Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Specific blade structure – Radial flow devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-06
2002-04-02
Kwon, John (Department: 3754)
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Specific blade structure
Radial flow devices
C416S23100A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06364614
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of spatial, continuous surfaces having spinning and other dynamic properties which may be used in a multiplicity of educational, utilitarian and ornamental applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a Mobius strip for multiple uses is well known. Lamlee, “Method of Making a Hexaflexagon,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,858 (1980) describes in
FIG. 1
a sheet
10
of stock material which may be card stock, cardboard, plastic, PVC, PVA, acetate or any of thin, opaque or transparent material which is relatively rigid.
FIG. 5
shows coated strips comprised of a sandwich
35
that has been cut into strips
42
. These strips are comprised of triangular sections
44
of sheet stock covered on both sides by a transparent material.
FIG. 7
illustrates a chain
55
comprised of 19 triangles. Beginning with hinge
56
and continuing along hinges
58
,
60
,
62
,
64
,
68
,
70
and
72
, the strip is twisted in one direction and folded onto itself to produce strip
73
shown in FIG.
8
. Strip
73
is then folded along hinge
74
to produce the strip configuration
76
shown in FIG.
9
. Triangle
84
is folded into position between triangle
83
and
81
and triangles
81
and
84
are glued together. The resulting structure is depicted in FIG.
10
. Six of the triangular sections
86
comprising the strip of
FIGS. 5 and 7
are then arranged in a side-by-side form of hexagon.
At column
3
, beginning at line
50
, Lamlee states that the strip portion comprising triangles
79
,
80
and
81
are folded under triangle
82
along hinge
78
. Triangle
84
is then folded to a position between triangles
83
and
81
and triangles
81
and
84
are adhered together. The resulting structure is shown in FIG.
10
. The Lamlee device is actually nothing more than a flattened Mobius strip.
Lehr, “Therapeutic Elbow Support Method,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,388 (1997) shows in connection with
FIG. 2
, a device
1
comprised of a loop of elastic material. Loop has a 360° twist built into it in order to provide a distinct first surface
2
and a second surface
3
. The device of
FIG. 2
is similar to a Mobius strip, however, the strip is twisted 360° as opposed to 180° as in the Mobius strip. As shown on
FIG. 2
, device
1
will form a figure eight shape which divides the loop into an upper band
5
and lower band
6
. The upper and lower band intersect at a cross over point
7
.
Bailey, “Modified Helicoidal Wind Responsive Device” U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,798 (1989) describes the three dimensional surface formed like two line segments positioned at right angles with respect to another which rotate one about the other on an axis while simultaneously moving along the axis line. The generation of the conventional regular helicoid is shown in FIG.
5
.
FIG. 4
illustrates a wind-responsive device
10
having a modified helicoidal structure. The device, which is intended primarily to be used as a decoration, is suspended at its upper end from a swivel
20
connected to an eyelet
22
permitting free rotation structure. The embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
comprises devices
10
A and
10
B arranged along a common axis and commonly connected at their upper end.
FIG. 6
shows an attachment of sections
10
A and
10
B with their reinforced section oppositely extending. The greatest visual effect of the two sections are when they have different contrasting colors.
Rodriguez-Perazza “Link Chain for Power Drives,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,907 (1981) shows in
FIG. 3
an endless an standard link chain
300
which includes 25 links
301
-
325
which are coupled together with a quarter turn twist given to the chain before forming it into a closed loop. The chain drive therefore is an endless chain with a quasi-Möbius twist. By doing so, each link
301
-
325
engages as an adjacent link with an average of 86.4° which turns out to have an advantage for gear engagement. If my visualization of the geometry is correct, this is a conventional Möbius twist or Möbius twist with two series twists.
Molenaar, “Pinwheel,” U.S. Des. Pat. No. 253,776 (1979) shows that
FIGS. 1-7
a conventional pinwheel designed to be ornamental and rotated the wind.
Hornblad, et al. “Möbius Strip and Display Utilizing the Same,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,029 (1987) which shows in
FIG. 1
a loop which in first appearance is in fact a conventional Möbius strip. Both clockwise and counter clockwise Möbius strips exist depending on whether the end of an ordinary loop is turned clockwise or counter clockwise in joining it together with opposing end to form the Möbius strip. The strip shown in
FIG. 1
happens to be clockwise Möbius strip, which may give you some momentary confusion if you have to compare it against the model of a counter clockwise Möbius strip.
Greeson, “Möbius Strip Puzzle,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,037 (1994) is actually a counter clockwise Möbius strip.
What is needed is a symmetrical three-twist object, with a different geometry from the Mobius strip, which is dynamic in its function and is a spinner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention, the Mamikon Spinner, is an object which is comprised of an elongated strip (whose proportions preferably exceed 6:1) of a thin, rigid or flexible material, whose one end is twisted three times and attached (e.g. sealed, glued, welded) to the other end, to form a symmetric “threefold”, three-dimensional shape. Mamikon's spinner is a unique, symmetric, triple twist strip, made by twisting a strip three times while simultaneously turning it in the same direction. The Mamikon spinner has threefold symmetry, a single surface and a single edge. It is three-dimensional and has a defined center axis about which the threefold symmetry is defined.
Geometrically, Mamikon's spinner is an “infinite” one-sided surface with an outside envelope or edge that is hexagonal in outline and triangular within an inside envelope or edge. It can be made in a left-sided or right-sided, mirror image.
The most important feature of this shape, for various applications, is its ability to spin under the slightest flow of fluid through it (e.g. air, water and other liquid or viscous media). The spinner, if left to fall, will spin in a certain direction keeping its plane of symmetry horizontal. The Mamikon spinner, moreover, has lifting or thrusting properties when rotated and, inversely works as a propeller.
To differentiate the Mamikon spinner from the traditional Mobius strip, notice that the Mobius strip is asymmetrical, cannot be made symmetrical, and thus can not spin. It will tumble or wobble when dropped from a height.
The manufacture of the Mamikon spinner does not follow from the Mobius strip. This is because one may twist a strip three times, then bring the ends together, and glue them; and this will result in an asymmetrical, curly object. While the curly object can be made symmetrical by turning it “inside out,” it is not readily apparent how this is to be done.
In other embodiments the Mamikon spinner is a two-twist, four-twist or more, symmetrical object. The spinner, when made with an odd number of twists, is a one-sided and one-edged surface, but the spinner with even number of twists is a two-sided and two-edged surface. This topologically confirms that the spinner cannot be considered topologically equivalent to a Mobius strip, which is one-sided only.
The spinner rotates easily around its axis of symmetry in response to the movement of slight air currents in the direction of its axis of symmetry when hung by its center, but is virtually unaffected by stronger airflows perpendicular to the axis of symmetry.
Its uses include educational activities, toys, garden hangers, ornamental mobiles, or attractive objects, lampshades, fans, pumps, propellers and windmills. It may also be used in artistic and design settings such as jewelry, art and architectural objects. Still further, it can be employed in tools such as grinders, drill heads, chain saws and the like.
Thus, in summary the features of the invention can be listed as in
Dawes Daniel L.
Hi-Q Products
Kwon John
Myers Dawes & Andras LLP
LandOfFree
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