non-pneumatic "kicking" mechanism

[gorillamonky]

what teams are attempting a "kicker" that is not a pneumatic in any way shape or form?

what will provide the power and how will it "reset" have you found it to be more powerful that pneumatics?

[DonRotolo]

I can't say that the team has committed to using this, but one non-pneumatic mechanism that came out of the brainstorming was a shooter mechanism similar to those used in Aim High. Think of a wheel, maybe 6" in diameter, spinning fast. When it comes in contact high on the ball, it puts a heavy top spin on the ball, which then rolls away fast. Get the angles right, and maybe make that wheel move up or down a little and you can kick it into the air, or roll it fast enough that the Bump does the airborne part for you...

[SamMullen]

Actually, my team is trying something similar to that. We have a spinning roller attached to an arm which is pulled forward by surgical tubing. We been getting good results so far, hitting the ball at least twenty feet and over a bump. However when we just had the straight spinning roller to the ball, the ball went fast and far, sure, but it hit the bump and bounced off.

[Maxzillian]

So far we've been looking at a sort of slide hammer design that relies on the surgical tubing. Initial calculations are very promising, but this thing will certainly need finger guards! The thought was to make a device with only a 12" stroke, but it would require 300 lbs of spring force!

Some revisions are in order.

[PAR_WIG1350]

1350 is planning on using a *censored* to *censored* a *censored*-*censored* kicker along a *censored* that will be *censored* with a Pneumatic 'device'. this is the only pneumatic 'device' planned for the kicker system.

I think that could be considered non-pneumatic

Edit:
hint:
AAAAABCCCCDDDDEEEEEGHIIIKKLLLLLNNOOPPPRRRSSSUW

[Chris is me]

Our kicker will have a mode that doesn't use pneumatics, but we will extensively be using pneumatic actuation in every part of the robot except the drivetrain. Shifters cost a lot of money.

[Stephen of REX]

A simple swing arm attached to a CIM does wonders. Not to mention that the strength is variable, because you can change the speed that the hammer swings at. Think croquet.

[DonRotolo]

The spinning wheel is out (good thing, too). Now we have a more conventional 'leg' powered by latex tubing, reset with pneumatics.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Stephen of REX

A simple swing arm attached to a CIM does wonders. Not to mention that the strength is variable, because you can change the speed that the hammer swings at.

Mind posting a video ?


~

[kgzak]

Originally Posted by Stephen of REX

A simple swing arm attached to a CIM does wonders. Not to mention that the strength is variable, because you can change the speed that the hammer swings at. Think croquet.

We are doing something close to that except the CIM spins a wheel that is not directly connected to the kicker. The kicker is pretty much a wheel with a foot sticking off of it. when we put the CIM wheel against the kicker wheel the kicker spins forward and kicks the ball. The wheel is then retracted by a spring.

[Simpsonator]

Don't wanna give too much away, but we will be using a sort of bell crank mounted to a large wheel to retract our kicker, and surgical tubing to snap forward

[ratdude747]

we are using surgical tubing w/ a window motor and clutch. however, the clutch part is a mess. that is all i will say...

[MrForbes]

Originally Posted by ratdude747

the clutch part is a mess. that is all i will say...

heh....it's not an easy thing to design and build.

I'll let you know if we ever get ours working

[Vikesrock]

We will be using a crossbow type linear device powered by surgical tubing. The front carriage with the kicker will be pulled back by a second carriage on a lead screw. Releasing a latch will separate the carriages and the kicker will fire.

[=Martin=Taylor=]

Originally Posted by Stephen of REX

A simple swing arm attached to a CIM does wonders. Not to mention that the strength is variable, because you can change the speed that the hammer swings at. Think croquet.

Ours does anywhere from 2' to 35'

We used the T-box and a single aluminum tube with an L-bracket on the end. Took about 20 min to build