Patent Grant
9097316
This invention relates generally to positioning flexible members in space and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for moving individual or multiple flexible members in space in unique new ways to produce kinetic imagery.
From almost the inception of kinetic art, people have been interested in moving objects in space and time in order to create visual effects. For centuries, this art form relied on human/solar/wind/magnetic powered motion. For most of the twentieth century it has been limited primarily to single speed art pieces and objects rather than flexible members. While more complex kinetic art became possible when transmissions could be used to vary speed, still kinetic art pieces have been limited to objects (rather than flexible members) moved at a discreet small number of speeds.
Embodiments of this invention comprise systems for producing kinetic imagery using pulleys and/or linear actuators to raise and lower curves formed by individual or multiple ropes, strings, cables, bands, tubes, or other flexible members hanging as catenaries. The term “catenaries” refers here to downwardly extending curves formed by flexible members suspended from their endpoints. The downwardly extending curves will have continuously changing bottom-most points which are referred to here as “curve bottoms.”
Embodiments relate to apparatus and methods for continuously varying the distance between curve bottoms of the catenaries, for varying the lengths of the catenaries, and for lengthening and shortening the distances between the endpoints of the catenaries. This can be accomplished in accordance with embodiments with a controller operated motor/pulley system, a controller operated motor/linear actuator system or combinations of the two. The motor may be a stepper motor or a servo motor. Other embodiments drive and preferably synchronize the movement of multiple catenaries (and their curve bottoms) by tracking the instantaneous positions of the pulleys and/or actuators or their drive motors and precisely controlling their speed and direction to synchronize the movement of the multiple catenaries.
In order to aid in understanding the invention, it will now be described in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerical designations will be given to like features with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
The embodiments of the invention described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise structures and operations disclosed. Rather, the described embodiments have been chosen to explain the principles of the invention and its application, operation and use in order to best enable others skilled in the art to follow its teachings.
Referring to
In one embodiment, endpoint 16 of the catenary may be fixed in space at a predetermined location 24 spaced from endpoint 14. In other words, drive mechanism 26 would not be present in this embodiment). Also, in this embodiment, the catenary may be braided PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sleeving, which is currently preferred because of its light weight and compressibility. The catenaries used in this and other embodiments, however, may be any flexible member including, for example, ropes, strings, yarn, cables, bands, chains, beaded strings, belts or tubes. Also, the catenaries may be made of any material and in any dimension which will enable them to hang down and flex in response to operation of the one or more drive mechanisms described below.
Catenary 12 may be observed hanging down from drive mechanism 18 in the front elevation view of
While the figures show flexible members hanging from two points fixed at 24 (and rotatably attached to reel 20) that are on the same horizontal level, in alternative embodiments these points need not be on the same horizontal level and they need not be fixed. Thus, the endpoints of the catenary may be supported at the same height or in line with each other or they may be supported at different heights. Alternatively, the respective levels of the catenary endpoints will change the catenary shapes possible in accordance with other embodiments.
In an alternate embodiment, a drive mechanism 26 in the form of a stepper motor driven linear actuator 30 may be used in lieu of motor driven pulley wheel 20 at either catenary endpoint. In this embodiment, the linear actuator will move horizontally back and forth causing catenary curve bottom 28 to be continuously raised and lowered, again as illustrated in
When a linear actuator is used it may comprise two tensioning pulleys holding a V-belt. One of the tensioning pulleys may be free-spinning while the other is attached to a second controllable stepper motor. By turning the stepper motor in one direction, the V-belt turns, moving the attached catenary away from the V-belt motor and toward the pulley motor, narrowing the catenary. Reversing the stepper motor brings the catenary back towards the motor, widening the catenary.
The controllable motors ensure that the V-belt and pulley never run past their end of travel locations. While the linear actuator in this embodiment is a V-belt setup, any subsystem that produces controllable linear motion will work. For example, a leadscrew drive or a linear motor may be used.
In yet another embodiment, two drive mechanisms may be used, attached respectively at endpoints 14 and 16. These drive mechanisms may comprise, for example, a pulley wheel/stepper motor combination at both ends, a stepper motor driven linear actuator at both ends, or a pulley wheel/stepper motor at one end and a stepper motor/linear actuator at the other. In these embodiments, the two drive mechanisms may be operated simultaneously or sequentially to control the movement of the catenary.
In yet another embodiment, a hybrid drive mechanism in the form of a motor driven pulley 20 mounted on a linear actuator may be used. When such a hybrid drive mechanism is used one end of the catenary will be attached to the reel and the other end fixed in space. In this embodiment, the linear actuator will move the pulley wheel back and forth while the pulley wheel itself continues to reel and unreel the catenary.
A multiple catenary embodiment is illustrated in
Finally,
It should be understood that when reference is made to motors, pulleys, and linear actuators that they are computer controlled. One example of a stepper motor that may be used is a Schenider Electric MDrive Stepper motor systems which is described at http://motion.schneiderelectric.com/products/mdrive_motor_driver.html. Also, any of the stepper motors referenced above may be replaced by servo motors.
Stepper motors are currently preferred because they convert electrical energy into precise mechanical motion. They are called “stepper” motors because they rotate a specific incremental distance per step. The number of steps that are executed controls the degree of rotation of the motor's shaft. The stepper motor controller accurately controls how far and how fast the stepper motor will rotate since the number of steps that the motor executes is equal to the number of pulse commands given by the controller. The stepper motor therefore will rotate a distance and at a rate that is proportional to the number and frequency of these pulse commands. By altering the frequency of the pulse train, the pulse generator instructs the stepper motor to accelerate, run at a certain speed, decelerate, or stop.
While the above disclosure demonstrates selected embodiments of the system, those skilled in the art will understand there are many parameters of the apparatus that can be changed while remaining within the spirit of the disclosure. In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the present discussion may be applied, it should be recognized that the embodiments described herein with respect to the figures are meant to be illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the claims. Therefore, apparatus as described herein contemplate all such embodiments as may come within the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.
The control unit referenced herein may include a processor, a memory for storing program data to be executed by the processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communications port for handling communications with external devices, and user interface devices, including a display, touch panel, keys, buttons, etc. When software is involved, the software may be stored as program instructions or computer readable code executable by the processor on a non-transitory computer-readable media such as magnetic storage media (e.g., magnetic tapes, hard disks, floppy disks), optical recording media (e.g., CD-ROMs, Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs), etc.), and solid state memory (e.g., random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static random-access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, thumb drives, etc.). The computer readable recording media may also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. This computer readable recording media may be read by the computer, stored in the memory, and executed by the processor.
The disclosed embodiments may be described in terms of various processing steps which may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform as described. For example, the disclosed embodiments may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, where the elements of the disclosed embodiments are implemented using software programming or software elements, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C, C++, JAVA®, assembler, or the like, with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or other programming elements. Functional aspects may be implemented in algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, the disclosed embodiments may employ any number of conventional techniques for electronics configuration, signal processing and/or control, data processing and the like. Finally, the steps of all methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
For the sake of brevity, conventional electronics, control systems, software development and other functional aspects of the systems (and components of the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, where connecting lines are shown, the lines are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. The words “mechanism”, “element”, “unit”, “structure”, “means”, “device”, “controller”, and “construction” are used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physical embodiments, but may include software routines in conjunction with processors, etc.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the embodiments of the invention are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illustrate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. Finally, it should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/755,728, filed Jan. 23, 2013.
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|---|---|---|---|
| 5766700 | Borcherds | Jun 1998 | A |
| 6006476 | Zarnick | Dec 1999 | A |
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| 20100252207 | Westgarth | Oct 2010 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61755728 | Jan 2013 | US |
