Mechanical Flaps RASSOR Drum Design

grabcad

Section Diameter= 450mmDrum Diameter = 450mmDrum length = 350 mm Mass= 4.5 kgMaterial= Aluminum/Aluminum alloy, DelrinFill ratio = 75 - 80%Fill volume = 50000 cm^3, 50 litersMaximum engaged length = 150mmThe flaps design directs active regolith flow by bi-directional flaps located inboard of each toothed intake channel. Active crank arms connected to the flap on a sliding pivot joint drive the flaps. The crank arms are connected to a central drive axle, which rotates and moves the flaps into either intake or dumping position. For intake, the flaps rotate inward, promoting regolith inflow. The drum is mechanically linked to the flap mechanism but not directly driven by the drive shaft. When the flaps move to the inflow position, they hit a hardstop, and torque from the drive axle transfers to the entire drum. To release regolith, the axle reverses rotational direction. The drum stops rotating, no longer driven by the flap mechanism. The flaps, driven by crank arms, point outward, promoting outflow of regolith. When the flaps hit the outflow hardstops, torque transfers to the drum, and the entire system rotates in the opposite direction to dump its contents. The goal is to actively control regolith flow direction with the active flap design. The intent is to minimize regolith losses in passive systems like gravity-driven flow control or geometric flow control. By making intake direction dependent on rotation direction, a more concrete mechanically driven flow control system is achieved.