Abstract:
This three dimensional ornament is designed to be suspended in outdoor situations where it is free to rotate in the wind and thereby enhance the aesthetic qualities of the area in which it is deployed and to make the wind velocity visible. The ornament is a turbine type section with an open interior section that may be filed with various decorative plates or spirals.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an improvement in the design of three dimensional decorative ornaments. More specifically, to a method of building these three dimensional ornaments in a manner so that they are made up of an outside design element which is constructed to both enhance the overall aesthetics of the invention and to provide the mechanism by which it rotates in the wind and an internal element that has decorative purposes. 
     Decorative ornaments are commonly employed to enhance the appearance or to personalize living or work space. In the recent past, the use of specialized ornaments in outdoor situations has also become increasingly popular. Some examples of this later use of such devices are wind chimes, weather vanes having decorative elements incorporated into their designs, reflective globes, and hanging three dimensional ornaments designed to freely spin in the wind. The general purpose of all of these different ornaments is to add a personal decorative touch to outdoor spaces such as gardens and yards and to aid in making the wind velocity visible. 
     The three dimensional wind ornaments have become very popular in the recent past as they add a degree of motion as well as color into the desired setting. These types of ornaments are generally constructed out of a plurality of concentric circles, or other simple geometric shapes, which are joined together at a central spine at progressing compass degrees. This method of construction results in an ornament that, when rotated by wind or other mechanical method, results in an ornament that visually changes during the rotation process. Additionally, these ornaments are also constructed of a material that catches and reflects light in a way that greatly enhances these visual effects. 
     Another problem inherent to these types of three dimensional ornaments is that their design incorporating many different surfaces often results in a visual appearance that is overly busy or too complex to be aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, the design of these ornaments also does not lend itself to the incorporation of ancillary design elements such as representations of common animals, birds or the like. The incorporation of these additional design elements can add a great deal to these three dimensional ornaments and this limitation of the available designs unnecessarily diminishes the potential size of the market in this area. 
     From the foregoing discussion it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a three dimensional ornament for the purpose of enhancing the look of outside spaces that is designed in such a manner so that the passage of wind will cause it to rotate changing its overall appearance in a continual fashion. Additionally, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide such a three dimensional ornament which is designed in a aesthetically simple manner to provide the desired visual stimulus to the location in a manner that is not overwhelming. Finally, it can also be seen that it would be desirable to provide such a three dimensional ornament that provides a base both functionally and aesthetically for the incorporation of ancillary design elements into the ornament. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a three dimensional ornament that will freely rotate with the passage of wind in a manner so that it will continually change its external appearance. 
     It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide such a three dimensional ornament which is constructed with an overall simplicity of design so that it retains a proper degree of aesthetically pleasing qualities without being visually overwhelming. 
     It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such a three dimensional ornament that provides a base both functionally and aesthetically for the incorporation of ancillary design elements into the ornament. 
     These objectives are accomplished by the production of a three dimensional ornament that, in this contemplated embodiment, incorporates four external body elements known as turbine arms to form its three dimensional shape. The use of four of these turbine arms is conducive to the construction of the present invention, however other numbers of turbine arms are possible. For the purposes of simplicity, the construction of the present invention with four turbine arms and the attributes related thereto will be discussed herein. 
     These turbine arms are generally strips of the construction material which are tied together in a specific manner to form the present invention. The turbine arms are formed by cutting a strip from a flat plate of construction material which is accomplished by cutting a blank from the sheet of construction material which resembles a flower petal or four leaf clover. This blank is composed primarily of the four turbine arms which individually resemble the letter C with its upper end extending in a straight line for a short distance. Thus, the four illustrated turbine arms can be cut from a single flat sheet of construction material (the preferred method of construction) so that their bases are all connected by a square-shaped base and the elongated C-shapes extending outwardly from this base at ninety degree intervals. 
     After the turbine arms are cut as described above, the tip of each of them (or the lower end of the C) is forced both rearwards and upwards thereby twisting the lower portion of the C resulting in a configuration resembling a reversed question mark when viewed from the side. The resulting upper portions of each of the turbine arms are then tied together to form the upper surface of the present invention. The connection is accomplished by passing a threaded stud through the tips of the turbine arms and securing a nut onto it on either side. The threaded stud is also generally equipped with a closed eyelet on its upper most end which is in turn used to suspend the invention in the desired location. 
     This method of construction results in a three dimensional ornament generally being composed of the four turbine arms forming an outer shell that encloses an interior space. The turbine arms also serve to function in much the same manner as the vanes on the wind turbines commonly employed to provide ventilation in that they contain surfaces specifically designed to catch any present wind which in turn imparts the desired rotational motion to the present invention. 
     The interior space defined by the turbine arms also provides the present invention with another opportunity to enhance its aesthetic effect by placing additional design elements within the interior. This is most commonly accomplished by the inclusion of a central design element that is attached to the lower surface of the threaded bolt and which extends down into the interior space. The overall shape of the central design element can be one of any number of geometric shapes but for the purposes of simplicity it is illustrated here as a circular outer ring enclosing an additional open ring space. This ring space is in turn employed to incorporated such design elements as the silhouettes of birds and animals, spirals, or any other object that lends itself to this sort of artwork. 
     Finally, the eyelet described above that is a portion of the threaded bolt is used to suspend the present invention in the desired location. This is most commonly accomplished with the use of a swivel attachment apparatus but it can also be suspended by any number of ways including a simple string and knot. The use of the swivel apparatus provides two benefits. The first of these is ease in mounting the present invention as these swivel apparatuses commonly are equipped with a clip specifically designed for the easy attachment of ancillary items to te swivel. Secondly, the swivels also come equipped with a bearing component that allows on component of the swivel to freely rotate with respect to the other. This rotation ability allows the present invention to spin in the wind without any encumbrance from its attachment which adds to the overall visual effect that is provided by the present invention. 
     For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be made to the drawings and the description in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the wind turbine ornament illustrating the manner in which the invention is constructed and containing a hummingbird and flower central design element. 
         FIG. 2  is a top elevation view of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the central design element is altered to replicate a cardinal. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an additional alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the central design element is altered to replicate a smiling sun. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the central design element is altered to replicate an additional twist element. 
         FIG. 7  is a top elevation view of the turbine blank component of the present invention illustrating the orientation of the turbine arms in this configuration. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , the ornamental wind turbine  10  is a three dimensional apparatus of a decorative intent. As such, the present invention is made up of three main components: the outer shell  11  defining the outer dimensions of the invention and being constructed in a manner so that it adds aesthetic and functional qualities to the invention; the interior space  13  or that area enclosed by the outer shell  11 ; and the central design element  34  contained within the interior space  13 . 
     The outer shell  11  of the present invention is made up of a plurality (generally four) of turbine arms  20 . The turbine arms  20  are generally flat strips cut from a flat sheet of any suitable material such as metal which are cut into a specific shape dictated by the final design that is being produced. Consequently, these shapes may vary drastically while remaining within the scope of the present invention and are too numerous to disclose individually. However, for the purpose of simplicity this text will describe one of the varieties of possible designs exclusively. 
     In the construction of the present invention, the turbine arms  20  are all cut from a single sheet of construction material. With the offered design, this is accomplished by cutting a turbine blank  17 , illustrated in  FIG. 7 , from the sheet of construction material which resembles a flower petal or four leaf clover. This turbine blank  17  is composed primarily of the four turbine arms  20  which individually resemble the letter C with its upper end extending in a straight line for a short distance. The overall configuration of the present invention in this preliminary state as illustrated in this FIGURE shows the individual turbine arms  20  forming the described petal shape and having the straight lower arms  32  meet at the lower confluence  24 . The meeting of the individual lower arms  32  at the lower confluence  24  occurs in a manner so that they are oriented at ninety degrees from one another thereby forming a centrally positioned base  26  between them. 
     The formation of the present invention from the formation formed by the above process is accomplished by taking the tip of each of turbine arms  20 , or that terminus located at lower portion of the C, and forcing both upwards and towards the overall centerline of the present invention. This action twists the wind surface  30  portion of the turbine arms  20  resulting in a configuration resembling a reversed question mark when viewed from the side and forming the turbine arms  20  as illustrated. This action brings the tips of the upper arms  28  together where they are tied together by the use of the shaft holes  15  to complete the formation of the present invention. 
     The connection accomplished at the upper confluence  22  is facilitated by the use of the threaded shaft  14 . The threaded shaft  14  passes through the shaft holes  15  in each of the upper arms  28  of the turbine arms  20  and is held there in place by the positioning of the lower nut  18  below the upper confluence  22  and the upper nut  16  above it. The upper and lower nuts,  16  and  18 , are then tightened along the threaded shaft  14  which in turn has on its upper most portion a hanging hook  12 . The hanging hook  12  is a circular extension of the threaded shaft  14  employed to provide a mechanism by which the present invention can be suspended in the desired position. This is typically accomplished by the use of a swivel apparatus (not illustrated) which is configured so that one portion of it is capable of freely spinning while the remainder remains stationary. The use of the swivel enables the present invention to be securely mounted to while being capable of rotating independently. 
     As stated previously, the turbine arms  20  form the outer shell  11  of the present invention. The turbine arms  20  themselves are made up of three distinct areas. The first of these is the lower arms  32  which extend upwards and diagonally outwards from the base  26  at the lower confluence  24  thereby expanding the interior space  13  going upwards. Additionally, at the lower arms  32 , the strips making up the turbine arms  20  are oriented so that their flat lower inside surfaces and their lower outside surfaces face inwardly and outwardly with respect to the overall orientation of the present invention. This configuration results in an outer shell  11  that rapidly expands in a lineal fashion from the base  26  through the extent of the lower arms  32  to open up the interior space  13  as quickly as possible. 
     The middle section of the turbine arms  20  are made up of the wind surfaces  30 . The wind surfaces  30  are the portions of the turbine arms  20  that contain most of the bend incorporated into them in the cutting process and also include the twists that alter the orientation of its flat sides in relation to the interior space  13 . It is this alteration of the orientation of the wind surfaces  30  which provides the wind driven rotation of the present invention that is one of its principle attributes. In the wind surfaces  30 , the turbine arms  20  are twisted in such a manner so that their outside surface is rotated in terms of its orientation to the interior space  13  so it eventually reverses its position with their inside surfaces at the upper end of the wind surfaces  30 . This twisting of the turbine arms  20  along with the curved portions established at cutting result in the wind surfaces′  30  inside and outside surfaces being positioned with respect to the interior space  13  so that they can easily be engaged by any wind that the present invention is exposed to. Thus, the wind surfaces  30  of the turbine arms  20  provide the rotational ability to the present invention. Additionally, the wind surfaces  30  enclose the central portion of the interior space  13  in a ball-like configuration and accounts for the bulk of the interior space  13 . Finally, the wind surface  30  portions of the turbine arms  20  also serve to define the central and widest portion of the present invention thereby ensuring the exposure of the maximum possible surface area of the turbine arms  20  at all times. 
     Above the wind surfaces  30 , the upper arms  28  of the turbine arms  20  complete the enclosure of the interior space  13  at their terminus at the upper confluence  22 . The important thing to recognize at this point is that what was once the outside surface of the wind surfaces  30  has become their upper inside surfaces in the upper arms  28 . Conversely, the same reversal occurs with the wind surfaces&#39;  30  inside surface which changes to their outside surface at the upper arms  28 . This is the twisting characteristic of the turbine arms  20  provides the turbine function and appearance that define the present invention. 
     The interior space  13  of the present invention provides for the positioning of central design elements  34  which serve to enhance its overall aesthetic appeal. The central design element  34  can consist of any number of configurations and images so long as they fit within the interior space  13  in a pleasing manner. One of the most common designs is a hollow outer ring  36  that is suspended below the upper confluence  22  by the use of the attachment plate  38 . The upper surface of the attachment plate  38  is simply positioned between the lower nut  18  and the lower surface of the upper confluence  22  in the assembly process. This allows for the insertion of any number of central design elements  34  into the interior space  13  of the present invention which serves to enhance its overall appeal. 
     The outer ring  36  of the central design element  34  encloses an additional amount of central space  41  which is then utilized to incorporate such images as the hummingbird element  40  which is illustrated in these FIGURES. Additionally, these FIGURES illustrate the use of the element base  42  which is a filled in section of the lower portion of the central space  41  within the outer ring  36 . This element base  42  provides opportunities for the incorporation of additional design elements the most notable of which is the logo hole  44  allowing for the insertion of a company&#39;s logo into the design of the present invention. 
     The central space  41  within the outer ring  36  can be used to incorporate any design element that lends itself to an expression in silhouette. An alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the central space  41  is filled with a cardinal element  46  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Note that this is a similar configuration as the previous embodiment in that the element base  42  and its associated components are retained. This configuration is the most common type use in the central design element  34  of the present invention. An additional embodiment of the present invention in which the central space  41  is filled with a sun element  48  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Note that the sun element  48  fills the entire central space  41  of the outer ring  36  requiring that the element base  42  be omitted from the ventral design element  34 . In all other respects, this type of central design element  34  is exactly the same as described for the others. 
     A still further embodiment of the present invention in which the central design element  34  has been entirely omitted and replaced with a spiral element  50  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . It is important to note that although this FIGURE and description illustrate a spiral shape, any geometric shape suitable for such uses can be employed in this situation and the focus of the spiral element  50  is solely for the purposes of simplicity. The spiral element  50  is simply a descending twist of flat construction material that is attached to the upper confluence  22  in the same manner that was described for the central design element  34  above. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.