motorized drawer?

Hello there! I'm dreaming up an idea that includes having a motorized
drawer come down from the top of a wooden structure, about the size of
a refridgerator. I would like this drawer to slide down at the touch
of a button, and then retract at another touch. I have no problem
dreaming up this stuff, I just don't know enough about electronics to
wire myself out of a paper bag. Do you guys know of any kind of prefab
kits that would be able to help me out? If not, how about any kind of
tutorial that might help me out? If I had instructions, I'm sure I
could do it (I'm technoligicly adept, just electronicly ignorant )..

More specifics: The drawer would be about 9" wide, 3" deep and 9" deep
(or tall, since it would be coming out of the ceiling). Inside this
"drawer" would be an LCD screen surrounded in plexiglas, so maybe
weighing in at about 2 pounds?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

/Steve

P.S. In the (likely) case that I cannot get thos sophisticated, I
think it would be doable to use gravity as a method for openning the
drawer and a latch for keeping it closed. I would just need something
to make it come down smoothly instead of just slamming down..
Something not dissimilar to those things that close screen doors, or
the piston things that keep your hatchback 'trunk' from slamming open.
Any ideas on how this might work would be appreciated as well.

 

As a start point you need say, a small electric winch and some small steel
wire and pulleys.
Chuck in a remote control unit and some limit switches. Arrange for
substantial third party insurance.

 

Can you adapt the mechanics from an old CD ROM drive (or two)? Those piston
things are 'gas struts' and I have seen them in quite small sizes on some
equipment. How about a rack and pinion system with a small motor (that's
basically all a CD ROM drawer is anyway)? Just some thoughts.

Larry

 

Ooops, thought the downcoming was the size of a fridge !!
How much room in the enclosure to fit the gear ?

 

Ooops, thought the downcoming was the size of a fridge !!

Heh No way! That would be quite the trick though.. The actual
'box' will be about 9" tall by 10" deep by 29" wide.

Okay, so when I wrote that last message I was quite tired and I
probably should have waited until today to post so that I have all my
facts together.

I'm currently building an arcade cabinet that's going to look a lot
like this:

http://users.adelphia.net/~ronanddawn/arcade/P7170043.JPG and
http://users.adelphia.net/~ronanddawn/arcade/#Mame

(this isn't mine, as mine's still a WIP, and you wouldn't be able to
get an accurate view of the final product if I pointed you to my
pictures @ <cough> http://www.baseinfinity.org/pictures/arcardecabinet
</cough> )

Coincidentally, I have a spare 3COM Audrey
(http://www.audreyhacking.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Web_Links&file=index&req=visit&lid=6)
lying around that I thought I might be able to use to display things
about the arcade game I'm playing.. like high scores, control panel
layout, etc. So I got to thinking about how I can smoothly combine
the two, and maybe impress a couple friends while I'm at it..

So, now, wouldn't it be hella-cool to have it come down from the
top, where the marquee is? And by the touch of a button? Sweet..

So there you have it... That's my idea. If anyone plans on
implementing it in a cooler fashion than I, at least let me post
pictures of ot first

What do you guys think? Do-able? Am I crazy?

/Steve

 

Hmm.. That might work - I've never opened up my cdrom and looked at
the motors and checked out how they work though. But I do have a
couple old spare ones I can take a look at when I get home tomorrow.
Do you think those motors will support the weight though?

Thanks very much for the suggestion!

/Steve

 

I don't really know as I don't know how much weight you are hoping to
lower/raise. The 'rack' may be a bit flimsy seeing as it is probably only
plastic but it may give you some ideas to play with.

No problem.

Larry

 

You need a set of constant-force springs to suspend it. They roll
up just like a tape measure, but it takes X lbs of forrce to extend
it. And with the right gearing, you could raise/lower it with a
clock motor.

Come to think of it, just a set of counterweights. That'd probably
be safer, anyway. Just run a cable to your Flex-O-Gym. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

 

TV satellite dish positioner, as in Jaeger linear positioner, cheap ish and
possibly from Rich`s suggestion, tool balance as used in production lines
for hanging air tools from...

Adam

 

Heh, yeah, I appreciate the suggestion, but I think this is a little overkill

/S

 

This sounds like something I might be able to design.. Hmm What kind
of 'right gearing' would I need, and how would I make the drawer go up
and down?

Safety is second to geek-factor The 'Flex-O-Gym' would work, not
to mention getting a little exercise in with my video gaming, but I'm
a little space-conscious!

Thanks again,
/S

 

Actually this might be very helpful. A CD-ROM tray seems like the
ideal solution, because I have a spare one and I can automatically
control it with my PC.

Like you said, the downside is the tray would be a little flimsy..
But what if I could rig it up with a (very high tech <cough>) system
of pulleys, like this:

(side view)

O------O
\ |
O O---:::::: <-- CD-ROM
| (with a string attached to the tray
mech)
:::
::: <- Audrey on "drawer"
:::
-----

With the CD-ROM tray in, the drawer would be closed. When I ejected
the CD tray, it would lower (and open) the drawer.

Do you think that would work? How feasible is this idea? Am I still
on the crazy side?

Thanks for the great suggestion!
/Steve

 

its not rocket science, 12" stroke is about 35 GBP retail in UK,not fast as
built for accuracy but reasonable torque:

http://www.jaeger.com.tw/

use decent guides , old printers for head guide rails and bushes.

Tool balance reels can be found in factory liquidation sales but have mimum
weight as well as maximum. hardwre shop that stocks parts for sash windows ,
pulleys,rope and counter weightsor use jam jar full of sand. Counterweight
takes lot of hassle out of it.

Adam

 

Well, actually, since you've got to go up in the attic anyway,
just put a few pullies on the joists (or beams, or rafters,
or whatever they're called) by the fridge and by the wall.
Then just suspend the counterweights inside the wall, just
like they did with window weights. You might want to put
them in some kind of sleeve, so they don't rattle around.

Whatever you decide, I hope we get to see pictures and stuff!

Have Fun!
Rich

 

I may have exaggerated a bit here. ;-) Maybe a car window motor.
Only instead of the lever that moves the window, you turn a
drum that winds up a cable. And with a few pulleys there,
you could get some mechanical advantage.

Here's a kind of unrolled diagram:

motor output O O O O O O <- pulleys
cables -> \ / \ / \ / \ / \ /
pulleys -> O O O O O

Have Fun!
Rich