Wind chime apparatus
US6833502B1 · kind B1 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 2003 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10K1/07
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A wind chime constructed according to the invention includes a rotating wind bell apparatus having a downwardly opening bell that is adapted to be suspended from a separate support structure. A bell-striking mechanism in the form of a striker is suspended movably from the bell in a position to strike the bell. A striker-moving mechanism in the form of an impeller connected to the striker causes the striker to move in response to a wind moving past the striker-moving mechanism and to strike the bell so that the bell produces a tone. A bell-rotating mechanism in the form of another impeller connected to the bell causes the bell to rotate in response to the wind moving past the bell-rotating mechanism in order to thereby vary the tone and produce tremolo or Doppler-like effects. In one embodiment, the bell-rotating mechanism includes a Savonius type impeller attached to the upwardly facing surface of a circularly shaped impeller base. Circularly shaped graphics are provided on the upwardly facing surface of the impeller base that combine with the S-shape of the impeller when viewed from above to simulate a Yin-Yang symbol.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.