Assistive Cabinet
Opportunity
When it comes to cabinets, some shelves are out of reach. Although there are stepping stools, it is an inconvenience to take them wherever you need or find them difficult to use. We developed a device that assists in bringing objects down from higher shelves for people who are unable to reach high shelves. With the implementation of LEDs to maintain an aesthetically pleasing look, the cabinet uses a rack and pinion system to reach desired shelves. There are currently no similar products available that easily lower shelves with an aesthetic appearance.
Operation
The operation of the cabinet requires users to press one of the three buttons attached to a breadboard. As one button is pressed, its corresponding LED light will turn on to help indicate the user of their choice. Pressing the first button(State 0) returns a missing shelf. To return the shelf, the ultrasonic sensor checks which shelf is missing. After the readings are processed, the elevator moves up to desired shelf height. The elevator consists of a lead-screw linear guide powered by a stepper motor for vertical motion and a holder for where the shelves can be safely transported. The elevator is placed slightly higher than the shelf level initially. On the holder, there is also a linear actuator that pushes each shelf back into contact with the rack and pinion system. Once the linear actuator is fully pushed out, the elevator lowers slightly to align the shelf rack to the pinion. Powered by a DC motor, the rack and pinion system pushes the shelf back into its idle position.
Pressing the second button(State 1) results in the cabinet getting the second shelf. In this case, the elevator will move up to the first shelf height. The rack and pinion system will then activate to move the shelf onto the holder attached to the elevator. Pressing the third button(State 2) will get the second shelf in a similar manner as above.
All functions are controlled by the different button inputs and each state shines an LED color to help the user understand which function the code is running.
Physical Designs
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