I am trying to build an optical sensor switch for a small toy motor, but I am not sure where or how to start. I would like to make a photoelectric switch, or some type of optical switch that will reverse the polarity of power being sent to a small motor (smaller than 2"x2") . The motor will be mounted on and rotate a small plastic cylinder (1" diameter x 8" long). Both the motor and the cylinder will be mounted on a linear rail system which will allow the motor/cylinder pair to slide 12" in one direction and 12" in the opposite direction (24" linear rail system). When the motor/cylinder slides to one end of the rail, I'd like to have the motor trigger a sensor which revereses the direction of the motor. The same should happen at the other end of the rail (again, reversing the direction of the motor).
Essentially, all I need is the sensors and circuitry to reverse the polarity sent to a motor. Can anyone suggest a sensor to do this or me or give me more information on how I could assembling a dual-switching cuircut for reversing a motor twice along a linear path?
Thank You!
