Creating a switch that can rotate?

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi everyone,

This is my first post and I'm pretty new to all this stuff. I'm looking to build a project that can has 16 rotary encoders.

There's 2 components to the mechanism I'm looking for:

  1. A switch to start listening to that specific rotary position (off or on)
  2. Detecting how much the encoder has spun

I'm building sort of a step sequencer with 16 vals, and I want to be able to place an object on some sort of plate to turn that "step" on, but then when its on I want to be able to rotate it with the same object to change the value of that specific "step".

I've looked up Conductive Brush Strip Rings, but I'm not sure that is what I need. I'm really unsure of what I may need to achieve this interaction. I want a simple: place object, turn, keep that value until object is removed.

Here's the best way I can describe it in a picture.

Would really love some suggestions, thank you!

Josh

IMG_6078.png
IMG_6078.png1000×750 374 KB

2

joshbaptista:
Hi everyone,

This is my first post and I'm pretty new to all this stuff. I'm looking to build a project that can has 16 rotary encoders.

There's 2 components to the mechanism I'm looking for:

  1. A switch to start listening to that specific rotary position (off or on)
  2. Detecting how much the encoder has spun

I'm building sort of a step sequencer with 16 vals, and I want to be able to place an object on some sort of plate to turn that "step" on, but then when its on I want to be able to rotate it with the same object to change the value of that specific "step".

I've looked up Conductive Brush Strip Rings, but I'm not sure that is what I need. I'm really unsure of what I may need to achieve this interaction. I want a simple: place object, turn, keep that value until object is removed.

Here's the best way I can describe it in a picture.

Would really love some suggestions, thank you!

Josh

Your description of what you want to do is not very clear.

It sounds like you want to detect when an object has been placed on a plate.
So what are the objects, how big and heavy are they?

Once an object is on a plate you want to rotate the plate.
So do how far do you want the plate to rotate, do you want it to rotate continuously, how fast does it need to rotate?

You could rotate the plate using a stepper motor, perhaps via gears. In that case you don't need encoders you could just count steps.

You could rotate the plate using a servo motor. Again you would not need an encoder but it depends how far you want to rotate the plate.

Encoders could be used to determine how far and how fast the plate spins if you wish.

To detect that an object has been placed on the plate the plate could be mounted on spring with a micro-switch underneath. However a lot depends on the size and weight of the plate and object.

Sixteen of these things sounds a lot, what is the application?

3

IMG_6078.png
IMG_6078.png1000×750 374 KB

4

I saw the diagram but it does not make sense to me.
It looks like the plate could be mounted on a spring to operate a switch.
However what are the connections to the plate e.g. the one that say "pin"?
What do the + and - signs that go nowhere signify?
Do the plate and the encoder both rotate or just the encoder?

5

ardly:
Your description of what you want to do is not very clear.

It sounds like you want to detect when an object has been placed on a plate.
So what are the objects, how big and heavy are they?

Once an object is on a plate you want to rotate the plate.
So do how far do you want the plate to rotate, do you want it to rotate continuously, how fast does it need to rotate?

You could rotate the plate using a stepper motor, perhaps via gears. In that case you don't need encoders you could just count steps.

You could rotate the plate using a servo motor. Again you would not need an encoder but it depends how far you want to rotate the plate.

Encoders could be used to determine how far and how fast the plate spins if you wish.

To detect that an object has been placed on the plate the plate could be mounted on spring with a micro-switch underneath. However a lot depends on the size and weight of the plate and object.

Sixteen of these things sounds a lot, what is the application?

And, how fast to accelerate/decelerate to keep the objects on the plate!

Paul

6

joshbaptista:
There's 2 components to the mechanism I'm looking for:

  1. A switch to start listening to that specific rotary position (off or on)
  2. Detecting how much the encoder has spun

Do you mean this sort of thing: Rotary Encoder with switch

It has a push switch and you can read the encoder to detect how much you spin it.

Yours,
TonyWilk

7

Or, something like this?