|
|
|
|
|
|
Spockie-Tech
Site Admin
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia
|
The trick with such systems is the engaging and disengaging of the flipping mechanism with the energy storage system without it breaking. Engaging spinning flywheels is often known as "getting hit by a spinner" in our systems - you have to try and soften the shock, but preserve the energy transfer.
The Whyachi team had to deal with the same issue with "Red Square". A titanium spring powered flipper. They used a winch to pull the spring down, then disengaged the winching gears by pulling them apart.
An article I read somewhere said they had to put a lot of effort into the profile, metallurgy, and hardening process of the winch gear teeth to stop them being ripped off as they disengaged with the power of the spring pushing on them.
As with all high energy machines, its the attention to the fine details that determine survival or failure - the bottom end of a racing engine superficially looks little different to a stock one, but the stock one will fail pretty quick when you put 500hp through it whereas the precision clearances and metallurgy of a race engine holds it together.
Some form of electromagnetic clutch like an automotive airconditioning compressor, or the one Andrew built for his heavyweight Vertex might work.
Or perhaps something like a car-engine camshaft and roller lifter with a rockerarm/lever type arrangement ? a solenoid could hold the lifter above the lobe while the cam/flyer spools up, then when you fire it, a mechanism drops the lifter into engagement while the bump on the lobe is "around the other side" (you would need an electronic sensor to time the engagement moment), then when it comes around, you get the lifting force powered by the flywheels inertia ?
Its an interesting idea. Tricky to pull off though, _________________ Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people
|
Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:55 pm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|