flip up key pad - need some advice

[tony.silveira]

hey guys,

so i'm on again and have some new ideas for my long time coming keypads (i bought an x-key 24 and it looks awesome).  When last i left this idea, i was going to do rotating keypads built into the CP.  but now i have a different idea and need some advice.

on my machine, the CP hangs out from the body of the machine.  i have a hinge with a spring that I will be attaching to the back of the CP that extends from the machine.  i will be attaching the x-key to the sponged hinge so that when it is not being used, it will rotate down and out of sight.  the tension in the spring will rotate it up into place.

my challenge is automating something that will pull the keys down.  below is a quick sketch and i would love some feedback/help to see this realized.

sketch is for the side view of the CP.  on the back is the colored in spring hinge and attached to that is the keypad.  from the top of the extended things is a cable that will feed thru a roller wheel so as not to get caught on the wood.  inside would be a spool that would pull in this cable, closing the hinge and pulling the keypad down.

so i'm just looking for suggestions on how to automate this spool to spin.  i need something that will turn it, and some sort of software/control board to make it al happen.

all thoughts are appreciated

[keilmillerjr]

I don't understand why you need this, or to automate it.

[tony.silveira]

I don't understand why you need this, or to automate it.

i also emulate consoles and there are a few that require keypads.  and to automate it, well, it'd be cool

[Le Chuck]

Tony, if you use a small stepper motor it would be pretty easy to set-up.  You could use a micromaestro from pololu to control it with simple scripts.  Just do some testing and figure out how many pulses it takes to wind it up and set your batch for that.  I would recommend a servo but depending on r of the spool you might hit the rotation limit before you're all wound up.  Stuff exactly like that is used in simple robotics kits all the time to actuate movement so there are bound to be tons of guides over on the robotics websites to walk you through it. 

I don't understand why you need this, or to automate it.

Tony's ingenuity is only bested by his love of the unnecessary.  Ours is not to reason why, ours is to enjoy the show!

[PL1]

If the spring is strong enough to hold the keypad upright and not wobble when keys are pushed, you will need a lot of torque to pull it down.

Perhaps a servo (or motor like you showed) leading to the center of a hinged arm assembly like this where the arms provide support for the keypad.


Scott
EDIT: On second thought, don't attach the hinged arms at the top of the keypad.

Attach them 1/3 of the way down (green) and you'll only have to move that green pivot point about 1/2 as far.   

[tony.silveira]

thanks for the ideas PL1 but i have an idea on how to support the keypad when it's in the up position.

le chuck, as always, you nailed me!  i read to my gfriend the comment you made "Tony's ingenuity is only bested by his love of the unnecessary.  Ours is not to reason why, ours is to enjoy the show!"

she agrees wholeheartedly

i am really new to this robotics stuff.  any chance you can share a robots site you think i would get good advice from?

thanks all.

[DaOld Man]

Im interested.

[tony.silveira]

Im interested.

here is a quick shot of me holding the key in place.  i have he 1-9 buttons lit in blue and the rest of the keys lit with red/blue.  each key can be independently lit with either or both colors.  my thought for the keys around the numbers would be for emu specific controls, load state, save state, etc. and to only light the keys used by that emu.

[AzureKnight]

If you truly want to go with "over the top" unnecessary action why not have it appear on the right side mounted to a rail that it can ride up over the monitor, down the left side until it settles into place.   

[yotsuya]

If you truly want to go with "over the top" unnecessary action why not have it appear on the right side mounted to a rail that it can ride up over the monitor, down the left side until it settles into place.   

I say you hack an Atari Mindlink and use the powers of your mind to press the buttons. You're welcome.

[DaOld Man]

You really need to straighten that player 1 start button.

[tony.silveira]

You really need to straighten that player 1 start button.

LOL!  There is a lot I need to do.  This machine is turning into a frankenstein proof of concept.  All these little add ons are being done so i can learn and when i rebuild from scratch, do things a bit more proper.

[DaOld Man]

Just kidding man.. Looks like you are making some headway.
Do you have room for the keypad to go vertically down into the CP? If so you might can use an actuator to raise and lower it.

[tony.silveira]

Just kidding man.. Looks like you are making some headway.
Do you have room for the keypad to go vertically down into the CP? If so you might can use an actuator to raise and lower it.

i do have that depth but the keypad is angled back a bit to be at the same angle as the side of the cabinet, i think it looks "right" like that.

if anyone can develop software, please take a look at my new post about the xkey24 issue i am having:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,143505.0.html

thanks all for any feedback or help.

[michelevit]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Built-In-Multi-Touch/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421942123&sr=8-2&keywords=wireless+keyboard

just buy this and be done with it...

[bfauska]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Built-In-Multi-Touch/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421942123&sr=8-2&keywords=wireless+keyboard

just buy this and be done with it...

I have two of those, one I got specifically for my cab after using the first one for my HTPC. It's a great keyboard and trackpad.

[michelevit]

over 6000 reviews on amazon.com.
must be good...

[tony.silveira]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Built-In-Multi-Touch/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421942123&sr=8-2&keywords=wireless+keyboard

just buy this and be done with it...

what fun with that be? 

[bchiarmonte]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Built-In-Multi-Touch/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421942123&sr=8-2&keywords=wireless+keyboard

just buy this and be done with it...

I have one of these as well. Works great. I would look around you usually can find them in the $15-$20 range