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Advice on a variable electric morot

Advice on a variable electric morot

Advice on a variable electric morot

(OP)
Hi guys, I'm a bit of a noob with electronics so please be kind :)

So basically, I'm trying to make something about the size of a regular finger (a bit wider) that is split into 3 sections. The middle section needs to turn whilst the ends remain still. So a possibility of a small motor being put in (it's to wind headphone wire up electronically), and the ends somehow control the direction/speed of the motor? What kind of motor would I need and how much would it cost in general? (Sorry I haven't explained what I'm trying to do very well :p very hard over the internet.)

Thanks in advance! :)

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

(OP)
*Motor

Fail typo in the title... :p
This isn't for a school product by the way, it's my own personal pursuit.

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

Red Flag your message.
In the resulting dialog box, politely ask that the title be edited, and specify the edit as exactly as possible so there will be no confusion.
A person will take care of it anon.

Next question: Where does the energy to run the motor come from?
If not a wire, do you have an idea how big a battery you need?

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

Look on Mabuchi for small DC motors. (I'll be honest, I like the term morot better now. I had a 19.2kbps modem that was labeled "medom" thanks to some interesting Engrish translation...)
You can't buy from them directly unless you need 1,000,000 motors, but it gives you an idea of what is out there.

I suspect you need something like the tiny motors used in cell phones for the vibration. Then you need some rather small gears to slow things down and torque things up. Then 1-2 cells in 1/3AA size would suffice, assuming you can recharge this thing.

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

The word "morot" does exist. The Swedish word morot means carrot (the vegetable) and those mini-carrots that McDonald sells are a lot like the morot you are looking for.

Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org
--------------------------------------
Half full - Half empty? I don't mind. It's what in it that counts.

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

McD sells carrots in Sweden? You guys are so advanced... But are you sure they aren't just orange colored French fries? That would fit their model better.

Back to the electric morot. For one-off experimentation, I would look around for an existing product that can be de-constructed to get what you need. Something like this:

http://BoostKeychains.com/

Most little things like that are only going to be available for OEM purchase. Then once you have proof of concept, find a supplier to work with if you want to go into production and they should make you a prototype. But be prepared for NRE* charges.

* Non Recurring Engineering


"Will work for salami"

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

(OP)
Thanks for all your replies guys! :D

MikeHalloran:
I assume just 1/2 button cells? They would go in 1 or both of the ends of the whole thing. To try and describe it further: it'd be a cylinder (metal/plastic probably) about 6cm long, with the end sections being about 1/1.5cm long (also the diameter could be like 2cm - but all these measurements are just idealogical preferences). The motor would preferably be activated by twisting the 2 ends in opposite directions, so say the left side, clockwise and the right side, anti-clockwise. Then to get the motor to go the other way, reverse the direction you twist each end (also preferably with it increasing in RPM the further you turn).

My main problem at the moment is trying to find a suitable motor, then figuring out how to slow it down to say 3/4 rotations per second (I don't think you can get motors that slow without having to do anything to them?).

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

(OP)
imcjoek:
Do you think the motors used in phone vibration would be suitable and not too small? Could you give an example please? :)

jraef:
Interesting, do you think these motors would be able to turn both ways? (It may be a really nooby thing to think :p but would I just swap the connections to the battery to get the motor to spin the other way?)

Thanks again guys :) and to the guys who totally forum-crashed me with carrots ;)

RE: Advice on a variable electric morot

Phones do not have a motor in them! Take a look at children's toys that have a small DC motor and worm gear speed reducer. Also consider mechanical (spring) motor. Move the little car backwards to rotate wheels backward, and it winds the spring (also like a roller shade). Let it go and Zoom! I guess you have a vision of selling millions of this gadget to everyone (lazy persons) who has a headphone!

Walt

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