Robots might use servo motors or even solenoids , but there
is a much better way , but it is not easy to empliment ,
mechanically .
Your old VW had a Beilstein jack .
Using springs and the above method to quickly
lock movement , in a robot , can be impressive .
We have all seen the Honda robot . Maybe they use
this methodology , i dont know .
very large solenoids and very fast locking , can
give very fast and accurate response .
Solenoids must be driven with efficient "buck"
regulators . They are oscillating types ,
the bipolar transistor is driven by the same coil
that it is driving .
They approach 95% eff '
They can deliver a 25 amp pulse in microseconds
You could create PWM , with them .
They are so fast , if an arm had such a drive ,
you could maybe teach your robot to "box"
( as a pugilist .)
The springs are what improve the efficiency .
if you had no springs to store this quick energy ,
then you circuit must waste energy "controlling"
Common buck regulators , waste drive to the
bipolar transistor , but my circuit adds another
winding to drive the base of B' T' .
The free running freq is above 400 Khz .
This means , when you enable it , the B' T'
turns on very fast and then saturates the core
and shuts down , but it starts up again , since its
an oscillator .
The simple control pulls the coil to ground
and "sets" the output DC voltage .
This circuit is far simpler and safer than even
the LM494 used in IBM PC pow supplies ,
because it saturates the ferrite core .
But there is no future for the old
non-saturating core , I.C. controlled ,
pow supplies .
even in Flour' lites , they dumped
the controller I.C. and instead osc' it
and saturate the core .
Emmiter is output , so the base drive coil ,
can fully saturate the B'T' , wastes less heat ..
If you try to store energy in air , you will
waste too much heat .
Springs work well , dont get hot .
The next problem is , compound eyes .
I remember seeing a I.C. that had a array
a hole cut in the top of an early DRAM memory .
- posted
15 years ago