Designing a Successful Egg Scrambler Project: Tips and Ideas

[KbCs2006]

"egg Scrambler" project

I'm a senior in high school and have been assigned the following project. My partner and I are having a hard time getting our thoughts and ideas rolling on this one, any ideas would be MUCH appretiated!

"Students will design and build a device that will transport a large Grade A uncooked egg a distance of 8-12 meters along a straight track and place the egg, unbroken, on top of a standard orange raod cone without leaving a 2 meter wide lane. The intent is to transport the egg, unbroken and have it en up on the cone. Along the route there will be two speed bumps, made from 1/2 " dowels. (we were told we didnt HAVE to go over them?) You may not grease the wheels or use any chemical substances on their surface. The device must be propelled by the falling of 1km, or less, mass. This is the only source of energy allowed to make the device move. Energy sources for stopping and the device "arm" are allowed."


These are the requirements...we can still get a passing grade if we don't make it onto the top of the cone I guess.

~device is sturdy and professional looking
~device is transportable
~transports egg a distance of 2 m without allowing egg to crack/break
~energy propulsion is solely due to the falling mass. (must be easily removed for weighing)
~the device has a stopping mechanism that does not propel the device (anything can be used)


PLEASE HELP! We are having a real hard time figuring this out

 

[Danger]

Man, these egg transporter problems just get more challenging every time. In this case, my own approach would be to design the ovipositor first, then work out the transportation part of it. You'll need some sort of 'docking' mechanism to ensure that the machine is properly positioned in respect to the cone. That can also be your braking system. A couple of different ideas come to mind, but you'll have to figure them out yourself. Tell us your thoughts about it.

 

[KbCs2006]

we had an idea for the end for getting it onto the cone, if we could somehow get the egg to drop in some sort of foamy funnel so it didnt break, the bottom of the funnel could be at the top of the cone? I don't know, we're haveing SUCH a hard time with this :-(

 

[Danger]

When I'm designing something, I just 'brainstorm' on paper. Make rough sketches of every single thing that crosses your mind, all on the same paper if you can (I draw very small), then integrate parts of some things with parts of others. Don't throw out even the ones that won't work, because they can inspire you toward something that will. Look for ideas everywhere around you, from kitchen appliances to construction equipment to those robot wars on TV. You'll be absolutely amazed at what your own brain can do with basic raw materials, and even more so when more than one of you is working on it.

 

[andrevdh]

Old pendulum clocks (cuckoo clocks) are driven by falling masses.
For the wheel to go over the speed bums - they just need to be large wrt the dowels (and the mechanism needs to generate enough torque in order to get it over, which means it will be going slowly).
Lowering the egg onto the cone - an inverted cone with egg on top lowered onto the other cone (self centering therefore) - this mechanism needs to have freedom to move sideways too as it lowers onto the cone? I am getting the idea that there are some missing requirements. Personally I cannot understand how such a device can find the cone on its own. Is there a guide wire/rod, and what is it with the greased wheels? On second thought if the mobile have a large horizontal v structure (cardboard?) in front of it the cone might center into it as the mobile (if it is heavier than the cone) advances.

 

[andrevdh]

I would think that such a device would need some serious electronic help in order to find the cone and stay inline with it, maybe as follows: Two echo locators (sound pulses bounced off objects) one on its lefside and another on its righthand side. By evaluating the return signal time from these the mobile can be kept inline with the cone as it progresses, maybe by applying more torque to one set of wheels (longer pulse side gets more torque) or alternatively it stops every now and then and align itself until both signals have the same return time. This mechanism should be disabled when the front wheels encounter the dowels (switches just above ground in front of front wheels?) and enabled again when both rear wheels have cleared the dowel (switches behind rear wheels above ground).

 

[Danger]

Or you could just tie a string to the cone and have the carrier wind it up.