Different types of passively expanding systems

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC
#1

Any examples of passively expanding systems? thanks.

#2

You’ll have to be more specific than that… passive expansion is an extremely broad category. Do you mean with rubber bands? With ratchets? With power acting as an activator and not as a means of constant power? What type of mechanisms in particular are you looking for?

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#3

rubber bands. for example when you run a certain motor it will release a holding bin or a tray.

#4

What about rubber bands?

#5

Now that you mentioned it to me, it seems like theres a major issue with the lack of resources towards locking/expanding mechanisms. Sure people have made some and posted them, but research within these mechanisms are minimal. I have created a ton of locking/expanding mechanisms within VEX, yet I didn’t document them. So if someone else wishes to make a resource of different types of locks/expansion mechanisms it would be very cool and beneficial for the VEX community.

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#6

This video from kepler electronics addresses locking mechanisms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68oPA9c9W28
Does not contain all the various types, but a good start.

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#7

I think the term that you’re looking for is something like a flipout.

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#8

Just a tip:

Never use spacers as a contact point in a locking mechanism. They will wear out over time, causing things to break. I had bad experiences with this in TT

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#9

Then what do you recommend?

#10

Im not @Railgunawesome, but i’d say you could use collars cuz they’re basically metal spacers

#11

You can use spacers. Just use the right ones lul

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#12

Try to make your mechanisms so that its metal on metal, and preferably steel on steel, as aluminum scratches quite easily

#13

What? I’m not sure this is solid advice

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#14

if your stop has enough contact area and isn’t colliding with sharp edges you should be fine.

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#15

A sacrificial end stop also might be a good idea so you don’t damage something hard to replace. If you have easy to replace plastic spacers as an end stop, you can save doing a ton of work on your robot replacing the part that swings.

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