Claw Design for Endgame

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Over Under (23/24)
#1

I was thinking about claw design today, and was wondering about endgame. I’m really paranoid about the claw not gripping hard enough / having enough friction to keep the robot elevated.

Additionally, what happens after the match ends? Will the robots hold on until powered entirely off?

1 Like
#2

The answer depends on how you build it. After the end of the match, all your solenoids will remain as they were at the end of driver control, but all your motors will be set to coast mode.

12 Likes
#3

I would suggest a pneumatic clamp so that way it stays closed after driver control, as for the lifting part I would ratchet the gears so that way they “lock” after driver control. That’s just what I was thinking idk anyone else?

2 Likes
#4

Who says you have to clamp?

6 Likes
#5

While ratchets could work, if you additionally use the claw as a manipulator you would need some kind of locking mechanism at the end to activate the ratchet. Otherwise the first time you closed the claw you could not open it again.

2 Likes
#6

I was thinking one of two options for a claw:

  1. The claw closes onto the pole using rubber bands which pull the claw in. The claw can then be pulled apart a bit when a lift (four bar or cascade) move up, and once the lift starts moving down the claw starts to close.
  2. A motor on the claw continues closing it and a rachet holds it in place.
#7

Do you plan to use this claw for controlling TriBalls? If so how do you plan to approach the rachet problem above?

#8

No, I don’t want to use this claw to pickup acorns. It will be in a separate subsystem connected to a lift (cascade or four bar).