Claims
- 1. An image generating apparatus, comprising:
a pigment sheet having an array of translucent pigment clusters, each said pigment cluster being formed of a plurality of pigment regions, each said pigment region containing an individual pigment differing in radiated color from that of a pigment in another said pigment region within the pigment cluster; an image display board perforated by an array of light transmission member wells and positioned above said pigment sheet such that said member wells are located over and substantially register with a corresponding said pigment cluster; a plurality of translucent light transmission members, each light transmission member being mounted within one of said member wells such that each said light transmission member is movable within its corresponding said member well relative to said pigment sheet to any one of various light transmission member positions to selectively receive a selected radiated color from one of said pigment regions; and at least one artificial light source mounted below said pigment sheet; such that light of a certain color frequency is transmitted into each said light transmission member corresponding in color to the particular said pigment region immediately adjacent to the particular said light transmission member.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each said light transmission member comprises a member side wall and a light pipe in the form of a light transmitting rod having a member light receiving end directed toward said pigment sheet and having a member light radiating end directed upwardly from said display board, for manual pivoting to orient the light transmission member within its member well; said light receiving end and said light radiating end being separated by a lateral irregularity in said member side wall defining a member bearing surface;
and wherein each said member well additionally comprises a tubular well side wall extending through said display board within an annular lateral irregularity defining a well bearing surface within which said member bearing surface is pivotably mounted and retained.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pigment clusters comprise translucent pigment material.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said pigment sheet has a sheet top surface and a sheet bottom surface and is transparent and wherein said pigment material is applied to the sheet bottom surface such that contact between said sheet top surface and said light transmission members does not abrade said pigment material.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said pigment regions forming each said pigment cluster are arranged in radially divided segments arrayed around a center point.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said pigment regions within each said pigment cluster are discrete and sharply divided along radial lines.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said pigment regions blur over and into each other at edges of said pigment regions adjacent an edge of another said pigment region.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the portions of said pigment sheet directly above said pigment clusters are each shaped as a concave and substantially spherical segment arching downwardly away from said light transmission member, and having a curvature substantially matching the pivot arch of the light receiving end of the corresponding said light transmission member, such that said light receiving end remains a substantially fixed distance from the corresponding said pigment cluster and the given said light transmission member pivots with minimal friction resistance.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said member light receiving ends are one of: convex and planar to gather as much light as possible through a given said pigment region.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a mounting panel is secured behind and bears against said pigment sheet to cause the pigment sheet to retain its shape;
and wherein said mounting panel is substantially rigid and planar, and has concave radial depressions positioned and sized to correspond to and receive said concave and semi-spherical segments and said pigment clusters.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said pigment sheet is planar, and said member light receiving ends each rest and ride on said pigment sheet, and wherein each said member light receiving end tapers to a tip of reduced diameter relative to the remainder of the given said light transmission member, to be unstable when resting in a vertical position on said pigment sheet.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a mounting panel is secured behind and bears against said pigment sheet to cause said pigment sheet to retain its shape, and wherein said mounting panel is substantially rigid and planar; and wherein said mounting panel is secured behind and bears against said pigment sheet to cause said pigment sheet to retain a planar shape.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein pigment regions of the same colors are provided in each said pigment cluster, and the pigment regions for each given color are oriented in the same direction within every pigment cluster for cluster uniformity.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each said light receiving end is longer and therefore heavier than each said light radiating end such that tilting said apparatus causes gravity to tilt said light transmission members into a desired orientation over a selected pigment region.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said pigment regions within each said pigment cluster are arranged to produce a specific image when said light transmission members are all oriented in a first direction.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said pigment regions within each said pigment cluster are arranged to produce a specific second image when said light transmission members are all oriented in a second direction.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said member bearing surfaces each comprise a lateral channel, and wherein said well bearing surfaces each comprise a lateral well flange extending into said lateral channel of a corresponding said light transmission member.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said member bearing surfaces each comprise a pair of spaced apart lateral member flanges, and wherein said well bearing surfaces each comprise a lateral well flange extending between said lateral member flanges.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 5, additionally comprising a member positioning sheet for centering each said member light receiving end over any selected said pigment region, said member positioning sheet being secured between said pigment sheet and said display board and having a cut-out member positioning port over corresponding said pigment clusters, each said positioning port being shaped to define a circumferential series of member capture points into which a member light receiving end can seat, the number of said capture points in each said positioning port matching the number of said pigment regions in each said pigment cluster and wherein each said capture point is positioned relative to a corresponding said pigment region such that one of said light receiving ends seated within a given said capture point is substantially centered over a corresponding said pigment region.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each said capture point is one of: a corner of a positioning port and a lateral notch in a positioning port.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 5, additionally comprising a member light radiating end moving tool for sweeping over and thereby tilting a plurality of said member light receiving ends in a selected direction, said moving tool comprising a tool gripping portion and a member light radiating end contact portion.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said member light radiating end contact portion comprises a series of laterally spaced apart teeth.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said member light radiating end contact portion comprises a semi-spherical deformable and resilient pad.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said member light radiating end contact portion comprises a member tip.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising an apparatus housing containing said light source and having a housing side wall and a housing bottom wall with a housing bottom wall upper face, and glow in the dark paint on said housing bottom wall upper face.
FILING HISTORY
[0001] This application continues from provisional patent application No. 60/316,595 filed on Aug. 31, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60316595 |
Aug 2001 |
US |