LEGO Great Ball Contraption 樂高積木大型球體機械運輸線
The Origins 起源
Lego Great Ball Contraption「大型球體機械運輸線 」簡稱Lego GBC。
起初，Steve Hassenplug 在2005年Brickfest上的一個Lego展覽，首次發表相關作品。自那次展覽開始，就愈來愈多樂高積木玩家參與設計與展覽。
Basic Design Principles 基本設計原則
基本規則是將Lego小球由A點運到B點，而中間的過程由Lego玩家自行設計。
其後，Lego GBC有更標準的定制，如入口與出口的大小必須為10 stud x 10 stud x 10 stud，而小球平均進出速度為每秒1球。
Lego Shishi Odoshi GBC 鹿威運球機
A shishi-odoshi is a bamboo tube filled with water, which clacks against a stone when emptied. It is used in traditional Japanese gardens for scaring away animals, especially, the deers originally.
It is hardly imagined that the 1×2 trans-clear bricks can be bent as a big circle to deliver the balls from the bottom to the top point. The tuning of the counter balance is very important for the effect of deer scaring. The direction of the circle must be correct. Otherwise, the balls cannot be delivered to the top point. I use the 6×8 slope in green color. The appearance becomes more beautiful, closer to the nature, and save a few cost too. Finally, the use of the genuine Lego balls is very important to ensure this GBC running smoothly. Otherwise, the 2×4 black plate in the entry point of the transparent tunnel cannot stop the balls out of the tunnel. Hope you enjoy my sharing!
Shishi-odoshi 是一個裝滿水的竹筒，倒空時會撞擊石頭。它在傳統的日本花園中用於嚇跑動物，尤其是鹿。
很難想像1×2的透明Lego磚可以彎曲成一個大圓圈，將球從底部傳遞到頂部。平衡器的調整對於驚嚇鹿的效果非常重要。巨輪的轉動方向必須正確。否則，球無法傳送到最高點。我使用綠色的 6×8 Lego斜台。外觀變得更漂亮，更接近自然，也節省了一些零件成本。最後，使用正版樂高球對於保證這款 GBC 的順利運行非常重要。否則，透明隧道入口處的2×4黑板無法阻止球離開管道。希望你喜歡我的分享！
Lego Ball Counter GBC 數球機
This Ball Counter GBC is designed by David Manley. It is comprised with over 95% of technic liftarms, what the building technique is totally different from the mixed approach of Technic bricks and Technic liftarms by Akiyuki. When the balls pass through, the turntable is moved and push the gears of the counter. After 10 times, the previous turntable moves the next turntable once. It is a very interesting set for the GBC exhibition. I would like to put this set as the first one in the layout of GBC exhibition! Enjoy! 😉
For fine tuning of this GBC, I use a 7L axle and a black connector instead of two light bluish grey pins with a connector to increase the effectiveness of the motor.
這款數球機 是由 David Manley 設計的。它由超過 95% 的技術提升Lego機械系列的組裝臂組成，建築技術與 Akiyuki 的傳統Lego磚和組裝臂的混合方法完全不同。當球通過時，轉盤移動並推動計數器的齒輪。 10 次後，上一個轉盤移動下一個轉盤一次。對於GBC展覽來說，這是一個非常有趣的場景。我想把這一套作為GBC展覽佈局的第一套！
為了對這個 GBC 進行微調，我使用了一個 7L 軸和一個黑色連接器，而不是兩個帶有連接器的淺藍灰色插針，以提高摩打的效率。
Lego Basketball Shooter GBC 籃球投射運球機
Derived from the idea of Akiyuki, a single basketball shooter is presented in this GBC. The choice of shock absorber must be soft spring in order to keep ball shooting in the short distance. The height of the basket is adjustable to fit different slight change of the shock absorber.
這部射籃球運球機，是由Akiyuki的意念簡化而成。避震器一定要選擇「軟彈簧」，來保持短距離射程。籃球架可以調校高度，以遷就不同避震器細微的不同力度。
物理老師解釋張拉共構體的原理
各款LEGO張拉共構體的設計
Lego Tensegrity GBC 張拉共構體運球機
Tensegrity is a structural principle based on a system of isolated components under compression inside a network of continuous tension, and arranged in such a way that the compressed members (usually bars or struts) do not touch each other while the prestressed tensioned members (usually cables or tendons) delineate the system spatially.
The term was coined by Buckminster Fuller in the 1960s as a portmanteau of “tensional integrity”.
Lego Tensegrity GBC is the work of Berthil van Beek. The designer used three silver-plated parts and other black accessories to build the Stepper and Ferris Wheel, deliver the ball to the highest point, and then let the ball pass by a bridge made by the seven tensegrity and slip to the exit.
Tensegrity「張拉共構體」是一種基於在連續張力網絡內部應用受壓構建的結構原理。其中，受壓構件之間並不接觸，而預先張拉的構件構成了空間外形。
「張拉整體」一詞由Buckminster Fuller在20世紀60年代創造，用以描述「張拉整體式結構」。
Lego Tensegrity GBC是Berthil van Beek的作品，設計師運用三款鍍銀零件，加上其他黑色配件，砌定Stepper與及小摩天輪Ferris Wheel，將小球運到最高點，然後讓小球經過由七個Tensegrity構成小橋，溜到出口處。
用LEGO砌出張拉共構體Tensegrity最簡單的方法
工程師解釋波動齒輪的運作原理
波動齒輪的運作原理及其應用
Lego Strain Wave Gear GBC 波動齒輪運球機
Strain Wave Gear uses a differential device between an ellipse and a perfect circle. Products using this mechanism are sold by Harmonic Drive Systems under the name Harmonic Drive.
It was invented by C.W. Musser in 1957. It is usually used in robotics and also in aerospace to reduce gears, but it can also be used to increase speed or for differentials.
Japanese engineer Akiyuki Kawaguchi modified the wave gear into a Lego version, and applied this gear commonly used in mechanical engineering to the design of a great ball contraption, and designed this ingenious machine.
波動齒輪Strain Wave Gear是利用橢圓和正圓之間的差動裝置。使用此機制的產品由Harmonic Drive Systems銷售，名稱為諧波驅動(Harmonic Drive)。
它是由C.W. Musser於1957年發明的，通常在機器人技術中使用，也用於航空航天中，用於降低齒輪，但也可用於提高轉速或用於差速器。
日本工程師Akiyuki Kawaguchi將波動齒輪改裝成為Lego版本，並將這個機械工程學上常用的齒輪，應用於大型球體運輸線的設計上，並設計出這套別出心裁的運球機。
擺線齒輪的運作原理
擺線齒輪的應用：減速裝置
Lego Cycloidal Drive GBC 擺線齒輪運球機
A cycloidal drive or cycloidal speed reducer is a mechanism for reducing the speed of an input shaft by a certain ratio. Cycloidal speed reducers are capable of relatively high ratios in compact sizes with very low backlash.
The input shaft drives an eccentric bearing that in turn drives the cycloidal disc in an eccentric, cycloidal motion. The perimeter of this disc is geared to a stationary ring gear and has a series of output shaft pins or rollers placed through the face of the disc. These output shaft pins directly drive the output shaft as the cycloidal disc rotates. The radial motion of the disc is not translated to the output shaft.
Japanese engineer Akiyuki Kawaguchi modified the cycloid gear into a Lego version, and applied this gear commonly used in mechanical engineering to the design of a LEGO great contraption, and designed this ingenious dribbling machine.
擺線齒輪常用於減速機，它有著體積小、重量輕的優點。此外，擺線齒輪運轉平穩、無噪音，並且具有較大的過載能力和承受較強的衝擊性能。由於同時嚙合的齒數多，在理論上有二分之—的齒嚙合，所以會有這些優越的性能。最後，因為所有接觸部分為滾動摩擦，故壽命較長，與普通的減速機相比，壽命提升到2至3倍以上。
日本工程師Akiyuki Kawaguchi將擺線齒輪改裝成為Lego版本，並將這個機械工程學上常用的齒輪，應用於大型球體運輸線的設計上，並設計出這套別出心裁的運球機。