Musical cube

• US 4,836,075 A
• Filed: 10/14/1987
• Issued: 06/06/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stone Rose Limited
• Original Assignee: Stone Rose Limited
• Inventors: Armstrong, Tchaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, A. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/108,112
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 84/1.01, 84/DIG. 2, 84/DIG. 7, 84/1.28, 84/94.1, 84/94.2, 84/95.1, 84/95.2, 446/397, 446/404, 446/485, 446/484, 446/409, 200/61.48, 200/61.51, 200/61.52, 200/61.45 R, 200/61.49, 340/52 H, 340/65, 340/566, 340/689, 273/138 A, 273/146, 273/58 E, 273/58 F, 273/58 G
• US Class Current: 84/606
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing. movement pattern or gesture sensing G10H2220/201; geolocation sensing G10H2220/355, 3D sensing with accelerometer G10H2220/395
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/525 Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/07 Electric key switch structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved musical cube. The cube includes circuitry mounted within its cubical housing with the circuitry including three two-axis switches with each such switch having a central open position and two positions, one to either side of the central position, each side position of which closes a particular unique sub-circuit. The three switches are mounted in the housing in mutually perpendicular relation and the switches combine to control the operation of six sub-circuits. In the operation of the improved musical cube, a read-only memory and synthesizer device are incorporated into a circuit with the read-only memory being pre-programmed with a distinct musical sequence for each of the six sub-circuits. When the cube is rolled or thrown, as each particular face of the housing thereof faces upwardly, a corresponding one of the six sub-circuits is closed by virtue of one of the sides of one of the three two-axis switches, thereby resulting in activation of a particular sub-circuit and the resulting playing of a predetermined tone burst followed by a predetermined melody. If the cube is rolled rapidly, only the tone bursts of the particular faces are played and, when a particular face faces upwardly, the entire melodic sequence will be played and, after a predetermined time period, the device will be deactivated.

Claims

1. An improved musical cube comprising:

(a) a six-sided substantially cubical housing made of a material allowing light transmission therethrough, each side having a face;

(b) an electrical circuit mounted in said housing including;

(i) a microprocessor having memory means for storing six unique sound sequences, each sound sequence including at least a first sound followed by a pause followed by at least a second sound;

(ii) three two-axis switches, each said switch including a moving contact having three positions, a first position closing a first subcircuit and opening a second subcircuit, a second position closing said second subcircuit and opening said first subcircuit and a third position opening said first and second subcircuits, said electrical circuit including three first subcircuits and three second subcircuits with each subcircuit corresponding to one of said six faces, each said switch being gravity operated, said switches being mounted in said housing in mutually perpendicular relation with respect to one another, each said subcircuit being connected with said microprocessor memory means to access one particular said sound sequence;

(iii) whereby as said housing is moved, at any given instant, one of said faces may face in a predetermined direction with respect to the direction of the force of gravity, and whereby whenever any one of said faces is facing in said predetermined direction, a said switch corresponding to said one of said faces moves under the force of gravity to one of said first and second positions to thereby close a corresponding one of said six subcircuits, thereby causing at least a portion of one of said unique sound sequences to be played, said circuit causing others of said sound sequences to be played as respective others of said faces are caused to face in said predetermined direction during movements of said housing;

(iv) further wherein whenever a said subscriber is closed for a time period less than a predetermined time period, only a respective said first sound is played, and whenever a said subcircuit is closed for a time period greater than said predetermined time period, at least a portion of said second sound is played.

2. The cube of claim 1, wherein said circuit includes light means which is activated whenever said circuit is operable, said light means causing said housing to glow.

3. The cube of claim 1, wherein one of said sides includes latch structure means cooperating with four adjacent sides for preventing removal of said one of said sides, removal of said one of said sides allowing access to said circuit.

4. The cube of claim 2, further including clock means for timing the amount of time any one of said faces is facing in said predetermined direction, said clock means being connected to said microprocessor to terminate playing of the sound sequence corresponding to a respective face facing in said predetermined direction, after a predetermined time, and to deactivate said light means.

5. The cube of claim 1, wherein said moving contact of each said switch comprises a leaf spring connected to structure of said switch at one end and having a weight mounted at another end thereof.

6. The cube of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor includes means for selectively reprogramming said sound sequences.

7. The cube of claim 1, further including an amplifier for amplifying sound sequence signals and a speaker for broadcasting said signals.

8. The cube of claim 1, wherein said sound sequence comprise melodic sequences.