Looking for locking spring mechanism for cassette-like application

[shushi_boi]

Hi,

I want to apologize in advance because I have not studied mechanical engineering in any profound sense other than in my hobbyist projects (I focus more on software engineering). Currently I am creating a real life Raspberry Pip Boy 3000 MK 4 from the Fallout 4 video game with instead of running cassettes, it'll play and run gameboy, gameboy color, and gameboy advance game cartridges.

Here's an example of the Pip Boy 3000 mk iv, and its cassette tape cartridge slot functionality (at 0:40 in the video)


but I wanted to modify the pipboy's cartridge slot to be more like the Nintendo's 3DS game slot, where the springs lock in the game cartridge when it's pushed in and springs back the game out when it's pushed out.

Since I also wanted to run gameboy advanced cartridge games, I wanted to find or find a way to create a similar locking spring mechanism that will push/extend the gameboy advance cartridge out up to 1" or 2.5cm.

I have already made a custom sized cartridge slot that will fit gameboy and gameboy advanced game cartridges, from a GBA Game Cart Slot replacement part for NDS Lite

and here's the custom dimensions of the pip boy cassette slot that I made, (although I later had to modify the length to 70 mm)

What are your guys' advice on this? If there aren't any push lock spring mechanisms (that extend up to 1 inch or 2.5cm) that I can buy online, how could I build this mechanism from scratch? I apologize for the trouble, and I really appreciate your guy's (and gal's) time! :)

 

[Rx7man]

I'd start by looking at SD and Micro SD cards do it (they're cheap) as well as ball point clicky pens... usually it's with a torsion spring that's in a "track" and the end of the spring has to go around a pattern.

 

[berkeman]

@shushi_boi -- Are there any patent or copyright issues with what you are doing? I'm not familiar enough with game consoles and applicable laws to tell.

 

[shushi_boi]

I'd start by looking at SD and Micro SD cards do it (they're cheap) as well as ball point clicky pens... usually it's with a torsion spring that's in a "track" and the end of the spring has to go around a pattern.

Thank you for your suggestions! I'm currently using the ball point pen idea and I took apart a cheap pen and I am modifying its mechanisms, since the length to which it extended out when clicked on wasn't long enough to push out the game cartridge.

@shushi_boi -- Are there any patent or copyright issues with what you are doing? I'm not familiar enough with game consoles and applicable laws to tell.

Not that I am aware of, since this is just a private project that I am doing, the only thing that may become question is emulating and playing gameboy games from my pipboy, but I think it's only a problem if my project somehow is able to steal monetized value from Nintendo, or if in the emulation itself I removed the nintendo logo from the games. I appreciate the heads ups, and thank you for your reply!