Pandora 3d Model

[lulzfish]

That could work.
I'm sure it's far from being done, but I would suggest some way of just having the USB connector plug in and then have like spring loaded grabbers or something hold the Pandora in place.

Did you say the screws are going to attach to the Pandora? I dunno.

Maybe if the USB port rotated, and you plugged in the Pandora at an angle and flipped it down onto a holding platform?

 

[trats20050]

holding platform what do you mean?

 

[lulzfish]

here, I'll make a diagram, hang on.

 

[gruso]

Ah, now I'm getting the picture. I like.

Fixing it into position is a tough one. I won't want to use screws, because my dock will be a car thing, so I can just drop Pandora in whenever. I also wouldn't want to be punishing the threads in the case too often. If they're just moulded plastic, a few dozen assemblies and the threads could start stripping. But if you're looking at mounting it semi-permanently, then screws could be ok.

 

[trats20050]

Heres a picture of the usb hub size i think its perfect for the docking station.

 

[lulzfish]

Wow, Inkscape is awesome.. Too bad I'm not better at graphic designer, it looks really good.
Anyway, here's what I was thinking:

The USB port flips up, you stick the Pandora on it. [Sexual jokes are optional for this step]
Then the Pandora flips down, the USB port might have a kind of locking point on its hinge here.
And a couple of corner pieces keep it from moving around.

Alternately, you could have spring-loaded pieces. I think a single spring-loaded grabber on the bottom with a couple of stationary blocks on each side would be good. Having more than one spring device would get complex and require more than two hands, since one of them is flipping the Pandora down.

ok, and you're going to build that hub into the bottom of the station?
That sounds good. It would be useful to have an extra USB keyboard and mouse plugged in full-time [probably want a powered USB hub? To avoid unnecessary battery death?] and just be able to throw it in there and use it as a desktop at will.

The extra ports could be for an external drive and an ethernet adapter.
I think this could work out really well, and I've already got half the equipment.. Just need an ethernet adapter and a docking station.

 

[trats20050]

The pandora has a little groove on the front of the case maybe i can design it to hold it from there with springs or something.Ill try to put something up tomorrow.

 

[lulzfish]

If you use something in the middle, it will block the SD slots.
If you use something on the corners, it might block something else of importance.

Is there a way to grip it from the sides and bottom like a human would?

 

[marko]

I intend to use some spring clips - two at the sides and front. I'm going to dock all the ports so I can power the pandora through the dock. Will also allow a custom USB hub arrangement. I have a ProE model but busy at work so I'll try to upload later. The port locations arent set for obvious reasons. I like what has been shown here. By using spring clips and all port docking, I expect the Pandora to locate and stay there. Will put felt on the spring clips to minimise cosmetic damage.

 

[lulzfish]

Yeah, there needs to be power too but I can't remember the port layout enough to even try.

If if grips from the bottom and sides like a pair of hands, you can just leave the ports as cables or like a chunk of plastic that plugs them all in at once.

It's a pretty cool idea, I might have to get one if the price is good, and if I don't build my own out of balsa wood or something.
Balsa wood: the computer scientist's choice for mechanical engineering...

 

[marko]

It would speed things up if I could get the required dimensions though. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long till the Panda drops and I can finish the design. I'll probably get it done by SLS in glass filled nylon. Will need to felt it up though but that ain't a heartache. It's a quick and cheap process, should have it in 3 days from sending my IGES file out.

 

[gruso]

I'm keeping a keen eye on all the possible fixing methods. It's the last piece in my puzzle!

 

[Monk]

Hmmm... the screw-on docking station made me think "why not just repalce the bottom half of the case with a new, deeper design?". The result would surely look neater and could be designed with the idea of clipping to "another" dock, and woulod allow the Pandora to take the USB2 hub and whatnot around actually inside. Note sure how much larger than your average pocket this would make the Pandora tho

 

[carlgeorge]

I'm keeping a keen eye on all the possible fixing methods. It's the last piece in my puzzle!

How about fixing this thing "in place of" the battery cover since that already has fixing points/locations and won't be needed when something like this is in place. The USB & Power plugs will need to be on tiny little cables though.

Just a thought. Throw it out there see if it sticks™

 

[trats20050]

Instead of the screw method to hold the docking station in place i used lulzfish idea but no springs.Tell me what you guys think.I put sd cards in there to make look better.

 

[marko]

Can you explain it a bit? How does it work? What software package are you guys using btw?

 

[Kyo]

can't you make it replace the battery cover? That would give you some basic stability

 

[marko]

can't you make it replace the battery cover? That would give you some basic stability

Looking at using the battery cover is a good idea but it wouldn't be ideal. If you are suggesting that the dock has a protrusion that has the same features as the battery cover - the Pandora would just slide sideways into the dock and secure ala battery cover. However the weight of the Pandora would eventually damage the grooves cut in the Pandora base. Think about all other devices with battery covers, the lighter more fragile part is the part that interfaces to the bulk item. The only way to compensate would be to have a substantially large interface, essentially an oversized battery cover fused to the rest of the dock. You'd be looking at a factor of 3 times larger than the current battery cover.
And to be fair, it'd be a pain in the arse having to take the cover on and off all the time.

 

[lulzfish]

I'm using Inkscape, it's excellent for 2-dimensional vector drawings.
Somebody else is using Pro-E for 3-d, I'm going to use Blender if I get around to making any 3d stuff, and I have no idea what trats is using.

 

[pelrun]

I would *not* want to be removing/replacing the battery cover all the time just to use a dock; it would end up removing 90% of the convenience a dock provides, and makes it easier to lose the original cover!

I've got a cover for my Zaurus that has pins that go into the screw holes on the bottom to help hold it in place, however depending on how the USB connection works that may not be feasible here. Maybe put the USB plug on a hinge, then you plug the Pandora in and swing it down to lock in place?