber bands want to return to their natural position, it's sorta pulling the wheels down, and pulling the wheels down is pushing the wheels against the pole. The lock mechanism pushing the jaws and the two guide wheels+the drivewheels pulling against the pole, to what I would believe is alot of traction.