Re: Need help with remote controlled dispenser (for dog treats, candy, etc.)

[Cymon]

This is more a question for a maker group or a maker space. Or the Ben Heck show.

On Thursday, January 10, 2013 10:34:39 AM UTC-7, Greg Miliatis wrote:

I realized that I can actually use a remote control device from a cheap toy RC car, and could then hack it to create a dispenser.

Any thoughts on how to rig up a dispenser?


On Wednesday, January 9, 2013 10:16:29 PM UTC-7, Greg Miliatis wrote:

I'd like to build a remote controlled dog treat dispenser to help train our dog, and I haven't been able to find plans for anything similar online.

I've seen ready-made products that do this, but they're expensive, and I'd like to involve my kids in building something that does this.

From looking at some other devices, it looks like I could use a servo to dispense the kibble, but I'm not sure about the remote control. Ideally, I'd like to be able to dispense the treat from a different room--where the dispenser is out of sight.

Can anyone steer me to some plans for this?

Thanks in advance!

[Adan Akerman]

It's true, it's maybe a little off-topic for MakerBot Operation. But this is a very creative and knowledgeable group of makers; I've had the same impulse to see if anyone's got any cool ideas for approaches to projects I've considered or snags I've come across. And it's kind of a nice change of pace. And once he gets started making whatever he comes up with, he may run into makerbot operation difficulties.

Greg, If you've got no maker group of your own, you're welcome to sign up for the Knox Makers Google Group and ask your question there. I can think of a lot of our people who could give you interesting ideas, and the tips on how to realize them.

In the meantime, consider:

- a simple gravity-feed chute with a vertically sliding door at the end. Use one wheel from the RC car to raise the door up to a hard stop, then go into reverse to slam it back down and cut off the kibbleflow. Make it fancier by sending a tightly-controled up-down signal, so the output is more consistent.

- a chute that takes a supply of kibble from a somewhat larger hopper and narrows it down into a ~0.5" stream. Then put flaps onto your RC car wheel and suspend it over the chute, blocking the flow when stopped. Then when you activate the wheel you'll create a projectile kibbleshower!

Good luck,

Adan

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[Joseph Chiu]

Greg, I suggest you look into a IR remote receiver module from Sharp.   $5 from RadioShack.  Wire that into a small processor like a PIC or something similar, and then output the servo control signal (1 ms + N ms high, and then like 100 ms low.  N is between 0 and 1 depending on deflection percentage of the servo.)  Upload the finished product to thingiverse!

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[Jetguy]

It's called "search" on Thingiverse. At this point, 99.9 percent of
the time, somebody already else has done it or at least has part of a
project you can start from.
Sorry, not trying to be rude, just pointing you where to look in the
future.

http://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=feeder
Resulting in these obviously related projects:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:34100
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:27854

Alternate search http://www.thingiverse.com/search/page:1?q=dispenser
(key word dispenser)
Sounds up your alley:
This is an internet-controlled pet treat dispenser.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7837
or:
This Android-powered, automated cat feeder. A Python script runs via
SL4A on the phone serving up a webcam feed and taking care of
triggering the feeder on schedule
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4782

I think any one of those could be adapted with ease.

Keyword automatic results:
Single print chicken feeder
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:34710

Automated results:
Another feeder fully printable.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11072

Keyword Dog:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5512

Anyway, ScribbleJ (Christopher Jansen) probably has the closest thing
that you were looking for an I have used many of his amazing things
over the years. (not trying to downplay anyone elses designs)
http://www.thingiverse.com/ScribbleJ
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7837

There is no reason why say one of the super cheap RC cars with only a
forward/reverse or even just a single button forward couldn't control
the auger.

On Jan 10, 12:34 pm, Greg Miliatis <gmilia...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I realized that I can actually use a remote control device from a cheap toy
> RC car, and could then hack it to create a dispenser.
>
> Any thoughts on how to rig up a dispenser?
>
>
>
> On Wednesday, January 9, 2013 10:16:29 PM UTC-7, Greg Miliatis wrote:
>
> > I'd like to build a remote controlled dog treat dispenser to help train
> > our dog, and I haven't been able to find plans for anything similar online.
>
> > I've seen ready-made products that do this, but they're expensive, and I'd
> > like to involve my kids in building something that does this.
>
> > From looking at some other devices, it looks like I could use a servo to
> > dispense the kibble, but I'm not sure about the remote control. Ideally,
> > I'd like to be able to dispense the treat from a different room--where the
> > dispenser is out of sight.
>
> > Can anyone steer me to some plans for this?
>

> > Thanks in advance!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Joseph Chiu]

Oh, sorry, I missed the part about it being "out of sight" -- in this case, you're probably best served by one of those really cheap RC toys and hacking it.  You can take the left/right "steering" actuation output to drive a solenoid, if that'll work with the intended design.  Heck, the car's left/right mechanism can be the solenoid!

[Jetguy]

Was I wrong at trying to point him at "printable" solutions since this
is a MakerBot group?


Anyway on topic:

I must say, I am proud of the OP trying to get the kids involved. To
me, this will make a difference for the rest of thier lives.
Hats off to Greg, a fine parent.

I saw a similiar seen over the holiday back in my home town at a hole
in the wall http://www.midwestsurplus.net/
A father was there with his son who couldn't have been over 8. He was
going down the isle full of ICs and bugging his dad about this chip or
that module.
I'm not even a father but seeing how much that kid knew at that age
was amazing and a real sign of parenting. Education happens more at
home than it does in school.

[Adan Akerman]

I appreciated your links. The auger feed options look very promising. I can see a few nice ways of integrating those with an RC car wheel for actuation. 

For sure, that's admirable child rearing. 

--

[Joseph Chiu]

You might try http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:8175 as a starting place.  Printing in halves and gluing should work...

On Thu, Jan 10, 2013 at 8:09 PM, Greg Miliatis <gmil...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks everyone for all the ideas and links--very helpful!

My daughter has a Hot Wheels-sized RC car that she was going to give away, but we'll use it for the basis of the dispenser. I'll snag a more powerful motor and rig up a 9-volt battery to power it.

We're going to use the auger design, since that seems to be the best way to dole out the kibble in small amounts.

The only problem I'm running into is finding an appropriate auger. The ones I've seen online are overkill for what we need.

Does anyone know where I can snag a plastic auger? I'm thinking something maybe 1" or 1.5" in diameter, and maybe 4"-6" long should do the trick.

On Thursday, January 10, 2013 10:34:39 AM UTC-7, Greg Miliatis wrote:

I realized that I can actually use a remote control device from a cheap toy RC car, and could then hack it to create a dispenser.

Any thoughts on how to rig up a dispenser?


On Wednesday, January 9, 2013 10:16:29 PM UTC-7, Greg Miliatis wrote:

I'd like to build a remote controlled dog treat dispenser to help train our dog, and I haven't been able to find plans for anything similar online.

I've seen ready-made products that do this, but they're expensive, and I'd like to involve my kids in building something that does this.

From looking at some other devices, it looks like I could use a servo to dispense the kibble, but I'm not sure about the remote control. Ideally, I'd like to be able to dispense the treat from a different room--where the dispenser is out of sight.

Can anyone steer me to some plans for this?

Thanks in advance!

--
 
 

[RocketSled]

I'd just glue a cup to the top of the RC car, put the kibble in that, and drive the car remotely to deliver the treat.  

No point in making this more involved than it has to be!

8*)

[lovmac]

Greg, the current issue of Make magazine has a cat scratch feeder project. It's loosely related and I thought it might give you some ideas.

[Greg Miliatis]

Thanks, Matthew! I actually have a little Radio Shack motor (I think it's a 3V model)--but I was reading that they don't have much torque. That little gear box is cheap and sounds like it'd do the trick.

2 questions:

1. I'm still figuring out how to make the auger though. I haven't found a cheap pre-made auger, and don't have access to a 3D printer, so I was thinking of making an auger by using washer-shaped discs (thin metal or strong plastic). I'd cut them on the radius, then attach them together in a long spiral, kind of like a spiral staircase, then attach the helix-shaped thingy to a shaft. Of course, it'd be far easier if I could find a pre-made auger, if you have any leads on that.
   
2. What's the best way to attach something (i.e., the auger) to the axle on the motor? The motor axle is just a smooth, round shaft, so it'd seem like anything attached to it would slip...
   

On Monday, January 14, 2013 3:24:43 PM UTC-7, Matthew Stonebraker wrote:

Hi Greg,

I just saw your post. I'm actually independently working on an automatic cat feeder that uses an Arduino board to allow me to send text-message feed commands and also an LCD/keypad interface.

The biggest problem I think you will encounter is that the RC motors have VERY little torque, and unless you spend a lot of time and design effort reducing friction between your parts, you will have trouble with this. Depending on what your budget is, there are a number of ways around this. I am using this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6V-30RPM-Torque-Gear-Box-Motor-new-/330855169476?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d08813dc4

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear how your project goes!

[Juan Posada]

Do you have access to a mill? If so you could mill a flat on the motor axle. 

Re the auger you could also try wood. Soak, shape, let dry. Epoxy and/or fiberglass if additional strength is required. Probably overkill tho! ;)

--
Juan Posada

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[Fastrack]

This might help ya out!

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:27854

Ben

[Greg Miliatis]

Excellent idea about milling a flat side on the axle; I've got the tools to do that.

I was thinking of using making the auger out of wood, but that'd probably be more work than using plastic/metal and using the disk/helix design. We'll see...