Thursday, July 26, 2012

HOW IT WORKS: FLETCHER CAPSTAN TABLE

by Ahmed Abbas Momin

The Fletcher Capstan Table is named after designer Fletcher David, its a kind of table which automatically expands from a small size to a larger one.
It is a round table capable of doubling its seating capacity and, in process of expanding it remains truly circular. The original idea for a table of this type was designed in the nineteenth century by a man named Robert Jupe, 1835. It was called as Jupe’s table Youtube Video initially round, and had an ingenious geometry and a similarly ingenious method of making it expand radially, changing from a small size to a table of larger diameter. However, Jupe’s tables could not store their own expansion leaves, were not truly round in every stage, and were slow and laborious to operate. The Fletcher geometry is similar in concept, but different in terms of expansion leaves. It’s minor changes, according to the species of timber used, as the table expands from small to large, and shrinks vice versa.

The top surfaces is made up of six pie shaped planks (figure 1), and an outer skirt in the manner of a drum table . Below this first layer (figure 5) there consist two more layers of planks , the second is made up of six arrow shaped planks (figure 5) and, under that, a large star shaped leaf. Below all of this lies the rotating mechanism  and pushing mechanism, constructed with the combination of hard anodised aluminium and stainless steel. Table planks are made from aluminium honeycomb cored composite for absolute integrity and rigidity. The whole assembly is supported on a base of varying design.
The table can operate manually by rotation of the entire top, or electrically from a pocket sized remote control transmitting unit. All tables, be they manual or electronic, rotate through 120 degrees as they operate, and electronic tables can easily be converted to manual.



The table transforms from a small circular wooden table into a larger diameter by rotating its side while the extra wooden pieces (2nd layer planks) underneath the furniture in its small state and then automatically raises them up and adds them to the whole circular form of the table as you rotate and transform the furniture into a larger piece.


Each section is connected to an underlying frame structure, such that when the table top is rotated, the sections move radially outward, increasing the effective size of the table top . Once the table top has been rotated the left over space is filled by 2nd layer of planks which are pushed up during the process of rotating.


A method for manufacturing
Starting with table support structure and defining a central axis; mounting a table top over the table support structure such that the table top is rotatable around the central axis between a first angular position and a second angular position relative to the table support structure, wherein the table top comprises a guide plate having a plurality of guide slots and a plurality of separate table top sections disposed over a top surface of said guide plate, each table top section being movable radially along a respective one of the plurality of guide slots between a first radial position and a second radial position when the table top is rotated between the first and second angular positions relative to the table supporting structure; and providing a plurality of support elements between the guide plate and the table support structure, the support elements being arranged to support the guide plate relative to the table support structure, wherein the support elements are mounted on a portion of the table support structure, whereby the table top is arranged to rotate relative to the support elements
 Another video of the table





Monday, July 16, 2012

BUCKY LAB COOPERATION WITH ROMAZO



Would you buy a car without tires ? Of course not...! When we look at the buildings that surrounds us, nearly the same is happening, but much more invisible...an efficient sunshading is missing.

A sunshade is the first barrier against the sun and is able to prevent overheating, and therefore the best solution to save cooling energy on the first hand. While we dont want the sun in summer, we would like to gain as much energy as possible in the wintertime, so an adatvie sunshade is not only able to block, but also to control the energy consumptions during all seasons. So without doubt, a sunscreen is able to provide indoor comfort as well as it helps to shade against the sun. 

We are asked from the dutch sun screen association ROMAZO to cooperate for the next semesters with the buckylab. We will gain first hand informations, knowledge and support from the different companies within ROMAZO. So a perfect fit for the course to have the experts on the table for our prototypes.

As a start up for the next semesters we will organize a mini symposium for all the students and interested guests on Friday the 7th of September in Nieuwegein with a wide range of different experts as speakers.
So book this date, more infos within the next days.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

MAKE - BOTTLE RADIO

 

The guys from MAKE Magazine showed a very nice project, have a look a radio that does not need any power...!

MAKEY MAKEY BOARD FOR THE BUCKYLAB

 

We supported this wonderful idea at kickstarter...to be honest it was not really nessessary, more than 500,000 $ were raised for this cool controller board, that transforms everything into a keyboard. We cant wait for our kit and are curious what our students may do with it...

 

WINBAG - HOW WE USE IT

 

Another way of how to use the Winbag: Its a perfect fellow on your travel, in this case we use it to raise the IPad to watch movies while in an airplane. Winbag 1000 possibilities...

 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

RAACO NEWSLETTER



RAACO sponsored a huge set of Boxxser Assortment boxes and cabinets for our mobile workshop.
Now every bits and pieces have a perfect organized place within the workshop. Thank you very much and for all out there interested have a look on their webside by clicking into the logo on the right side.

RAACO also published an articel on their newsletter so have a look. 

Monday, July 9, 2012

LIGHT FILTER FACADE

Imagine a facade that uses daylight and interior light to create images or patterns to liven up and communicate to the spaces it defines. A translucent canvas.

A buckylab project imagined by Nicolas van Drunen, Jayadeep Premnath and Cedrique Steenkamer



The main research points were: in what scale would it work if the aspects of mechanics and image resolution
are considered? Is it possible to design it into a unitized facade system?
An image can be transformed to be described as a half tone pattern. By making a screen with many independently variable aperture openings it’s possible to create dynamic light patterns on the facade making
it possible to render still images, films or ambient media.


The concept of a panel with openings is not only applicable for a facade, as well as an interior wall and roof. For example, a shop and horeco can use the panel in addition to the decor. It can serve as a partition or as a separation with an open character. The picture next gives an impression. Each opening is individually to control and the frame is flexible displaceable.



A conservatory has a glass roof. A conservatory is a good example that can make use of this system. The roof can serve as a sunshade for excess sunlight and can reduce the light beams to small beams. This has an effect on the climate comfort, but may also take care of visually beautiful effects.









Sunday, July 8, 2012

HOW WE USE THE WINBAG

 

 

Normaly used for window montage, we found many different ways of how to use these little handy fellows. have a look also on www.winbag.dk

Thanks to Aman for this idea!

 

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Sunday, July 1, 2012

HOW IT WORKS : UMBRELLA

from Maysam Foolady

An umbrella or parasol is referred to a canopy whose aim is to protect or shelter people from rain or sunlight. “Umbrella” stands for the Latin word “umbra” which means "shade” or “shadow”. However, umbrella refers to a device designed to protect against the rain, and parasol is referring to the item sheltering against the sun.

The origin of the umbrella goes back about three, four thousand years ago which is illustrated in ancient art and artifacts of Egypt, Greece, and China. It is believed that the beginnings of umbrellas stemmed from collected leaves that were functioning as a shelter against rain or the sunlight. It could also have been an adaptation of a portable tent.

Some historians say that, the first foldable umbrella that have been invented in ancient China approximately 1,700 years ago, and fittingly the Chinese character for umbrella (傘) is a pictograph, looking like the design of modern umbrella. In ancient times, the frames of the umbrellas were made of mulberry bark or bamboo.

The Chinese decorated paper parasols with hand-paintings and waxed and lacquered the paper surface with oil to repel water. Then, via the Silk Road, the Chinese design of umbrella was able to spread to Persia and the West.

Briefly, umbrella is a portable and folding device which varies in size and shape; however, its design is basically the same. Generally, it is formed by a concave down surface, usually plastic or similar material attached to a structure of rods (stretcher) arranged around a central axis (pole) which supports stretchers through a sliding ring (runner). When the runner is in the down position, the stretchers are completely flattened along the pole. On the opposite, when the runner is raised, the rods are stretched in a circle around the pole under the canopy. (Figure 1)

 

 

Figure 2: Stationary Cantilever Umbrella

The number of stretchers ranges from four (square umbrellas using in outdoor markets) to eight or ten in general for umbrellas. They are distributed at regular intervals on the periphery of the pole. In small portable umbrellas and parasols, the central pod has a handle at its lower end for better grip. In other cases, the use of umbrellas is rather stationary; the lower end of their pole is generally designed to fit in a carrier or to be planted in the ground, so to be stable and secure against the wind. The classical umbrellas can also serve as stick, however the recent ones "pocket umbrellas" which are shorter in size with folding rods, are more convenient for storage when it is not raining. This type is mostly used in countries with high amount of rainfall during the year. Although very simple, but still after passing centuries, the mechanism behind umbrella has remained almost the same. The simplicity and functionality of this system has always been inspiring for many people throughout the history. Even now we can see a lot of examples in our daily life, such as CJ R&D Center Kinetic Façade in Korea and Mechanical umbrellas in Mosque of the Prophet (in Medina), which are developed based on the same principle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 3: Stationary Umbrella with pole in center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4: Pocket Umbrellas with multiple folding ribs