Lego Mindstorms NXT Forklift

[Ramacco]

This saturday we had a robotcontest and we had to create a robot that could grab and lift a can. Most robots were 'selfmade' and could use as many motors/servos as they want to, but I used a NXT and had only 3 motor ports. So, I invented a mechanism that was able to do both actions with only one motor using a lego differential.This design had to be as light as possible and a NXT motor was too heavy, so I used a PF medium motor with the Mindsensor Glidewheel sensor instead.

This sensor was very usefull since I tried a lot of designs before saturday and non were successful. I designed and programmed this robot in only 6 hours, gripper design included. I was very satisfied with the outcome. This is still a WIP, I am sure that I can make this design better. (and maybe make it work with a NXT servo motor.)

Programming was done in LeJOS.

Ramacco

Edited September 10, 2012 by Ramacco

[Carsten Svendsen]

I'd love to see the grabber mechanism in detail. Nice robot

[Ramacco]

Here is a little video I made without motor. I will upload some detailed pictures this week.

MOVIE

Edited September 10, 2012 by Ramacco

[allanp]

Nice mechanism.

I guess it works by using a differencial to drive the easier of two outputs. When the arms are open, it's aesier to close them than it is to lift the carriage, so the arms close. Once the arms close on a can, it then becomes very hard to close the arms any further, thereby causing the carriage to lift. Two functions, one of them self adjusting to the size of the can, controlled with one motor. Nice! Reminds me of the barcode truck.