3D Print Your Own Seiko-Style “Magic Lever” Energy Harvester
Originally published on hackaday.com by Donald Papp on 9 August 2023
In 1956, Seiko introduced the “magic lever” a pivotal element in self-winding mechanical watches that harnessed mechanical energy. The magic lever, resembling a ratcheting mechanism, enabled the main gear to move only in a single direction. Robert Murray-Smith delves into this concept in his video (linked at 1:50), highlighting its significance.
Given the prevalence of reciprocating motion in nature—back-and-forth and side-to-side movements—rather than circular motion, a mechanism was needed to convert unpredictable reciprocating motion into consistent unidirectional rotation for self-winding watches. Seiko’s magic lever addressed this challenge, utilizing just three main components. Robert created 3D models to visualize these parts, as shown in his video.
Although the 3D models of Seiko’s magic lever are available for experimentation, Robert ponders its potential integration into other applications. The realm of energy harvesting, often electrical in nature, has witnessed various projects. Even concepts such as capturing energy from falling raindrops have been explored. Additionally if you need more gears in your life then why not 3D print a gearbox with this article.
What you’ll need for this project:
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