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Hello all!
I wanted to introduce you my last MOC. This is a Lego appliance to cook
soft-boiled eggs powered by an RCX.
You can find pictures, video, NQC codes, CAD files and documentation (in English
and French) on my BrickShelf folder:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=112398
Description:
The Egglift is mainly composed of four elements:
- A metallic perforated non-Lego® basket where you lay the eggs. The basket, made of metallic wires, is fairly small and can contain 2 eggs maximum.
- A winch that contain a motor to pull up or down the basket through a string and also a light sensor to detect the position of the basket. (in red)
- A Lego® RCX to pilot the basket through the winch and a 180 seconds temporization (adjustable). (in yellow-grey)
- Finally, a Lego® structure where the three above elements are graft. (in blue)
Instructions of operation:
- Fill up a pan with water, and place over a cook top.
- Place the Egglift (with its basket in up position) above the pan, in a way that when the basket is in down position, it fully goes in the pan.
- Place one or two eggs into the basket.
- Turn on the cook top.
- Push the button “Run” of the RCX.
That’s all for the human operations: the Egglift will automatically detect when
the water reached its boiling point. The basket will then automatically drop
down until it is fully submerged in the boiling water. After three minutes, the
basket is automatically pulled up and an alarm rings, warning you the boiled
eggs are ready. Just pick them up and enjoy!
Detecting the position of the basket:
To obtain a reliable cooking system, it is relatively important the lower (and
less importantly the upper) position of the basket remains constant and precise:
the eggs have to be fully submerged in the boiling water for a safe cooking.
The choice of a temporization in the program (turn on the winch for 5 seconds
before turning it off) would have not been well suited for this application.
Because of inaccuracies in the motor, in the gear train and the weight variation
of the eggs, to basket would have not returned to the same place every time.
The position of the basket can be detected with a light sensor aimed at the
black-and-white circle on the left stuck to a 40-tooth wheel.
This wheel has 24 divisions, alternatively black-and-white. When the motor that
control the basket is on, the light sensor counts how many divisions had passed
by, thus letting know the RCX a fairly accurate representation of the position
of the basket.
This method is not too accurate, but it is accurate enough for this type of
application.
Detecting when the water reached its boiling point:
A Lego® temperature sensor (ref# 9755) is connected to the RCX. The drawback of
this sensor is its range: it only works at temperatures between -20oC and 70oC
(-4oF to 158oF). That’s a long way from the water boiling point 100oC.
Thus, the Lego® temperature sensor had to be relocated to a spot where it reach
its maximum range (approximately 70oC) when at the same time, the water reach
100oC.
Typically, it is approximately one Inch (35mm) above the water level.
The use of a DCP Microdevelopments® ProTemp sensor (ref# D10047) dipped inside
the pan would most likely get round this major drawback.
Cooking time selection:
Even if Egglift’s primary function is to cook boiled eggs, it can also cook
soft-boiled and hard-boiled eggs!
Actually, a cooking time selection button is conveniently placed next to the
RCX. Each press on the button selects cooking times.
<humor>
Estimated cost:
If the Egglift had to be mass product (I’m still looking forward any potential
investors who might be interested for a joint venture), its production costs
would be roughly $ 190.00 USD. (This is only including raw materials and not
including assembly costs).
This is very competitive compared to other Steam Egg Cooker on the market whish
retail for around $ 25.00 USD.
The Egglift is more aimed at wealthy “connoisseur” customers who want to cook
their boiled eggs “à l’ancienne” but with a touch of modernity.
Advantage of the Egglift:
The Egglift features countless advantages over other competitor steam egg
cooker:
- It is cheap.
- It is compact.
- It is convenient.
- It can be conveniently stored.
- It can cook eggs in large quantity (two at a time) for large family.
- It is dishwasher safe (after removal of the RCX, the motor and the sensors).
- It will not break up the look of most “gourmet” kitchen.
</humor>
Bon Appetit!!
Acknowledgment:
- The black-and-white wheel light sensor is an original idea from Benjamin Erwin in his excellent book “Creative Projects with Lego® MindstormsTM”.
- Thanks to Freelug Member Richard “Vauban” for his help and advices.
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MASSIVE SNIPPY
DAMN! That’s different! No wonder it took you so long. I was wondering what
you were up to :-) ...just another way of figuring out the extremely complicated
task of making a boiled egg :-P
I tend to stick exclusively to trains (you know that quite well) and I know
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about robotics, but I can still appreciate this one. I could
use these, they are hehe ‘cheap’ and I do like boiled eggs and salt :-d One
question: Have you had problems with melting ABS? one would imagine them melting
at least a bit at that tempreature, given theyr’e so near the heat.
Legoswami Samarth
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In lugnet.robotics, Samarth Moray wrote:
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One question: Have you had problems with melting ABS? one would imagine
them melting at least a bit at that tempreature, given theyr’e so near the
heat.
|
Hello Samarth
Thanks for the comments. Me too, I was thinking I could have get some melting
problems. I did some gradually tests and to my surprised, despite the high heat
I damaged absolutely no parts!
The two support beam above are located to high, so they are out of danger. I
also have a pretty powerfull range hood, and needless to say it was working at
full power during the use of the Egglift. ;o)
As you can see on this picture, this sensor received some heat:
In lugnet.robotics, Khan wrote:
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About the ABS, I was searchin the web site of this german guy who did some
test on LEGo and to the melting point ... if someone kept it in his bookmarks
..
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I know exactly what what you’re talking about! I made some search but didn’t
found it do. :o( But if I recall these pictures were pretty painfull to watch!
;o)
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In lugnet.robotics, Khan wrote:
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About the ABS, I was searchin the web site of this german guy who did some
test on LEGo and to the melting point ... if someone kept it in his
bookmarks ..
|
I know exactly what what you’re talking about! I made some search but didn’t
found it do. :o( But if I recall these pictures were pretty painfull to
watch! ;o)
|
I think it was ‘Ben’ Beneke if thats any help, but his site has moved fairly
recently.
Tim
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In lugnet.robotics, Chris Caron wrote:
| |
In lugnet.robotics, Samarth Moray wrote:
| |
One question: Have you had problems with melting ABS? one would imagine
them melting at least a bit at that tempreature, given theyr’e so near the
heat.
|
Thanks for the comments. Me too, I was thinking I could have get some melting
problems. I did some gradually tests and to my surprised, despite the high
heat I damaged absolutely no parts!
As you can see on this picture, this sensor received some heat:
|
Phew, I can feel the heat! What was the reading recorded by the temperature
sensor?
As I recall the LEGO Temperature sensor range is from -20 degrees Celsius to +50
degrees Celsius.
Would the sensor go off range or would the ABS melt first?
CS
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What was the reading recorded by the temperature
sensor?
As I recall the LEGO Temperature sensor range is from -20 degrees Celsius to
+50 degrees Celsius.
|
The range of the Lego temperature Sensor is -20o C to 70 o C. You can see one
reading below. As you can see, I’m almost off limit.
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Would the sensor go off range or would the ABS melt first?
|
From my test, definitely the sensor would go off range first. Probably that’s
the reason why TLC limited the range of this sensor to + 70o C.
Cheers.
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In lugnet.robotics, Chris Caron wrote:
| |
The range of the Lego temperature Sensor is -20o C to 70 o C. You can see one
reading below. As you can see, I’m almost off limit.
From my test, definitely the sensor would go off range first. Probably
that’s the reason why TLC limited the range of this sensor to + 70o C.
|
Thanks!
And from the other post (http://news.lugnet.com/robotics/?n=23345), it appears
that the ABS will start to give way around 80 deg Celsius.
Btw, I think your invention could also do hot dogs and bacon rashers for a
fuller breakfast ;-)
CS
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In lugnet.robotics, Chris Caron wrote:
| |
In lugnet.robotics, Samarth Moray wrote:
| |
One question: Have you had problems with melting ABS? one would imagine
them melting at least a bit at that tempreature, given theyr’e so near the
heat.
|
Hello Samarth
Thanks for the comments. Me too, I was thinking I could have get some melting
problems. I did some gradually tests and to my surprised, despite the high
heat I damaged absolutely no parts!
The two support beam above are located to high, so they are out of danger. I
also have a pretty powerfull range hood, and needless to say it was working
at full power during the use of the Egglift. ;o)
As you can see on this picture, this sensor received some heat:
|
(snipped pic)
| |
In lugnet.robotics, Khan wrote:
| |
About the ABS, I was searchin the web site of this german guy who did some
test on LEGo and to the melting point ... if someone kept it in his
bookmarks ..
|
I know exactly what what you’re talking about! I made some search but didn’t
found it do. :o( But if I recall these pictures were pretty painfull to
watch! ;o)
|
This one?
http://festum.de/1000steine/myimages/album10?page=1
“The Gaklander”
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In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Caron wrote:
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Hello all!
I wanted to introduce you my last MOC. This is a Lego appliance to cook
soft-boiled eggs powered by an RCX.
|
Bonjour Chris...super MOC, peut être pas très spectaculaire mais une idée, une
réalisation et une présentation super sympa
Merci, ça donne faim, et comme on dit ici, l’appétit vient en mangeant
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- Thanks to Freelug Member Richard “Vauban” for his help and advices.
|
Peut être le seul français à avoir le même décalage horaire que toi pour
discuter :-D
Didier Enjary
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C’est tout simplement EXCELLENT :)
Et comme on dit souvent : mais pourquoi on y a po penser plus tot !
It’s so simple, we should have done it a long time ago ! I’m quite sure you will
find soon a good investor.
Are you thinking of developping a different color range ? That one doesn’t
suite well with my pink kitchen ;))
About the ABS, I was searchin the web site of this german guy who did some test
on LEGo and to the melting point ... if someone kept it in his bookmarks ..
Chris, that just too cooool :)
Can I get some butter on the baguette slices pleeeease ?
Khan
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