Reverse Engineering The

​ ​INI ​D​YNAMO ​3​ ​LED​ ​F​LASHLIGHT

V​IATEK​ M ®​

Jackson Hilton - Brittany Fung - Sadie Ikeda - Matthew Jones

Table of Contents:

Section Page #

Purpose 1

Functional Description 1

Bill of Materials 2-3

Procedures 3

Object Redesign 3

Conclusion 4
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Purpose:
Our goal in researching the ​Viatek Mini Dynamo 3 LED Flashlight is to gain an understanding of
how it functions, why it works, and why it is made in the way it is.

Functional Description:
The flashlight can be used in an emergency, as it does not require prior charging. To charge the
flashlight, toggle the switch to the “OFF” position, then turn the crank. The crank’s torque will
be transmitted to a dynamo via an 86.8:1 multiplier transmission. By rotating a coil of wire
inside a magnetic field, the dynamo generates a DC current with polarity dependent on the
direction of rotation. To ensure that the rest of the circuit operates with the correct polarity, the
current runs through a bridge rectifier, which outputs the same polarity regardless of the input
polarity. This current will then charge the lithium ion battery. When you toggle the switch to the
“ON” position, the battery discharges. The current first passes through a resistor, which limits
the amount of current in the circuit to protect the LED’s. The current then passes through the
three LED’s, which are wired in parallel to produce a brighter light (at the expense of battery
life). The current then flows back to the negative terminal of the battery, completing the circuit.
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Bill of Materials:
Part Name Part Dimensions Function
Number

a Bridge Rectifier DB107 1 cm Normally used to convert AC to DC,

but used here to ensure correct DC
polarity

b Copper Wire (x4) N/A 4 cm Used to transmit electricity between, the

dynamo, battery, and circuit board.

c Dynamo N/A 2.5 cm Generates DC current when the center

shaft rotates

d Lithium Ion Battery N/A 1.5 cm Stores electrical energy using lithium
ions
3.6V, 40mAh

e 35T Crank Gear N/A 2.5 cm Used to transmit torque from the crank
to the dynamo.
f 12:35 Gear(x2) N/A 2 cm
With an overall ratio of 86.8:1, the
g 12:42 Gear N/A 2.9 cm dynamo shaft rotates almost 87 times
h 12T Dynamo Gear N/A 1 cm per rotation of the crank.

i Cover N/A 8 cm Protects inside parts for external forces

j Circuit Board KH2359 3.5 cm Provides a partially conductive

foundation for the conductive portions
of the device

k Switch N/A 0.9 cm Disrupts the flow of current in order to

prevent function

l Resistor N/A 0.5 cm 10Ω, 5% tolerance, lowers the current

in the circuit to protect the LED’s

m LED(x3) N/A 0.5 cm Utilize quantum effects to produce light

n Shaft(x3) N/A 0.7 cm Holds gears in place

o Diode N/A 0.5 cm Ensures correct polarity

p Crank N/A 4.5 cm Used to apply torque to the device

q LED Cover N/A 3.2 cm Protects the LED’s

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r Mirror Backing N/A 2.6 cm Reflects light that would otherwise be

absorbed by the casing

Procedures:
To charge the device, toggle the switch to the “OFF” position and turn the crank.
Toggle the switch to the “ON” position to turn on the flashlight.*
No assembly is required
*​The crank can also be turned with the switch in the “ON” position, although brightness will be inconsistent

Object Redesign:
For the redesign, our object had a functioning dynamo that could turn almost any rotational
energy into electricity that powered a light source. Knowing this, we decided that a solid
redesign for this object would be to attach it to the handlebars of a bicycle and run a roller chain
from the dynamo to the front bicycle tire through an added 96-tooth gear. This would transmit
the torque from the tire to the dynamo, thus powering the LEDs, primarily for the use in a
darkened or night environment. Below is a sketch of what the redesign would approximately
look like if constructed.
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Conclusion:
This object was made to constructed on an assembly line and is constructed in a relatively simple
manner to facilitate such a process. Only a few parts manufactured outside of the factory as
indicated by the lack of part numbers on many of the parts.
Overall, our team worked well together but we had issues with managing time and staying on
track to finish all of our tasks on time. We did not begin sketching until very late into the actual
process, spending more time than perhaps needed on research, but this resulted in a strong
understanding of how this object functioned. We also juggled between working on the resume as
well as the reverse engineering, further spreading our time thin. There were some decent
elements to our teamwork as well. This team was able to communicate well and work on
assigned tasks efficiently while still helping each other when it was required.