The
apparatus is a jukebox which is basically composed of two main
parts.
One is the actual mechanism used to pick up the CD's and place them in
the CD player. The other is a 'tower-like' structure of CD's with
a CD player at the bottom (see picture).
The
mechanism
for motion is supported vertically. It has two parallel,
vertically
arranged sliders placed near the edge of the mechanism. Attached
to the sliders is a mechanism which provides the lateral motion for the
grasping mechanism. This part of the juke box moves
vertically.
There is a motor, with an acme screw attached using a coupler at the
very
top of the vertical structure. This acme screw runs through a
threaded
piece of metal which is attached to the horizontal "arm." When
the
motor turns, it causes the structure to move up and down, using the
sliders
as a guide. The horizontal mechanism contains a motor with a belt
attached. The belt is connected to a platform containing a
solenoid.
When the motor turns, the platform moves left or right. On the
platform
is a solenoid/spring apparatus. The solenoid is attached to two
brass
tubes (one inside the other). The larger brass tube is
permanently
attached to the side of the solenoid. The smaller tube is
attached
to the moving part of the solenoid. The spring keeps the solenoid
in an extended position, except when a current is run through it, in
which
case, it is activated and it pulls the metal part into the solenoid
into
the coiled part. The ends of the brass tube were bent so that
they
could grasp the inside of a CD when the solenoid is activated. (I
can visualize it, but it's hard to explain..I think I'll just draw the
the thing now):
(That
little thing took so long to make!!). All of the motors have
wires
which run through a bread board. There are also wires from the CD
player which were placed so that they would activate several functions
of the CD player like the Play, Stop, Next Track, Open and Close
functions.
All of these wires go through the bread board and are connected to the
computer through an electronic interface. First, the program
initializes
the motors using sensors located at the bottom of the tall vertical
structure
and another sensor on the horizontal motion mechanism. The
program
prompts the user who then gets to choose which CD he/she wantes to play
(1 through 5). Then they are prompted to choose the track they
want
to hear. Then, the top motor rotates the appropriate number of
times
so that the structure rises to the correct level of the CD. Next
the motor responsible for horizontal motion moves the solenoid
structure
right above the middle of the CD. The vertical motor makes the
structure
lower slightly, into the CD. The solenoid is activated and the CD
is grasped. The structure moves up a little, and then the
horizontal
motor pulls it back. The vertical motor lowers the structure,
then
a signal is sent to open the CD player. Once opened, the vertical
motor lowers the CD into the tray. The solenoid is deactivated
and
the vertical motor raised the structure a little bit. Then a
signal
is sent to close the CD player. Next, multiple signals are sent
depending
on what the track number is, and then the play button signal is
sent.
To pick up the CD, a similar process occurs. Once the CD is
grasped,
the structure rises and returns it to its original location on the tray.
Now
about me.
Name:
Juan Melli-Huber
College:
RUTGERS, The State University of New Jersey
Major:
Mechanical Engineering
Interests:
Tennis, skiing, golf, bowling, math and sciences, wasting precious
hours
on my computer, music, making pyramids out of soda cans, stacking
furniture
into strange structures, reupholstering furniture, wild imp hunting,
fly-fishing
in my living room, performing liver transplants, parking my car in my
neighbor's
kitchen, and during my down time, I perfect cold fusion, just for kicks.
Juan
