Solar Wheel History

 
  The original Solar Wheel
Left US Patent No. D658451
Licensed to and manufactured by Kikkerland Design, NYC. Solar Wheel was a liquid and glitter filled disk, window mounted.
In direct sunlight a slowly rotating self contained universe .

Click on the left image for more info on this solar powered wheel.

An alternate version, non liquid version left on the drawing board for several years..
  right arrow
Solar Moire Wheel
Made of circular patterns
turning against each other.
 
With a laser cuttter paperboard stencil patterns and
a new drive system the solar wheel returned as a free standing sculpture.
 
Solar Moire Wheel #2
 
 
 
 
 
 
- Laser cut illustration board
- Rainbow printed acetate backer
- Worm gear speed reduction
- Adjustable tension belt drive.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Drive top

Shaft drive version




Solar Moire Wheel - Working Prototype


Additional moire patterns I've created can be found on my Tumblr page.
Imagine them color printed and window mounted like ....Moire Stained Glass
Tumblr Page

Solar Moire Wheel 2a

The belt drive runs pretty well but over time the belt becomes less flexible and prone to slipping. Also, the pattern at speed causes the moire effect to be a bit fast for finer patterns so a slower average speed and a direct gear drive is the logical next step.

 


Rethinking parts
 
 
Mulling over the above drawings and playing with the actual drive parts
I started thinking about maybe simplifying the whole drive by compacting the
motor, wormgear and drive gear, centering them right up behind the moire wheel itself.
Simple is always better ...
 
Details Direct-One




A smaller direct drive motor with solar cell down below has enough torque to drive the moire pattern illustration board.

 

Currently under development.

  Direct drive simplified... for testing

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