I need a component that has a spring-loaded button which can be pushed closed and then released by connecting a voltage across it. So I push the button until it clicks closed, then when a small voltage is applied it snaps back open with the force released from the spring underneath it. Essentially like a push-to-reset thermal circuit breaker, but where the button pops up triggered by a small voltage rather than being tripped by a large current.
I need the strong pop-up action to shunt a heavy object and it only needs to happen once. I've considered using a solenoid, but to move the heavy object I'd need a heavy-duty 12v or 24v solenoid to generate enough force and that would require a large battery or power supply and a relay and it just feels unnecessary.
Does anyone know of any such component where tension can be manually stored and then released by applying a voltage? I could design my own solution that behaves in this manner but I was hoping to get this project done quickly.
Hopefully that makes some sense, it's not easy to describe what I'm looking for.
Thanks for your answer. If I end up building a piston for myself that's a great idea. I'm really hoping there's some kind of existing component out there but I've googled forever so I suspect not.
Probably, but speed of dev trumps cost on this occasion and I'm only planning to use the project a couple of times then dismantling it, I also need the piston component to be small and hand-held. I appreciate I'm borderline irritating with the intrigue at this point haha
Blockquote
"Latching solenoids utilize a permanent magnet in conjunction with the solenoid coil to maintain the position of the plunger with no current applied. As a result, the latching solenoid can perform push, pull, hold and release operations with only an instantaneous pulse of current."
In short, it's to beat an arcade game which involves the user hitting a button which requires quite a bit of force. The nature of the game means I would be able to manually reset the piston between required button pushes so I wouldn't have to have a high power solenoid and could instead use a low voltage to release a some manually stored force. Hence my question.
I think I may have a way forward. I was just testing out some click/release ballpoint pens that have the little button on the side to pop the thumb clicker back up. With an upgraded spring and a solenoid to press the the release button on the pen I think the force from the thumb clicker popping back up will be enough to do the job. I just need to bodge something together to hold things in place.
Yes, as suggested in #7. Actually solenoids need much less current to hold in than pull in since the magnetic reluctance is much less. So perhaps just an ordinary sprung solenoid with enough current to "hold" but not to pull in, then when pressed it should hold, and will release when the holding current is turned off momentarily.
Thanks a lot that makes a lot of sense. I was testing with normally-closed solenoids and couldn't get enough force, but you're suggesting I use a normally-open solenoid and hold it closed with the current, relying on the force of the spring that opens it when the current is removed? Great idea! I'm going to give this a try. Thank you.
