Motorcycle visor rain disk

posted Oct 23rd 2008 7:06am by
filed under: wearable hacks


[andrew] sent us this proof of concept. Based off of the Spiech Clear view screen, used in marine applications, it uses a spinning disk to keep a part of your vision free of water droplets. While you may not be too impressed by watching the video initially, keep in mind that this was a quick prototype. With some planning and a little work, this could be moved to a more convenient location and run by a side mounted motor. It could even be made to be removable for fair weather. It probably doesn’t do so well with mud though.



15 Responses to Motorcycle visor rain disk

  • Roly says:
    October 23, 2008 at 7:28 am

    A full-face slipstream-driven version of this was being advertised in motorcycle magazines perhaps 25 years ago now (alongside cigar-like plastic tube thingies that allowed a rider to smoke while riding).

    Never seen one for real; perhaps gyroscopic forces were a problem with the larger disk?

    Reply Report comment
  • Grovenstien says:
    October 23, 2008 at 7:37 am

    this method was also applied to circular wing mirrors keeping them free from rain drops.

    Died out due to style and heaters being installed in the mirror.

    The key problem with the disc really is its shape it doesn’t really lend itself well to most windscreen applications.

    but could be intergrated into large windscreens.

    I think a wiper is best!

    But its a great proof of concept!

    Reply Report comment
  • v says:
    October 23, 2008 at 8:58 am

    already exists in non motorised version:
    http://www.nickygrist.com/turbo-rain-visor-142-p.asp
    my brother used one for his gokart competitions

    Reply Report comment
  • nubie says:
    October 23, 2008 at 9:41 am

    Very cool, I like the passive one v posted, but $50 is a bit much!

    A low resistance bearing and it should be able to spin just fine with some fins.

    I wonder if this is legal on a car?

    Reply Report comment
  • Fry-kun says:
    October 23, 2008 at 11:01 am

    From the video, it seems that a quick application of RainX would have much more of an effect. Doesn’t waste any battery juice, either :)

    Reply Report comment
  • walter venters says:
    October 23, 2008 at 4:02 pm

    I had a rotating visor in the sixties, it was driven by small turbine blades cast into the periphery of the disk. It was very effective.

    Reply Report comment
  • motorider1 says:
    October 23, 2008 at 4:05 pm

    I think a small high pressure air pump would work. I usually just turn my head to clear my visor if I am riding in the rain. Ofcourse if you aren’t going fast enough it does absolutely nothing.

    Reply Report comment
  • Sparky says:
    October 24, 2008 at 2:18 am

    Turning your head does work… for almost a whole second if it’s really raining.

    Besides, it’s not really the rain that’s causing the real problem for me, it’s the spray from other cars and especially trucks, because the drops are much smaller.

    How about a clear plastic cylinder that rotates around your helmet? You’ll look like a retard, but it just might work.

    Reply Report comment
  • pragma says:
    October 24, 2008 at 9:57 am

    Is there any way to accomplish this via electro-staic repulsion?

    I’m imagining a helmet visor with a thin conductive layer on it, hooked up to a power supply. As a motorcycle engine is just a power-plant after all, so you should be able to run as many volts as you need.

    Reply Report comment
  • Neolin says:
    October 24, 2008 at 11:11 am

    If its raining that bad you need to STOP driving. I know this comment does not help the project or anything but wet roads + motorcycle = wheelchair. It happens all too often.

    Reply Report comment
  • Roly says:
    October 25, 2008 at 6:56 am

    @sparky – Love it! A sort of transparent Ned Kelly helmet driven by a Savonious rotor on top.

    @pragma – theoretically; but the concept of trying to charge myself up to a zillion volts in the streaming rain, sitting on a petrol tank, well …

    The other aspect is that this is also used in spray painting and powder coating to get even cover all over, so you may actually *attract* the raindrops. Ooops. ROFLMAO.

    Seriously: I think the disk would be more effective (and look less stupid).

    Reply Report comment
  • Rectifier says:
    October 25, 2008 at 1:51 pm

    I used to work at the same place as Andrew! Small world. Anyways, it’s a great idea. Here in Vancouver, we need advanced rain-shedding equipment!

    On my motorcycle I just tilt my head, but I’m now going to make a pair of powered goggles for riding my bike. I hate the goggle fog and this thing should block rain, shed drops and have enough air circulation to avoid fogging.

    Working on it right now, and I’ve now built about the same thing as Andrew (looks like we both found the same sized plastic scrap, heh. I need now one big enough to cover both eyes.)

    The concept model works remarkably well at staying drop-free. I’m amazed this idea isn’t everywhere!

    Reply Report comment
  • jj jerksalot says:
    October 26, 2008 at 3:48 am

    this is 100% useless why is this on hackaday like for example i have a dirt bike keyword dirt this is fucking useless in mud and when you dirt bike where are you in the f/u/c/k/i/n mud god damn morons like would it hurt to come up with something that’s actually useful really i said this before there’s a reason why you lame fags got hacked like why should we come to you guys for hacked when you got hacked hard you fags are so 1337 really we all know that you are a bunch of lamers trying to capitalize on the community LAMERZ

    Reply Report comment
  • jj jerksalot says:
    October 26, 2008 at 3:49 am

    you guys got no respect from the community you know that right?

    Reply Report comment
  • markps2 says:
    October 26, 2008 at 8:52 am

    as for mud complaints. If you have a clean source of clear water sprayed onto the spinning disk-mud combo, it think it would wash off. Like the windsheild sprayer on your car.

    Reply Report comment

    • Leave a Reply

    XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title="" rel=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <pre> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

    Hack a Day serves up fresh hacks each day, every day from around the web as well as hacking related news.

    Send us your hacks










         



    Hacks

    Resources