Music – Instruments – Rigid vibrators
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-06
2003-09-30
Hsieh, Shih-Yung (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Rigid vibrators
Reexamination Certificate
active
06627804
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to devices capturing wind motion and the power derived from the flow of air which have limited motion and more particularly to devices for converting natural wind power or power derived from the flow of air into musical sound while so moving.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many years devices have converted the movement of air into mechanical force. Many of these devices convert wind or air power into musical sound. As windmills pump water, these devices utilize wind-gathering means such as an array of blades or other shapes to capture the kinetic energy of moving air. Generally such an array is attached to a central hub and shaft assembly which is allowed to rotate and thereby translate the movement the air into a rotational mechanical force.
Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 214,895 (1895), U.S. Pat. No. 340,740 (1886), U.S. Pat. No. 346,197 (1886), U.S. Pat. No. 424,293 (1890), U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,365 (1950), U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,835 (1950), U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,387 (1989), U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,515 (1994), U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,797 (1994) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,624 (1997). In each of these devices, force generated by the movement of the air is first translated into multiple revolutions of a shaft that in turn connects to a sound producing actuator or actuators.
A rotating helix powered by air movement has also been utilized to produce rotational mechanical forces and thereby power a sound producing actuator as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,015,431 (1912). All of these devices convert the flow of air over the device into a more or less steady rotational mechanical motion due to the rotational inertia of the devices. The devices therefore produce a repeating tone or as in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,797 (1994) a continuous repeating sequence of tones. This repetition may become tiresome to the ear.
Another approach to translating the kinetic energy of moving air into a mechanical force is through the movement of air over and around a surface such as a flag or banner. A number of devices have been designed to allow a flag to rotate freely in the wind about a pole or other support structure. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. No. 957,606 (1910), U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,822 (1988), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,555 (1994). However, no attempt is made in any of these devices to translate the rotation of the flag about the support structure into a useful mechanical force or to create a sound.
Further, limiting rather than allowing for the free rotation of a banner is important in dealing with the common problem of banners over-wrapping on horizontally positioned support structures. Currently, there are a limited number of devices that attempt to restrict rotational motion of rigid elements incorporated into or clamped onto banners. These devices are limited to a cord, rod or weighted tethers attached to the free corners of a flag or banner, or other devices that restrict an insufficient area of the flexible material of the banner to be effective.
The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,500 (1974), for example, uses a restricting arm that is not fully engaged with or incorporated into the flag. The device is cumbersome in appearance and is not useable with banners that have a hemmed sleeve for fitting onto the pole.
As can be seen from the above a need exists for a bi-directional rotational limiter for use with wind gathering means. Further, such a device would preferably use the force of the wind to generate musical tones. More preferably, such a device would utilize the wind gathering devices as a tone amplifier. To the knowledge of applicant, no such device exists that meets this need in a satisfactory fashion. It is toward meeting this need that the present invention is directed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a device for both limiting the motion of a wind gathering means and for converting natural wind power or other airflow into musical sound. In most embodiments of the present invention, the motion being limited by the motion limiting means is the bi-directional rotation of a wind gathering means, which therefore converts natural wind power or other airflow into musical sound. The wind gathering portion of the device most usually comprises a pivoting broad planar surface for intercepting air in motion, though the wind gathering means may be three dimensional. The wind gathering means is mechanically linked to a pick or other sound actuator means. The sound actuator means activates sound generating means. Such a generating means is likely mechanical, but could be connected to an analog or digital reproduction of one or more desired sounds.
In the case of a mechanical sound generation, the mechanical linkage is such that a change in relative position of the planar surface causes a strike corresponding relative change between a tone actuation means such as a pick, and a tone source, or tone generation means with any of its associated tone production means to occur. Three basic arrangements are possible: 1.) The actuating member of the device can be connected to or set in motion by the planar surface, while the tone source is held stationary, 2.) The tone source may be connected to or set in motion by the planar surface while the actuating means is held stationary, and, 3.) The actuating member and the tone source both move and are set in motion by more than one planar surface.
Any combination of the above basic arrangements is possible for creating a strike to occur between the pick and the tone source. Further, the tone source of the device is connected to or mounted on a resonant body to amplify the sound produced. In some configurations of the device the tone source may be capable of producing adequate audible volume for the application without the need for the amplification of the resonant or sound amplifying portion of the device. In other configurations the tone source may have the aid of one of many tone production devices such as an escapement type of action mechanism that aids in the proper striking of the tone-producing element. Such an aid may be engaged and set in motion by the tone activation trigger device of the invention. The idea and development of an escapement action is a defining, well-known feature in piano keyboard design for the control of tone volume.
The planar surface of the device can be formed of a flexible material such as that normally used for a banner or curtain formed of any lightweight flexible material. The planar surface of the device can also be formed of a thin, lightweight, rigid or semi-rigid material such as sheet metal, plastic, or wood. Planar surfaces formed of flexible material are usually more appropriate in configurations of the device wherein the tone source is held stationary with respect to the tone activation trigger which is mechanically linked in some manner to the planar surface.
Configurations of the device in which the planar surface is formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material may appropriately be designed with various relationships between the tone activation trigger and the tone source, i.e., pick movable/tone source stationary, pick stationary/tone source movable, and pick and tone source free to move relative to one another. In all these configurations of the device the planar surface is understood to supply the power to produce a musical tone through the collective harnessing of the air pressure against its broad surface. These forces are due to natural air movement relative to the surface such as wind or other sources of air movement such as an indoor forced air heating or cooling system or a fan.
Besides providing a sufficiently large surface area to harness energy from the movement of air relative to the surface as the path of air movement changes direction, the planar surface may also be designed to operate as a soundboard. In the configuration of the device wherein the planar surface is formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material, the sound energy generated by the tone source of the device can be mechanically coupled to t
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