Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Three-dimensional movable figure display device – With arm and leg movement
Patent
1995-01-17
1997-02-18
Green, Brian K.
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Three-dimensional movable figure display device
With arm and leg movement
40411, 446354, G09F 1908
Patent
active
056031777
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an animated display and in particular, though not exclusively, to such a display which reproduces the walking or running action of the male or female human body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Animated displays exist at present for so-called animated tableaux seen in shops and arcades, and other public places around Christmas time, or on fairground organs and so on. In such displays each figure is only capable of very limited movement, for example turning the head back and forth, or raising and lowering an arm, and the display does not simulate lifelike movement. With such existing arrangements it is difficult if not impossible to provide realistic fluid movement.
Complex animatronic devices exist for simulating human or animal movements but these are extremely expensive to produce and require extensive computer or electronic programming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have found that by selecting a natural rhythmic motion of a human or animal, such as walking or running, it is possible to provide an apparatus operating on a cyclic basis for reproducing a fluid movement of the human or animal action without requiring the complexity of construction, or programming of the animatronic display.
Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides an animated display comprising a support frame means, two leg members pivotally mounted in an upper end region with respect to said support frame means, and drive means for reciprocating said leg members thereby to simulate the walking or running action of a human or animal.
In this invention, the term "running" should be interpreted broadly as including jogging, walking, and sprinting.
In another aspect, this invention provides an articulatable limb for simulating a human or animal limb or tail or other flexible body part, which comprises an inner articulatable frame part at least partially encased by a casing of foam, rubber, or rubber-like material.
Whilst the invention has been described above it includes any inventive combinations of the features set out above or in the following description .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be performed in various ways and two embodiments and methods of construction thereof will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a first embodiment of animated display for simulating the walking or running action of a human;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the central part of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the central part of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4 (a),(b),(c) are views showing the cam profiles for the embodiment of FIG. 1, for sprinting, jogging and walking respectively;
FIG. 5 is a montage showing the arm and leg movements of a human sprinting;
FIG. 6 is a general perspective view of a second embodiment of animated display for simulating the walking or running action of a human;
FIG. 7 is a front view of the central part of the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a side view of the central part of the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIGS. 9(a) and (b) are schematic views showing a front and side view respectively of an articulated limb and surrounding structure for simulating a human limb for the first or second embodiments.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring initially to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, the display comprises a support stand 10 having a base 12, and a column 14 of inverted L-shape, the upper free end of which is connected to the support frame 16. The support frame 16 comprises a series of frame sections interconnected to support the drive motor 18 and the moveable limbs of the display. The drive motor drives a mechanism 17 which controls the movements of the limbs. This mechanism is indicated generally in FIG. 1 but in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3; the motor drives, via a 90.degree. gearbox, two symmetrically opposed cams 20', 20" whose function will be explained below. Eccentrically mounted on the outer cam 20" is a projecting finger 22
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patent: 4944708 (1990-07-01), Kawabe
patent: 5066259 (1991-11-01), Acker
patent: 5224896 (1993-07-01), Terzian
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