How to Make a Retractable Pen Mechanism

[brianivander]

Hi everyone!

I am sorry if I ask something too much. I would like to make a "clicking" pen mechanism in inventor. I found a problem, I just don't know how to make those edges in the clicking mechanism. I do not ask to make the assembly (yet). I just want to make the part. I have searched google and this forum but still no idea.

the reference is from this video: http://youtu.be/GjByJMGfUpY

Thanks for all your help.

Brian

[JDMather]

Can you attach your part file(s) of what you have attempted so far?

[brianivander]

Okay, wait a sec

[brianivander]

JDMather, thanks for your response.

Here is what I have done so far. I am trying to make the bottom part of that ridges. I have managed out to make those ridges, but the result is not exactly the same with the reference. Here if you see the reference, one every two ridges there has a slight curve to make that part more slippery to rotate as it moves. Now how can I make that curve?

Thanks again

Brian

The reference:

Now this is what I've made so far:

[blair]

Is this what you mean?

[brianivander]

Hi Blair. Thanks for your response.

Actually that is not my question. I know I can make that feature by using fillet. But what I am trying to achieve is to make the curve in the line side, not the cusp side. Here I show the image that might help. If you see the image as a piece of paper then we can bend the paper to make a cylinder, we can get the shape like my reference.

[brianivander]

Here is another example that might help to understand. It is similar with the feature that I want to achieve with my design. They call it "Sinusoidal cylinder cut".

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

Examine the Cylindical Cam Generator Design Accelerator within the Assembly Environment on the Design tab.

Expand the dialog box and set to only the one face you need rather than a groove.

It will take some time to figure this out your first time through.

[brianivander]

Thanks JDMather. I think that answers the question. But it's very hard to use the Cylindrical Cam feature.

[JDMather]

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@BRIAN.itprawira wrote:

... But it's very hard to use the Cylindrical Cam feature.

---

...it's easy, if you know how. 

Like everything, there is a learning curve.  Especially steep if you are doing it all on your own.

[WHolzwarth]

Perhaps you could do it this way.

Walter

[christalcranium]

Can you make that in fusion 360

[JDMather]

Yes.

https://youtu.be/Wekmai5MqFM