Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Three-dimensional movable figure display device – Electromotor operated
Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-25
2001-04-03
Davis, Cassandra H. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Three-dimensional movable figure display device
Electromotor operated
C206S006100, C206S566000, C040S429000, C040S430000, C040S456000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209242
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a motorized jewelry display for rings, broaches, pendants, watches, bracelets, earrings, or any jewelry item or other item that would benefit from movement, and more particularly relates to a display using piezoelectricity supplied by a quartz motor powered by a small battery to rotate a drive shaft which supports an item holder.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In jewelry stores or counters, jewelry is commonly displayed in the storefront windows or under glass for customer viewing to determine if they would like to take a closer look at a certain piece. The store owner benefits from having the jewelry displayed in an attractive fashion to catch the eyes of potential customers, as well as enhance the beauty of the products. Jewelry, therefore, such as rings, broaches, pendants, watches, bracelets, earrings, and the like are typically displayed on velvet or satin covered stands. The velvet, satin, or other material chosen to surround the products are typically rich in color, such as red or royal blue. The store owner may resort to mirrors positioned below or about the jewelry in an attempt to further enhance the beauty of glimmering jewelry and attract potential customers.
In the past, objects which rotate on a stand have been devised for various reasons. U.S. Pat. No. 1,945,072 to Quigley discloses a display apparatus for displaying and rotating packaged goods which are exteriorly decorated with advertising. The apparatus requires an electrical outlet for operation, a set of mirrors, and a flashlight apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,850 to Albanese discloses a solar-powered display device for displaying a multi-faceted crystal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,810 to Liou discloses an electronic flower set with intermittent movement. The apparatus must be turned on and off and movement of the flower requires the receipt of a sound signal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,364 to Sengstaken discloses a miniature airplane and curved banner for spinning about the top of a housing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,808 to Liebman et al discloses a sign turner with a low power consumption controller. The devices disclosed in these patents are either too large, complex, costly, and/or unattractive for use as a jewelry display. Furthermore, none of the disclosed devices take advantage of piezoelectric motors which eliminates many of the undesirable qualities of the prior art displays.
Thus, there is a need for an improved jewelry display which can better capture the attention of potential customers. There is further a need for a rotating display capable of displaying jewelry. There is further a need for a rotating jewelry display which can be manufactured and utilized at a low cost in order to employ a multiplicity of such displays in a jewelry case or window. There is further a need for a rotating display which is small enough to be adapted for use in a jewelry case or window. There is further a need for a rotating display which takes advantage of piezoelectricity and which can be aesthetically pleasing in a jewelry case or window (solar cell panels are not aesthetically pleasing enough for the desired uses). There is further a need for a rotating jewelry display which can accommodate various jewelry items. There is further a need for a rotating display which can rotate removable jewelry or other items which has a holder that does not leave residue on the items. There is further a need or a rotating jewelry display which can move a drive shaft in a stepped rotation for displaying rings or in a continuous sweeping rotation for displaying other items of jewelry. There is further a need for a rotating display which can rotate a variety of merchandise items economically and efficiently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to improve the quality and attractiveness of jewelry display cases and store windows by imparting motion to pieces of jewelry.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a rotating display capable of supporting jewelry items at a low cost to the store owner and in a size and shape which does not detract from the jewelry and which does not take anymore room within existing jewelry cases and store windows than do present displays.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a rotating jewelry display motorized by piezoelectricity.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a rotating display which has a holder which can removably, securely, and cleanly hold an item and which does not scratch, leave residue on, or otherwise harm the item being displayed.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a rotating display which may incorporate a photosensitive switch for permitting operation of the rotating display in response to an ambient light.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a rotating jewelry display capable of being passed on to the customer with a cover capable of opening and closing.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a rotating jewelry display capable of supporting various pieces of jewelry and capable of rotating in a stepped fashion or a continuous sweeping fashion dependent on the piece of jewelry being displayed. It is further an object of this invention to indicate to the user which method of rotation the display will move.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a piezoelectric rotating display for displaying other items of merchandise.
It is further an object of this invention, in another embodiment, to impart motion to a piece of jewelry by placing a motor underneath a bag of fluid upon which a piece of jewelry will sit.
The foregoing objectives of the present invention are accomplished by a motorized jewelry display used for displaying rings, broaches, pendants, watches, bracelets, earrings or any jewelry item or other item that would benefit from movement in trade. Piezoelectricity is preferably used to create the movement. When certain crystals, such as quartz, are compressed in certain directions, an electric polarization (and a corresponding voltage called piezoelectricity) is induced due to the displacement of charged atoms along the same axis. The piezoelectric effect is used in many applications around the world such as the quartz oscillator for timepieces. In a quartz oscillator, the extremely regular mechanical vibrations of a quartz crystal control corresponding electrical oscillations in a coupled electronic circuit, in a way analogous to the regulation of a mechanical clock by the oscillation of its pendulum.
The main benefit of piezoelectricity is the very low power requirement needed to create movement. Small batteries such as one “AA” battery can power a movement 24 hours a day for over a year. In one embodiment, the design may incorporate a photocell to detect light which allows the movement to shut-off if no light is detected in the environment. For example, if the motorized jewelry display was in a place of business where the hours of operation were 12 hours a day (lights in the room turned on) and 12 hours a day closed (lights in the room turned off) then the life of the battery could effectively double.
Another benefit of using piezoelectricity is low cost. Using inexpensive quartz movements allows the cost structure of the motorized jewelry displays to be very competitive against other displays that use movement. The main demand of using quartz as the material to create piezoelectricity is keeping time accurately and inexpensively because quartz has a property of generating extremely regular mechanical vibrations. This demand has allowed the cost structure of quartz movements to drop. Motorized jewelry displays may not always require the accuracy of movement that timepieces require but the present invention may effectively and economically use quartz movements because of the low cost structure. It is possible to substitute quartz for another crystal or ceramic material once the market for motorized jewelry displays becomes big enough. In addition to the low cost structure, the accuracy of mo
Davis Cassandra H.
Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
Salai Esq. Stephen B.
Shaw Esq. Brian B.
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