Abstract:
A chime apparatus includes a rose and a number of chime rods. A striker is attached to the rose and is positioned adjacent the chime rods. A motor activates the striker to strike the chime rods. The motor can be operated by a control circuit to move the striker to thereby simulate random chiming sounds.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to chimes. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to an indoor chime having a motor-driven pendulum,  
         [0002]     Known wind chimes have a top part or “rose” from which a number of chime rods depend, usually in a circular array. At the centre of the array of chime rods and suspended from the rose by a cord is a pendulum or “striker”. Suspended beneath the pendulum, usually on the same cord, there is a paddle. When wind blows, the paddle catches the wind and moves the cord to thereby cause the pendulum to strike the chime rods. If there is insufficient wind, the chimes don&#39;t sound. Consequently, conventional wind chimes are generally ineffective indoors.  
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage and/or more Generally to provide an improved chime.  
         [0004]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a motor-driven chime useful in low wind situations.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     There is disclosed herein a chime apparatus comprising; 
        a rose,     a plurality of chime rods attached to the rose,     a striker attached to the rose and positioned adjacent the chime rods, and     a motor, which upon activation causes movement of the striker to strike the chime rods.        
 
         [0010]     Preferably, the chime rods are suspended from the rose.  
         [0011]     Preferably the striker is a pendulum suspended from the motor by a cord.  
         [0012]     Preferably the pendulum is of a shape having corners.  
         [0013]     Preferably the pendulum is triangular.  
         [0014]     Preferably the cord extends between an output shaft of the motor and the pendulum.  
         [0015]     Preferably a weight is attached to the cord beneath the pendulum.  
         [0016]     Preferably a frame supports the rose and a base supports the frame.  
         [0017]     Preferably a basket for receiving potpourri or the like is provided in or upon the base.  
         [0018]     Preferably a fan is mounted in the base and is directed at the basket to thereby diffuse aroma from any substance located in said basket.  
         [0019]     Preferably the apparatus includes a cap upon the rose and within which there is situated a light emitter such as a globe.  
         [0020]     Preferably the cap is light transmissive.  
         [0021]     Preferably the cap is coloured.  
         [0022]     Preferably the apparatus further includes control means affecting operation of the motor.  
         [0023]     Preferably said operation is periodic.  
         [0024]     Preferably said operation includes reversal of the motor.  
         [0025]     Additionally and/or alternatively, said operation includes random alterations of the direction and/or speed of the motor.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]     A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a schematic elevational view of a wind chime, and  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional elevational view of the wind chime of  FIG. 1  taken at II-II in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0029]     In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a chime apparatus  10 . Apparatus  10  comprises a base  11  supporting a frame  12 , which in turn supports a rose  14 . Positioned upon the rose  14  is a cap  13 . Components  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  are typically fabricated from moulded plastics material. Typically, the base  11 , frame  12  and rose  14  are formed integrally from opaque plastics material, whereas the cap  13  is typically of moulded light-transmissivie, coloured plastics material.  
         [0030]     Formed integrally with the rose  14  is a nose  15  from which there depends a number of chime rods  16 . Chime rods  16  are typically formed of metallic material such as aluminium, brass, stainless-sceel or copper. However, other materials including ceramic materials for example can be used. The rods can be hollow or solid and can be of differing length to thereby vibrate at different frequencies to produce sounds of different pitch when struck. Each rod can be attached to the nose  15  by a small cord or other means.  
         [0031]     Mounted within the rose  14  and partially within the nose  15  is an electric motor  21 . The output shaft of electric motor  21  has depending therefrom a cord  19  to which a striker or pendulum  17  is attached. The pendulum  17  preferably has corners and is typically of a triangular shape when viewed from above. Alternatively, the pendulum could be square or a polygon of more than four sides, or star-shaped for example. Attached to the same cord or another cord depending from the pendulum  17  is a decorative weight  18 .  
         [0032]     Situated within the cap  13  is a light bulb  20 . The light bulb is mounted in a socket that is formed integrally with a top wall of the rose  14 .  
         [0033]     Within the base  11  is another electric motor  22  driving an impeller  23 . Fitted within the top part of the base  11  is a plate  24  from which a basket  21  depends. The plate  24  has a number of apertures  25 . Aromatic herbs (potpourri) can be placed into the basket. When the impeller  23  is activated by motor  22 , air is drawn down through holes  25  and blown upwardly through the basket  21  to thereby diffuse aroma into the surrounding atmosphere. Alternatively, the impeller might operate in the reverse direction to draw air downwardly through the potpourri and then upwardly through the apertures  25 . A grate can be provided above the basket  21  to contain the potpourri.  
         [0034]     Upon activation of motor  21 , the cord  19  rotates to thereby cause rotation of the pendulum  17 . As the pendulum is typically of triangular shape when viewed from above, its corners strike the chime rods  16 .  
         [0035]     A passive wind chime provides a random sound effect, depending upon the prevailing wind strength, wind gusts and wind direction. To simulate this effect, circuitry can be associated with the motor  21  to vary its output speed, turn it on and off, reverse its output direction, leave the motor switched off for a while or otherwise randomly control its output. In the illustrated embodiment, a control circuit  26  can be provided in the rose  14  or other part of the apparatus for performing this control function.  
         [0036]     A battery or batteries, or input socket for an external power supply (plug pack) can be provided in the base  11  or other part of the device. A switch might also be provided in the base or rose for example. Wires can extend from the base to the rose via the frame. A single switch might activate both motors and the light bulb, or separate switches might be provided. Furthermore, the circuitry associated with motor  21  might simultaneously activate motor  22  to thereby diffuse pleasant aroma only when the motor  21  causes chiming of the chime rods  16 . This would further enhance a perception of simulation by spreading a pleasant aroma only at a time when the effect of wind is simulated by motor  21 .  
         [0037]     It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, instead of suspending the chime rods  16  from a rose  14 , the rods might be mounted from beneath by springs for example extending from the base. Likewise, instead of suspending the pendulum  17  from a cord which in turn depends from a motor in a rose, another motor might be provided in the base with an upwardly extending flexible wire extending from its upwardly-directed output shaft to which the pendulum  17  could be mounted.