Introduction
Peeling bananas is hard, but it does not have to be. A robot that can quickly, consistently, and effectively peel a banana is not only very useful, but could also be pretty interesting. People eat bananas every day, it only makes sense to want to speed up the peeling process.
Complexities
There are a few obstacles that need to be addressed, one of them being the motion of the linkage arms that are doing the peeling. They need to both consistently peel from a specific location and pull in a line of motion that will not obstruct any other mechanism or run into the bananas, which are bound to have inconsistent shapes and sizes. On that note, mounting the bananas is also a challenge as they are not all the same size or shape, so keeping the tip (where the peeling starts) of the bananas in a consistent location is necessary. Lastly, we know that we will need multiple separate mechanisms linked together to occur one after another in a specific order and at a specific speed.
Description of Proposed Mechanism
The proposed mechanism consists of multiple components consisting of a compression system, peeling system, and holder. For the holder there will be a funnel or other constraint that will hold the bottom of the banana in place. The holder itself will likely be curved or of a profile that can facilitate most banana shapes. The primary objective of the holder is to be able to mount uniquely shaped bananas and be able to have a consistent point for peeling to begin. The compression system is simply meant to loosen the skin of the banana at the point where peeling begins. The actual peeling system will consist of multiple duplicate linkage arms that go up and down onto the tip of the banana and pull diagonally downward and away. We will then put all these systems into one structure and combine them to occur in succession at a reasonable speed within one (maybe two) points of actuation.
Scope of Work
For this project we hope to not only be able to completely peel a banana, but also develop a system for practical ejection after peeling and an intuitive peel disposal method. Prior to fabrication, we aim to analyze the material and geometrical properties of a banana, e.g. the structural integrity, average shape, etc. to determine the constraints and dimensions needed for our mechanism. Likely, the most challenging part of this project will be accounting for the general properties of the banana such as its structural integrity and non-uniformity, however it will be exciting to design a solution that is adaptable.
Preliminary Design Ideas
Some preliminary design ideas include using a simple linkage system for diagonal movement of the peelers. For the compression system, a pincer mechanism can be used with softer materials for more grip. For the general construction of the project, most of the parts can likely be made from the laser cutters, with some more intricate parts (such as the contact points for the compressions system) being made using the 3D printers. Ultimately there should not be any need for machining.