An intriguing and educational display structure (1) appears to be spinning upon itself without any apparent drive mechanism, power supply or bearing. The structure comprises two concentric hollow spheres (3, 5) spaced apart by a transparent fluid (6). The outer sphere is totally transparent, immobile, and may rest on a tripod (2) or other type of support. The inner sphere may be partially transparent or translucent and carries over its surface, a design such as a map of the world (7). The inner sphere rotates within, and independently from, the first outer one. The internal, that is self-contained, drive mechanism uses either a conventional electrical motor (8) with its own field winding and commutator, or one made of a rotor comprising a cross-array of electromagnets (AC, BD) that interact with an ambient magnetic field such as the earth magnetic field. The power supply comes preferably from a photovoltaic collector (13) mounted within the inner sphere or from a receiver (27) of RF waves or other EM radiation.
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0. 38. A display device which comprises:
a container comprising light permeable walls;
a volume of light permeable liquid held by said container;
wherein said volume comprises two immiscible fluids of different densities;
an object held in and surrounded by said volume; and
a drive mechanism carried by said object causing movement of said object with respect to said container.
0. 36. An animated structure which comprises:
a rotating body;
a container holding said body, said container comprising at least one light permeable wall portion having an outer surface area and an inner surface area;
a light energized drive mechanism for rotating said body;
said body comprising an enclosure housing said drive mechanism;
said enclosure including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves energizing said drive mechanism and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
a volume of fluid between said enclosure and said inner surface area; and
said graphic portion moving between a source of said light waves and said drive mechanism;
wherein said body is supported exclusively by said volume of fluid.
0. 42. A display device which comprises:
a sealed container;
a light permeable liquid contained within said container;
a moveable first object surrounded by said liquid;
wherein said liquid includes:
a first fluid having a first density and a first index of refraction; and,
a second fluid immiscible with said first fluid;
said second fluid having a second density different from said first density and a second index of refraction different from said first index, wherein an optical distortion between said first and second fluids is not noticeable to an observer; and
wherein the respective volumes of said first fluid and said second fluid are adjusted to buoy said first object in absence of a mechanical link between said first object and the container.
0. 34. An animated structure which comprises:
a rotating body;
a container holding said body, said container comprising at least one light permeable wall portion having an outer surface area and an inner surface area;
a light energized drive mechanism for rotating said body;
said body comprising an enclosure housing said drive mechanism;
said enclosure including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves energizing said drive mechanism and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
a volume of fluid between said enclosure and said inner surface area; and
said graphic portion moving between a source of said light waves and said drive mechanism;
wherein said drive mechanism is an electric motor; and said motor is powered by a device selected from the group consisting of:
a battery;
a photovoltaic cell; and,
an antenna.
0. 1. A self powered, animated structure which comprises:
a container which comprises at least one transparent, arcuate wall portion having an outer surface area;
a body, within said container, having a first visible feature refractively and kinetically displayed on said outer surface area;
a drive mechanism for moving said body with respect to said container; and,
a battery powering said drive mechanism;
whereby, to a casual observer, said outer surface area appears to move with said body.
2. The structure of
a thin layer of fluid between said body and said wall portion, said fluid having an index of refraction larger that of air An animated structure which comprises:
a rotating body;
a container holding said body, said container comprising at least one light permeable wall portion having an outer surface area and an inner surface area;
a light energized drive mechanism for rotating said body;
said body comprising an enclosure housing said drive mechanism;
said enclosure including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves energizing said drive mechanism and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
a volume of fluid between said enclosure and said inner surface area;
said graphic portion moving between a source of said light waves and said drive mechanism;
said fluid having an index of refraction larger than that of air; and
said drive mechanism moving said body with respect to said container;
whereby, to a casual observer, said outer surface area appears to move with said body.
3. The structure of
a rotating body;
a container holding said body, said container comprising at least one light permeable wall portion having an outer surface area and an inner surface area;
a light energized drive mechanism for rotating said body;
said body comprising an enclosure housing said drive mechanism;
said enclosure including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves energizing said drive mechanism and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
a volume of fluid between said enclosure and said inner surface area; and
said graphic portion moving between a source of said light waves and said drive mechanism;
wherein a volume of said fluid is held within said container; and wherein said body is immersed in said fluid.
4. The structure of
5. The structure of
6. The structure of
a rotating body;
a container holding said body, said container comprising at least one light permeable wall portion having an outer surface area and an inner surface area;
a light energized drive mechanism for rotating said body;
said body comprising an enclosure housing said drive mechanism;
said enclosure including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves energizing said drive mechanism and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
a volume of fluid between said enclosure and said inner surface area; and
said graphic portion moving between a source of said light waves and said drive mechanism;
wherein said drive mechanism is biased by the direction of an ambient field of energy.
7. The structure of
an enclosure enclosure is substantially buoyantly supported by a volume of said fluid;
a directional bearing locator associated with said enclosure and responsive to said ambient field of energy; and
wherein said drive mechanism comprises means for moving said enclosure in reference to said locator and in response to energy from said battery a counter-torque-producing element anchored by said locator.
8. The structure of
9. The structure of
10. The structure of
11. The structure of
12. The structure of
13. The structure of
15. The structure of
a motor having a rotor and a stator, one of said rotor and stator being fixedly attached to said enclosure, and the other fixedly attached to said locator.
16. The structure of
18. The structure of
each of said sensors comprises an electromagnet which when enabled rotatably aligns itself with said magnetic field; and
said means for enabling comprise means for selectively applying a feeding current to said electromagnet.
19. The structure of
21. The structure of
22. The structure of
23. The structure of
24. The structure of
said ambient field of energy comprises light waves impinging upon said enclosure; and
said mechanism comprises:
at least two photosensors for producing control currents for said electromagnet;
each of said sensors having a photosensitive surface, wherein the photo-sensitive surface of each of said sensors lies within a different plane than the plane of the photosensitive surface of any other sensor.
25. The structure of
26. The structure of
at least one electromagnet generating a polarizing magnetic field; and
which further comprises at least one coil proximate to said means for detecting, and to energize said coil and create a corrective magnetic field opposite to said polarizing magnetic field.
27. The structure of
28. The structure of
a rotating body;
a container holding said body, said container comprising at least one light permeable wall portion having an outer surface area and an inner surface area;
a light energized drive mechanism for rotating said body;
said body comprising an enclosure housing said drive mechanism;
said enclosure including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves energizing said drive mechanism and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
a volume of fluid between said enclosure and said inner surface area;
said graphic portion moving between a source of said light waves and said drive mechanism; and
including a first and second visual feature, wherein said first and second visual features cooperatively move relative to each other.
29. The structure of
30. The structure of
a rotating body;
a container holding said body, said container comprising at least one light permeable wall portion having an outer surface area and an inner surface area;
a light energized drive mechanism for rotating said body;
said body comprising an enclosure housing said drive mechanism;
said enclosure including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves energizing said drive mechanism and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
a volume of fluid between said enclosure and said inner surface area; and
said graphic portion moving between a source of said light waves and said drive mechanism;
wherein said container is substantially bowl shaped comprising:
an external wall;
an internal wall spaced apart from said external wall;
a base integral with a lower section of said external wall;
a bottom spaced apart from said base and being integral with a lower section of said wall; and,
a top edge joining upper sections of said walls.
31. The structure of
32. The structure of
an external wall;
an internal wall spaced apart from said external wall;
a base integral with a lower section of said external wall;
a bottom spaced apart from said base and being integral with a lower section of said internal wall; and,
a top edge joining upper sections of said walls wherein said body is substantially bowl shaped and nested within said bowl shaped container.
0. 33. The structure of claim 6, wherein said field is substantially stationary.
0. 35. The structure of claim 34, wherein said cell is contained within said body.
0. 37. The structure of claim 7, wherein said directional bearing locator comprises a first permanent magnet.
0. 39. The device of claim 38, wherein said movement is rotational.
0. 40. The device of claim 38, wherein said drive mechanism comprises an electric motor, and a photovoltaic collector powered by light passing through said container and said liquid.
0. 41. The device of claim 38, which further comprises:
said light permeable walls comprising a portion having an outer surface area;
said object including a wall having a graphic portion translucently permeable to light waves and sufficiently diffused to conceal said drive mechanism;
said graphic portion being refractively and kinetically displayed on said outer surface area, whereby, to a casual observer, said outer surface area appears to move with said object.
0. 43. The device of claim 42, which further comprises
a drive mechanism carried by said object causing movement of said object with respect to said container, and wherein said drive mechanism comprises an electric motor, and a photovoltaic collector powered by light passing through said container and said liquid.
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This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/110,879 filed Apr. 16, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,283, which is a U.S. national entry of PCT/US00/28038 filed Oct. 11, 2000 which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/160,142 filed Oct. 18, 1999. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/110,879 is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/049,406, filed Feb. 6, 2002 which is a U.S. national entry of PCT/US00/26394, filed Sep. 26, 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/160,142 filed Oct. 18, 1999.
The instant invention relates to moving display devices, and more particularly to structures that are supported by, or otherwise in contact with, other objects, but appear to move on their own in spite of commonly held expectations about frictional drag between objects in contact.
Various types of novelty structures which move with either no apparent support, drive mechanism, or power input are often used as toys, decorative conversation pieces or advertising media. Various embodiments of such structures have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,593,444 Akrongold, 4,196,899 Patterson, 5,435,086 Huang, 5,435,086 Huang et al., 5,442,868 McDarren et al, 5,893,789 Li-Hsiung, Japanese Patents Nos. 10137451, 101431101, and 10171383, all by Hirose Mamoru, Japanese Patents Nos. 7210081,7219426, and 7239652 all to Takagi Hiroshi and German Patents Nos. DE 19706736 Fushoellier, DE3725723 Steinbrinck, and DE 41377175 Lang. The prior art embodiments generally include structural elements and operational modes that make it clear to a casual observer that the moving bodies of prior art displays simply move relative to a container substantially surrounding the body, or move relative to an object in contact with the body by means of a bearing.
The countertorque-producing mechanisms and their supports are very evident to an observer, and do not create any interest or appreciation of ambient energy fields.
The present invention results from an attempt to devise an intriguing and educational structure that includes elements that appear to be moving on their own, while in contact with other relatively stationary objects, in spite of common sense ideas about friction.
The principal and secondary objects of this invention are to provide the simplest and least power-demanding apparently moving structure that can operate for extremely long periods of time without any apparent driving mechanism, input of power, or support bearing, and that may be suitable for use as a toy, advertising medium, novelty, or robotic component of a remote space or underwater installation.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, these and other valuable objects are achieved by floating a sealed and hollow enclosure made of a transparent or translucent material within a volume of fluid held within a transparent sealed container of the same shape as the enclosure and mounted concentrically around it. The outer container is suspended or otherwise supported by a tripod or other like structure. The internal enclosure carries, over its surface, a graphic design such as a map of the world, and is made to spin upon itself independently from the outer container. Due to the transparency of the container and fluid, these components are not seen by the naked eye focused on the design covering the surface of the inner enclosure. Accordingly, the design appears to be spinning without any bearing contact with the external support structure. The internal drive mechanism is anchored, in other words, derives its spinning countertorque from a weight which orients itself in response to gravity. The drive mechanism can be a CONVENTIONAL motor with its own armature, field magnet and commutator, or can be constituted by a circular array of electromagnets acting as a rotor as they are selectively enabled by an electronic or mechanical commutator in co-reaction with, or biased by, either the earth's magnetic field, another man-made magnetic field, or the direction of ambient electromagnetic radiation or gravity.
Various commutating mechanisms for selectively and sequentially enabling the electromagnets are disclosed including a mechanical brush and commutator assembly, an optical shutter that masks specific photo cells dedicated to particular electromagnets, an assembly that senses the direction of light to commutate appropriately, and an electronic impulse distributor.
The drive mechanism is, in a general sense, a mechanism that creates relative force urging the motion of a body, such as the enclosure, relative to an element external to the body. Power for the drive mechanism can be provided by means external to the structure such as light incident on photovoltaic cells integral to the body, or by sources internal to the structure, such as batteries.
The preferred embodiment of the invention will be perceived as a replica of the planet earth floating in space and spinning forever in a stately way, autonomous, and guided by the interplay of solar energy, gravity and geomagnetic forces; a true icon for of a sustainable energy future for the earth.
The moving body can be an enclosure, preferably supported by buoyant forces, but may also be supported by any type of bearing, preferably disposed so that the bearing structure is not obvious to a casual observer. The buoyant forces may be provided by a liquid or a gas, including air.
In embodiments of the drive mechanism where a man-made external energy field whether photic or magnetic is used, rotation of the field may provide the spinning force applied to the enclosure.
The drive mechanism is preferably self-contained, that is, housed within the container, if not the enclosure.
Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in
The enclosure 3 is preferably translucent. In other words, it is permeable to light waves but can conceal the drive mechanism inside it so that it becomes invisible to a casual observer. The liquid 6 is also transparent and preferably comprises two immiscible fluids such a fluoro-carbon PFPE 5060 available from the 3-M Company of Minneapolis, Minn. and a hydrocarbon fluid, NORPAR 12, available from the EXXON Company of Houston, Tex. in a density ratio of 1.68 to 0.75 respectively. The higher density fluorocarbon fluid will normally occupy the lowermost part of the space between the enclosure and the container, and stabilize the floating structure. Any optical distortion caused by the different indexes of refraction of the fluids is least likely to be noticed in that region of the display. The fluids have been selected by reason of their immiscisbility, their low wetability, noncorrosivity, relative densities and coefficient of thermal expansion in relation to that of the acrylic material used in the fabrication of the two spheres. With this combination of liquids and the concentric arrangement of the sphere, any material expansion or constriction due to changes in temperature does not cause any risk of deformation or breakage.
Visual features 7 on the inner or outer surface of the enclosure 3 will appear to be on the outer surface of the container 5 with the proper choices of indexes of refraction and dimensions, according to well-known principles of optical refraction. This illusion works best if the container is free of visible features, but it can have a uniform tint that does not give a viewer a clue that it is not rotating. Alternatively, visual features can be printed on the container, or objects can be floated within the fluid to create other amusing optical effects.
As shown in
A multi-element photovoltaic collector 13 is mounted on the upper surface of an equatorial septum 14 fixedly connected to the enclosure 3. Light rays or waves L passing through the transparent container and liquid, and the translucent wall of the enclosure 3 impinge upon the collector 13. The resulting electrical current is fed to the motor 8 through a pair of conductors 15. Accordingly, to the naked eye, the structure appears like a sphere spinning upon itself without any apparent supply of power, drive mechanism, or support bearings. It should be noted that the structure can be activated by solar light or any kind of man-made illumination.
The first alternate embodiment 16 of the drive mechanism illustrated in
Each of the electromagnets is preferably constituted by low coercivity iron core rod and a wire bobbin A and C or B and D at either end.
Assuming that each control photosensor is generally pointing to the same radial direction as an electromagnet bobbin of same reference, the logic unit 19 performs the following function:
If Ca is the greatest, then enable BD.
If Cb is greatest, then enable AC.
If Cc is greatest, then enable DB.
If Cd is greatest, then enable CA.
Wherein CA, CB, CC and Cd represents the current flowing out of the a, b, c, and d control photosensors respectively, and BD indicates that the BD electromagnet is so polarized as to have its North Pole on the B bobbin side, DB indicates that the BD electromagnet has its North Pole on the D bobbin side, and AC and CA similarly indicate the polarization of the AC electromagnet. This logic can be readily implemented with a gating array or by means of a microprocessor. The phase relationship between the electromagnets and the photosensors can be modified and adjusted for optimal performance.
Instead of comparing the current outputs of the respective photosensors, the logic unit 19 may be designed to respond only to a current output exceeding a preset threshold level indicative of a substantial orthogonal orientation of the sensor in relation to the direction of the magnetic field.
In a variation of the above-described drive mechanism, the control photosensors a, b, c, and d are selected to be of photovoltaic type, large and powerful enough to provide the feeding current to the electromagnets in the absence of the horizontally mounted photovoltaic collectors 13. It should be noted that all of the bobbins will be energized all the time to some degree and that bobbins on opposite ends of a given magnet will tend to magnetize the rod in opposite directions. The net magnetization of a given rod will depend on which bobbin is receiving the greatest current, which depends on which of the two driving photocollectors is receiving the most light. The angular relationship between the photocollector array and the electromagnets can be set to respond to a given magnetic field direction and ambient light direction, to drive rotation essentially the same as was described in
The electromechanical device can consist of a single electromagnet and a single photosensor. In such a case, the spinning movement of the enclosure may have to be manually initiated.
In the second alternate embodiment 20 of the drive mechanism illustrated in
The ambient magnetic field along which the electromagnets seek to align themselves, may be the geomagnetic field or the field created by the locator magnet 21 if the latter is powerful enough to supplant the earth magnetic field.
As illustrated in
Reed switches, optical and solid state sensors such as Hall-effect sensors can be used to accomplish the commutating functions.
Reflectively mounted mirrors can be disposed on the shutter to increase the amount of light impinging upon the exposed sensor.
In lieu of, or in addition to, the large photovoltaic sensor 13, a radio frequency antenna 26 coupled to a receiver and rectifier unit 27 mounted against the under-surface of the septum 14 can be used to generate a feeding electrical current to the electromagnets. The radio frequency waves R can be generated by a remote transmitter not shown on the drawing.
It should be understood that when photovoltaic sensor-collectors are used to generate the energizing current fed to the electromagnets, there is no need for the electronic switching matrix 25.
In the third alternate embodiment 28 of the structure illustrated in
Current supplied to the motor 8 will cause the enclosure 28A to rotate about a vertical axis. The materials and dimensions of the container 50, fluid 6, intermediate shell 51, and lower hemispherical part 49 of the body, are predetermined to cause visible features or the lower hemispherical part 49 and intermediate shell 51 to be displayed on the outer surface of the container 50. Thus, a casual observer will see what appears to be a simple, continuous object rotating, with an essentially continuous pattern of visible features preferably over its whole surface. The ball will appear to rotate despite frictional forces the observer would expect to exist between the apparently rotating object and any mechanical contact between the outside of the container 50 and any external objects, such as support elements.
The intermediate hemisphere 51 is preferably not connected to any other elements. Thus, it will be driven to rotate by shear forces between its inside surface and the rotating surface of the lower hemispherical part 49. On the other hand, the rotation of the intermediate hemisphere 51 will be retarded by shear forces between its outer surface and the inner surface of the container 50. The net effect will be that the intermediate hemisphere 51 rotates at a different rate, slower than the rate of the enclosure 28A.
The intermediate hemisphere preferably has a visual feature 70A that is displayed on the outer surface of container 50. This can create a very intriguing visual effect in cooperation with a second visual feature on a relatively moving element such as the lower hemisphere 49 or container 50. For example, the lower hemisphere 49 could have the visual features of the earth, and the visual feature 70A could be translucent cloud patterns. Cloud patterns could also be added to the container 50, in which case the cloud patterns could be seen as not moving in spite of the relatively moving visual feature 70A displayed on the surface of container 50, and thereby suggesting the surface is moving. Moving Moire patterns could be displayed by relatively moving objects such as container 50, intermediate hemisphere 51, and lower hemisphere 49 having cooperating patterns of visual features. For example, container 50 could have a visual feature 50A, and the lower hemisphere 49 could have a visual feature 49A, designed to cooperate to produce a kinetic Moire display on the surface of container 50. Kinetic linticular optic images can be displayed on the surface of container 50, by means of a visual feature 50B, in this case a linticular lens pattern, preferably forming at least part of the outer surface of container 50, designed according to well known linticular optic principles, to cooperate with a preferably closely proximate moving internal body, such as intermediate hemisphere 51, having a visual feature 51B.
It is understood that the motor 8 could be virtually any kind of motor. For example, it could be a spring powered motor, wound up by means of a hole in the upper hemisphere 29 in a similar position to the battery holder 64. The position of the motor 8 and its shaft 54 could be inverted from that shown, and photovoltaic cells mounted on the container could provide the driving current. The motor could also be mounted on the intermediate hemisphere 51 driving relative rotation of either the container 50, or the lower hemisphere 49.
In the fourth alternate embodiment 65 of the structure illustrated in
In a fifth alternate embodiment 30 of the drive mechanism illustrated in
It should be understood that the directional bearing locator of the first embodiment of the drive mechanism could be used in connection with the second described embodiment and vice versa, and that the antenna and radio frequency wave receiver could be used in connection with any of the embodiments of the mechanical drive.
The below-described improvements to the various drive mechanisms are not essential to the operation of the preferred embodiment, yet they can advantageously enhance its performances.
In order to cancel any possible effect of the magnetic field generated by the electromagnets AC and BD upon the magnetic directional bearing locator used in some of the previously described versions of the drive mechanisms, a set of four bucking coils ac, bd, ca, and db can be mounted around the compass magnet 21 as illustrated in
The circuit illustrated in
The directional bearing locator and drive mechanism need not always be mounted inside the enclosure 3. As illustrated in
In the embodiment of the drive mechanism shown in
The enclosure 3 in
Instead of a cross-array of electromagnets, a single electromagnet may suffice to drive a particularly light enclosure. As illustrated in
As more specifically shown in
If the direction of the magnetic field is reversed, the polarity of the Hall Voltage will be inverted. Thus, the Hall Voltage can be applied to the bobbins A, B through an amplifier 42 to control their directional polarization.
If the sensor element 38 is perpendicular to the electromagnet as shown in
The container and enclosures may take a variety of shapes. Illustrated in
Photosensors a, b, c, d (the latter not shown on the cross-sectional view) are installed against or into the roof of the enclosure 44 in a cross-arrangement under the shutter pattern. The main photovoltaic collector 13 and electromagnet array AB and CD are essentially similar to those described in the embodiments of
A bowl shaped embodiment 66 of the structure is illustrated in
The bowl shaped enclosure 3 comprises wires 15 for delivering current from photovoltaic cells 13 to a motor 8 mounted within a cylindrical cavity 56. The bowl shaped enclosure 3 has a visible feature 70A shown on the top edge of bowl shaped enclosure 3, but it us understood that the enclosure 3 could have this visible feature at other positions.
The materials, shape and dimensions of the container 5, fluid 3, and bowl shaped enclosure 3 are chosen so that the bowl shaped enclosure 3 has at least one visible feature 70A that is displayed, kinetically that is, on the outer surface of container 5.
While structure 66 is the preferred embodiment for a bowl embodiment, it is understood that many similar embodiments fall within the scope of the instant invention. For example, the bowl shaped enclosure 3 need not be hollow as shown in
Objects 67 can be contained within the bowl shaped depression formed by the bottom 87 and the inside wall 88 of container 5.
A section of a sixth alternate embodiment 68 of the structure is illustrated in
Embodiment 68 is an example of an embodiment wherein contact with the arcuate wall area 88 can exist between area 88 and an external object that is stationary with respect to area 88, or can exist between area 88 and an object that is part of container 5, such as spherical part 87, which is not designed to kinetically display, on its surface, visual feature 70A.
The drive assembly 69 shown in
The structure 68 can be a section of a longer linear structure or a longer circular structure of the same form. In the case of a linear structure, motion of the tube will be linear, and can be periodically reversed or the motion can be rotational about the long axis of the body 70. In the case of a circular structure, motion will be circular and can be continuous or reciprocating. In either case, a casual observer will see the spherical parts as independent objects threaded by a moving tube part. The spherical parts could have other shapes such as cubic and still show the same effect and the cross sectional shape of the cylindrical part 88 and tube 70 could have other, preferably similar, cross sectional shapes. Various other drive mechanisms described herein could also be adapted to drive such bodies.
It is understood that light originating on a visible feature located anywhere along light ray L1, particularly inside container 5, can be seen as displayed on the outer surface of container 5 at position 81. Thus, a feature on the inside surface, within the wall, or on the outer surface of body 3, within the fluid 6, on the inside surface, within the wall, or on the outside surface of container 5, or on an intermediate shell, such as 51 of
A casual observer at position A will see visual feature 80 kinetically displayed on the surface of the container 5 at position 81 whenever the visual feature 80 is actually moving, and the observer at A will believe that visible feature 80 is actually on the surface of container 5 at position 81 and that the surface of the container 5 is actually moving at position 81. The observer at position A may also judge other positions, such as 83 of the outer surface of container 5, to be moving, depending on their proximity to position 81 and to similar, apparently moving areas. This illusion is particularly interesting if an apparently stationary object or visual feature is in contact with the outer surface of container 5 at positions judged to be moving.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, modifications can be made and other embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.
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