Rotatable animation devices with staggered illumination sources
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
25 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification