Method and apparatus for creating cylindrical three dimensional picture

• US 5,704,061 A
• Filed: 03/22/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pinnacle Brands, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pinnacle Brands, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Victor G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUCCILLO, NICHOLAS
• Application Number:
  US08/621,799
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 352/53, 352/58, 352/81, 352/101, 354/110, 354/112, 354/292, 40/430, 396/324, 396/330
• US Class Current: 396/330
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/06 with moving picture effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/30 involving parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 25/02 with interposed lenticular or line screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/00 Stereoscopic photography
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/14 Printing apparatus specially adapted for conversion between different types of record G03B42/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/24 using apertured or refractive resolving means on screens or between screen and eye
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/14 displaying different signs depending upon the view-point of the observer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/349 Multi-view displays for displaying three or more geometrical viewpoints without viewer tracking for viewing without the aid of special glasses using fly-eye lenses H04N13/307

Abstract

A cylindrical three dimensional picture capable of being viewed through an angle of 360° or exhibiting animated motion includes a cylinder surrounded by a photograph, in turn surrounded by a lenticular lens or parallax barrier strip. The photograph is made from a photo emulsion that is exposed and subsequently developed for viewing. The photo emulsion is exposed to the subject, or images of the subject, about an angle of 360° or while in animated motion, through the lenticular lens or parallax barrier strip.

Claims

1. A system for creating an animated image of a subject, comprising:

a photograph containing an ordered sequence of images of the subject photographed in animated motion, said images created using a film layer and an aperture between the film layer and the subject, the film layer used to produce the photograph;

a substrate having a cylindrical shape for supporting the photograph;

a lenticular lens having a plurality of lenticulars and positioned between the photograph and a viewer thereof, the width of the aperture equal to the subtended chord of a lens lobe angle 2 where °

denotes the lens lobe angle and R equals the radius of the substrate plus the thickness of the lenticular lens, the lens lobe equal to 2, where P=1/L, L is the number of lenticulars per unit of circumference of the lens, and C=T-r, where T is the thickness of the lenticular lens and r is the radius of curvature of the lenticulars, wherein the images may be viewed in the ordered sequence in response to rotation of the substrate to create the animated image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the animated image appears to be within the cylinder defined by the substrate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the animated image appears to be located on the axis of the cylinder defined by the substrate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the animated image appears to be centered within the cylinder defined by the substrate.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the lens is the product of the index of refraction for the lens and the radius of curvature of the lenticulars.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lenticular lens is formed from polyvinyl chloride and T is approximately 2.7r.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the lenticular lens formed from polysterene and T is approximately 2.43r.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the lens lobe angle is approximately seventy-two degrees.

8. A system for creating an animated image of a subject, comprising:

a photograph containing an ordered sequence of images of the subject photographed in animated motion, said images created using a film layer and an aperture between the film layer and the subject, the film layer used to produce the photograph;

a substrate having a cylindrical shape for supporting the photograph;

a parallax barrier strip positioned between the photograph and a viewer thereof, said parallax barrier strip having a plurality of linear slot openings, the width of the aperture equal to the subtended chord of a lobe angle, 2, where °

denotes the lobe angle and R equals the radius of the substrate plus the thickness of the parallax barrier strip, the lobe equal to 2, where P=1/L, L is the number of linear slot openings per unit of circumference of the parallax barrier strip, and C=the thickness of the parallax barrier strip, wherein the images may be viewed in the ordered sequence in response to rotation of the substrate to create the animated image.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the animated image appears to be within the cylinder defined by the substrate.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the lobe angle is approximately seventy-two degrees.

11. A method for creating an animated image of a subject, comprising:

sequentially photographing the subject in animated motion to produce an ordered sequence of images;

exposing a photo emulsion to the ordered sequence of images using an aperture positioned between the photo emulsion and the images and using a lenticular lens having a plurality of lenticulars and positioned between the photo emulsion and the aperture;

developing the exposed photo emulsion;

mounting the developed photo emulsion on a cylindrical substrate, the width of the aperture equal to the subtended chord of a lens lobe angle, 2, where °

denotes the lens lobe angle and R equals the radius of the substrate plus the thickness of the lenticular lens, the lens lobe angle equal to 2, where P=1/L, L is the number of lenticulars per unit of circumference of the lens, and C=T-r, where T is the thickness of the lenticular lens and r is the radius of curvature of the lenticulars; and

positioning the lenticular lens between a viewer and the developed photo emulsion, wherein the images may be viewed in the ordered sequence in response to rotation of the substrate to create the animated image.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the animated image appears to be within the cylinder defined by the substrate.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the thickness of the lens is the product of the index of refraction for the lens and the radius of curvature of the lenticulars.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the lens lobe angle is approximately seventy-two degrees.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the lenticular lens is formed from polyvinyl chloride and T is approximately 2.7r.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the lenticular lens is formed from polysterene and T is approximately 2.43r.

17. A method for creating an animated image of a subject, comprising:

sequentially photographing a subject in animated motion to produce an ordered sequence of images, said images created using a film layer and an aperture between the film layer and the subject;

exposing a photo emulsion to the ordered sequence of images using a parallax barrier strip having a plurality of linear slot openings;

developing the exposed photo emulsion;

mounting the developed photo emulsion on a cylindrical substrate; and

positioning the parallax barrier strip between a viewer and the developed photo emulsion, the width of the aperture equal to the subtended chord of a lobe angle, 2, where °

denotes the lobe angle and R equals the radius of the substrate plus the thickness of the parallax barrier strip, the lobe angle equal to 2, where P=1/L, L is the number of linear slot openings per unit of circumference of the parallax barrier strip, and C=the thickness of the parallax barrier strip, wherein the images may be viewed in the ordered sequence in response to rotation of the substrate to create the animated image.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the animated image appears to be within the cylinder defined by the substrate.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the lobe angle is approximately seventy-two degrees.