TRIBHUWAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERING
PULCHOWK CAMPUS

A REPORT ON
DESIGN OF A HOPPING MECHANISM

SUBMITTED TO:
DR. SANJEEV MAHARJAN
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE
ENGINEERING

SUBMITTED BY:
SURAJ WAGLE (076BME049)
SUJAN DHAKAL(076BME037)
SAMIR SHRESTHA(076BME046)

SUBMITTED ON: 2079/12/4

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

1. ABSTRACT

2. INTRODUCTION

3. MOTIVATION

4. DESIGN CRITERIA

5. METHODOLOGY

6. PARTS DESIGN AND ASSEMBLY

7. WORKING OF MECHANISM

8. CONCLUSION

9. RECOMMENDATION

10.REFERENCE

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 ABSTRACT

This report presents a mechanism for causing

hopping movement using only the motion of a

motor in a forward inclined plane. The

mechanism consists of a simple leg design with a

motor attached to a platform. The platform is an

inclined plane, and the motor's forward motion

causes the pipes in the platform to move up the

incline and hop. The mechanism was designed

and tested using a small DC gear motor, rubber

and a simple wooden platform. The results

showed that the mechanism can achieve efficient

hopping movement without the use of springs,

with potential applications in robotics, toys, and

educational demonstrations. Future work will

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focus on improving the design and exploring the

use of different materials and power sources to

further enhance the mechanism's performance.

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 INTRODUCTION

Hopping mechanisms have been a topic of

interest in robotics and toy design due to their

unique ability to navigate through rough terrains

and overcome obstacles. Many hopping

mechanisms rely on the use of springs or linkage

mechanisms to achieve efficient hopping

performance. However, these mechanisms can be

complex and difficult to design and fabricate. In

this report, we present a simple hopping

mechanism that utilizes only the motion of a

motor in a forward inclined plane to achieve

hopping movement. This mechanism was designed

in a CAD software (Solidworks) and tested using

basic materials such as a small DC motor,rubber

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and a simple wooden platform. The results

showed that the mechanism can achieve efficient

hopping movement without the use of springs or

linkage mechanisms. The simplicity and ease of

fabrication of this mechanism make it a potential

design for use in small robots for search and

rescue missions or exploration of rough terrains.

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 MOTIVATION

Our project on the design of a hopping

mechanism was motivated by our design

teacher,Dr. Sanjeev Maharjan, who encouraged us

to explore unique and innovative mechanisms for

our minor project. Our teacher emphasized the

importance of creativity, practicality, and

simplicity in design, and challenged us to come

up with a hopping mechanism and investigate

ways to achieve efficient hopping movement using

simple and practical designs. Our teacher's

guidance and encouragement have been

instrumental in shaping our approach to design

and fabrication.

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 DESIGN CRITERIA

The main objective of our hopping mechanism

project is to design and fabricate a mechanism

that can achieve stable and efficient hopping

movement. To achieve this goal, the mechanism

must meet several design criteria. First and

foremost, the mechanism must be capable of

hopping consistently and efficiently, with good

height and stability. We will explore different

design approaches, such as using a motor, spring

mechanism, or linkage mechanism, to achieve this

goal. However, our final design will prioritize

simplicity, and will not rely on complex or

expensive components. Additionally, we will focus

on using readily available materials and tools to

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facilitate easy fabrication and maintenance.

Finally, the mechanism should be compact and

lightweight, as it may be used in small robots or

toys that require high mobility. By meeting these

design criteria, we aim to create a practical and

innovative hopping mechanism that can be

applied in a variety of fields.

After careful consideration and exploration of

different design approaches, we have come to the

conclusion that our hopping mechanism will be

designed to hop using only the movement of a

DC motor. This decision was made based on our

design criteria, which prioritize simplicity,

practicality, and efficiency.

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 METHODOLOGY

➢ Step 1: Sketching the hopping

mechanism design: We began the project by

sketching different designs for the hopping

mechanism to determine its overall

appearance and functionality.

➢ Step 2: Exploring design options: After

sketching the designs, we explored different

design options, such as using a motor, spring

mechanism, or linkage mechanism to achieve

the desired hopping movement.

➢ Step 3: Selecting the final design

approach: After exploring the various design

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 options, we ultimately chose a design

approach that relied solely on the movement

of a DC motor to achieve the hopping motion.

➢ Step 4: Designing the mechanism: Once

we had chosen the design approach, we used

CAD software to create a detailed design of

the mechanism.

➢ Step 5: Material collection: After

completing the design, we collected all the

required materials from the market to build

the mechanism, such as a DC gear motor,

rubber, ice cream sticks for the platform, and

a 9V battery.

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 ➢ Step 6: Fabrication: We fabricated the

mechanism by assembling the different

components together and balancing the

weight and inclination of the mechanism

using heat and trial method.

➢ Step 7: Testing: Finally, we tested the

mechanism to ensure that it achieved stable

and efficient hopping movement, with good

height and stability.

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 DESIGN ASSEMBLY

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 WORKING OF THE MECHANISM

The hopping mechanism works by using the

movement of a DC motor to create a hopping

motion. The motor is attached to a platform made

of ice cream sticks with the rubber attached

around. As the gear motor spins, it causes the

free movable pipes to move up and down in an

inclined plane of wooden platform, which in turn

causes the entire mechanism to hop.

The hopping motion is achieved by carefully

balancing the weight and inclination of the

mechanism. By adjusting the weight and angle of

the platform, we can control the height and

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stability of the hopping motion. Additionally, the

use of ice cream sticks as the platform material

helps to absorb shock and reduce the risk of

damage to the mechanism.

Overall, the hopping mechanism provides a

simple yet effective way to achieve stable and

efficient hopping motion, without the need for

complex or expensive components.

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 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we successfully designed and

fabricated a hopping mechanism that achieved

stable and efficient hopping motion using only the

movement of a DC motor. By prioritizing

simplicity, easy fabrication, and readily available

materials, we were able to create a practical and

innovative mechanism that has potential

applications in various fields, such as robotics

and toys. Our project highlights the importance of

careful design and experimentation in achieving

desired results, and we are proud of our

successful outcome.

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 RECOMMENDATION

➢ The platform should be made with rough

material to ensure proper traction for the

gear wheels, allowing for effective movement.

➢ The design should be compact enough to

include switches and a thin and lightweight

battery, which will allow for easy control and

operation of the mechanism.

➢ High-quality rubber should be used to ensure

durability and maximum shock absorption.

➢ The weight and balance of the mechanism

should be optimized for efficient hopping

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 motion, taking into consideration the intended

application and desired results.

➢ Further experimentation and testing could be

conducted to explore the potential of

incorporating additional components or

mechanisms to enhance the hopping motion

or achieve new functionalities.

REFERENCES

• https://youtu.be/VqJliXMiRL0

• https://grabcad.com/library/dc-motor-gearbox-tt-

motor-1

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