Help finding a small linear actuator

Dear Srinath Avadhanula:

If a rubber band in not high-tech enough, you could use an air cylinder, and an air compressor (or compressed gas cylinder). You'd need to fire the cylinder into a dashpot if it is a cheap one, to keep from blowing the end off the cylinder.

David A. Smith

Spring catapult maybe? Spring could be of coil type or maybe beam type.

Dear ms:

I noticed upon reviewing my post he said "not pneumatic". How about a solenoid operating a lever?

David A. Smith

"N:dlzc D:aol T:com \(dlzc\)" wrote in news:nT7Xd.33$uk7.12@fed1read01:

Hmm, guessing battery life might be of interest you might be better off with a small motor slowly cocking a passive spring of some sort. Seems a shame to accelerate 32 gm to 6 m/s and then only release 2 gm of load.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Hi Greg,

This sounds like an interesting idea. The "problem" will be to suddenly get the spring released...

Along these lines, I was thinking that if I have a counterbalance pendulum and the motor could just lift that and let go suddenly. The sudden let go could be when a cam slips or something.

I agree, 32 gms of gripper for a 2 gm glider is excessive, but I couldn't find solenoids which would have the required force output small enough.

Thanks for replying! :) Regards, Srinath

Dear srinath:

Not a lot of force involved. Just drive another solenoid "up" to lift the mechanism out of engagement.

If you are only looking for single shots every few minutes, you can overdrive the solenoid. 2x voltage might be possible with even the cheapest solenoids. Just keep the "power pulse" duration short. The problem might be in getting the glider to survive the short duration launch...

David A. Smith

Door lock actuator (car audio/security install shop).

Dwayne