Dispensing Mechanism
Dispensing Mechanism
Embedded Files
[12] 3D printed parts
- Chip Holder Tubes [2]
- Extractor
- Chip Silo (Double-Sided)
- Ramp Holder & Ramp
- Chute Holder
- Chute with Gate
- Halfpipe
- Legs (inserts) [2]
[3] Servo Motors
- Chip Dispenser (Extractor)
- Chute Position (Chute)
- Chip Release (Gate)
Controller
- Wooden Box
- 7 Arcade Buttons with LED's
- Screws
This dispensing mechanism is constructed using three servo motors and multiple 3D printed parts. Starting with the halfpipe design which extends each column by the appropriate amount, this device was built from the bottom to the top. 3D ptined legs were designed to be used as inserts for the bottom and top of the halfpipe for easy connection. No screws were needed.
Next was finding the center of the circle cutout from the halfpipe. This is where our servo motor has to be in order to position the chute correctly. The chute holder sits directly on the halfpipe with a cutout for the servo motor. This servo motor is then connected to the chute.
The chute includes a gate on the back side, that allows the chute to catch a chip then once the chute is in the correct position, the gate releases the chip, allowing gravity to force it into the column selected.
Above the chute sits a chip dispenser that alternates, extracting one chip at a time. The extracting method allows us to have both player's chips stacked on eachother to save space. It also makes the individual extracting easier because we can slide each chip out from underneath the other chips.
This was designed using 4 components:
1. Chip Holder - Holds all chips stacked horizontally inside both silos
2. Extractor - Removes one chip at a time. Center position catches both chips
(Rotate ± 90 degrees to dispense a chip)
3. Chip Ramp - positions chip in vertical fashion
4. Ramp Holder - holds chip holder, extractor and ramp
To allow human interface with the robot, we created a controller that is easy to use. In the beginning of the game, only three buttons will light up (Green, Yellow, Red) and this is to select a game mode (Easy, Medium, Hard).
After selecting the game mode, the human is given the first opportunity. Starting from left to right is the same number of buttons as there is columns including the three difficulty buttons. Once a human selects a column, the dispensing mechanism will release a chip into the selected column and following would be the robot dispensing a chip into its desired column.
The robot plays autonomously, yet knows when a column is full and when a player has won a game or the game is a draw.
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