The Rabbit Tanaka Mini Orbiter is a motorized toy that features a unique mechanism allowing the top portion of planets to spin in one direction while the sun and bottom planets rotate in the opposite direction. This functionality is achieved through the use of concentric shafts, which enable different rotational speeds and directions. The discussion highlights the principles of gyroscopic precession and gear mechanics as essential to understanding the toy's operation. The toy is no longer manufactured, but its design principles remain relevant for enthusiasts and educators alike.
PREREQUISITESThis discussion is beneficial for toy designers, mechanical engineers, educators in physics, and hobbyists interested in the mechanics of motorized toys.
A single shaft can't do that. Concentric shafts can.mjfish said:I don't think so but not expert on that. It's a motorized toy so I'm assuming gears are used but not sure how a single pole or drive shaft can get rotating bodies in the opposite direction.