[Paperclip13131]

New to this forum, Mods please move thread if need be.

Hello everyone, a little background about myself. I'm 19 years old and currently a Mech. drafting student in Pittsburgh, PA and I come to you for some help.

Here's the dealio, an inventor proposed something to my instructor for our Design and Manufacturing class where we basically are put into groups and are given the task of redesigning his invention. He will then have a choice of 7 different designs to choose from and will get a patent on that design.

The best way to put this is to imagine the movement of a car door lock (the little part that sticks up when the door is unlocked, and goes down when it's locked) We need to mimic that movement and have it controlled by a key fob remote.

We are required to use a rack and pinion to achieve the up and down movement. Other than that restraint there is really nothing else. How can I achieve this? Also, we need this to be as small/cheap as possible. Just something else to keep in mind.

Thank You!

[Perfect Circle]

That sounds pretty cool...will you get the rights if he picks your idea?

[Paperclip13131]

I wish. Ha, we will receive credit on the design, but nothing more than that. The main thing I'm looking at is something to include in my portfolio.

The image you attached is what we were thinking, except the servo going directly to the rack, just to simplify it all. The entire project focuses around the rack/servo so once we get this figured out we can go on with the other factors.

The main problem we are having is how to get a servo, receiver, and transmitter to all work together. None of us have experience in this type of stuff, so we're all going in blind.

The rack will probably end up being manufactured, but we need to find what gear we will be using on the servo so we can determine the pitch, etc. of the rack and get one produced.

[vanjast]

Hmmm Paperclip... you and the other groups are being conned !!
What I suggest you do..

Before your group submits their work, register a preliminary patent on it, but do not tell your supervisors. The cost will be minimal(speak to all your parents), and if he likes your design, name your price.
Register the patent in the US and EU - China copies anything, but locking the US and EU are priority markets.

What your supervisors are doing is 'blackmail' of some sort, as you (the group) should get compensation, as a redesign is effectively a new product patent.

[Paperclip13131]

Hmmm Paperclip... you and the other groups are being conned !!
What I suggest you do..

Before your group submits their work, register a preliminary patent on it, but do not tell your supervisors. The cost will be minimal(speak to all your parents), and if he likes your design, name your price.
Register the patent in the US and EU - China copies anything, but locking the US and EU are priority markets.

What your supervisors are doing is 'blackmail' of some sort, as you (the group) should get compensation, as a redesign is effectively a new product patent.

I appreciate your concern, but honestly. I don't see his invention really turning into anything. His target market is terribly small, and the use for it is even smaller. It's something that you may think "hey, that sure would be handy right now" but you wouldn't pay $20 for it, especially when you'd only find yourself in that situation less than once a year..

[Diane-MooreGear]

The rack will probably end up being manufactured, but we need to find what gear we will be using on the servo so we can determine the pitch, etc. of the rack and get one produced.

Just a heads up on the rack/pinion/pitch etc., try to stick with something standard aka stock.

http://www.mooregear.com/pdf/MooreGearStockRackList.pdf

is a link to the stock racks available.

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