What is a hopper?
The goal of this project was to create a fiberboard-based bioinspired mechanism that would “hop” by using energy stored in deformed springs.
The research, design, prototyping, and iteration process was lightly scaffolded, but all designs are my own.
My design was inspired by the grasshopper, and I began with the concept of a jointed leg that would extend through the stored mechanical force from a spring.
Step 1: Sketch Modeling
To bring the plan of a grasshopper-based hopper to reality, the concept sketches were made out of easy-to-fabricate materials.
This helped refine the design parameters before the first full prototype was created.
Step 2: Prototype CAD
Based on the initial sketch model, a solidworks model was created that could be made out of non-sketching materials.
Step 3: Prototype Testing
The initial prototype had promise, but was unable to hop because of limb length/alignment and high weight. The design for the second prototype was intended to fix both of these problems.
Step 4: Iterate
The iteration process involved removing any non-necessary material from the body of the hopper, changing the leg lengths so the hopper would rest on the feet rather than the body, and adding material to change the center of mass.