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pop up panel - servo? spring? any suggestions?

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tony.silveira:
hi all,

i've started being active again on here since i just got a job (after 4 years of no work) and have started working on my cabinet again.  next up on my to do list, add servos for auto 4/8 way switching.  what an incredible idea that was that i found on here!

project after that will be to add two of these tiny keypads for consoles that had numeric keys (coleco, intellivision, 5200, jaguar, etc.)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360454529148?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

simple way for me would be to route out a spot and have these flush mounted but who wants simple.  finding the servo 4/8 way mod got me thinking.  could i install these vertically, under the panel and when one of the systems is selected, they 'pop' up out of the panel (and hopefully make the star trek turbo lift door sound when they do "PPPPSSSSSS").  so maybe some kind of piston servo?

the other thought would be more manual.  have some kind of mechanism where you push in and it pops up a bit.  once that lip is exposed, pull it up completely.  when done, push it back down into the panel.

anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?

darthpaul:
Maybe a servo to open the door and a small actuator to push up the keypad. Take a look at DaOld Man's Controlchoose, it is similar to Joychoose but can do much more. Take a look at my project, maybe you will get some ideas. 

tony.silveira:
I got the idea from your cab, simply awesome!

but I'm not going with a door.  I'm thinking a small frame around the keypad.  have the very top edge be flush with the panel.  it would pop up, the. go back into the panel.  that top edge would of course be the same color/material as the panel so as to hide it.

loos like I have some planning ahead of me :)

darthpaul:
You could probably get a servo to do that but it may not be strong enough to hold it up if you are pushing the buttons.

RandyT:

--- Quote from: tony.silveira on May 15, 2012, 09:41:49 am ---the other thought would be more manual.  have some kind of mechanism where you push in and it pops up a bit.  once that lip is exposed, pull it up completely.  when done, push it back down into the panel.

anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?

--- End quote ---

Thick Memory foam stuck to the bottom of the keypad and a latch of some nature. It recovers slowly, so you might be able to get that slow lift into place.  Regular foam rubber might be better, though, for quicker recovery. The challenge would be getting it to come up straight and even.  If the keypad has straight, relatively smooth sides, and the well it sits in is dimensionally close, it should ride out evenly.  If not, a smooth rod fastened to the bottom of the keypad, and a bronze bushing in bottom of the well, will probably solve this.

Simple, but probably not as durable as the more complicated approaches.

RandyT

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