Automated window

[stk2008]

Hi all

What I want to do is make a box that will have a perspex window that when I press a button it will lower then when I press it again it will raise back to its original position.

I was going to use a PC CD drive it would work great if it had a little more power but it don't so it struggles to lift it and then hold it in position. I would like this device to work from 12v or 5v as it will be ran off a PC power supply.

I was going to use a counter weight but its a lot of messing around.

Please help in building and designing as I have no idea how or where to start now.

P.S

Must be cheap to build and safe as the power supply will not be turned off.

Thanks in advance

D.Roberts

[stk2008]

Sorry to ask but would any one have an idea as I would like to get the bits if I need to get any.

Thanks

[vger]

How fast does it need to open and close?
How much does the window weigh? and what size is it?
Must it be riased and lowered? or can it be moved horizontally?
Does it have to seal against vacuum or pressure?
What will the power source be?
Any friction to it's movement?

more info please

[stk2008]

Originally Posted by vger How fast does it need to open and close? How much does the window weigh? and what size is it? Must it be riased and lowered? or can it be moved horizontally? Does it have to seal against vacuum or pressure? What will the power source be? Any friction to it's movement? more info please

Its basically going under my LCD in an enclosure I have made from MDF the perspex will lower to reveal

Xbox
Wii
Virgin box etc.

It wont need to open real fast the perspex will be about 1000x150x5mm not sure of the weight of that as I don't have it yet.

The power of the mechanism I would like it to run from a PC power supply so could be

12v
5v

Thanks all

[vger]

So you are looking at about 875 gm weight for the 1000 X 150 X 5 mm dimension. If you typo'd the 1000 mm dim and really meant 100 mm then of course one tenth that amount of wieght.

One method to move it would be with a screw along one side attached to a small gear motor with a nut attached to the bottom of one edge of the perspex. The screw will have to be just a bit longer than the length of travel. Then attach fishing line or nylon string to the same place as the nut and run it down and around a small pully, across to the other side and around another small pully, up the other side and around another pully, then down that edge and attach to the bottom of the perspex.

Another method would be to use a 2 or 3 mm shaft (brass tubing maybe) that is longer than the perspex is wide above the perspex. Wrap fishing line around the shaft near both ends and secure it to the shaft and to the bottom of the perspex. With a 2 mm shaft, 100 mm of travel will take about 16 turns of the shaft.

Then you have the issue of what to drive it with.... and how to interface the control button. Trying to use a CD tray motor and drive electonics may be futile because of the timout most of them have if the tray does not make the trip in about 2 seconds or so. So unless you can counter weight the perspex and make a 2 second trip that may be out of the question. If you can find a small gear motor that is a bit larger than the one in the CD drive tray mech, that might be a possibility, and still use the CD tray drive electronics.


Other than that, a stepper motor, stepper driver, and a custom circuit to generate the step pulses and direction signal from your push button.

Steve

[stk2008]

Hi there thank you for your info it was much appreciated.

I am trying to do it on a budget of £0.00 so not looking very good all ready hahaha.

I have built the base unit now so I need t purchase the perspex and then design and build the mechanism.

I will post some pics of what I have so far tomorrow to give you an idea of what I am trying to make.

I would really like to use an old CD/DVD tray if possible as I have loads and I may continue down the route of a counter weight.

Thanks for the info.