Rotatable animation devices with staggered illumination sources

• US 9,390,643 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rufus Butler Seder
• Original Assignee: Rufus Butler Seder
• Inventors: Seder, Rufus Butler, Favalora, Gregg E., Eames, Dexter
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, Charlie Y
• Application Number:
  US13/927,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An illuminated animation device with staggered sources of illumination with a rotatable member rotatable about an axis of rotation, first and second pluralities of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member that are actuatable between illuminated and non-illuminated conditions. The first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are staggered so that the sources of illumination will produce individual paths of illumination to permit image display with enhanced. The rotatable member can be a rotatable panel with first and second arrays retained relative to first and second halves thereof, and the sources of illumination can be longitudinally and laterally staggered, such as by one-half a distance between adjacent sources of illumination. The sources of animation can alternatively be disposed in opposed, radially spaced straight line arrays. The device can be handheld and can include a motor and a power source.

Claims

1. An illuminated animation device with staggered sources of illumination, the animation device comprising:

a rotatable member rotatable about an axis of rotation wherein the rotatable member has a left portion to a first side of the axis of rotation, a right portion to a second side of the axis of rotation, and a longitudinal height along the axis of rotation;

a first plurality of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member;

a second plurality of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member;

wherein the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are actuatable between illuminated and non-illuminated conditions;

wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a substantially evenly spaced array entirely disposed to a first side of the axis of rotation retained by the left portion of the rotatable member with each source of illumination of the first plurality of sources of illumination spaced at a given radius from the axis of rotation, wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a substantially evenly spaced array entirely disposed to a second side of the axis of rotation retained by the right portion of the rotatable member with each source of illumination of the second plurality of sources of illumination spaced at a given radius from the axis of rotation, wherein interstitial spaces without sources of illumination are disposed between the sources of illumination of the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination, wherein interstitial spaces without sources of illumination are disposed between the sources of illumination of the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination, wherein each of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed to align along a circumference concentric with the axis of rotation with an interstitial space between the sources of illumination of the second plurality of light sources, and wherein each of the second plurality of sources of illumination is disposed to align along a circumference concentric with the axis of rotation with an interstitial space between the sources of illumination of the first plurality of light sources, and wherein all of the sources of illumination of the first plurality of sources of illumination are disposed at different longitudinal heights in relation to the axis of rotation than all of the sources of illumination of the second plurality of sources of illumination;

whereby, when the rotatable member is rotated and the sources of illumination are actuated, the sources of illumination will produce paths of illumination and whereby the paths of illumination produced by the first plurality of sources of illumination are staggered in relation to the paths of illumination produced by the second plurality of sources of illumination and whereby illuminated images can be displayed by the illuminated animation device with a resolution deriving from the separate and distinct paths of illumination of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination.

2. The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member comprises a rotatable panel with a longitudinal axis of rotation, a first left panel half to one side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, and a second right panel half to a second side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and radially, substantially evenly spaced array by the first left panel half, and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and radially, substantially evenly spaced array by the second right panel half whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable panel in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination.

3. The illuminated animation device of claim 2 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is radially staggered in relation to the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination.

4. The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and radially spaced array and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and radially spaced array wherein each of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed to align radially and longitudinally along a circumference concentric with the axis of rotation with an interstitial space between the sources of illumination of the second plurality of light sources, and wherein each of the second plurality of sources of illumination is disposed to align radially and longitudinally along a circumference concentric with the axis of rotation with an interstitial space between the sources of illumination of the first plurality of light sources whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable member in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination.

5. The illuminated animation device of claim 4 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed substantially in diametric opposition to the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination.

6. The illuminated animation device of claim 4 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination is approximately equal in number to the second plurality of sources of illumination.

7. The illuminated animation device of claim 4 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed in a pattern that substantially matches a pattern in which the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination is disposed.

8. The illuminated animation device of claim 7 wherein the arrays of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are staggered in radial and longitudinal positions by approximately one-half a distance between adjacent sources of illumination.

9. The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array whereby the illuminated animation device can produce two-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable member in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination.

10. The illuminated animation device of claim 9 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed substantially in diametric opposition to the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination.

11. The illuminated animation device of claim 9 wherein the arrays are staggered in radial position by approximately one-half a distance between adjacent sources of illumination whereby the paths of illumination established by the first plurality of sources of illumination are interposed between the paths of illumination established by the second plurality of sources of illumination.

12. The illuminated animation device of claim 11 wherein the pluralities of sources of illumination are disposed in arrays of substantially straight lines.

13. The illuminated animation device of claim 9 wherein the rotatable member comprises a manually rotatable top with a rotatable body portion and a tip wherein the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are retained by the body portion of the top.

14. The illuminated animation device of claim 1 further comprising a motor for rotating the rotatable member and a power source for powering the motor.

15. The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member is rotatable about first and second axes of rotation and wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional volumetric images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable member about the first and second axes of rotation in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination.

16. The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the illuminated animation device is handheld with a handle portion that rotatably retains the rotatable member and further comprising a motor for rotating the rotatable member and a power source for powering the motor.

17. The illuminated animation device of claim 16 wherein the rotatable member comprises a rotatable panel with a longitudinal axis of rotation, a first left panel half to one side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, and a second right panel half to a second side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained by the first left panel half, wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained by the second right panel half whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable panel in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination, wherein the rotatable panel has arrays of apertures entirely therethrough, and wherein the sources of illumination are retained in the apertures in the rotatable panel.

18. The illuminated animation device of claim 17 further comprising a user control interface for permitting selective control of the rotation of the rotatable member, the illumination of the sources of illumination, and the animation speed of three-dimensional animation displayed by the animation device.

19. The illuminated animation device of claim 18 further comprising a power circuit board retained by the handle portion, a display circuit board retained to rotate with the rotatable member, rotary electrical interfaces for transmitting power and control signals between the power circuit board and the display circuit board, a memory chip retained to rotate with the rotatable member, a data connector in electrical communication with the memory chip for loading data files onto the memory chip, and a programming connector retained to rotate with the rotatable member to permit a programming of the display circuit board.

20. The illuminated animation device of claim 18 further comprising means for adjusting the brightness of the sources of illumination dependent on a distance of the source of illumination from the axis of rotation.

21. An illuminated animation device with staggered sources of illumination, the animation device comprising:

a rotatable member rotatable about an axis of rotation wherein the rotatable member has a first portion to a first side of the axis of rotation, a second portion to a second side of the axis of rotation, and a longitudinal height along the axis of rotation;

a first plurality of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained entirely by the first portion of the rotatable member in a longitudinally and laterally, substantially evenly spaced array to a first side of the axis of rotation and wherein interstitial spaces without sources of illumination are disposed between the sources of illumination of the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination;

a second plurality of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained entirely by the second portion of the rotatable member in a longitudinally and laterally, substantially evenly spaced array to a second side of the axis of rotation and wherein interstitial spaces without sources of illumination are disposed between the sources of illumination of the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination;

wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are radially and longitudinally staggered in relation to the second plurality of sources of illumination with all of the sources of illumination of the first plurality of sources of illumination disposed at different longitudinal heights than all of the sources of illumination of the second plurality of sources of illumination and wherein each of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed to align radially and longitudinally along a circumference concentric with the axis of rotation with an interstitial space between the sources of illumination of the second plurality of light sources, and wherein each of the second plurality of sources of illumination is disposed to align radially and longitudinally along a circumference concentric with the axis of rotation with an interstitial space between the sources of illumination of the first plurality of light sources;

wherein the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are actuatable between illuminated and non-illuminated conditions;

whereby, when the rotatable member is rotated and the sources of illumination are actuated, the sources of illumination will produce paths of illumination and whereby the paths of illumination produced by the first plurality of sources of illumination are staggered in relation to the paths of illumination produced by the second plurality of sources of illumination and whereby illuminated images can be displayed by the illuminated animation device with a resolution deriving from separate and distinct paths of illumination of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination.

22. The illuminated animation device of claim 21 wherein the arrays of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are substantially symmetrical.

23. The illuminated animation device of claim 22 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination is approximately equal in number to the second plurality of sources of illumination.

24. The illuminated animation device of claim 21 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed in a substantially symmetrical pattern, wherein the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination is disposed in a substantially symmetrical pattern, and wherein the pattern of the first plurality of sources of illumination substantially matches the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination.

25. The illuminated animation device of claim 24 wherein the arrays of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are staggered in radial and longitudinal positions by approximately one-half a distance between adjacent sources of illumination.