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Author Topic: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)  (Read 5625 times)

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Offline jalex000

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #15 on: January 22, 2018, 07:49:24 PM »
I was hoping that someone had found a source for a panel-mounted USB connector that is small enough to fit inside a typical chassis. This is about the smallest I've found so far:

Mirco USB-AB Plastic C2 Panel Jack Lock With Micro USB-B Plug(GT11A200-0P-XX) -

It needs a 14.9mm mounting hole and is 23.8 mm across at is widest, and 20.25mm deep. I think something like this might fit okay mounted on the back a chassis, but hard to fit on a side mount.

I think the TRRS idea is a fine one just for the data lines, but I'm not thrilled with it for charging. The springs that make with the rings are not made for carrying any significant current, and there is the problem with shorting the tip against the wrong wires on insertion/removal, so it's pretty important that you disconnect the other end of the cable first to avoid this issue.

If I decide to go with a non-USB connector in the saber, I was thinking something like a micro DIN or a mini XLR would work well:

6-Pin Chassis Connector - Panel Mount (male and female) - PRT-11475 - SparkFun

Pack of 2 Heavy Duty 5 Pin XLR male mini Panel Connector. Requires a hole 0.43"

These wouldn't look out-of-place mounted on the exterior of a hilt - graflex pins look similar to these.

I might also just try wrapping one of the tiny breakouts that came with the Stardust v2 in some sugru to make them them into a barrel connector shape.

Offline Obi_1

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2018, 03:59:53 AM »
Have you looked at the pictures? I think it cannot possibly get better than that. Tiny and embedded into the chassis. Not sure what else you would like to have? I would not overreact it, all the connectors you linked in are far too big for my taste.

Offline Obi_1

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2018, 04:04:55 AM »

As promised the final pictures of my first prototype.

This particular chassis I designed around the Stardust V2 to hold:
- the Stardust V2 board
- a single Li-Ion battery of type 18650
- an external USB breakout port for charging and programming
- a charge status indication LED
- a speaker holder for a 28mm TCSS 2W bass speaker, which can be attached/removed from the main part of the chassis with guide pins

Uh oh, Obi_1 has a 3D printer. We're all in trouble now! (In the best way  :cool: )

All blame goes to jbkuma, I totally followed his lead and I'm glad I did so :) I just have to find a time slot on the printer my kids did not already pre-reserved, they are very busy right now to turn all of their ideas into 3D objects. Printer is busy currently printing mini-laptops, piggybank, cupboard for the doll house, weapon turret for X-wing game,  etc.

Offline jalex000

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2018, 06:41:24 AM »
I did look see the pictures, but there are a lot of different hilt designs that are going to require different solutions, so I'm just encouraging others to share their ideas, including some that might be suitable for external mounting on the hilt for those that prefer that.

I'm thinking of trying a Korbanth K4 with a Neopixel blade for this build, and while your chassis design is much to wide to fit, it has helped a lot to see the pictures of how much space the micro USB breakout takes in your print (not much!) and imagine what that would look like in a 7/8" chassis. Based on your pictures, I'm thinking that an alternative is certainly possible in either a 7/8" or MHS diameter where the USB breakout is vertically mounted - a slot could be printed right in the back cavity of your main chassis to securely hold the breakout in this position. The detachable speaker section would not be necessary in this design.

Offline jbkuma

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2018, 07:07:29 AM »
The most common ID is 1.25/31mm for TCSS and DIY hilts so it's the best place to start and the design that will be most useful.  There are hundreds of special configurations one can imagine just for TCSS hilts, never mind every manufacturer and DIY build.

Much like the DIY nature of the electronics and programming, 3D design tools and tutorials are free and designing chassis is pretty easy, really.  All you need to do is start with an appropriately sized cylinder and cut pieces out of it.  The more basic 3D tools excel at this kind of function and most have great tutorials both in text and video form.  This is a really good starting point to learn 3D design.  If you don't have a 3D printer, shapeways is very reasonable.

Offline Obi_1

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2018, 03:42:44 AM »

Here is the link to the Chassis on Thingiverse, feel free to use it!
DIYino Stardust Chassis v1 by Protowerkstatt - Thingiverse

What jbkuma said is in fact quite true, for chassis design MHS is always a good starting point, because MHS has the right balance between space inside the hilt and OD. And at least it's a kind of standard, whereby other manufacturers offer every kind of exotic IDs. So if it comes to chassis, logical start is MHS, next one I'm going to design will be a min sized chassis which is as small as sanely possible, with the reasoning that if a hilt does not even offer enough space for that, it's not not worth buying it as no one will be able to install electronics inside.

Offline mikagaha

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2018, 01:10:21 PM »
Obi_1, I´m traying to upload the pics from the 3D prototype that you have mentioned but It´s not working. I will try later.

Offline mikagaha

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Re: mounting micro USB port to chassis (Stardust)
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2018, 01:36:03 PM »
I have uploaded at thingiverse with some pics:

newbielink:https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2768976 [nonactive]

 

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