Click metal mechanism - How does it work?

[paddle]

Hey guys,

I am currently working on a project where I try to make a pop-up camera (similar to recent smartphone) but with a manual mechanism rather than a step motor.
My plan is to make a mechanism similar to those found in click pens.

In particular those type of click mechanisms :
- https://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKEDCDST.html
- https://cdn3.volusion.com/sjdmf.pwzpc/v/vspfiles/photos/TWP-SS-CLICK-2.jpg?v-cache=1496854065

seem to be just what I was looking for. However I can't find any reference about how the internal of those mechanism work. I think the patent for this mechanism is probably out there but there are so many pen patents that I can't find it.

On this forum I seen some post of people modifying those mechanisms, so I guess there might be someone who knows how those work and may have a schematic to explain?

Thanks!

 

[hokie]

This is thew way I understand them to work (and the patent you're after might be featured in the video too)...

 

[paddle]

Thanks for your reply.
Yes I seen this video, I was wondering about the metal version as on the picture. As I think it's significantly different

 

[mredburn]

The Schmidt mechanism you are refering to use a 1mm ball in a groove, both on the shaft and on the outer housing. the groove in the outer housing is a simple ring around the inside allowing the ball to move left to right as needed. The groove on the shaft allows the ball to travel in the groove as the shaft moves up and then back down locking the shaft either with the refill extended or retracted. Ill see if I have a photo of the groove configuration.

 

[mredburn]

faster to draw it.

The Ball (in red) sits against the E clip on the shaft . Pushing it down to extend the refill it follows the groove, and releasing it the ball is locked into the short stop by the spring, pushing it again the ball is forced up and over and then is returned to its starting place against the E clip.

 

[hokie]

Thanks for your reply.
Yes I seen this video, I was wondering about the metal version as on the picture. As I think it's significantly different

Sorry about that! I haven't used that particular mechanism before, so I'm not sure how it's any different (other than being higher quality from what I gather). I would love to see someone create any kind of mechanism at that scale to achieve that function from scratch. I'd personally just tear-down and salvage the existing part if possible.