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| Solar Wheel History |
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The original Solar Wheel |
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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.. |
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| Solar Moire Wheel |
Made of circular patterns
turning against each other. |
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| With a laser cuttter paperboard stencil patterns and |
| a new drive system the solar wheel returned as a free standing sculpture. |
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| Solar Moire Wheel #2 |
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- Laser cut illustration board
- Rainbow printed acetate backer
- Worm gear speed reduction
- Adjustable tension belt drive. |
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Shaft drive version
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Solar Moire Wheel - Working Prototype |
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Additional moire patterns I've created can be found on my Tumblr page.
Imagine them color printed and window mounted like ....Moire Stained Glass |
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| 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.
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| Rethinking parts |
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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 ...
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| Details |
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A smaller direct drive motor with
solar cell down below has enough torque to drive the moire pattern illustration board.
Currently under development. |
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Direct drive simplified... for testing |
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