Continuously rotating mechanisms

• US 6,190,231 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles Hoberman
• Original Assignee: Charles Hoberman
• Inventors: Hoberman, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): RIMELL, SAMUEL G
• Application Number:
  US09/366,831
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 446/85, 446/102, 446/104, 446/108, 446/128, 446/487, 446/488, 446/489, 428/12
• US Class Current: 446/487
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0819 with rotatable non-concentric discs, e.g. gear games
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/3441 with articulated bar-shaped elements

Abstract

This application is directed to a linkage system which provides continuous rotation to two or more interconnected quadrilaterals. The basic element of the linkage system is a multi-level link which provides firstly, a non-rotatable connection between two sub-links lying, in separate parallel planes and secondly, a rotatable connection for a further link lying in another parallel plane between the planes of the sub-links. By various interconnections between link elements, the quadrilaterals the linkage system will form various geometric patterns as the linkage is rotated. As the quadrilaterals lie in different planes, they may be continuously rotated with respect to each other. The linkage system may be used as a toy, a novelty item and as an educational tool.

Claims

1. A linkage comprising at least six links and at least seven pivot connections, all axes of said pivots being parallel to one another,

wherein a diagram of lines connecting the centers of said pivots drawn in a plane orthogonal to the axes of the pivots forms at least two parallelograms such that each parallelogram shares at least one vertex with another parallelogram,

wherein each parallelogram corresponds to a parallel four-bar linkage, and each shared vertex in the diagram corresponds to a pivot connection between at least two links, each of which links has one or more central pivots and two or more terminal pivots, and of these two or more links at least one lies essentially in one plane, and at least one other link is comprised of at least two sub-links, such that each sub-link lies on a different level,

where at least one sub-link lies on one side of the planar link, and at least one other sub-link lies on the opposite side of the planar link, and

the pivot connection between the planar and multi-level link is constructed such that the central pivot of the planar link is essentially a hole through which a pin comprising the central pivot of the multi-level link passes, and said pin:

a) forms the pivot connection between the planar link and the multi-level link; and

b) rigidly connects at least two sub-links of the multi-level link to one another;

such that said planar link and said multi-level link may rotate around their shared pivot connection relative to each other a full 360 degrees, to thereby driving the interconnected four-bar linkages in a continuous fashion.

2. A linkage according to claim 1, such that a diagram of lines formed as described above is comprised of at least three parallelograms that form a closed loop in all positions.

3. A linkage according to claim 2 such that at least one link brackets the full thickness of the linkage, having one or more pivot connections with those links lying in the outermost planes of the linkage.

4. A linkage according to claim 1, wherein gears are attached to at least two links in order to synchronize the motion of the linkage.

5. A linkage system forming at least two continuously rotatable quadrilaterals, said system comprising;

(a) a link element having first and second sub-links, each of said first and second sub-links including a terminal pivot, said first and second sub-links forming a first side of said first quadrilateral and a first side of said second quadrilateral;

(b) a multi-level linkage element non-rotatably joining said first and second sub-links of said link element, such that said first and second sub-links are joined at a predetermined angle and are disposed in separate parallel planes, said multi-level linkage element further including means to rotatably couple a planar link element between said first and second sub-links;

(c) a planar link element rotatably coupled to said rotatable coupling means of said multi-layer linkage, said planar link having first and second arms disposed at a predetermined angle to each other, said first and second arms of said planar link including terminal pivots, said planar link element forming the second side of said first and second quadrilaterals;

(d) the third and fourth sides of said first quadrilateral being formed by two linkage elements, said two linkage elements being rotatably joined to a terminal pivot of said planar link, a terminal pivot of said first sub-link and to each other;

(e) the third and fourth sides of said second quadrilateral being formed by two linkage elements rotatably joined to a terminal pivot of said planar link, a terminal pivot of said second sub-link and to each other; and

(f) wherein said first and second quadrilaterals lie in separate planes so that they are continuously rotatable with respect to each other.

6. The linkage system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the arms of the planar link are disposed at an obtuse angle to each other.

7. The linkage system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first and second sub-links are disposed at right angles to each other.

8. The linkage system as claimed in claim 5 further including second and third planar sub-links and said second and third link elements having non-rotatably joined first and second sub-links so as to form four rotatable quadrilaterals.

9. The linkage system as claimed in claim 5 further including a plurality of planar and multi-level links which are interconnected so as to rotate sychronously.

10. The linkage system as claimed in claim 5 further including a yoke link, spanning the width of the linkage system and rotatably connected thereto, said yoke link being sized and constructed to permit the linkage system to be rotated within the yoke.

11. The linkage system as claimed in claim 10 further including a knob disposed externally of said yoke link and rotatably connected thereto, said knob being non-rotatably connected to said linkage system to permit said linkage system to be rotated when said knob is turned.

12. The linkage system as claimed in claim 5 further including first and second gears connected to said linkage systems to permit said linkage system to be rotated synchronously.

13. A toy comprising:

(a) a linkage system, said linkage system comprised of link elements forming at least first and second quadrilaterals, said first and second quadrilaterals having first and second common sides and a common vertex, said first and second quadrilaterals lying in separate parallel planes and being continuously rotatable with respect to each other;

(b) a yoke spanning said linkage system, said linkage system being rotatably mounted within said yoke; and

(c) a knob rotatably mounted to said yoke and coupled to said linkage system to rotate said linkage system as said knob is turned.

14. The toy as claimed in claim 13 further including first and second gears rotatably mounted to said yoke, said first and second gears being coupled to first and second link elements of said linkage system so as to cause said linkage system to rotate synchronously.

15. The toy as claimed in claim 13 wherein said linkage system includes link elements forming at least four continuously rotatable quadrilaterals.

16. The toy as claimed in claim 13 wherein said yoke is X-shaped.

17. The toy as claimed in claim 13 wherein said yoke is Y-shaped.