Patent Application
20240290304
The present disclosure generally relates to a wind chime. More specifically, the present disclosure relates a wind chime that transmits output signals to a remote location such that the output signals can be played as audible and/or visual representations of the contact between a striker and chime tubes of the wind chime.
The present disclosure relates to a wind chime that generates sound and/or visual images at a location remote from the wind chime. Decorative wind chimes are used in landscaping arrangements for producing chiming sounds based upon the influence of wind. However, current wind chimes are configured such that the chiming sounds are produced at any time of day, and only in an area surrounding the wind chime. The present inventors created an improved wind chime which can be silenced during period of time when chiming sounds are not desirable, such as during sleeping hours or during times when noise is undesirable. Additionally, the improved wind chime includes means for producing audio output at customizable locations using external sound systems.
The present disclosure describes a wind chime comprising a plurality of individual chime tubes suspended below a base, and a striker suspended below the base. The wind chime tubes are positioned and configured such that the striker is movable into contact with the wind chime tubes under influence of the wind. The wind chime tubes are formed of a non-resonating material such that the wind chime tubes do not produce sound when coming into contact with the striker. The wind chime further includes an accelerometer positioned within each of the chime tubes and operable to generate an accelerometer signal upon contact between the striker and the chime tube. A chime control unit is included which is in communication with each of the accelerometers to receive the accelerometer signals and convert the accelerometer signals to a tone signal. The chime control unit is configured to wirelessly transmit the accelerometer signals or the tone signals, or both, to a receiving station. The receiving station is located remotely from the chime control unit and is operable to receive the accelerometer signals and convert the accelerometer signals to a tone signal based upon user selected operational settings. In other embodiments, the receiving station receives tone signals from the chime control unit. The wind chime includes a playback device operable to audibly transmit the tone signals.
In certain embodiments, the chime control unit is configured to receive an output signal from the accelerometer and transmit the output signal to the receiving station. The receiving station is configured to receive and translate the output signal into a command signal. The receiving station is further configured to transmit the command signal to an output device, which is configured to receive the command signal and create an output based upon the command signal. The output could be an audible output, a visual output, or both.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the disclosure. In the drawings:
The wind chime tubes 14 are formed from a non-resonating material such that the non-resonating material minimizes the sound of impact between the striker 16 and the wind chime tubes 14. As an example, the wind chime tubes 14 could be formed from a molded nylon or plastic, although other materials are contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure.
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wind chime 10 further includes an LED strip 30 positioned within or on each of the wind chime tubes 14. The LED strip 30 includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes 32, which are connected in series and extend through the wind chime tube 14. In an embodiment in which the LED strip 30 is located within the cylindrical open interior of the wind chime tube 14, the wind chime tube 14 would be formed from a transparent or translucent material such that the light generated by the LED strip 30 would be visible through the wind chime tube 14.
In the embodiment shown in
The present inventors recognized a need and desire for a wind chime unit which utilizes the interactions between the striker and the wind chime tubes to produce audible output at a remote location and/or visual output at the wind chime 10 for decorative, landscaping arrangements while reducing or eliminating the audible output at the wind chime 10. The present disclosure provides a wind chime apparatus which outputs accelerometer readings generated by interactions between the wind chime tubes and the striker to a control system, which converts the accelerometer readings to audible and/or visual commands based upon user-selected parameters.
Referring to
Referring to
Upon receipt of the acceleration signals, the receiver 26 is then configured to transmit the output values to the synthesizer 40, which generates audio output which is then transmitted via the speaker 42. The output values sent to the synthesizer 40 can include different sounds for each wind chime tube 14, different sounds for the magnitude of the acceleration signals, different sounds based on the sequence of acceleration signals from the plurality of wind chime tubes 14 or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the receiver 26 is configured to receive and translate the output values from the chime control unit 22 into commands which are then transmitted to the synthesizer 40.
Referring to
As an illustrative example, the user can adjust the power settings to allow the user to select ON, OFF, or TIMED, which automatically sets the power setting to OFF after a set duration of time. This setting allows the user to determine when the wind chime 10 will be operating and generating sound and/or audible outputs. In this manner, the user can turn off the wind chime 10 at night or in the early mornings, unlike a conventional wind chime that generates sound whenever wind is present. The output parameters selected by the user determine how the acceleration signal is converted to a tone signal, which can be customized according to tone, amplitude, and tone duration. The output parameters selected by the user also determine how the acceleration signal is converted to an LED color pattern array, which can be customized according to brightness, color, and lighting duration.
In use, the striker 14 is actuated by wind currents such that the striker 16 strikes the wind chime tubes 14 at step 101. When the striker 16 contacts the wind chime tubes 14, the accelerometer associated with the wind chime tube 14 converts the impact force of the striker 16 on the wind chime tube 14 into an acceleration signal at step 102. The accelerometer 24 outputs the acceleration signal to the control unit 22 along the communication line 43 shown in
Upon receiving the acceleration signal, at step 104, the chime control unit 22 generates the LED color pattern array determined by the user-selected output parameters. As described previously, the user can select various parameters of the LED color pattern, such as the color of the LEDs, the frequency of operation of the LEDs, the order the LEDs are activated, the pattern created by the LED activation or a variety of other parameter. The LED color pattern array is output to the LED strips 32 at step 105. Each individual light-emitting diode 34 of each LED strip 32 receives and is activated according to the LED color pattern array at step 106.
Additionally, upon receiving the acceleration signal, at step 107 the chime control unit 22 converts the acceleration signal to a tone signal according to the user-selected output parameters. The output parameters selected by the user can include a wide variety of sound variable, such as but not limited to volume, pitch, tone, duration of sound, type of instrument or any other parameter that is desirable to the user. Further, each of the individual wind chime tubes 14 could have its own sound, pitch duration or any other parameter. Such selection would replicate wind chime tubes having different lengths or sizes to create different sounds upon being struck by the striker 16.
If the method determines in step 112 that the wind chime is on, the chime control unit 22 wirelessly transmits the tone signal to the receiving station 26 at step 108. At step 109, the receiving station 26 outputs the tone signal to a digital instrument synthesizer 40, which is configured to generate notes having the user selected tone, duration and amplitude via a playback device. As described in
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
