Abstract:
An object with a rotational effect includes an outer enclosure shell, a base, a first inner object and a rotation device. The first inner object is located inside the outer enclosure shell. A liquid is filled between the first inner object and the outer enclosure shell. The base includes a power supply to transmit electrical power to the first inner object. The first inner object comprises a first enclosure shell, at least one illumination member and a power receiving member. The power receiving member receives electrical power from the power supply, and supplies electrical power to the illumination member. The rotation device rotates the first enclosure shell.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates an object with a rotational effect, which can be used as an ornament or a globe. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,789 (entitled “Sphere Toy”) discloses a sphere toy, which comprises an outer spherical shell, an inner spherical shell, and a liquid that is disposed between the outer spherical shell and the inner spherical shell. A user can use a rotation control device to control the rotation of the inner spherical shell. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,789 does not provide power to continuously rotate the inner spherical shell, and also does not provide a lighting device in the inner spherical shell. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides an object with a rotational effect that includes an outer enclosure shell, a base, a first inner object and a rotation device; the first inner object is located inside the outer enclosure shell. Additionally, a liquid fills a space between the first inner object and the outer enclosure shell. 
         [0006]    The base includes a power supply member to transmit electrical power to the first inner object. The first inner object comprises a first enclosure shell, at least one illumination member and a power receiving member. The power receiving member receives electrical power from the power supply member, and supplies electrical power for the illumination member. In certain embodiments, power transmission between the power supply element and the power receiving element is performed by a coil. 
         [0007]    The rotation device receives the power provided by the power supply element to continuously rotate the first enclosure shell. In various embodiments, the rotation device may be an eccentric motor in the first inner object, or rotation of the first enclosure shell may be achieved using magnetism. 
         [0008]    One of the embodiments of the present invention may be used as a globe. To prevent the illumination element from moving with the first enclosure shell, a second enclosure shell and a second liquid may be disposed between the first enclosure shell and the second enclosure shell, with the illumination element disposed in the second enclosure shell. This embodiment can achieve a special effect that can be found at the webpage www.mpegla.com/index1.cfm (i.e. a rotational globe). 
         [0009]    Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional drawing of a first embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional drawing of a second embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional drawing of a third embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional drawing of a fourth embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram of the fourth embodiment of an object with rotational effect object according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 6˜7  are perspective views of the fourth embodiment of an object with rotational effect object as a globe with illumination effect. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of an object with a rotational effect according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    Please refer to  FIG. 1  for a first embodiment. An object  10  having a rotational effect according to the present invention comprises three primary components: an outer enclosure shell  20 , a base  90  and a first inner object  30 . The first inner object  30  is disposed in the outer enclosure shell  20 , and a first liquid  81  (such as water) is disposed in the space between the outer enclosure shell  20  and the first enclosure shell  31 . The specific weight of the first inner object  30  is substantially equal to the specific weight of the first liquid  81  (the closer, the better) so that the first inner object  30  floats on or within the first liquid  81 . If the first inner object  30  is too light, a heavier block  35  can be added onto the first inner object  30 . Additionally, if the center of gravity of the first inner object  30  needs to be located lower within the object  30  to keep the bottom side  311  of the first inner object  30  pointed down, the heavier block  35  can be located on the bottom side  311 , or close to the bottom side  311 . 
         [0021]    To display the first inner object  30 , the entire, or a potion of, the outer enclosure shell  20  may be transparent or translucent. In this embodiment, the outer enclosure shell  20  has a spherical shape, and the first inner object  30  may also have a spherical shape. The outer enclosure shell  20  is not fixed onto the base  90  so that a user can pick up the outer enclosure shell  20  (and the first inner object  30  with it); however, the outer enclosure shell  20  may also be fixed onto the base  90 . 
         [0022]    The base  90  comprises a power supply element  91 , a control switch  92  and a plug  93 . In this embodiment, the power supply element  91  comprises a coil  911  which is used to send power to the first inner object  30 . The base  90  may instead have a battery for the power supply, rather than utilizing the power plug  93 . 
         [0023]    The first inner object  30  comprises a first enclosure shell  31 , at least one illumination element  55  (such as one or a plurality of LEDs) and a power receiving element  51 . The illumination element  55  is disposed in the center of the first inner object  30 . For example, the illumination element  55  may be fixed at a desired position by way of a frame  57 . The first enclosure shell  31  may be completely or partially translucent, so that light from the illumination element  55  may disperse. 
         [0024]    The power receiving element  51  comprises a coil  511 ; using electromagnetic induction between the coil  911  and the coil  511 , the power receiving element  51  obtains power via the power supply element  91 , and provides the power to the illumination element  55 . This power transmission technology, utilizing coils without the need of a wired connection or physically connecting points, is a well known technology; the technology is used, for example, in RFIDs, electrical toothbrushes, and cell phone chargers, and so needs no further description. 
         [0025]    The object  10  with a rotational effect of the present invention further comprises a rotation means  70  for rotating the first inner object  30 . In the first embodiment, the rotation means  70  comprises an eccentric motor  71  disposed in the first inner object  30 . When the eccentric motor  71  rotates, the first enclosure shell  31  also rotates. Since the first liquid  81  is disposed between the first enclosure shell  31  and the outer enclosure shell  20 , the first enclosure shell  31  is very easy to rotate; therefore, even when the eccentric motor  71  rotates slowly, the first enclosure shell  31  still rotates. 
         [0026]    In the first embodiment, the first inner object  30  further comprises a storage element  53  (such as a capacitor or a battery) electrically connected to the power receiving element  51 . For example, when the user picks up the outer enclosure shell  20  and walks away from the base  90 , although the power receiving element  51  is then unable to obtain power from the power supply element  91 , the storage element  53  can continue to provide power to the eccentric motor  71  and to the illumination element  55  for a period of time. Of course, when the control switch  92  turns off the power supply element  91 , the storage element  53  can also continue to provide power. 
         [0027]    Please refer to  FIG. 2  for a second embodiment. A difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is the use of a different rotation means  70 . The rotation means  70  in the second embodiment has a magnetic driver  73  disposed on the base  90 , which generates an variable magnetic field. The magnetic driver  73  in the second embodiment is a motor  731  electrically connected to the power supply element  91  and a first magnetic object  732 . The motor  731  drives the first magnetic object  732  to create the variable magnetic field. The rotation means  70  further comprises a second magnetic object  74  disposed at the bottom side  311  of the first enclosure shell  31 , so that the variable magnetic field generated by the magnetic driver  73  drives the second magnetic object  74  to rotate the first enclosure shell  31 . U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,789 (entitled “Sphere Toy”) disclosures the technology of utilizing magnetic power to rotate objects. The first magnetic object  732  and the second magnetic object  74  may both be magnetic, or one of them may be magnetic and the other may be magnetic force affected material such as iron. 
         [0028]    Please refer to  FIG. 3  a third embodiment. A difference between the third embodiment and the second embodiment is that the third embodiment further comprises a shielding element  571  to limit the light radiating from the illumination element  55 . As a result, only a portion of the first enclosure shell  31  is directly illuminated by the illumination element  55 . When the first enclosure shell  31  rotates, the illuminated portion of the first enclosure shell  31  rotates as well, which creates a flashing effect. Of course, the shielding element  571  is not necessary for this effect. By way of example, let LED(S) face one particular direction. 
         [0029]    Please refer to  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7  for a fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the first inner object  30  further comprises a second inner object  40 , and the second inner object  40  further comprises a second enclosure shell  42  on the outermost portion of the second inner object  40 . The first inner object  30  further comprises a second liquid  82  disposed between the first enclosure shell  31  and the second enclosure shell  42 , with a specific weight of the second inner object  40  being substantially identical to the specific weight of the second liquid  82 . 
         [0030]    The heavier block  35 , illumination element  551 , illumination element  552 , power receiving element  51 , control circuit  56  and the frame  57  are all disposed in the second enclosure shell  42 . 
         [0031]    The rotation means in the fourth embodiment may be identical to the rotation means in the second and third embodiments, utilizing magnetic power to rotate the first enclosure shell  31 . The second magnetic object  74  is disposed at a position near the base  90  on the first enclosure shell  31  to be affected by the first magnetic object  732 . 
         [0032]    The illumination element  551  and the illumination element  552  face in different directions; the user may use the control switch  92  and the control circuit  56  (such as a chip or a simple logic circuit) to control the illumination element  551  and the illumination element  552  so that both are turned on, or just one of the illumination elements is turned on. Although the control switch  92  is not directly connected to the control circuit  56 , the control switch  92  can still send a signal to the control circuit  56  via currents or signals having different frequencies (such as is used in RFID technology). 
         [0033]    In the fourth embodiment, when the first enclosure shell  31  rotates, the second enclosure shell  42  stays still or moves relatively slowly. Following description explains the benefits provided by the fourth embodiment. 
         [0034]    If only the illumination element  551  is turned on, while the illumination element  552  is turned off, and if the first enclosure shell  31  is covered by a map of the earth, the object  10  becomes a globe  11 . With reference to  FIG. 6 , a portion of the surface of the globe  11  is illuminated or is relatively brighter (as shown in right side, the American continental region). When the first enclosure shell  31  rotates to the area shown in  FIG. 7  (the African and Asian continental areas), since the second enclosure shell  42  remains stationary (or rotates relatively very slowly), the right side of the globe  11  remains illuminated or relatively brighter. Such appearance effect can be found at the webpage www.mpegla.com/index1.cfm (i.e. a rotational globe). 
         [0035]    If the object  10  with a rotational effect in the third embodiment is also a globe  11 , the illuminated or brighter area on the earth surface in the third embodiment rotates with the first enclosure shell  31 , which means the brighter will stay on the same area (e.g. the American continental region keeps brighter). Then the effect will be different from that of a rotational globe shown on the webpage www.mpegla.com/index1.cfm. 
         [0036]    To provide a cloud-like effect for the globe, another white liquid (which does not dissolve in the first liquid  81 ) may be added into the first liquid  81 . 
         [0037]    The outer enclosure shell  20  and the first inner object  30  in the above first to fourth embodiments all have a spherical shape; however, it will be appreciated that various shapes may be employed, as illustrated in the following fifth to eighth embodiments. 
         [0038]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , in the fifth embodiment, the outer enclosure shell  20  and the first inner object  30  in the object  10  each have a round, columnar shape. 
         [0039]    With reference to  FIG. 9 , in the sixth embodiment, the outer enclosure shell  20  in the object  10  has a round columnar shape, and the first inner object  30  has the shape of a Christmas tree. 
         [0040]    With reference to  FIG. 10 , in the seventh embodiment, the outer enclosure shell  20  in the object  10  has a cubic shape, and the first inner object  30  has a spherical shape. 
         [0041]    Please refer to  FIG. 11  for an eighth embodiment. In the eighth embodiment, the outer enclosure shell  20  in the object  10  has a spherical shape, and the first inner object  30  has a cubic shape. 
         [0042]    Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. For example, the base  90  can also be disposed above the outer enclosure shell  20 , and the power receiving element  51  of the first inner object  30  could be moved up to be close to the base  90 .