Abstract:
A color enhancing, lightweight, pin screen has multiple polymeric pins, each having a head at one end and slidably positioned in a corresponding aperture in at least one vertically-oriented plate. The polymeric material may be treated to achieve various visual effects, such as phosphorescence in light, black light designs and multiple colors. Also, the shape of the head can be designed to provide various light displays depending on its shape, i.e., convex, concave, diamond, flat and adding a reflective coating.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention described herein is designated as a color enhancing pin screen, which provides a multi-purpose entertainment device. It functions as an artistic animation image producer or display by creating varying visual patterns resulting from the selective displacement of a plurality of pins relative to a supporting apertured plate. The pins are individual light pipes from the light source. The pin screen is aesthetically appealing to all ages, and also provides enjoyable participatory entertainment for both children and adults.  
           [0002]    Earlier versions of pin screens developed by Applicant wherein metal pins are used are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,536,980 (issued Aug. 27, 1985) and 5,654,989 (issued Apr. 7, 1987). Metal pins are opaque and heavy.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In carrying out this invention in one illustrative embodiment thereof, a pin screen for providing a three-dimensional image of an object applied thereto has at least one vertically oriented plate containing a plurality of closely spaced apertures. A plurality of lightweight polymeric pins having heads larger than the apertures are horizontally disposed and are held in their selected positions by frictional engagement in said apertures. The pins form a light pipe of light from the light source at one end to the opposite end. The light pipes formed of the pins can be varied in color, intensity and size by varying the properties of the polymeric material shape of the head and diameter of the pins, and any plating of surfaces of the pins. If the top surface of the head of the pin had a concave surface and coated with a metallic material, the end would reflect light into a point. If the upper surface of the pinhead were made convex and coated with a reflective material, it would diffuse light from the source. The plate has a thickness less than the length of the lightweight polymeric pins exposing the ends and portions of the body of pins, which extend through the plate. The pins are adapted to be selectively axially displaced in said plate when the exposed end portions of the pins that come into contact with an object intended to create a three-dimensional image of the object. The object is pressed against the pins, thereby displacing only those pins in contact with the object and displacing those contacted pins to a depth or extent commensurate with the depth or shape of the object to form a duplicate shape of the object from the opposite ends of those pins displaced. A vertically oriented transparent cover generally parallel to the apertured plate is provided to prevent the pins from falling completely out of the plate head first, if the plate is tipped in that direction. The space between the apertured plate and the cover being less than the length of the pins.  
           [0004]    In the preferred embodiment in place of one thick plate, two spaced, thin, parallel plates with aligned horizontal apertures are employed, the space between the two plates being sufficient to maintain axial alignment and movement of the pins. If a single plate is used, it must be thicker to retain the pins in axial displaced position so that the pins will remain parallel when displaced in order to provide an accurate three-dimensional image of the object. In either embodiment, the pins are longer than the separation between the outward facing surfaces of the plate or plates and the transparent cover.  
           [0005]    In a further preferred embodiment, a third, vertically oriented, apertured plate is slidably mounted relative to at least one of other plates, to move aligned openings out of registration with respect to the first and second plates and thereby to lock the pins in place to preserve the aforesaid configuration. This embodiment preferably is provided with a locking mechanism of the third plate to preserve the aforesaid configuration during handling of the pin screen.  
           [0006]    Another embodiment has the non-headed ends shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 enlarged slightly when axially positioned in the vertically oriented plate or plates, such as by heat, a glue or a material that dissolves the plastic to form a glob. The enlarged ends of the pins are larger than the aligned opening in the vertically oriented plate facing said enlarged ends and prevent the pins from falling out from the vertical plate if the vertical plate is tipped clockwise as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, in section, illustrating an embodiment of the invention in which the pin screen has two vertical apertured plates and the pins are displaced horizontally by an object.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, in section, similar to the vertical pin screen of FIG. 1 except this embodiment includes only a single vertically oriented apertured plate.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in which a transparent sheet has been added to limit the degree of horizontal displacement of the pins and to retain the pins.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in which a transparent sheet has been added to limit the degree of horizontal displacement of the pins and to retain the pins.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pin screen illustrated in FIG. 3 showing a three-dimensional image resulting from the selective horizontal displacement of the pins.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a side elevation view, in section, illustrating a further embodiment of the invention in which the pin screen is provided with a locking plate.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-section of one locking mechanism taken along lines  7 - 7  in FIG. 6. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    One embodiment of a three-dimensional image-creating pin screen in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and  5  of the drawings.  
         [0015]    As may be seen from FIG. 1, a vertically orientable housing  100  includes two parallel, spaced apart, vertical apertured plates  102  and  104 . Each of the two vertical plates  102  and  104  have horizontally aligned apertures  106  that pass through them with the apertures in one being in axial registration with the apertures in the other plate. The plates are spaced a predetermined distance apart by bolts  101   a and spacers  101   b generally designated by reference numeral  101 . As seen in FIG. 1, the spacers  101   b are tubes surrounding the shanks of the bolts  101   a . A plurality of plastic pins  108  have their shank received in and inserted through the respective aligned openings or apertures  106  defined in both parallel vertical plates  102  and  104 . Each of the pins  108  have heads  109 , which may be convex and circular in shape. Other geometric configurations may be used for the pin heads  109 . The side elevation and top plan configurations of pin heads  109  may be modified to alter the visual effect of the pins. The pin  108  may be provided with multiple components, such as for example, an opaque, centrally-disposed circular core or dot or dots on the head  109  or multiple colored plastic material. Each pin  108  is inserted through one opening in the first plate  102  and the same pin extends to and is inserted through the corresponding horizontally aligned opening in the second plate  104 . The spacing between the two vertical plates  102  and  104  is less than the length of pins  108 , but sufficient to maintain pins  108  in axial alignment and sliding movement without bending.  
         [0016]    To prevent inadvertent displacement of pins  108  from vertical plate  102 , the ends of pins  108  opposite pinhead  109  are enlarged by heat, glue or some material that softens or melts the pin material so as to form an enlargement  111  larger than the aperture through which the pin  108  extends. The enlargement  111  may take a variety of forms such as desired, flat, curved convex, concave.  
         [0017]    Pin screen housing  100  includes a vertical transparent cover  107  parallel to the plates  102  and  104  and spaced from the facing surface of plate  104 , which as shown, is to the right of plate  104 . The distance between the facing surfaces of said transparent cover  107  and the apertured plate  102  respectively must be less than the length of the pins. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the heads  109  of horizontally displaced pins  108  abut against the transparent cover  107 , the opposite ends of the pins do not terminate short of the apertured plate  102 , thus preventing a user from pushing the pins completely out of the apertured plates. Preferably, the pins  108  are of a length sufficient that the ends of the pins opposite the heads extend slightly beyond or are flush with the outer face of the plate  102 . The transparent cover  107  may be a thin glass or plastic sheet and can be supported in vertical position by extended bolts  101   a  and spacer elements  101   b  extending from an apertured plate  104 .  
         [0018]    In these embodiments of the invention, the displaced pins are returned to the initial position (in which the pin heads abut against the right side of the apertured plate  104 ) by gravitational forces by housing  100  tilting to the left, counter-clockwise, as shown. Also, in the FIG. 1 embodiment, the displaced pins may be returned to the initial position by carefully, physically pushing the pinheads to the left from a position to the right of apertured plate  104 .  
         [0019]    The embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 4 are substantially identical to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively, with one exception. Instead of the two relatively thin parallel spaced apart apertured vertical plates  102  and  104  of the FIGS. 1 and 3 embodiments, the FIGS. 2 and 4 embodiments include a single thick apertured vertical plate  110 . The thickness of the single plate  110  must be less than the length of the pins and is approximately equal to the separation distance of plates  102  and  104  of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3. The pins are held in axial alignment in the single plate  110  by frictional engagement therewith, and the plate is sufficiently thick (e.g. ½″) relative to the length of the pin shanks (e.g., 3″) to prevent pivoting of the pins and to maintain the horizontal orientation of the pins. The operation and panel of the FIGS. 2 and 4 vertical pin screen embodiments, except as noted herein, are identical to that of FIGS. 1 and 3. Accordingly, corresponding reference numerals have been used for corresponding panel. The pin ends of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, are enlarged as shown at  111 , similar to that shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the vertical screen of FIG. 3 FIG. 5 shows the three-dimensional configuration of the head ends of the pins as viewed from the right side of any of the embodiments of FIGS.  1 - 4 . FIG. 2 illustrates the making of an exact image of a face. The three-dimensional image of a hand is formed by a horizontal displacement of pin heads resulting from the impression of the image to be reproduced against the ends of the pins extending from the left side of the pin screen illustrated in FIG. 3. This three-dimensional image of the hand created by the displaced head ends of the pins will be retained until the positions of the pins is restored to their initial non-displaced positions in the plates or otherwise varied from the positions illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0021]    Each pin  108  is composed of a lightweight translucent material, advantageously a lightweight translucent polymeric material, such as nylon, polystyrene or polypropylene. This lightweightness of the pins reduces the cost and weight of the pins  108 . The translucent material desirably transmits light throughout the pin and the pin heads, pin shanks and pin ends emit light as light is transmitted through the pin. In this way the pin heads and the pin ends appear as light-emitting dots when light is transmitted through translucent material of the pin  108 . Similarly, the pin shanks appear as light-emitting rods, preferably throughout their length.  
         [0022]    Because the pins  108  are lightweight, they normally remain in position when they are displaced, rather than sliding out of position upon any slight movement of the unit. Also, the lightweightness of the pin material offers a safety feature since there is a reduced mass for each pin being displaced, such that the impact on displacement is less than a metal pin. This is especially important in use of the pin screen  100  by a child or the face of the user.  
         [0023]    In a preferred alternative embodiment, the material of each pin provides fluorescence or phosphorescence to the character of the light emitted from the pin. This may be accomplished by the inclusion of a phosphorescent or fluorescent material to the material of the pin  108 . Under exposure to ultraviolet light, the pins fluoresce or glow in the dark. In a further alternative, the pins may be transparent so that the head shapes may be seen through them. Additionally, other variations can be provided by using different color pins in various designs or images.  
         [0024]    If the pin is made of a translucent or transparent material, the outer peripheral edge of the pin head will be more translucent or transparent than the central portion of the pin head giving a ringed visual effect to the pin head as light is transmitted through the pin. If the pin head is provided with a centrally-disposed circular dot or core, the center of the pin head will provide a different visual effect than the remainder of the pin head. If the dot or core is opaque, it will provide a pin head with a dot in the center. In this way a pin head may be provided that produces a three intensity color to the pin head. Other combinations of multiple color intensities and/or multiple colors may be provided.  
         [0025]    The pins may be different colors or different hues of the same color providing chromatic texture. The different portions of each pin can similarly be different colors or different hues of the same color providing chromatic texture. As mentioned above, the heads can vary in geometric shape and be mixed to provide a different appearance to a formed image.  
         [0026]    As may be seen in FIG. 6, in an alternative embodiment of the pin screen, another parallel, vertically oriented, apertured plate  120  is interposed between plates  102  and  104  in parallel relation to them. The apertures in this locking plate  120  correspond in placement and alignment to those in the plates  102  and  104 . Advantageously, this locking plate is in sliding relation to plate  104  as shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the apertures  122  of this locking plate  120 , through which the extended bolts and spacer elements  101  extend, are slotted and the confronting portion of the spacer element has a reduced diameter so that the spacer element retains the locking plate  120  in slidable relationship with respect to the first and second plates  102  and  104 . By sliding the locking plate  120  with respect to plate  104 , the apertures in plate  120  become out of registry with those of plate  104 , the pins  108  are gripped and prevented from axial sliding movement with respect to the plates  102 ,  104  and  120 .  
         [0027]    Plate  120  may be locked out of registration with plates  102  and  104  by various means, such as locking pins  130 , or cans, not shown. Each locking pin  130  comprises a tapered or wedge-shaped shank  132 , the tapered surface being in the direction of movement of plate  120 , as shown in FIG. 7. Locking pin  130  has a first head  134  on the larger end of the shank  132  and a second head  136  on the smaller end of the shank  132 . Each of the plates  102 ,  104  and  120  is provided with slots  140 . The slots  142  and  144  in plates  102  and  104 , respectively, are configured to correspond to the corresponding confronting tapered surface of shank  132 . The slot  146  in plate  120  is provided with an edge  148  that is offset inwardly with respect to the longitudinal control axis of the shank  132  so that as the pin  130  is pushed forward into seating relation with the slots  142  and  144  the edge  148  rides against the tapered shank  132  and cams plate  120  with respect to locking pin  130  and slides plate  120  out of registry with plates  102  and  104 . This locks the pins  108  in their respective positions and preserves the image that has been made in the pin screen. This locking permits the pin screen, with its reproduced image configuration to be moved without losing that configuration, such as shipping from one place to another. The pin screen, as locked, can be handled and changed in orientation without losing the configuration.  
         [0028]    If desired, three or more of the extended bolts of the extended bolts and spacer elements  101  can be extended to exceed the length of the exposed shanks when the shanks fully extend out from the plate  102  to provide legs for the pin screen to sit on when it is horizontally oriented.  
         [0029]    As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pins  108  are inserted through the parallel plates such that the respective pin heads  109  are closest to apertured plate  104 , while the opposite ends of the pins  108  are closest to the apertured plate  102 . The user of the pin screen may selectively displace the pins by pressing an object having a three-dimensional configuration against the pin ends extending through the left side of the plate  102  to horizontally displace pins and pin heads towards the right in FIG. 1. For example, the user may force his face against the pin ends on the left side of plate  102 , resulting in pins corresponding to the three-dimensional configuration of the face being displaced towards the right. The horizontally displaced pin heads, when viewed from the right side of the plate  104 , recreate a three-dimensional configuration of the object displacing the pins, which in the above example, is the user&#39;s face. The pins are held in their displaced positions in the respective apertures in the plates  102  and  104  by frictional engagement between the bodies or shanks of the pins and the apertured plates. The spacing between the two vertical plates is sufficiently great to assure that the horizontally displaced pins  108  will not pivot and slope down significantly below horizontal relative to the two vertical apertured plates, but will remain horizontally oriented.  
         [0030]    Preferably, the pins will be about 3 inches in length and the plates will be separated by a distance less than the length of the pins. Preferably, the plates  102  and  104  will be separated by about ½ inch but not more than about 2 ½ inches to allow at least a ½ inch range of horizontal displacement of the pins. The plates may be formed from 22 gauge steel or from phenolic or other rigid plastics. The pin shanks may be about 0.076 inches in diameter and the center-to-center distance of the centers of the apertures in the plates are about 0.160 inches. The aperture diameter will be slightly larger than the diameter of the pin shanks. The pin heads are sufficiently large to prevent the heads from passing through the apertures, preferably about ½ inch. The ends of the pins will be flat, rounded or enlarged such as at  111  to prevent displacement from plates  102  or  110 . Pin ends opposite pin head  109  are not pointed to prevent injury or damage to the objects pressed against them for safety concerns. In the preferred embodiment of the vertical pin screen, the spacing of the apertures  106  in each apertured plate is about 0.160 inches center to center. The apertures in the plates can be defined in a staggered row pattern with the alternate rows aligned.  
         [0031]    Although certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, other better modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modification and changes that fall within the spirit of the invention.