Best way to make a 'flip up' monitor?

**GReeToZ** · 01-12-2005, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by old_lou

Put a projector on the back seat and have a pull down screen in the centre of the window/dash

thats exactly what a friend of mine said couple of days ago :P, may be cool to do in a show car or something :P but now please ontopic

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-12-2005, 07:13 PM

Sorry i have been a while replying - my idea was kind of like this:

I am working in servo states i.e. door down, door up, screen down, screen up. These positions are set by the control circuit and can be easilky fine tuned using variable resistors to set the end point.

Each orange flash represents a switch to change the control state.

MASTER SWITCH OPEN STATE:
O1: Door up, screen down
O2: Door up, screen up
O3: Door down, screen open
OPEN!

MASTER SWITCH CLOSED STATE:
C1: Door up, screen up
C2: Door up, screen down
C3: Door down, screen down
CLOSED!

I hope a flowchart and animation are a thousand million words! I have never been the best at expaining things in text (something i need to sort out before writing up my PhD) as i am a true engineer and love to design stuff and hate to explain.

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-12-2005, 07:16 PM

thats bit quick so can make it slower if you want.

**GReeToZ** · 01-12-2005, 07:24 PM

Looks like a nice idea!!! but why the hinge? (thats not spelled right?) and damn i'm half English :P) ... and wont the cover hinge in the closed position?

this idea is also nice coz the cover holds the lcd keeps it a bit more solid

its a but quick but looked at it for a minute and its clear

now the other bit, the controller (the servo's are just a matter or mounting them and buying the right ones) i don't have any experience in building my own circuits...

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-12-2005, 07:37 PM

I put the hinge in so the cover closes flush. Yu don't have to do this, you can set it to stay at any angle but it is better for the servo it goes flat ang just against rubber bump stops as verticle loads will make the cover go up and down and damage the servo - trust me!

Without dimensions of the hole and the cover etc you don't know how mucht he cover is gonna overlap the top of the screen if at all. It would be ok if the cover came down onto the top of the screen (again use some rubber bump stops) but i wasnt sure if you would be happy with the side profile seeing the cover at an angle - thats up to you and i suggest you make a mockup screen and cover etc and see what it looks like.

As for building the circuits they are really easy and consist of only a few components each - even less if you just swtich the potentiomenter at each state change using double pole switches. Will provide some more on this later.

Servos: i have been looking for some nice ball bearing metal geared servos for my screen - much more reliable and stronger. I would normally go Futaba or JR Propo but the high power metal BB ones are £50-100 but I have found a company called GWS in china making some very cheap servos with upto 8kg/cm of torque and 60deg rotation in 0.17 to 0.25 seconds. ie your screen could potentially rise in 0.5 seconds but due to weight will probably be about 1 to 1.5 seconds which would look better. You might be better using 2 servos for the screen but modifying their inner control system (can provide more ont hsi when you are up to speed on how servos work).

Now i just need to get some servos shipped over so i can do some tests. Found a plac eon ebay shipping them over for £9 each + £2 shipping but will contact GWS and see if i can get them direct- they are cheap but should be ok. I can always run them a little over 6V to give them a boost (alwasy used to hardwire servos to the my car batteries when i raced to get faster steering).

**Spaghetti** · 01-12-2005, 07:38 PM

Scouse, did you do that on Flash??!

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-12-2005, 07:40 PM

yeah the cover with hinge does help keep the screen in place but this can be done without a hinge if you allow the cover to rest on top but put a little shlef on the inside to support the screen.

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-12-2005, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Spaghetti

Scouse, did you do that on Flash??!

Nah, not got round to learning flash yet, did it in fireworks. YOu can do things very quick in fireworks if you use it properly but you can do amazing things in flash.

**slangnasty** · 01-12-2005, 07:55 PM

I know nothing about servos either but I can't wait to see the instructions and take a look at this setup. I am presently contemplating my in-dash setup and would like to have a open/close indash pop-up at some point.

I will continue to watch! Keep us posted.

**hd54321** · 01-12-2005, 07:59 PM

By the way, there is someone on this board with a VW Beetle who has done something much like this. Just search for a green beetle, vw beetle, etc...

He did a flip=up motorized screen on the top of his dash with a cover. He used a servo and servo controller to control the whole contraption. He had a website as well with detailed pictures and a few videos.

-HD