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By tahikib
#178877
I need help designing a tiny lift similar to a car jack. Doesn't need to be exact this is just this idea I had.

I need some kind of platform to lift approx. 8" to 10" with the weight of an ounce or so. The load will be minimal such as two quarters or so.

this lift need to fit in a box 12"x16"x10". Slow speed may 1" a second. I need the entire lift enclosed in the box.

Current hardware

Sparkfun - Hobby Motor
Arduino Leonardo
Radio Shack Motor Driver
Popsicle Sticks
3/16" Wooden Dow
#8 Course 12" Threaded Rod

Could some one help me with a design? I need to keep the cost to a minimum but I can purchase a small stepper motor if needed.
Last edited by tahikib on Sat Feb 14, 2015 8:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Ross Robotics
#178891
What kind of jack? A scissor lift? Just search images of jacks and mimic them..
By oldtemecula
#178895
Hello tahikib,

Most lift methods are just too powerful for your purpose. Visit the ideas on the Chicken Coop Door page as my suggestion favors using the 3v battery operated BBQ motor. Maybe use lines on all four corners raised by winding.

Christopher
By tahikib
#178901
A scissor type lift is what I had been planning to use. I am using an arduino for this project as it will be doing multiple steps just not the lifting.
By lyndon
#178912
Most of these ideas won't work if he needs to lift something 8" but only has 10" in which to package it. The lift would need to be collapsible to 2" when down, that's probably why he's thinking of a scissor lift. That's also why I suggested the balloon: you can build an inexpensive bellows-type lift using a long balloon. Balloons are essentially free and aquarium air pumps are dirt cheap. The main difficulty is constraining the motion in a vertical direction.

[edit]
Further, given enough horizontal space, you can use leverage to get height from a small balloon. i.e., the balloon only needs to inflate to a height of 1" which takes a trivially low amount of pressure. A lever with 1:8 mechanical advantage will then move 8" at the far end. Sure, it will move over an arc and not a straight line, but that can be fixed easily. It will certainly lift a few ounces.
By Mee_n_Mac
#178924
I was going to suggest a concept but then realized it was a duplicate of jremingtons. Here's a pic to illustrate it.
ThreadedRodLift.jpg
The green platform goes up/down as the threaded rod revolves.
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By lyndon
#178931
It may be a duplicate idea but the drawing helps. I was thinking that the leadscrew would have to push a rod that would actually move the load. That means you need enough room for both the length of the screw and the actuating rod. I never thought of offsetting it to the side of the platform like that!
Mee_n_Mac wrote:I was going to suggest a concept but then realized it was a duplicate of jremingtons. Here's a pic to illustrate it.
ThreadedRodLift.jpg
The green platform goes up/down as the threaded rod revolves.
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By Ross Robotics
#178933
Mee_n_Mac wrote:I was going to suggest a concept but then realized it was a duplicate of jremingtons. Here's a pic to illustrate it.
The green platform goes up/down as the threaded rod revolves.
This is the same setup for the Z axis on my 3D printer.
By tahikib
#178957
oldtemecula wrote:Hi All,

This YouTube Video has some interesting stuff, like the rubber bands to help lift. Remember Erector Sets, might come out ahead purchasing one?

Christopher
This is what I am looking for but with only one level. I will make a drawing when I have time tonight.

I am looking for a stepper or geared motor that has opposite directional moving shaft as well. One shaft moves clockwise and the other shaft moves counter clockwise at the same rotation as the other shaft at the same time. Unless I can get a stepper and scissor lift working with a single shaft.

I had built a prototype out of popsicle sticks but I could not get the current shaft mounted correct to squeeze the fulcrums together.
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By oldtemecula
#178959
lyndon wrote:Air pump and a balloon.

SF has the air pump, balloons are everywhere.
Maybe mod this Lab Lift with a motor on the screw. Look over these Google Images.

My last suggestion would be to use a balloon lifting a modified scissor setup like below.

Image

Hope you post a picture of your final build. :D

You can purchase a 12v powered scissor car jack for $60, but to lift two quarters?

Good Luck

Christopher
By tahikib
#178964
oldtemecula wrote:
My last suggestion would be to use a balloon lifting a modified scissor setup like below.

Hope you post a picture of your final build. :D

You can purchase a 12v powered scissor car jack for $60, but to lift two quarters?

Good Luck

Christopher

And some additional hardware. I'll need spacers and some kind of mount/loose bracket to allow one side of the rod to spin freely while the other is bring the lift together.

I appreciate all the help and will continue updating ideas and progress. This project is a part of a bigger projected partially completed.
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Last edited by tahikib on Mon Jan 26, 2015 11:22 am, edited 2 times in total.