Hi Shapeways fans,
Looney Gears is a strange
eccentric planetary gearing system. Whereas normal
planetary gear systems are symmetrical, this one has no symmetry whatsoever.
This particular set of gears was the result of a challenge by Oskar to Andreas Röver in 2006. Andreas found this nice set of all-primary-numbers gears which is about 0.01% exact.
At this moment, it is not known whether there exist exact solutions for this type of eccentric planetary gear systems. Oskar's conjecture is that no exact solution exists. It would make a nice math graduation project to prove the conjecture or find a counter example.
Watch the
YouTube video.
Watch the
animation.
Buy the object at
my Shapeways Shop.
Read more at the
Non-Twisty Puzzles Forum.
Check out the photos below.
Enjoy!
Oskar
P.S. My Californian friend
George Miller asked me to make a video in pouring rain. Such situation is much more rare in my country than you would expect. Finally, the right conditions were there: pouring rain and a water-proof puzzling object ready for demonstration.
Last edited: Jul 22, 2012