Infrared LED / Phototransistor circuit needed
Infrared LED / Phototransistor circuit needed
Hi, Can someone draw up a simple circuit using an infrared LED / Phototransistor pair either cannibalized from an old VCR or new units preferably from Digi-key or other supplier that sells/ships to Canada? I want the circuit configured so that when the beam is interruped, a small solenoid is activated. The solenoid will release a spring loaded arm so it will have to pull in when energized. There will be a micro switch placed against the arm that will shut off the circuit once the arm is released. I would like the solenoid to be a readily available inexpensive unit preferably from Digi-key also. The operating voltage for the circuit is not critical; 5V, 6V, 12V or whatever will operate the solenoid and the electronics.
Re: Infrared LED / Phototransistor circuit needed
Why infrared? Does this circuit operate in daylight?Ken1 wrote:infrared LED / Phototransistor
What is the distance from the LED to the Phototransistor?
Do you have the solenoid already (Part number)?Ken1 wrote:I want the circuit configured so that when the beam is interruped, a small solenoid is activated.
If so, what is the voltage and current for the coil?
If not, what is the desired force? Is the armature
spring loaded?
How is the circuit reset? Does the light beam interruptKen1 wrote:There will be a micro switch placed against the arm that will shut off the circuit once the arm is released.
trigger the circuit and then it latches up (to be manually
reset)? Or, does the circuit retrigger once the solenoid
has released the mechanical load?
To answer all the questions, the project I have in mind is an electronic mouse trap. I would like to take an ordinary spring loaded mouse trap and improve on it. Infrared beam so the mouse does not see it and is not afraid of it and a solenoid to release the spring loaded killing bar. As for solenoid characteristics as long as it is powerful enough to release the bar; voltage, current are not critical as long as the circuit can reliably operate the solenoid. Resetting will be manual of course when I remove the mouse and the purpose of the micro switch is to turn off the circuit when the mouse is trapped because it will block the beam until it's removed and all the while the solenoid will be operating countinuouly which is undesirable. I have a few mice around here that are either small or smart. They lick all the peanut butter off the trigger without tripping it. My idea should beat them at their own game.
You should edit your OP to use that title,Ken1 wrote: To answer all the questions, the project I have in mind is an electronic mouse trap.
or "Building A Better Mouse Trap" ha!
I'd make this your starting point. Get the mechanicalKen1 wrote:I would like to take an ordinary spring loaded mouse trap and improve on it. Infrared beam so the mouse does not see it and is not afraid of it and a solenoid to release the spring loaded killing bar. As for solenoid characteristics as long as it is powerful enough to release the bar; voltage, current are not critical as long as the circuit can reliably operate the solenoid.
arrangement working reliably then work on the electronics.
You can also consider a motor and gearhead or RC servo.
A rotating arm trigger is less trouble that a spring and latch.
A solenoid only needs a current pulse to fire. Putting thisKen1 wrote:Resetting will be manual of course when I remove the mouse and the purpose of the micro switch is to turn off the circuit when the mouse is trapped because it will block the beam until it's removed and all the while the solenoid will be operating countinuouly which is undesirable.
function in the driver sircuit will save you the microswitch
and battery power.
If you'd like to get started on some bench testing, find a
1970s vintage or slightly later VCR or other consumer
equipment to salvage solenoid parts. Once you have it
running on a bench supply you can taylor the electronics
to drive it.
Hi there,
Ha ha, i just have to laugh at this.
There is a trick to catching a mouse. I've caught lots and lots of
mice 'live' in a home built semi electronic trap.
The trick with the mechanical traps that require the mouse to pull
on something to set it off is that you have to force the mouse
to 'work' in order to get the food. If you dont, the mouse will
gently eat off all the food and never set the trap off.
The way to get the mouse to work is to tie the bait to the lever.
It then wants to remove the food but when it finds it's attached
it pushes DOWN with its front feet and pulls UP with its mouth/teeth.
Since the bait is tied to the lever, it has to push hard, and believe me,
those little things have strong legs...they can jump three feet straight
up in the air. Pushing harder with the food not coming off, they
push even harder, and eventually the level releases and traps the mouse.
With mine, i have a simple SPST normally closed relay contact under a
CD cover that hinges like CD cases do. A shaft coming up from
under the CD cover gets the bait tied to it, or even hot glued.
The mouse feet slip on the smooth cover, so a few spots of hot
glue give their feet plenty of traction when they pull on the
shaft with the bait with their teeth. Pushing down on the CD
cover, the switch opens and a solenoid releases from it's home
position under spring tension. This moves a small tab out from
under the shoe box lip, and it closes (weight on top). The mouse
is trapped.
I've had a few get away too, sometimes because i would go to
check the trap and there would be one in there starting to eat
the bait. They run away, but forget fast as they are back
in an hour or so.
An IR beam mouse trap sounds like an interesting project
just the same. Should not be too hard to do because the
coverage area is going to be pretty small for a mouse,
as long as you limit the direction the mouse can approach
the bait from.
BTW, my solenoid is a very low current type that is rated
for continuous duty. It stays on all the time until the mouse
opens the circuit, which then it releases its hold and the
spring pulls its shaft out. I do it this way because solenoids
(even very light duty ones) have the highest strength when
the solenoid is all the way pulled in, thus they can hold back
a relatively strong spring until de-energized. So, the spring
does all the motion, not the solenoid, so it only has to
have a strong holding force, not over any of its travel.
The device is then reset by pulling the arm with the tab back
until the solenoid holds it again. Current draw by the
solenoid is very low.
Ha ha, i just have to laugh at this.
There is a trick to catching a mouse. I've caught lots and lots of
mice 'live' in a home built semi electronic trap.
The trick with the mechanical traps that require the mouse to pull
on something to set it off is that you have to force the mouse
to 'work' in order to get the food. If you dont, the mouse will
gently eat off all the food and never set the trap off.
The way to get the mouse to work is to tie the bait to the lever.
It then wants to remove the food but when it finds it's attached
it pushes DOWN with its front feet and pulls UP with its mouth/teeth.
Since the bait is tied to the lever, it has to push hard, and believe me,
those little things have strong legs...they can jump three feet straight
up in the air. Pushing harder with the food not coming off, they
push even harder, and eventually the level releases and traps the mouse.
With mine, i have a simple SPST normally closed relay contact under a
CD cover that hinges like CD cases do. A shaft coming up from
under the CD cover gets the bait tied to it, or even hot glued.
The mouse feet slip on the smooth cover, so a few spots of hot
glue give their feet plenty of traction when they pull on the
shaft with the bait with their teeth. Pushing down on the CD
cover, the switch opens and a solenoid releases from it's home
position under spring tension. This moves a small tab out from
under the shoe box lip, and it closes (weight on top). The mouse
is trapped.
I've had a few get away too, sometimes because i would go to
check the trap and there would be one in there starting to eat
the bait. They run away, but forget fast as they are back
in an hour or so.
An IR beam mouse trap sounds like an interesting project
just the same. Should not be too hard to do because the
coverage area is going to be pretty small for a mouse,
as long as you limit the direction the mouse can approach
the bait from.
BTW, my solenoid is a very low current type that is rated
for continuous duty. It stays on all the time until the mouse
opens the circuit, which then it releases its hold and the
spring pulls its shaft out. I do it this way because solenoids
(even very light duty ones) have the highest strength when
the solenoid is all the way pulled in, thus they can hold back
a relatively strong spring until de-energized. So, the spring
does all the motion, not the solenoid, so it only has to
have a strong holding force, not over any of its travel.
The device is then reset by pulling the arm with the tab back
until the solenoid holds it again. Current draw by the
solenoid is very low.
LEDs vs Bulbs, LEDs are winning.
I have an idea. I've seen a very few clever mouse traps that do not hurt or injure the mouse. I remember one is clockwork powered, sweeps the mouse into a vertical hole over a cage and resets its trap doors for the next mouse.MrAl wrote:Ha ha, i just have to laugh at this.
There is a trick to catching a mouse. I've caught lots and lots of
mice 'live' in a home built semi electronic trap.
The trick with the mechanical traps that require the mouse to pull
on something to set it off is that you have to force the mouse
to 'work' in order to get the food. If you dont, the mouse will
gently eat off all the food and never set the trap off.
How about a mouse powered mouse trap? You could have a trapped mouse who, while trying to escape, winds up a squirrel cage to reset the trap. Look ma! No batteries!
Hi,
Bob:
That reminds me of another trap...
A large empty oil drum, a small board put across it's top, with paper
in the middle of it with bait on top. The rodent goes on top of
the paper to eat the bait and the paper rips, rodent falls into barrel.
For rats the barrel is filled with water so they drown...not too humane.
For the 'hole top' trap, it would have to be made very well because
those dang mice can escape from almost anything that isnt completely
sealed up.
Bigglez:
He he, that reminds me about the old children's story that goes something
like this:
The owner of a certain house had a problem with a mouse, in that
he could not catch it because it was too smart.
He bought a cat to catch the mouse, but then he didnt want the cat
anymore.
He bought a dog to catch the cat, but then he didnt want the dog
anymore.
He bought a lion to catch the dog, but then that was a problem too
so he bought a elephant to chase the lion away.
He realized that the elephant was wayyy too big to keep, and ate too
much food, so...
he went out and bought a mouse to scare way the elephant, and a
couple pounds of cheeze, and they both lived happily ever after.
He he, i apologize if i didnt remember this old story correctly, but
that's something like it anyway.
Bob:
That reminds me of another trap...
A large empty oil drum, a small board put across it's top, with paper
in the middle of it with bait on top. The rodent goes on top of
the paper to eat the bait and the paper rips, rodent falls into barrel.
For rats the barrel is filled with water so they drown...not too humane.
For the 'hole top' trap, it would have to be made very well because
those dang mice can escape from almost anything that isnt completely
sealed up.
Bigglez:
He he, that reminds me about the old children's story that goes something
like this:
The owner of a certain house had a problem with a mouse, in that
he could not catch it because it was too smart.
He bought a cat to catch the mouse, but then he didnt want the cat
anymore.
He bought a dog to catch the cat, but then he didnt want the dog
anymore.
He bought a lion to catch the dog, but then that was a problem too
so he bought a elephant to chase the lion away.
He realized that the elephant was wayyy too big to keep, and ate too
much food, so...
he went out and bought a mouse to scare way the elephant, and a
couple pounds of cheeze, and they both lived happily ever after.
He he, i apologize if i didnt remember this old story correctly, but
that's something like it anyway.
LEDs vs Bulbs, LEDs are winning.
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