12V Style Automation Buttons for PF and 9V Switches

[Lowa]

This is an early prototype of a 12V style button to control our track switch motors.  The button has all the hardware it needs to control the motors, it just needs a 5V power supply (from a brick we're still working on).  It has 2 LEDs to indicate the state of the button (the LED on the left is not positioned properly in the prototype and doesn't show in the video).  The LEDs are in a hollow stud so you can customize the color by adding a transparent brick.  There are 4 studs in between the LEDs so you can add a tile with a label to mark the button so you know what it controls.  There are power connectors on the side of the buttons, so if you connect them side by side they can power each other.  We're planning on making similar button for the traffic lights, decouplers, etc. 

For those of you who prefer not to use a computer or want to build a control panel in bricks, is this an approach that would work for you ?

 

 

[Rail Co]

Ah yes! This is something I have been wanting to test out since the day you posted a picture (some other forum post). I would love to try these out. My only suggestion for improvement is to have some way of knowing which button does what. For example the left button has a picture (or an indent if it costs more to paint/print on the button) of the track being switched from the main track while the right button would have a print of the track remaining in the straight position.

I will be interested to know what the cost would be and interested to try these out.

-RailCo

 

[Younge]

LOVE IT!!!!

[CaL]

I really like this switch!

But to add more flexibility for which function to use it and also to help naming/numbering it, I would like to have the same number of studs as the original switch.

So we can apply custom stickers to e.g. to 1x1 or 2x2 tiles.

Hope the attached sketch illustrates, what I mean...

[Asper]

That's wonderful! After playing with SBrick and ESP8266 and BlueSmartControl I learned that - besides automation with sensors and computer - I really need manual control devices that is not my smart phone.

At some point you want to stop the computer and simply "play" with the trains, and that's not much fun with the smartphone. For the trains on plastic tracks with batteries it has to be something "wireless". But for switches your solution seems perfect.

[Lowa]

11 hours ago, Rail Co said:

Ah yes! This is something I have been wanting to test out since the day you posted a picture (some other forum post). I would love to try these out. My only suggestion for improvement is to have some way of knowing which button does what. For example the left button has a picture (or an indent if it costs more to paint/print on the button) of the track being switched from the main track while the right button would have a print of the track remaining in the straight position.

I will be interested to know what the cost would be and interested to try these out.

-RailCo

 

The main idea was to have stickers on the tiles, but the solution of @CaL looks pretty interesting to me so I'll experiment with that approach.

Concerning the cost, we need the 'final' version before we can fix that but I think it well be around $20-$25.

3 hours ago, CaL said:

I really like this switch!

But to add more flexibility for which function to use it and also to help naming/numbering it, I would like to have the same number of studs as the original switch.

So we can apply custom stickers to e.g. to 1x1 or 2x2 tiles.

Hope the attached sketch illustrates, what I mean...

I like your design of the top very much!  It might be tricky to get the LEDs so close to the edge but I'll give it a try!  The LEDs are not too bright (so it's not uncomfortable when you look at the button), so in worst case I put them on the second row of studs.

About the size, 3D printing is not a cheap process and making the buttons larger would have an impact on the price, that's why I made them 2 studs shorter.

[Lowa]

26 minutes ago, Asper said:

That's wonderful! After playing with SBrick and ESP8266 and BlueSmartControl I learned that - besides automation with sensors and computer - I really need manual control devices that is not my smart phone.

At some point you want to stop the computer and simply "play" with the trains, and that's not much fun with the smartphone. For the trains on plastic tracks with batteries it has to be something "wireless". But for switches your solution seems perfect.

Thank you! 

This is very useful feedback.  We started working on this to provide a solution that didn't require a computer.  And also out of nostalgia for the 12V system, it just seems like a lot of fun to have a control panel made out of bricks.  But as you mentioned it might indeed bring you 'closer' to your layout.  For the trains we would use WiFi as this is compatible with out other systems. 

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

This is a real masterpiece!

[monai]

very nice, up to now it has been possible to control the switches only with some modifications, as explained in:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=165803

just for curiosity, do you think it would be possible the switch geometry illustrated above and  also in:

 http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=2984829

 

[Lowa]

1 hour ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

This is a real masterpiece!

Thank you!  I'm still planning to rework it with the suggestions of @CaL

[kieran]

Wow, looks amazing. Is there a positive click on the button, are you using membrain or contact switches?

[Lowa]

1 hour ago, monai said:

very nice, up to now it has been possible to control the switches only with some modifications, as explained in:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=165803

just for curiosity, do you think it would be possible the switch geometry illustrated above and  also in:

 http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=2984829

 

Our switch motors are designed for the PF / 9V LEGO switches, so as long as you don't change the actual switch mechanism this system will work fine.  So it should work on those custom switches...

Just now, kieran said:

Wow, looks amazing. Is there a positive click on the button, are you using membrain or contact switches?

Thanks!  I'm using standard tactile push buttons.  So you hear and feel a solid click when you push the buttons.

[monai]

thanks for the answers but I wonder if it could be possible to make, by 3d printing, also the switch geometries those guys have done.

The last one is a real world switch geometry, is called english switch.

 

many thanks and my best wishes for your activity

Sergio

[M_slug357]

hi there, just thought I'd contribute some thoughts to this idea:

-If at all possible, reduce the footprint of the whole piece to a 6x8 or 4x6 stud area; gotta save space whenever possible!

-On the top of the buttons, include a 2x2 studded area for tactile feedback or as space to add 2x2 tile decals

-Like in cal's illustration, have the LED's occupy a stud's worth of space, but have them recessed enough to allow for a 1x1 transparent plate/tile be attached over the top (maybe inlude one red, blu, ylw, grn?)

-For the power supply, it would be great if you could have two versions maybe? One that is fed straight from the wall outlet, and one that is fed via the track?

 

[CaL]

@Lowa:  Concerning the LED placement -> Just swap the positions with the 1x1 tiles positions. So you will have more space against the outer case. Old do you also have a dividing wall between the buttons and the top studded part?