JUMPIN' HOT SPOT

grabcad

-HELIOSTAT WITH 'SEGWAY' STYLE ROVING AND 7 HEX MIRRORS X 2. THE OUTER 6 CAN MOVE A BIT TO FOCUS. THE ARRAYS PIVOT AT THE BASE AND TOP. MIRRORS ARE KEPT SAFE FROM LUNAR DUST WHEN THE UNIT IS ROVING INSIDE COMPARTMENTS IN THE WHEELS. -THIS UNIT IS DESIGNED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LOW GRAVITATIONAL PULL AND THE EXTREME TEMPERATURE SWINGS:-A. IT HAS THE ABILITY TO JUMP OVER OBJECTS OR HOLES AND LAND SOFTLY ON LOADABLE 'POGO' SPRINGS.* WHILE OFF THE SURFACE INTERNAL STABILIZING GYROS MAINTAIN ORIENTATION AND SET UP THE SPRINGS LANDING ANGLE. SPRINGS CAN COMPRESS AND LATCH, OR BOUNCE FOR MULTIPLE HOPS. THIS CAN SAVE A LOT OF ENERGY. THE 'POGOS' CAN ALSO BE SPIKED OUT SO THE WHEELS CAN CROSS ROCKY SPACES.-B. THE REFLECTIVE SURFACES ARE 'HINGED' BY BIMETAL OR MEMORY METAL* REACTING TO THE EXTREME TEMPERATURE SHIFTS. THIS REDUCES OR ELIMINATES GEAR MOTOR ACTUATORS SAVING MORE ENERGY. SMALL SOLENOIDS LATCH THEM AT CHOSEN ANGLES.-C. WHEN THE UNIT IS HOISTED (AUTONOMOUSLY) TOWARDS THE SURFACE, GRAVITY ERECTS THE TOWERS WHICH LOCK IN PLACE. AGAIN MINIMAL MOTORIZED ASSISTANCE.I AM JUST LEARNING 3D SOFTWARE AND GRABCAD. WITH THIS CHALLENGE I'M JUST GETTING INTO GEAR. IT'S A STIMULATING LESSON FOR ME. I'M HAVING A BIT OF TROUBLE DOWNLOADING MY 3D MODELS. I STARTED WORKING ON THIS SEPTEMBER 4TH.*REFFERENCES AND ADDITIONAL DETAILS: 1- SNAP LOCK ELBOWS; THIS COULD BE DONE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. MY CURRENT FAVORITE IS TO HAVE THE SUPPORT TUBES (ACTING AS ELECTRICAL CONDUITS) HAVE INTEGRAL FLEX ELBOWS. WHEN THEY ARE STRAIGHTENED OUT INTERNAL TUBES DESCEND AND SNAP PERMANENTLY INTO PLACE, THUS FORMING A RIGID FRAME AFTER THE ROVER IS OUT OF THE BOX. 2- LANDING HOIST; THIS UNIT IS IN THE SHIPPING BOX UP AGAINST THE TOP. TWO ARMS THEN EXTEND FROM THE BOX AND SUSPEND THE ROVER ABOVE THE SURFACE. EACH ARM HAS A CABLE ATTACHED TO ONE OF THE TWO TOWERS. AS IT HANGS THERE , TWO LANYARDS SMOOTHLY ALLOW THE BASE TO DESCEND. THIS STRAIGHTENS OUT THE SNAP LOCK ELBOWS FORMING THE RIGID FRAME. THE HOIST THEN LOWERS THE ASSEMBLED ROVER. AS THE LEGS HIT THE GROUND THEY ADJUST TO LEVEL THE UNIT. NOTE: THE HOIST IS MADE OF PARTS THAT ARE THE SAME AS THE ROVER'S PARTS THUS BECOMING SPARE PARTS IN THE FUTURE. THE HOIST MOTORS ARE LOCATED ON THE ROVER. ONCE ON THE SURFACE, THE CABLES ARE WINCHED IN FOR USE IN THE FIELD. 3- I HAVE A METHOD FOR KEEPING THE GEARMOTORS, SOLENOIDS, ETC. WARM AT NIGHT. IT REQUIRES NO ADDITIONAL HEATING ELEMENTS, INSULATION OR WIRES. THIS SAVES A LOT OF WEIGHT. DETAILS ARE REQUESTABLE. 4- ROBOTIC ARM; THE ILLUSTRATION IS GENERIC. ITS FUNCTIONS INCLUDE; -PUSHING OR NUDGING STUCK ITEMS OR ADJUSTING REFLECTORS. -PICKING UP ITEMS FROM THE GROUND. -ATTACHING HOIST CABLES FOR REPPELING DOWN STEEP INCLINES. -USING ITEMS FROM THE TOOL BELT. ( NOT SHOWN ) -TO ASSIST IN LEVELING AND MOVING ROCKS AROUND. 5- GYRO BALANCEING; WHEN THE ROVER JUMPS, THEY ARE USED TO KEEP THE ROVER UPRIGHT. THEY CAN ALSO ADJUST THE 'POGO' SPRINGS FOR A SPOT ON SOFT LANDING OR CONTINUED BOUNCES. THE WHEELS ARE USED FOR X-Y MOTION AND A SIMILAR SPINNING RING INSIDE THE BODY FOR THE X-Z MOTION. 6- 'POGO' SPRINGS; THE 12 'POGOS' ARE LOCATED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TWO WHEELS AND CAN BE COMPRESSED AND RELEASED AS NEEDED. ALL 12 CAN BE MOTORED OUT SO THE WHEELS BECOME SPIKED. THIS ALLOWS THE CROSSING OF ROCKY OR OTHER ODD TERRAIN.