Patent Publication Number: US-6662482-B2

Title: Moving panel display

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation in part (CIP) application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/573,994, filed on May 17, 2000, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/134,557, filed on May 17, 1999, and No. 60/166,280, filed Nov. 18, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a display having multi-sided, illustrated display elements movable in a predetermined sequence for creating a visual effect, which may present a message or story. The display optionally incorporates complementary sound and is preferably sufficiently thin to accommodate wall mounting or display on a stand, such as an easel. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A wide variety of displays are well known in the art. Some, such as a standard billboard, present one or more immutable images. Others incorporate expensive electronic displays, such as cathode ray tubes or liquid crystal displays, which permit multiple and varying images to be displayed. While this latter class of device is far more interesting to the viewer and hence more likely to be memorable, the cost of such devices limits the number of viable applications. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a display for presenting to a viewer a plurality of images in a predetermined sequence, the sequential display of the images preferably presenting a message or story. Display of the images is preferably accompanied by sounds synchronized with and complementary to the displayed images. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the display of the present invention incorporates a plurality of multi-sided, for example three-sided, elongate display elements mounted for rotation in a housing. Each side of each display element or panel bears a visual image, which may be a complete image or, alternatively, a partial image such that multiple panels on multiple display elements form a complete image. When mounted in the housing, each display element is rotatable about its longitudinal axis such that its panels may be presented to the viewer in a predetermined sequence by controlling the display element&#39;s rotation, as by rotating the element clockwise, counterclockwise, or both. 
     Each display element includes an axle at one end on which a drive gear is mounted for engaging a motor driven gear for rotatably driving the display element. Although each display element may be driven independently, preferably multiple display elements are driven together for simultaneously presenting a plurality of new panels to the viewer upon each rotation, and most preferably different pluralities of display elements are sequentially rotated for presenting a visual message or story. The display elements may be mounted in the housing in any relative orientation and may be any size or shape, though preferably the display elements are all vertically or horizontally oriented and of triangular cross-section. 
     Typically the display device includes a plurality of motors for rotating the display elements, although as will be apparent hereinafter, the number of motors is preferably minimized to reduce size, complexity and expense. Operation of the motors is preferably controlled by a programmable microprocessor connected to a database containing program information defining the timing and sequence for rotating the motors for displaying the panels, as for presenting a message or story to the viewer. The database preferably also contains sound files corresponding to predetermined sounds, which may be speech, and program information defining the sequence for outputting the sound files, in which event the microprocessor is also connected to a speaker for playing the sounds in synchronization with display of the visual images. 
     In operation, the display elements are rotated in a predetermined sequence, preferably in synchronization with an audio output, such that as the panels are selectively displayed, a message or story unfolds, step by step, to the viewer. It is preferable that multiple display elements are rotated simultaneously, for example the display device may comprise twenty three-sided display elements divided into four groups or quadrants of five display elements each, with the panels in each group having coordinated visual images which are rotated simultaneously. 
     The display as a whole may be any shape, such as square, rectangular or circular. In one preferred embodiment, the display may include twelve radially arrayed display elements in the shape of a clock face, with one display element corresponding to each hour of the clock, and with a conventional analog clock module fitted at the center with its clock hands disposed in front of and parallel to the display elements. It will be apparent that to achieve a continuous, planar clock face, the display elements in this embodiment will preferably be tapered from a radially narrow inner end positioned at the center of the clock face, to a wider outer end. The clock face display elements will be rotatable via manipulation by a drive motor for providing different and varying images, with rotation of the display elements optionally occurring at a time event, such as a new hour. Alternatively, the display elements may be rotated in groups or individually. If desired, the visual images on the display element panels may be recognizable as time indicia in which event the CPU may be programmed to sequentially rotate of the display elements in synchronization with the time of day. This clock embodiment may include synchronized sound for audibly indicating a time event, which may be synchronized with rotation of the panels. Although a radial array of display elements is preferable, it is not necessary, and the “clock face” may be a rectilinear array of display elements, in which event the display elements need not be tapered or truncated. Moreover, the display elements may be of differing lengths to produce other than a circular-shaped display. 
     A display device in accordance with the invention may employ a battery driven motor, and to minimize power consumption the display elements are preferably constructed of a light-weight material and, most preferably, designed as hollow elements formed from a single sheet of cardboard or the like which is bent, for example, into a three-sided prism shape having a triangular cross-section, and then fitted, as by gluing, with plastic end caps that are engageable by the motor for manipulation. Alternatively, the display elements may be formed entirely of plastic. One or more panels of a display element may optionally have an opening formed therein for displaying an object mounted inside. Alternatively, or in addition, a three dimensional object may be mounted directly onto one or more panels of one or more of the display elements. 
     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing one embodiment of a display device in accordance with the present invention, wherein the visual images on the display elements have been omitted for ease of reference; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a display element for use in the display device of the present invention, with the visual images omitted for ease of reference; 
     FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a scored, flexible sheet suitable for forming a display element; 
     FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the sheet of FIG. 3A in a partly folded condition. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing one end of a display element; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view, partly broken away, showing a drive mechanism for rotating the display elements in a device in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a view taken substantially along the line  6 — 6  in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a motor drive shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial elevational view, partly broken away, showing a part of the drive mechanism at the top of the display device shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is a block diagram representation of the circuitry for operating the display device of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 10A and 10B show a schematic diagram of the circuitry for operating the display device of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 11A and 11B depict an operational flow diagram for the display device depicted in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another display device in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 13 is another perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 12, but with the display elements rotated to a different position; 
     FIG. 14 is a plan view of a display device in accordance with the invention configured as a clock face; 
     FIG. 15 is an exploded view of part of the display device of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 16 is an end view of a truncated display element used in the device of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional illustration of the display device of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic representation of another display device configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic representation of yet another display device configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an alternative display element in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 21 is a perspective view of yet a further alternative display element in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIGS. 22A and 22B are perspective and end views, respectively, of the truncated display element having the structure depicted in FIG. 15; 
     FIG. 23 is a more detailed illustration of FIG. 17; 
     FIG. 24 is a ring gear for rotating display elements in the embodiment of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 25 shows an alternative embodiment of the ring gear of FIG. 24; 
     FIG. 26 is a block diagram of electrical components of the display of the embodiment of FIG. 14; and 
     FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram of the block diagram of FIG.  26 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It is expressly intended that various features and proposed modifications described in connection with any one embodiment are equally applicable, to the extent practicable, to every other embodiment, and this specification should be read with that understanding. 
     Referring initially to FIG. 1, a preferred display device  10  in accordance with the present invention comprises a rectangular housing  12  having a plurality of display elements  14  mounted for rotation therein. The housing is preferably comprised of plastic, though it may be made of other rigid materials, such as wood or metal. Although twenty display elements arranged in two equal rows are shown in FIG. 1, it will be apparent from this description that a lesser or greater number of display elements may be employed. Likewise, while the display elements are vertically oriented in FIG. 1, they can be oriented in any direction, or multiple directions, depending on the application, and likewise display elements of different sizes may be employed. Also, while the preferred housing is rectangular, that too is not necessary, and other shapes may be employed, one of which will be discussed below. The housing  12  preferably includes suitable structures on its rear surface to facilitate hanging, though alternatively the device  10  may be displayed on an easel or the like. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, each display element  14  has a plurality of sides or panels  16 , preferably three panels  16   a ,  16   b  and  16   c . As shown in FIG. 1, the display elements  14  are mounted in housing  12  as close to each other as possible for collectively presenting a planar appearance when their panels  16  are parallel to the plane of viewing, though it will be apparent that some spacing is required to prevent interference between adjacent display elements during rotation. For this reason, forming each display element  14  with three panels  16  is considered optimal, as it minimizes the required spacing between display elements while providing a sufficient number of viewing surfaces to create interesting visual effects. However, for particular applications display elements can be formed with two or more than three panels. While the panels  16  are preferably planar, that is not required, and they may be convex, concave or even irregular. Typically, each panel  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c  bears a visual image  18 , such as, for example, a photograph, a drawing, a graphic, printed text, a single color, or any combination thereof. The visual image on a panel  16  may be a complete image or, alternatively, a portion of a complete image such that multiple panels  16  are required to form a complete image. Preferably, each of the three panels  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c  of a display element  14  has a different visual image. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, each display element  14  is preferably formed from a bendable semi-rigid sheet  22 , such as cardboard or the like, which may be formed with score lines  20  to facilitate folding into the desired prism shape. Preferably the display element  14  is formed from a sheet  22  having three score lines  20  defining four equal sections such that when the sheet is folded into a prism, two of the sections overlap, the overlapping sections being glued for retaining the shape of the prism. By forming the display element in this fashion, no separate support structure is required, which minimizes expense and reduces weight, the latter being especially significant in battery-powered applications where low power consumption is desirable. Utilizing integral cardboard prisms also reduces shipping, assembly and tooling costs, lessens the likelihood of inertial damage during shipping, and reduces the required support for hanging or display. Although not preferred, the display elements  14  may also be formed of a rigid material, such as plastic, wood or metal. 
     The visual images  18  are preferably formed directly on the sheet  22 , but may be formed on a separate sheet (not shown) which may then be glued to the outer surface of the sheet  22  after the prism is formed, though alternatively the separate sheet may be removably secured to the sheet  22 , as by Velcro®. In addition to or in lieu of the visual images  18 , objects may be affixed to the panels  16 , with the proviso that they not interfere with rotation of the display elements  14 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each display element  14  includes two end caps  26   a ,  26   b , one at either end. The end caps  26  are preferably formed of plastic, though other rigid or semi-rigid materials may be used. The end caps  26  are dimensioned for seating in the hollow ends of the prism formed by sheet  22  and are secured therein as by gluing. Each end cap  26   a ,  26   b  has an aperture  28   a ,  28   b  dimensioned for receiving an axle  30   a ,  30   b  for rotatably mounting the display element  14  in the housing  12 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 , the axle  30   a  at the driven end of each display element  14  is fitted with a gear  32  which mates with and is driven by a worm gear  34  on a drive shaft  36 . In the preferred embodiment there are four drive shafts  36   a ,  36   b ,  36   c ,  36   d , each one driving five display elements  14 . As shown, the free end of each axle  30   a  is fitted with a journal  38  which seats in an aperture  40  in a support element  42  formed in housing  12 . Each journal  38  has a pair of tabs  44  which snap fit beneath corresponding undercuts formed in support element  42  for blocking rotation of the journal as the axles  30   a  rotate. Snap fitting journals  38  in support element  42  facilitates assembly and repair, as it renders the display elements  14  readily removable and replaceable. It also facilitates custom imaging applications since an entire device, including electronics and drive mechanisms may be completely assembled, with the device completed by simply snapping the custom display elements  14  into place. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4, the portion of axle  30   a  extending through end cap  26   a  has a threaded axial hole  48  which receives a screw  50  which supports a washer  52 . One end of a coil spring  54  disposed about axle  30   a  seats against washer  52 , the other end of the spring abutting the inside face of the end cap  26   a  for urging the end cap and hence the display element  14  towards the support element  42 . As best shown in FIG. 6, movement of the display element  14  towards the support element  42  is restricted by an annular face  56  on journal  38  which abuts the side of the support element  42  facing display element  14 . By urging the display elements  14  towards the support element  42 , axial shifting of the display elements is prevented thereby keeping the display elements in alignment. It should also be appreciated that frictional engagement of spring  54  with washer  52  and end cap  26   a  defines a slip clutch for transmitting rotation of axle  30   a  to display element  14 . Use of a slip clutch is preferable to fixedly secure axle  30   a  to end cap  26   a  because it allows axle  30   a  to rotate relative to display element  14  in the event rotation of the display element is blocked, for example by a child&#39;s finger, thereby reducing both the risk of injury and damage to the drive mechanism. This arrangement also allows a user to manually rotate the display elements  14  with ease to correct any rotational misalignment of the display elements. Use of a slip clutch also simplifies assembly, as there is no requirement for accurate alignment of gears  32  and worm gears  34 , since any required adjustment can be made after assembly is complete by simply manually rotating the display elements  14  to their correct positions. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the axles  30   b  seat in apertures  28   b  in end caps  26   b  when the device  10  is assembled. The axles  30   b  for all the display elements  14  are integrally formed in a support element  43  integral with housing  12  and positioned between the upper and lower display elements  14 . The support element  43  is preferably as thin as is practical for minimizing the spacing between the upper and lower display elements. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5,  7  and  8 , the drive mechanism for display device  10  includes two motors  58   a ,  58   b , one at the top and one at the bottom of the housing  12 . Because the structure and operation of each motor drive is the same, only the motor drive  58   b  is shown and will be described in detail, though it should be understood that an identical motor drive  58   a  is included, but not shown, between the gears  32  in FIG.  8 . Motor  58   b  drives ten display elements  14 , but only drives five display elements at any given time. Motor  58   b  is secured, as by screws, in a motor housing  59  integrally formed in housing  12 , the motor shaft  60  being journaled in a recess in a wall of the motor housing. A circumferentially grooved gear  62  on motor shaft  60  drives another circumferentially grooved gear  64  and its axle  68 , the axle  68  also being journaled in the motor housing. Gear  62  drives gear  64  via a band  66 , and this arrangement is preferred as it prevents motor shaft  60  from locking in the event rotation of the downstream driven elements is blocked. A toothed gear  70  on the axle  68  drives a larger gear  72  and its axle  74 . The ends of the axle  74  drive, respectively, clutches  78   a ,  78   b  which, in turn, drive the drive shafts  36   a ,  36   b . The clutches  78   a ,  78   b  are one way clutches of a type well known in the art, with clutch  78   a  engaging drive shaft  36   a  for rotation when motor  58   b  drives axle  74  in one direction and clutch  78   b  engaging drive shaft  36   b  for rotation when axle  74  is driven in the other direction. It will be apparent, therefore, that by driving the motor  58   b  in one direction or the other, the five display elements  14  at the bottom left or the five display elements  14  at the bottom right of the device  10  may be simultaneously rotated. Preferably the display elements  14  in the bottom left quadrant and the bottom right quadrant rotate in opposite directions, as this aids in avoiding jamming between the adjacent display elements in these two quadrants. It should now be appreciated that by driving the other motor  58   a  (not shown) at the top of device  10  in one direction or the other, the five display elements  14  at the top left or top right quadrants of the device  10  may be simultaneously rotated, and preferably the display elements in these quadrants also rotate in opposite directions. While the use of two motors for driving four groups of display elements is preferred, it will be appreciated that four motors could be used, in which event each group of display element could be rotated independently, both clockwise and counterclockwise, though obviously this would add additional expense. As a yet more costly alternative, each display element could be independently driven by its own motor. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 8, housing  12  includes upper and lower removable panels  100  and  102 , respectively, which provide access to the drive mechanisms and electronics of the device  10 . For example, the panels  100 ,  102  may be secured to the main body of the housing by screws. Preferably the undersides of the panels  100 ,  102  are configured with projections which seat above the journals  38  for axles  30   a  for preventing these axles from accidentally dislodging, as when the device is moved, though any such dislodgment is also impeded by the snap fit of journals  38  in support element  42 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 9, rotation of the motors  58   a ,  58   b  is controlled by a microprocessor  80  programmed with a database containing information defining the sequence, timing and direction of rotation of the motors. In a manner well known in the art, the microprocessor  80  is electrically connected to the motors  58   a ,  58   b  via motor drive circuits  82   a ,  82   b . It will be appreciated that microprocessor  80  may be programmed to rotate motors  58   a ,  58   b  simultaneously, separately or not at all, so at any given time ten, five or none of the display elements  14  will be rotating, the particular display elements undergoing rotation being dependent on the direction of motor rotation as explained above. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a speech processor  81  is also programmed with digital sound information timed for play in coordination with the visual images displayed to the viewer on the panels  16  of the display elements  14 . For this purpose a speaker  84  and a volume control  86  are secured in housing  12 , the speaker being electrically connected to microprocessor  80  via suitable amplifying circuitry  88 . As shown, the circuits for device  10  are preferably powered by batteries  98  supported in housing  12 , though line power could be employed in lieu of or in addition to battery power. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, one of the five display elements  14  in each driven group has an alignment gear  90  secured on axle  30   a  between gear  32  and journal  38 . Alignment gear  90  has three radial protrusions  92   a ,  92   b  and  92   c , one for each panel  16  of display element  14 , the leading edges of the protrusions being 120 degrees apart. The alignment gear  90  is in close spaced relation with a contact switch  94  which closes each time it engages one of the protrusions  92   a ,  92   b ,  92   c . The switch  94  is electrically connected to the microprocessor  80 , and in this way the switch “tells” the microprocessor which of the panels  16  on the display element  14  is presented to the viewer at any given time. One of the radial protrusions  92   a  is longer than the others for identifying, by extended closure of switch  94 , a particular one of the panels  16 , for example panel  16   a . As a result, the microprocessor “learns” which panel is facing the viewer by sensing closure of switch  94  in response to protrusion  92   a , which indicates that panel  16   a  is facing the viewer, and then counting the number of times the contact switch is closed thereafter, each closure corresponding to rotation of a new panel into view. 
     When the device is activated by depressing “play” switch  96 , the microprocessor  80  uses information from the four contact switches  94  to rotate the display elements  14  to their correct initial positions, at which point the microprocessor deactivates the motors  58   a ,  58   b . Should any of the display elements  14  be rotationally misaligned at this point, it is a simple matter, as explained above, for a user to manually rotate the misaligned display elements to their correct positions. For this purpose, a code, such as a letter number or symbol, can be printed on one or all panels  16  of each display element  14 . For example, the code may be printed only on the panels  16  which face the viewer when the display elements  14  are in their initial positions. The color of the printed code can be chosen to blend with the visual images  18  such that at normal viewing distance, i.e., 3 feet or greater, the codes are invisible, but at close-up they are readable for facilitating re-alignment of the display elements. The codes are also useful for facilitating correct assembly of the device at the factory. 
     To facilitate manual realignment, the microprocessor may be programmed to effect a short pause after the display elements  14  are rotated to their starting positions. While each separate display element  14  could be fitted with its own alignment gear and contact switch, that is considered unnecessary because the display elements are always rotated in groups of five and fitting one display element in each group therefore provides sufficient positional information to the microprocessor  80 . 
     The microprocessor  80  may be programmed to rotate the motors  58   a ,  58   b  at only one speed or, preferably, more than one speed, and most preferably two speeds, as this allows the speed of rotation to be coordinated with the visual content and the soundtrack for enhancing the visual impact of the device  10 . To accomplish dual speed motor operation, duty cycle modulation, such as a pulse width modulation, may be employed, with the fast speed achieved by applying full output power from the power source to the motors  58   a ,  58   b  and the slow speed achieved by duty cycling the power from the power source. When the device  10  is battery powered and the batteries are weak, slow speed operation may generate insufficient torque to rotate the display elements  14  at a sufficient speed, and in an extreme situation the torque may be insufficient to effect any rotation of the display elements. To compensate for weak batteries, pulse width modulation may be employed to gradually increases the duty cycle until the display elements are rotating at a desired speed, which may be sensed by closure of contact switches  94  as explained above. If the batteries are very weak, the duty cycle may have to be increased to full output power, in which event the fast and slow speeds will be the same. Nevertheless, this arrangement allows the microprocessor to be programmed for slow speed operation for maximum visual impact when the batteries are strong, without facing premature failure of device  10  when the batteries are weak, which is particularly important in situations where the device may be left on for extended periods. Duty cycling may be implemented by digital signal simulation techniques, preferably using microprocessor  80 , or by analog circuitry, both techniques being well known in the art and diagrammatically represented at  97  in FIG.  9 . In addition to controlling the speed of the motors  58   a ,  58   b , the microprocessor  80  may be programmed to rotate the display elements  14  more than one complete revolution before pausing to display a particular group of panels, as this too adds to the visual impact. This is easily accomplished using the positional information conveyed by contact switches  94 . 
     A schematic diagram of the circuitry for the device  10  is shown in FIG.  10 . 
     Preferably the information database for directing the timing, sequence and direction of motor rotation is stored in the memory of microprocessor  80  and the information database for the sound track is stored in the memory of the speech processor  81 . Although the microprocessor  80  and speech processor  81  may be fixedly secured in the device  10 , they may be removable, in which event the play sequence and/or the sound track may be changed by substituting components having different information databases. It will be further apparent from the foregoing description that upon removal of the upper and lower panels  100 ,  102 , the display elements  14  may also be removed and replaced, and if this is done in conjunction with replacement of microprocessor  80  and speech processor  81 , the play of the device  10  may be completely altered. 
     It is also possible to store multiple play sequences in a single microprocessor and/or multiple sound tracks in a single speech processor, such that the play sequence and/or sound track may be selected by the user or randomly chosen by the microprocessor, with each such play sequence and/or sound track being appropriate for the particular artwork on display elements  14 . The microprocessor and/or speech processor may also store additional play sequences and sound tracks, respectively, keyed to one or more of the groups of display elements. For example, referring to FIG. 1, pushing rectangular button  104   a  activates a play sequence and sound track keyed to the upper left quadrant of display elements, i.e., motor  58   b  is idled and motor  58   a  is driven only in the direction which rotates those display elements, the upper left quadrant being rotated in a sequence predetermined by microprocessor  80  to the accompaniment of a complementary sound track. Similarly, each of the other buttons  104   b ,  104   c ,  104   d  activates a different quadrant of display elements. 
     An operational flow chart for the device  10  is shown in FIG. 11 
     While the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is activated by controls on the housing  12 , alternatively, or in addition, remote controlled activation, as by infrared signals, may be employed. The functions on the remote controller may include initiating a play sequence in a long format or a short format, muting of sound, pause, initiating a story at an intermediate position, causing particular quadrants to rotate in a prescribed manner, selecting particular sound tracts, etc. Once this description is known, such functions and their implementation by microprocessor  80  and speech processor  81  will be readily apparent. 
     It is also possible for multiple devices  10  in proximity to each other to interact, with proximal units recognizing each other by, for example, infrared transmissions. Detection of a proximal device  10  may trigger complementary play sequences and/or sound tracks in the proximal devices, such play sequences and sound tracks being stored in microprocessor  80  and speech processor  81  and only activated when one or more other devices  10  are detected. For this purpose, each different version of display device  10  may output a unique infrared signal identifiable by proximal devices for triggering an appropriate play sequence and/or sound track. 
     As a further alternative, lighting (not shown) may be synchronized with the visual images displayed by the device  10 . For example, specific areas can be lighted in synchronization with events in the unfolding story and flashed or faded as appropriate. Black light may also be employed to reveal or accentuate “day-glo” features. 
     A display device  210  of the present invention with a Wizard of Oz theme is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 in two operating positions. The device  210 , like the device  10 , has four quadrants, but the quadrants are not all equal, i.e., the upper left and upper right quadrants each comprises five display elements  214 , the lower left quadrant comprises four display elements  214  and the lower right quadrant comprises six display elements  214 . In FIG. 12, which may represent a starting position, the palace in Oz is formed by eleven panels  216 , five from the upper right quadrant and six from the lower left quadrant. An image of the Wicked Witch of the West is formed by the four panels  216  in the lower right quadrant. The five panels  216  in the upper left quadrant, which are in the process of rotating to their next position, depict the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, Dorothy and the Lion. Preferably the depiction in FIG. 12 is accompanied by a complementary sound track generated by a speech processor. 
     Under the control of its microprocessor, and referring now to FIG. 13, the device  210  continues its play sequence by rotating the display elements  214  in the lower right quadrant for replacing the illustration of the Wicked Witch of the West with a different visual image appropriate to the story line. The other quadrants are likewise rotated such that the illustration of the palace and the four other characters are also replaced by other illustrations from the story. Preferably, all the while the speech processor generates words and/or music appropriate to the visual images displayed to the viewer. For example, when the device is in the position depicted in FIG. 12, the speaker (not shown) may output a segment from the story pertaining to the Wicked Witch of the West, and as some or all of the panels are rotated to their next position, a segment of the story appropriate to the new visual images may be outputted. Because there are four independently rotatable quadrants with three images  218  on each display element  214 , it will be apparent that there are a large number of combinations of visual images which can be displayed to the viewer, and therefore a typical play sequence which avoids duplication may be 60 seconds or more depending, for example, on the speed of rotations. Although in FIGS. 12 and 13 visual images  218  from a story are depicted, the visual images may relate to any desired topic, such as advertising material, including images and/or text. Where some or all of the visual images comprise characters, which may be human characters, conversation between the characters may be simulated by the sound track. 
     In addition to the display device embodiments discussed above which employ display elements having uniform cross-sections, the display device of the invention may include display elements having non-uniform cross-sections. For example, as shown in FIGS. 14-17, an alternative display device  300  may be in the shape of a clock face formed by twelve equal-sized truncated display elements  314  having end caps  326   a  and  326   b . A conventional analog clock movement  315  may be secured at the center of the device with clock hands disposed in front of and parallel to the display elements  314 . Although the panels  316  are shown as having a tapered trapezoidal cross section, that is not necessary, and the panels may be any suitable shape, and while a round clock face is preferred, other shapes are possible. In the example shown in FIGS. 14-17, each display element is driven by a respective gear  332  (the axles are omitted for the sake of clarity, but their structure will be apparent from the preceding description), and all the gears  332  are in communication with and simultaneously driven by crown gear  333 . Rotation of the display elements  314  to form a new clock face may be coordinated with a time event, such as a new hour, and preferably rotation is accompanied by a suitable sound track, which may be music, a voice announcing the time, or both. The visual images  318  on the panels  316  may include recognizable time indicia, in which event the microprocessor may be programmed to sequentially time the rotation of the display elements  314  with the time of day, for example on the hour. 
     It should be appreciated that as the display elements  314  resemble 3-dimensional tapered prisms wherein the outer most ends are wider relative to the inner most ends (as shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B) to produce a substantially planar circular display—which is desirable when simulating a clock face, for example, the individual display panels must be arranged so that their respective rotational axes are not coplanar with the display, but intersect the display plane. This configuration is best shown in FIG.  23 . 
     The geometry resulting from the display element arrangement of FIG. 23 dictates that the display elements be rotated in groups to prevent an adjacent display element from interfering with the movement of its neighbor element, i.e. to provide sufficient clearance from adjacent panels during rotation. Thus, the display elements  314  may be individually driven, or driven in groups. For example, two groups of display elements  314   a  and  314   b  may be interleaved with each other (as shown in FIG. 14) and activated at different times so that one subset of display elements (e.g., subset  314   a ) initially rotates in one direction and another subset of display elements (e.g., subset  314   b ) rotates in the same direction but at a later time. For example, the subset display elements  314   a  for the odd hours simultaneously move together in one direction, and the subset display elements  314   b  for the even hours simultaneously move together in a common direction. The rotation of two sets of three-sided display elements  314  displays six possible combinations of images or pictures. 
     Although all the display elements  314  in the embodiment of FIGS. 23 to  29  move in one direction, one or more display elements  314  may rotate independently and/or in opposite directions. However, such movement of display elements  314  would require additional gear assemblies and corresponding motors. This increases the complexity and cost of producing the display device  300 . 
     As an alternative to the use of the crown gear  333  of FIG. 15 to rotate the display elements  314 , a ring gear  352  as shown in FIG. 24 may be employed. In this embodiment, each display element will be fitted with an additional triangularly shaped gear or actuator  345  (FIG. 15) so that each display element will be controlled by gears  326   a  and  345 . Each gear  345  is mounted to its display element at an axial displacement from gear  326   a  and radially misaligned therefrom so that the apexes of the triangular gears are offset from each other as shown in FIG.  15 . The ring gear  352  is part of a ring assembly which is driven by a motor (not shown) preferably centrally located beneath the clock movement  315 . The ring gear  352  allows the display device  300  to simultaneously rotate a subset of the display elements  314 . A first set of actuating regions such as channels or indentations  354  are spaced along an edge  353  of the ring gear  352 , and a second set of actuating regions, such as ribs or fingers  356  disposed along a circumference of the ring gear and circumferentially offset from channels  354 . The edge  353  supports the actuators  345  mounted on or proximate the innermost end of each display element  314 , and the fingers  356  will engage actuators  326   a . Thus, as the ring gear  352  rotates about its axis “x”, such as by engagement of inner teeth  360  by an engagement gear (not shown), triangular gears  326   a  will be contacted by fingers  356  to commence rotation of the display element, whereupon due to the circumferential misalignment of the fingers  356  with channels  354 , the channels will engage actuator  345  to complete rotation of the display element so that a new panel is displayed on the viewing side of the housing. To simultaneously rotate 6 of the 12 centrally located display elements  314 , the ring gear  352  is formed with 6 channels  354  and 6 fingers  356 , each radially spaced from each other along the ring gear circumference by, for example, 60° separations, respectively. In other words, the ring gear  352  has one channel  354  and one actuator finger  356  for each display element  314  that is to be simultaneously rotated. Still other engagement techniques and designs will be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill for rotating the display elements. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the ring gear  352  also includes a plurality of fins  358  or extrusions to determine a current position of the display elements  314 . These “position fins”  358  contact a stationary position switch as the ring gear  352  rotates. The position of the display elements  314  may be determined from the number of times the position switch contacts these fins  358 . 
     In a still further embodiment, the ring gear may include only a single engagement channel and finger which, when the ring gear is rotated, will engage each display element one at a time in sequential order to cause an image to appear. 
     The ring gear  352  may be actuated in any known manner such as by use of pulleys and belts driven by a motor to impart rotational movement to the grooves  354  and, likewise, to the display elements in a manner described above. For example, the radially inward teeth  360  formed on an inner wall of the ring gear may be engaged by a motor driven gear (not shown). Other driving arrangements may also be readily envisioned by those having ordinary skill in the art. 
     For example, and with reference to FIG. 25, a large diameter ring gear  452  may be employed for actuating the outer edges of the display elements  314 , as opposed to the inner edges of the display elements in the embodiment discussed above and illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24. In this embodiment, the triangular actuating gears  326   a  and  345  will be located at the far or wide end of each display element  314 , with the plurality of display elements being bounded by the ring gear wall, as shown. Teeth  460  will be located on an outer surface of the ring gear wall (as opposed to the location on the inner surface as shown in FIG.  24 ), and may be engaged in any known manner such as via a drive gear  461  driven by an axle  463  connected to a motor, etc., to rotate the ring gear and, hence, the display elements. In this embodiment shown in FIG. 25, the inner ends of the display elements  314  can be more closely disposed next to each other to form a tighter circular display. 
     FIGS. 26 and 27 depict respective block and schematic diagrams of a programmed electronic circuit  600  for activating a motor  366  which drives the ring gear  352 . The electronic circuit  600  comprises a central processing unit (CPU)  602 , a plurality of switches  604   1 ,  604   2 ,  604   3 ,  604   4  (herein referred to generally as  604 ), one or more power sources  606  and  608 , an amplifier  610 , a speaker  612 , a motor driver  614 , and a clock module  616 . The switches  604  include a position switch, a power switch, and an activation switch. The position switch comes into contact with the ring gear  352  which spins to rotate a subset of display elements  314  about their respective axes. As movement of the ring gear  352  is predetermined, the position of the display elements  314  is indicated by the number of times the position switch comes into contact with the ring gear  352 . The power switch is a two-position switch that is moved to either couple or decouple the power source  606  to the CPU  602 , the motor driver  614  and the amplifier  610 , and thereby enable or disable the electronic circuit  600 . If the electronic circuit  600  is enabled, the activation switch may be moved and thereby cause the CPU  602  to either activate or de-activate the amplifier  610  and the motor driver  614 . 
     The power source(s)  606  and  608  provide power to the CPU  602 , amplifier  610  and motor driver  614  in the electronic circuit when the power and activation switches are their appropriate positions. The CPU  602  provides an audio signal to the amplifier  610  and an motor activation signal to the motor driver  614  at specific predetermined times. The amplifier  610  amplifies an audio signal from the CPU  602  to the speaker  612 . The motor driver  614  drives the motor  366  which then drives the ring gear  352  and the display elements  314 . 
     In operation, a user initially activates the power switch so as to enable the electric circuit  600  in the display device  300  which also activates the CPU  602 , amplifier  610  and motor driver  614 . Once the user activates the activation switch, for example by pushing a button, the CPU  602  sends a signal to the motor driver  614  and the amplifier  610 . The motor driver  614  drives the motor  366  which then drives the ring gear  352 . The amplifier  610  amplifies an audio signal and provides the amplified audio signal to the speaker  612  where the signal is played. 
     Once driven by the motor  366 , the ring gear  352  rotates the centrally located display elements  314 . In a preferred embodiment, the motor  366  drives a plurality of gears which are coupled to the ring gear  352 , thereby causing rotation of the display elements in the manner discussed above. The rotation of the display elements  314  causes a change in the visual images  318  on the panels  316 . As the panels  316  of different display elements  314  continue to change, the overall image  318  defined by at least some of the plurality of display elements  314  also changes so as to convey a story. Different voices or sounds from the speaker  612  and/or different forms of lighting may accompany and synchronize the changes in story as depicted in the panels  316 . 
     Referring to FIG. 20, an alternative embodiment of a display element  414  may be formed with an opening  415  in a panel  416   a . An object  417  may be mounted inside the display element behind the opening  415  such that the object is visible each time the panel  416   a  comes into view. Alternatively, openings  415  may be formed in more than one panel and different objects may be mounted behind each opening  415 . Optionally the openings  415  may be covered with a transparent material, which may be flexible. Instead of mounting objects inside the display element  314  behind an opening  415 , an object may be mounted directly on the surface of one or more panels  316 , provided the objects do not impede rotation of the display elements  314 . 
     Referring to FIG. 21, as a still further alternative a display element  514  may be formed as an “inverted triangle” defining V-shape or, alternatively, concave panels  516 . This embodiment is particularly suited for securing objects to the panels because the panels are recessed relative to the outer diameter of the display element  514 . Alternatively, the panels are secured at the tip or end of the inverted triangle structure as shown in FIG.  22 . 
     While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the present invention. For example, while particular mechanisms for driving rotation of the display elements are shown and described, any suitable drive mechanism may be employed. It is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same results are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated. It is also to be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale but that they are merely conceptual in nature. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims.