Takao Yoshimura - Unique Gear Structures

There are people who create unique things who can sometimes be found on Twitter. Takao Yoshimura is one of them. He creates unique structures using gears. The first time I saw his creation "geomecha", I could not help staring at it, then I found he had made several other gear structures.

This is one of my favorites of his creations that I just mentioned above, "geomecha."

He says that he named it "geomecha" combining the words "geometry" and "mechanism." I thought it would be suitable to display "geomecha" somewhere like Exploratorium, it would be fun. What do you think?

His videos are useful for someone who is interested in linkage mechanism. Actually, I have learned about planetary gears from his video. I didn't know about planetary gears and found it interesting. He made a speed meter mechanically with a planetary gear. 

A mechanism that is made with gears cannot move once one of the gears is stopped. By using a planetary gear, he has made the best use of its characteristics and created a system that can move even after the other part of the mechanize stops.
Here is the mechanism using a planetary gear he made.

This is named "Speed meter" because the hand in the middle changes its speed depending on the rotating speed of the right-hand side of the gear. Like the other videos, this video also shows how he draws and assembles the parts.

 

The next one is his representative work and he had spent lots of effort which works beautifully. This is a linkage system named "mechanical 3 segment display." 

 
"Mechanical 3 segment display" has two distinctive features.
One of the features is the system can express the numbers 0 to 9 using two L-shaped and one T-shaped parts rotating. The other feature is to average the force required with increases in digit, so that any number of digits can be carried forward.

He says that this system took two years from conception to be realized. If this system is developed further, it could be made into a clock or counter mechanically. To get closer to realizing it to a clock or counter, the numbers need to be moved up. So, Takao figured out the method of making it four digits and he did it.

This is a video that Takao tried to figure out a "mechanical 3 segment display" of moving up the numbers using a cam mechanism. The parts of the whole system require more than 250 parts. If you want to watch the assembling video, please watch it at 1:26.
It is a great idea that each of the systems can be connected to the others.

He explains that the system looks complicated, but it is simple. The key to moving up the number is a cam. (The video at 5:00) When the cam rotates, a spring is stretched and when the ramp of the cam moves, the spring shrinks at once. The force of this spring contraction is used to move the next digit.

The latest of his creations is the one to use a coil spring. To use a coil spring as a power source, he has made a mechanical system to convert spring power to the other. I think this system is convenient and he can use it for future creations.

These creations on the above are not all of his creations, so please have a look at more details on his YouTube channel or his Twitter. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask him through YouTube or Twitter. (Please note that these 3D data are not available for sale.)

Takao's Craft - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeyy15nZoKy_mSJhlz4zgvA

Takao's Twitter
https://twitter.com/YBB_824

He says he wants to count down at the end of this year with the system. Good luck to Takao! Looking forward to his future success.

 

p.s. I have not made any creations recently, but I am planning to make a marble run machine. Hope I could show it here someday in 2022.

Wishing you a very happy Holiday season and a wonderful New Year!🎄