Multi-stable mechanical device employing compacted rods or disks
US5924692A · kind A · utility
6Cited by
6References
2Claims
0Family size
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 20, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63F2250/124
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
This invention is a multi-stable mechanical device. It is a bundle of rods surrounded by elastic, which when manipulated can be made to change from one stable close-packed state to another, causing a sudden rearrangement of the rods within the bundle, and producing a snapping noise or click which can be heard and felt with the fingers, and interesting visual effects due to the rearrangement of the rods. Possible applications of this invention are amusement devices, puzzles, science education, toys, executive pacifiers, hand exercisers, and physics and materials science demonstrations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.