BradG
Member
So, here is a pen which you may have seen recently..... but its been upgraded.
So, whats new? I have taken a microchip which is used in door entry systems, reformed a copper coil to fit inside the pen cap, soldered it to the microchip and registered it to a proximity reader.
This way, when i setup my new workshop, this lock will be installed on the door, and what better way to gain access to your pen turning lair, than to wave your carry pen past a proximity scanner on the wall, to hear that BEEEEP, as the door unlocks for you.
I love it, though i think my wife may be growing tired of hearing the beep :redface:
Here is the microchip. care has to be taken as its only 5mm in width, and is very easy to overheat while soldering if your not careful.
apologies for the blurry pic but this camera doesnt like objects that small.
Here is the chip attached to the copper coil. this component is much more critical than you think. Its frequency is determined by how many turns of magnetic wire there are, along with its length. its layout has a bearing on how much gain it has. (range from the scanner).With it rolled up in such a fashion the range is reduced significantly, though never the less it does trigger the door release, when touched against the reader.
And here is the pen with the coil mounted in the cap, operating the door entry system. Success! - but never the less theres plenty of room for improvement, this was merely a mock up test out the theory. Faradays law plays a key role with mounting an energised coil such asthis in a metal tube, let alone the entire penbody being constructed of aluminium such as this. The metal soaks up the RF radiating to the coil so the pen would be better made from acrylic for instance. this can be improved however providing that the metal is not in a closed loop, or a faraday cage as some might understand. I wont go into the details of radio signals and how they are affected by their surroundings as im sure it will bore most :wink: needless to say i will be looking into other ways of winding a coil etc which would better suit the design of a pen etc, but hey! i have every intention of using my carry pen to let me into my pen studio - so this will be a fun venture with many models im sure
So, whats new? I have taken a microchip which is used in door entry systems, reformed a copper coil to fit inside the pen cap, soldered it to the microchip and registered it to a proximity reader.
This way, when i setup my new workshop, this lock will be installed on the door, and what better way to gain access to your pen turning lair, than to wave your carry pen past a proximity scanner on the wall, to hear that BEEEEP, as the door unlocks for you.
I love it, though i think my wife may be growing tired of hearing the beep :redface:
Here is the microchip. care has to be taken as its only 5mm in width, and is very easy to overheat while soldering if your not careful.
apologies for the blurry pic but this camera doesnt like objects that small.
Here is the chip attached to the copper coil. this component is much more critical than you think. Its frequency is determined by how many turns of magnetic wire there are, along with its length. its layout has a bearing on how much gain it has. (range from the scanner).With it rolled up in such a fashion the range is reduced significantly, though never the less it does trigger the door release, when touched against the reader.
And here is the pen with the coil mounted in the cap, operating the door entry system. Success! - but never the less theres plenty of room for improvement, this was merely a mock up test out the theory. Faradays law plays a key role with mounting an energised coil such asthis in a metal tube, let alone the entire penbody being constructed of aluminium such as this. The metal soaks up the RF radiating to the coil so the pen would be better made from acrylic for instance. this can be improved however providing that the metal is not in a closed loop, or a faraday cage as some might understand. I wont go into the details of radio signals and how they are affected by their surroundings as im sure it will bore most :wink: needless to say i will be looking into other ways of winding a coil etc which would better suit the design of a pen etc, but hey! i have every intention of using my carry pen to let me into my pen studio - so this will be a fun venture with many models im sure
