Project help request: Striking a bell manually, alarm clock.

[stevef22]

Hello! Glad to be here at this forum. My name is Steve. I'm looking for help designing a circuit for an alarm clock bell. The bell is a "singing bowl" struck with a leather mallet.

Variables user can set:

Initial Clock time
Clock Time Zone
Chimes: 1-10
Duration between chimes: .100ms - 5 seconds
Intensity of strike: (not sure how to rate this, ie harder or softer)

Design goal is for a physical mallet to strike the singing bowl via actuated 12v motor. (I can get fancy and design a little wooden figure to strike bowl later)

I'm thinking the clock settings can be built into wooden base via a small analog LCD screen. Or everything configured via super basic app with the above variables listed above, connected via bluetooth.

My idea isnt novel. This gentleman created a similar invention. Link here:

If interested in helping me please let me know! My skills are soldering, wood working and finishing. Looking forward to your reply!

Simple image diagram of my project: https://ibb.co/g4bLJQj

Thank you, Steve

 

[Bluejets]

Design goal is for a physical mallet to strike the singing bowl via actuated 12v motor.

Solenoid would be best choice.
Select power (watts) of solenoid , voltage and return spring strength based on trial and error for strike power.

A gear motor driving a cam with a spring loaded plunger would also work however, would need to "home" the motor after each operation.

 

[stevef22]

Solenoid would be best choice.
Select power (watts) of solenoid , voltage and return spring strength based on trial and error for strike power.

Thank you so much for this tip.
Do you know where I can start to program a computer for solenoid? All I have is my simple diagram.


Simple image diagram of my project: singing-bowl-diagram-steve-prototype hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB

Thank you

 

[danadak]

One way would be to get your time from the internet using a ESP8266 or ESP32.

Consider using Tuniot, a block programming language, where you drag and drop functional
blocks and Tuniot generates Arduino code to program into chip.

Can you code, such as C or Basic ?


Regards, Dana.

 

[Bluejets]

Do you know where I can start to program a computer for solenoid?

Don't need a computer.............. simple approach would be an existing clock with alarm function and a pocketful of mod.
Other than that an RTC and Arduino (clone would suffice), some kind of battery or power supply, few extra bits and a lot of study (from what I see so far)
Try Googling for ideas.

 

[stevef22]

Sorry for the late reply.

I got the manual bits out of the way. (First Solenoid was too short 10mm and didnt sound good)

Please see picture of my current progress. Using 12V 30mm Solenoid.
Picture Link: https://ibb.co/HCz0bcH



Next step is to program an alarm clock.

Alarm clock features:

- Set time
- Set alarm
- Set number of chimes.



Im not sure where to begin on this. Any help much appreciated. Thank you

 

[Harald Kapp]

Im not sure where to begin on this.

Already suggested: ESP32 or mod of an off-the-shelf alarm clock. Whcih way do you want to go?
In case you want to go the "computer" way, a compute module like e.g. an ESP32 or Arduino is a good choice.
Here's an example of an Arduino based alarm clock. And this one uses an ESP32.
This project uses a NodeMCU (based on a 8266 mcu) and an Internet based time service (NTP) to automatically set the time.

 

[danadak]

If you want to eliminate need for RTC and just use internet time,

Google "esp8266 internet time" and "esp32 internet time"

Lots of projects on net.


Regards, Dana.

 

[stevef22]

Thank you for the tips. Im off to research ESP32! I think this is the way I want to go.

 

[stevef22]

Already suggested: ESP32 or mod of an off-the-shelf alarm clock. Whcih way do you want to go?
In case you want to go the "computer" way, a compute module like e.g. an ESP32 or Arduino is a good choice.
Here's an example of an Arduino based alarm clock. And this one uses an ESP32.
This project uses a NodeMCU (based on a 8266 mcu) and an Internet based time service (NTP) to automatically set the time.

Thank you much appreciated. I will research this.

 

[danadak]

Consider using tuniot to program part in block language.

Note you can run Arduino code in block language, a subroutine example of getting internet time.


So use Tuniot example client program, which logs into network you config, and that subroutine will fetch you time.
In fact you can get year and other data as well.


Regards, Dana.