Compact, constanwas t-torque telescoping mechanism

[dentistbot]

I'm old and crufty and only work on Battlebots now, but came across this super cool lift mechanism on reddit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIuAAN0FbO8

It consists of a flat (in z) toothed spiral section locking together flat vertical helical sections with tabs, sort of in a locked version of that thing everyone used to do by rolling up a piece of paper and then pulling the inside loop one direction and the outside loop the other direction. The highlights of this design that make it better than say, a scissor lift are:

• Constant torque throughout travel range
• Final z height only proportional to starting x,y dimensions, so you can build this even in a super short bot
• Made almost entirely out of low(ish)-precision sheet metal
• Powered descent
• Passive holding capability
• Hollow, for passing game elements or wires through internally
• Isotropically stable - it's rotationally symmetric about the z-axis

I'd love to see someone prototype this during the off-season.

[Forhire]

Originally Posted by dentistbot

I'd love to see someone prototype this during the off-season.

Me too. That is a neat mechanism. This video shows the mechanism in greater detail along with an interview with the inventor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-7b1b2R_Kg

[JCharlton]

Very cool.

In a similar vein is the Zippermast, perhaps a simpler way of achieving the same thing:

https://youtu.be/qWcncjSCLeE

[JCharlton]

And this:

http://www.serapid.com/en/industrial...ducts/rigibelt

Serapid have other designs too. Ingenious.

Who will be the first to do this on a robot?

[nuclearnerd]

Originally Posted by JCharlton

And this:

http://www.serapid.com/en/industrial...ducts/rigibelt

Serapid have other designs too. Ingenious.

Who will be the first to do this on a robot?

I think it's already been done. I saw several teams in 2015 whose can burglars were made from IGUS cable chain (5407 and ?). I don't know how well they worked in general -the IGUS chain isn't meant to be structural

[Knufire]

Originally Posted by nuclearnerd

I think it's already been done. I saw several teams in 2015 whose can burglars were made from IGUS cable chain (5407 and ?). I don't know how well they worked in general -the IGUS chain isn't meant to be structural

2451.

[Lil' Lavery]

I couldn't watch this with sound based on where I am, but can anyone relay what the basic benefits are when compared to a ball screw or lead screw?

[Chak]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

I couldn't watch this with sound based on where I am, but can anyone relay what the basic benefits are when compared to a ball screw or lead screw?

The biggest benefit seems to be packaging. Ball screws and lead screws have to get longer and longer to lift things higher, and there would be a long screw poking above the platform being raised(annoying for purposes like theater). This new kind of lifting mechanism only have to get thicker and thicker around the base to lift things higher, and there is no rod poking above the platform. That makes for a compact unit that can expand upwards.

As for structural strength or power efficiency, I'm just a student watching some youtube videos so I wouldn't know about that.