Patent Publication Number: US-2007115663-A1

Title: Twirler novelty

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      Various decorative kinetic sculptures have been developed in prior art to afford a pleasing visual appearance when set in motion by the wind. Many of these designs are made of angled surfaces that catch the wind and rotate some or all of the sculpture. Still other sculptures employ solar powered lights to enhance their appearance in the evening hours. One of the benefits of these sculptures is that their motion and/or light can deter animals from eating garden plants. While these prior art sculptures have been useful, there still remains a need for an improved rotating sculpture.  
     SUMMARY  
      Various embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a rotating sculpture. According to one embodiment, the rotating sculpture is composed of a support element, from which the device hangs or is mounted, and rotatably attached to which is a central element, attached to which is a set of arms that extend from and encircle the central element and may be joined at an end distal from the support element. The arms may be equipped with wind cups, oriented in such manner to catch the breeze and rotate the device. In one embodiment, the central element may extend away from the support element, and may hold a decorative element. An illuminative element may also be included anywhere on the rotating sculpture, including inside the decorative element. The illuminative element may be illuminated by household electricity, battery power, solar power, wind power, prismatic lenses, or reflective elements.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view an embodiment of our TWIRLER NOVELTY;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view thereof;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view thereof rotated 180 degrees from  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a side view thereof rotated 90 degrees from  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a side view thereof rotated 180 degrees from  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view;  
       FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view; and  
       FIG. 8  is a detailed cut-away side view of the rotational mechanism.  
       FIG. 9  is a side view of an alternative embodiment using a base. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the embodiments may be constructed and/or utilized. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the specification.  
      Turning now to the Figures,  FIG. 1  shows one exemplary embodiment of a rotating sculpture  10 . The rotating sculpture  10  may be primarily constructed of cylindrical tubing, although any suitable materials could be used. As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the support element  12  is comprised of a rotatable coupling cylinder  14 , with a top piece  16  affixed for holding a ring  18  or other suitable element for hanging the rotating sculpture  10 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , within the rotatable coupling cylinder  14  is a rotatable coupling  20 , which in a preferred embodiment is a thrust bearing using ball bearings, although any suitable bearing could be used. Preferably, such bearings have low torque requirements and are maintenance free in outdoor environments. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, both such features are widely available in commercial bearing products in a variety of materials and configurations. Such features will assure that, the rotating sculpture will continue to function in any environment without the need for user maintenance. Moreover, the rotatable coupling cylinder  14  and top piece  16 , if sealed together, should protect the rotatable coupling  20  from water intrusion.  
      The rotatable coupling is coupled with a central element  22 , which in a preferred embodiment comprises a rotatable coupling fitting  24  with a first end  26  that engages with the rotatable coupling and a second end  28  that flares out to mate with a first end of a cylindrical tube, with the second end of the cylindrical tube having a decorative element fitting  30  to attach a decorative element. In a preferred embodiment, the first end of the rotatable coupling fitting may be coupled with the rotatable coupling by using a “press fit” between the beaming and the first end, although as those skilled in the art will appreciate any suitable coupling method could be used. A decorative element fitting  30  is a threaded fitting that is pressed, welded, formed, glued or otherwise attached to the end of the tubing. In one embodiment, a decorative element retainer  32  whose surface may be decorative, prismatic, etc. may be held in place at the end of the central element by forming a loop at one end of a wire, inserting a screw in the loop and screwing it into the threaded decorative element fitting  30 . The remaining wire may then be bent into the decorative element retainer  32 , which in one embodiment is spiral shaped to hold the decorative element  34  in place. Other embodiments may use other fittings or decorative element retainers, the latter including but not limited to cast, molded, or formed cages or other retention devices known in the art. The decorative element  32  may include an illuminating element, not shown, which may be solar, battery or power source energized.  
      In a preferred embodiment, two arms  36 ,  38  are then coupled with the central element  22 , located on opposite sides of the central element  22  and protruding at 90 degree angles from its long axis. The arms  36 ,  38  are then shaped into a spiral with a relatively constant radius whose center generally corresponds to the long axis of the central element  22 , and the arms  36 ,  38  are further shaped such that the arms spiral away from the support element  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . The arms  36 ,  38  have substantially the same shape, but given their mounting locations on the central element  22  at approximately 180 degrees from each other, the spirals are 180 degrees out of phase, complementing each other rather than crossing or touching at any point. At a point distal to the support element  12  and beyond the decorative element  34 , the spiral of the arms may tighten and the arms may meet, and may be coupled together by conventional means, such as a sleeve  40  placed into or outside of each arm and welded, brazed, glued, melted, screwed, or any other suitable method. Alternatively, the two arms  36 ,  38  could be fashioned from a single piece of tubing or other suitable material, so that no such coupling of the arms is required.  
      In other embodiments, there may be a different number of arms, ranging from one to as many as desired, and the mounting locations and angles may be varied to suit the application. In such embodiments the spirals may have differing radii, opposite rotations, and may cross or connect at any point. In other embodiments the arms need not be spiral, but could be in any configuration suitable to mount the wind cups  42 , as discussed below. In other embodiments using more than one arm, the arms need not meet or be coupled together.  
      Wind cups  42  ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c ,  42   d ) may be coupled with the one or more arms  36 ,  38  in such orientations that they catch air currents and exert force on the arm  36  on  38  with which they are coupled, which causes the central element  22  with which said arm  36  or  38  is coupled to rotate about its long axis via the rotatable coupling  20 . In a preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , a wind cup  42  may be a hollow hemisphere coupled with an arm  36  on  38  via a hole in the center of the hemisphere. In other embodiments the wind cups  42  may be different shapes, but preferably are shaped such that a first orientation will effectively catch air currents while a second orientation that is approximately 180 degrees from the first orientation will have substantially reduced effectiveness in catching air currents. In a preferred embodiment the hemisphere is slid onto the arm and affixed in a orientation such that the straight edge of the hemisphere is roughly at a right angle to a radius drawn from the long axis of the central element. See, for example,  FIG. 2 , with wind cup  42   b  affixed to arm  36 . In other embodiments different wind cup orientations as attachment methods may be used, any such orientation should be placed to make effective use of air currents to rotate the sculpture  10  and not counteract the forces produced by the other wind cups  42 . In order to effectively rotate the sculpture  10 , at least two wind cups  42  should be used, located on opposite sides. The sculpture  10  will make more effective use of the air currents if additional wind cups  42  are used. A preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-7  shows the use of four wind cups  42 , but other embodiments could use more or less wind cups. Other embodiments may also place the wind cups  42  in locations different from those shown in  FIGS. 1-7 .  
      The decorative element  34  of one embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1-7  is a glass ball, but any decorative element could be used, of any shape, size or configuration. Other embodiments may use a different decorative element(s)  34 , additional decorative elements, and different placement of such decorative element(s). For example, one or more decorative elements  34  may be placed on one or more arms  36  or  38 , or at different location(s) on the central element  22  or even the top piece  16 .  
      As part of, or in conjunction with, a decorative element  34 , having a transparent or opaque character, an illuminative element  44  is placed within, the decorative element  34 . Obviously, a light emitting element may be placed elsewhere or at any location on the rotating sculpture. In one embodiment, an illuminative element  44  is a solar powered electric light, converting sunlight to electricity with a photovoltaic panel and storing it in a battery, then using a photocell to turn a light emitting device, such as a lightbulb or LED, when it is dark enough to be seen. Such an embodiment would allow the user to enjoy the rotating sculpture  10  both during the day and at night. As for light emitting devices, LEDs have a power consumption advantage over regular incandescent lightbulbs, but any light emitting device that is suitable for the type and amount of available power may be employed. More than one light emitting device may be used, and as those skilled in the art will appreciate, multiple light emitting devices may be placed at various locations on or around the rotating sculpture  10 .  
      Another embodiment of the illuminative element  44  may use wind generated electricity. A shaft may be attached to the top piece and run through the rotatable coupling, down the center of the central element, and coupled with the stator of a generator. The exterior of the central element  22  turns when the wind cups  42  catch wind currents and rotate the sculpture  10 , and the rotating portion of the generator may therefore be coupled either directly to the central element  22 , or to a geared multiplier that increases the rotational speed of the central element  22  and applies that increased rotation to the generator. The generated electricity may either be transmitted to a battery, or directly to a light emitting device to produce light, or both, depending on the amount of electricity produced and whether the light is being operated. As with the solar powered light, a photocell may be used to turn the light on when it is sufficiently dark to see it. Another embodiment may use both solar and wind generated electricity to power the light emitting devices.  
      In another embodiment, standard charged (disposable) or rechargeable batteries may be used to supply the electricity to the illuminative element  44 . An arrangement that would yield long life with little maintenance would be a lithium battery coupled with one or more LEDs, turned on and off by either a photocell, a microcontroller with a timer, or both. A manual or remote controlled switch may also be used. Battery technology is rapidly advancing, and certain silicon-based batteries using a porous silicon diode have shown promise to be even longer lived than lithium. Thus it is anticipated that this embodiment may use any available suitable battery. As with the other illuminative element  44  embodiments, any combination of light emitting devices, batteries, and control devices that are suitable for the application may be used.  
      In yet another embodiment, the illuminative element  44  may use household electricity as its power source. Wires may be run through support element  12  and through the rotatable coupling fitting  24  and into the central element  22  to the illuminative element  44 . Any suitable voltage or wattage may be used to power the light emitting device(s).  
      In another embodiment, the illuminative element  44  may consist of prismatic lenses, reflective elements, or both. Prismatic lenses can act both as color generators and reflective surfaces, and can be used in a wide variety of shapes, such as traditional three-sided prisms, polygonal crystals, or any desired shape. Reflective surfaces such as mirrors or polished metals can be used in any combination and in any arrangement to generate reflected light from the sculpture. Such reflective surfaces are typically more efficient at reflecting light, but their color generating capabilities are typically less efficient, and thus a combination of reflective surfaces and prismatic lenses may be used to generate a larger amount of colors and reflected light than either alone. In addition, reflective surfaces may be used to direct light into the prismatic lenses. Whether using the prismatic lenses or reflective elements or both, they can either be fixed to rotate with the sculpture  10 , or suspended so they sway and have a slightly different rotation speed than the sculpture  10 . The suspending elements could also be mounted on simple bearings to help the prismatic lenses or reflective elements achieve a different rotational speed, or they could be fixed to a central shaft that remains stationary relative to the rotating sculpture.  
      In yet another embodiment, the rotating sculpture  10  could employ any combination of the above-described illuminative elements  44  to achieve the desired look of the sculpture.  
      In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 9 , the rotating sculpture  10  may be supported from the bottom, wherein the support element  12  would be attached to a suitable base  46 . In such an embodiment, the rotatable coupling cylinder  14  may also be inverted so that the rotatable coupling fitting  24  (see  FIG. 8 ) is now attached to the base  10 , and central shaft  22  is attached to the rotatable coupling cylinder  14  in place of the top piece  16 , so that the rotatable coupling  20  is shielded from water intrusion. In another embodiment using a base  46  (not shown), the rotating sculpture  10  is not inverted, but rather the base  46  may have a support member that runs through a decorative element  34  and central shaft  22 , to the rotatable coupling  20  at the top of the rotating sculpture  10 .  
      Although the embodiments herein have focused on a central element  22  with a substantially vertical orientation, the rotating sculpture  10  could be oriented at any angle. If the primary orientation is such that the central element  22  is horizontal, however, it may be desirable to relocate the rotatable coupling  20  more towards to the center of the rotating sculpture  10  so that the rotatable coupling  20  is more evenly loaded and will operate with greater efficiency. In such an embodiment, more than one rotatable coupling may be used at different locations along the central element  22  to evenly distribute the weight on each coupling  20 . Also in such an embodiment, a radial bearing rather than a thrust bearing may be used to account for the radial loading, or a bearing that can take both axial and radial loading may be used. Such designs are well within the abilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art.  
      In closing, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments described herein are illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Other modifications that may be employed are within the scope of the invention. Thus, by way of example, but not of limitation, alternative configurations may be utilized in accordance with the teachings herein. Accordingly, the drawings and description are illustrative and not meant to be a limitation thereof.