Patent Publication Number: US-2002000055-A1

Title: Magnetic propulsion decorative device

Description:
BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001] This invention relates to decorative devices containing fluid and particles of motion.  
       BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART  
       [0002] Decorative devices containing fluid and particles of motion, also commonly referred to as snow globes, have been manufactured and made available to consumers for many years. Such decorative devices are usually shaken or manually rotated to set the particles in the fluid into motion. This particle motion eventually stops as the particles settle to a stop.  
       [0003] Some inventors have attempted to keep such particles in motion by mechanical means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,976 to Yang (1999) discloses a complex driving mechanism to perpetuate motion of such particles. This device utilizes a propeller in the fluid driven by a motor located under the fluid chamber. The propeller and motor are connected by a shaft which passes through silicone gaskets. The gaskets prevent fluid loss and rusting of the motor. This driving mechanism is expensive to manufacture and is subject to gasket failure and fluid loss.  
       [0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,353 to Lai (1997) demonstrates using a magnet attached to an ornament within such a decorative device and two magnets attached to a geared mechanism below the fluid chamber. The purpose and function of the device is to revolve and rotate the ornament. The device does not propel the fluid and or particles of motion within the fluid chamber.  
       [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,750 to Segan et al. (1997) uses an elaborate mechanical means to simulate snowfall. The snow is circulated from the bottom of the device to the top by a series of blades attached to a rotating inner ring. This inner ring is rotated by a geared mechanism. This device is expensive to manufacture and does not use magnets or magnetic fields to propel the fluid within the device.  
       [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,727 to Murray Jr. (1994) also propels particles in fluid by means of a rotational wind-up device attached to a pumping chamber. The fluid inside the device must be kept from leaking by use of gaskets. This invention is expensive to manufacture and is subject to gasket failure and fluid loss.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007] The present invention utilizes magnets, magnetic fields, and a rotary device to propel particles in the fluid contained by a decorative device.  
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
       [0008] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:  
       [0009] (a) to propel such particles without potential fluid leakage and rusting of parts.  
       [0010] (b) to simplify the manufacturing process.  
       [0011] (c) to minimize cost of manufacturing.  
       [0012] (d) to provide consumers with an easy to use and less expensive decorative device. 
     
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES  
     [0013]FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the decorative device of the present invention.  
     [0014]FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the decorative device of the present invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the decorative device of the present invention. 
    
    
     [0016] The invention possesses other objects and advantages especially as concerns particular characteristics and features thereof which will become apparent as the specification continues.  
                               Reference Numerals In Drawings                                            10 container           12 fluid and particles           14 base           16 container sleeve           18 floor           20 ornament           22 internal magnet           24 external magnet           26 rotary shaft           28 rotary mechanism           30 mount           32 rotational plane                      
 
     DESCRIPTION—PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0017] A preferred embodiment of the decorative device of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 (front view), FIG. 2 (side view), and FIG. 3 (top view). A transparent fluid container  10  contains fluid and particles  12  of motion, such as glitter or artificial snow, and an internal magnet  22 . The internal magnet  22  may have varied shapes. The internal magnet  22  may be either a man-made magnet or a natural magnet. The internal magnet  22  needs to exhibit rotational resistance to the fluid in order to stir the fluid into motion. The internal magnet  22  may by cylindrical, rectangular, fin-like, or propeller-like. The internal magnet  22  may also have a non-fluid-resistant shape if it is attached to an object which exhibits rotational resistance to the fluid.  
     [0018] The contents of the fluid container  10  are kept from escaping by a fluid proof floor  18  which is tightly sealed to the container at the fluid container sleeve  16 . Attached to the floor  18  and internal to the container  10  is an ornament  20  or ornaments.  
     [0019] The shape of the container  10  and the type of ornament  20  are not crucial to the decorative device of the present invention and are not specified herein.  
     [0020] The container sleeve  16  is attached to a base  14 . Internal to the base  14  is a rotary mechanism  28 . The rotary mechanism  28  is attached to a mount  30  within the base  14 . The rotary mechanism  28  may be a electrical or mechanical source of rotation. Out of the rotary mechanism  28  protrudes a rotary shaft  26 . Attached to the rotary shaft  26  is an external magnet  24 . This external magnet  24  may be a man-made magnet, a natural magnet, or an electromagnet.  
     [0021] The orientation of the external magnet  24  is crucial. The north and south poles of the external magnet  24  must be in a plane parallel to the floor  18  of the container  10 . The orientation of the external magnet  24  is illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. and the rotational plane  32  of the external magnet  24  and the internal magnet  22  is illustrated in FIG. 3.  
     [0022] Operation  
     [0023] The manner of operating the decorative device of the present invention is to start the rotary mechanism  28 . As the rotary mechanism  28  rotates so will the external magnet  24 . As the external magnet  24  rotates, a rotating magnetic field is generated. This rotating magnetic field, which penetrates the floor  18 , causes the internal magnet  22  to rotate. The rotation of the internal magnet  22  stirs the fluid. The result is a propulsion of fluid and particles  12  with in the decorative device of the present invention.  
     [0024] Conclusion, Ramifications, and Scope  
     [0025] Accordingly, the reader will see that the decorative device of the present invention provides propulsion of fluid and particles within the decorative device. In addition it provides for easy manufacturing of such a decorative device since it does not require elaborate mechanical devices, gaskets and/or other sealing means to keep the fluid from leaking out of the decorative device during operation.  
     [0026] Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.