GB2186108A

GB2186108A - A wind-bell

Info

Publication number: GB2186108A
Application number: GB08602129A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Li Shen Chang
Original assignee: SINO WOOD INTERNATIONAL CORP
Current assignee: SINO WOOD INTERNATIONAL CORP
Priority date: 1986-01-29
Filing date: 1986-01-29
Publication date: 1987-08-05
Also published as: GB8602129D0

Abstract

A wind-bell 10 includes a supporting member 11 and a cluster of pendant members 17, 18 tied together in such a way that they tinkle when blown by the wind. An electric circuit means 13 producing flashing lights and/or an audible sound eg music in accordance with an input signal to the electric circuit is contained in a chamber 12 of the support member 11. The electric circuit includes a switch means 14 which is actuated either by movement of the supporting member 11 or by an input sound signal which may be the tinkle of the pendant 19 members or a clap or whistle. A plurality of light emitting diodes 20 may be arranged in the members 17 and connected to circuit means 13 through conducting wire 22 which can also act as supporting string for the pendant members 17. The switch means may be a mercury level switch or a rolling switch. The pendant members may be coated with a layer of reflectorized paint. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A wind-bell The present invention relates to a wind-bell, particularly concerning a wind-bell which is provided with an electric circuit device controlled by a specially arranged switch for producing flashing lights and predetermined music.

Many known wind-bells are provided with a cluster of suspended elements which are made of metal or glass, and which are light enough and are tied loosely together in such a way that they tinkle and produce a pleasant sound when blown by the wind.

Although many improvements and designs are being made on wind-bells today, all of these improvements are being made to their structures particularly by designing them with gorgeous, suspended, ornamental elements.

Such conventional wind-bells have the disadvantage that the pleasant sound of the windbell is made only when it is blown by a suitable wind, and the ornamental elements may lack interest and easily be go unnoticed at night.

The present invention attempts to make improvements on the prior design, introducing a wind-bell with an electric circuit device and control switch, which are capable of producing a predetermined store of music and flashing lights. In practical use, this makes this windbell more attractive and useful than existing wind-bells.

The general object of the invention is to provide a wind-bell which is simple in construction and more attractive.

An object of the invention is to provide a wind-bell which includes an electric circuit having an IC chip, a control switch, a buzzer and a plurality of LED (Light Emitting Diodes) that can produce audible music and flashing lights.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wind-bell which includes means for flashing lights according to a predetermined frequency that permits all of the LED in the pendant members of the wind-bell to be flashed on and attract attention especially at night.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wind-bell which includes means for producing audible sound in the form of a predetermined store of pleasant music even when the wind-bell is not blown by wind. Such music is produced separately from the tinkle sounds of the pendant members.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wind-bell which includes a layer of reflectorized paint on its pendant members which reflect the flashing lights of the LED and show a varielt of colors to make the wind-bell more attractive to people.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wind-bell, the suspending strings of the pendant members of which are made of wire and are also used as conducting wires for transfering the current to the LED in order to simplify the construction of the wind-bell.

In order to achieve the aforesaid objects as well as other incidental objects and advantages, the invention includes a supporting member having a chamber and a hanging means on such supporting member for hanging on a hook, a plurality of pendant members suspended from the supporting member and an electric circuit means for producing flashing lights and audible music provided in such chamber.

The electric circuit means may be in an arrangement such that the circuit includes a frequency osscilating IC chip, a control switch consisting of a mercury lever switch or rolling switch in the chamber of the supporting member and a plurality of LED which are arranged in the pendant members. The mercury lever switch can be automatically switched on by the movement of the supporting member as the pendant members and the supporting member are swung by the wind resulting in the LED being actuated to flash on and off according to a predetermined frequency.

The electric circuit may be in another arrangement such that the circuit includes an IC chip which stores predetermined music, a sound control switch and a buzzer so that the audiable prestored music will begin if the user claps or whistles in order to actuate the audio control switch when there is no wind.

These and other advantages, objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment designed according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an electric circuit of Fig. 1 including a buzzer and a plurality of LED according to the present invention; and Figure 3 is an electric circuit of another preferred embodiment including means for actuating the LED to turn on and off according to the movement of the supporting member.

The following is a detailed description of the best presently contemplated embodiment of the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made mereiy for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 in conjunction with Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the invention is a wind-bell 10 including a supporting member 11 which has a chamber 12 with an electric circuit device 13 in the chamber 12, and a hanging means 121 adapted to hang the wind-bell 10 td any hook, a plurality of pendant members such as bells 17, birds 18 or other ornamental elements which are made of metal or glass and suspended from the supporting member 11 by a string member 19.

The electric circuit means 13 includes a control switch 14, a buzzer 15 and an IC 16 for producing audible sound and flashing lights. A plurality of LED 20 (Light Emitting Diodes) are arranged in the bells 17 and connected to the electric circuit 13 through a conducting wire 21. A wire 22 which is used as both a suspending string and a conducting wire can be substituted for the arrangement of the suspending string 19 and the conducting wire 21.

The electric circuit means 13 may be in an arrangement such that both the means for producing audible sound and the means for producing flashing lights are actuated simultaneously by the IC 16 as shown in Fig. 2, or the electric circuit in an arrangement such that the means for producing audible sound and the means for producing the flashing lights are actuated separately as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a preferred embodiment of the invention which shows an electric circuit means for producing flashing lights and audible music in accordance with an input signal sound. The electric circuit includes an IC chip 16 which stores some predetermined music, a plurality of LED 20, a buzzer 15, an audio control switch 14 and a 3V (volt) battery. The IC chip 16 is supplied by the 3V battery through a VSS pin and the switch 14 is connected to the OSH (one short) pin of the IC chip 16.

(i.e., the switch 14 may switch on for a predetermined set time interval if it is actuated by an input signal.) When blown by the wind, the wind-bell 10 will make a pleasant sound because of the tinkling of its cluster of glass or metal pendant members composed of the bells 17 and the birds 18. If there is no wind, the user can clap or whistle to cause the audio control switch 14 to switch on. As the switch 14 is switched on, the current from the 3V battery passes through the electric circuit 13 thus actuating the buzzer 15 to produce a predetermined store of music for a predetermined interval of time. The LED 20 also may flash on simultaneously for the same interval of time.

In practical use, the LED 20 can be deleted from the circuit 13 (i.e., by disconnecting the wire 22 from the circuit 13), if only the music is desired when the switch 14 is switched on.

The electric circuit 13 can be arranged in another way for another preferred embodiment as shown in Fig. 3, if only the means for flashing lights is desired. The electric circuit includes a plurality of LED 20, a frequency osscilating IC chip 17 which has two osscilating circuit pins OSC1, OSC2 and OSH (one short) pin, and a control switch 141 connected to the OSH pin. The LED 20 can be flashed on at a different frequency for a predetermined interval if the IC chip 17 is actuated when the switch 141 is switched on. As the switch 141 is a mercury lever switch or a rolling switch, the switch 141 may be switched on and the LED 20 actuated to flash on and off by the movement of the supporting member.

In addition, the ornamental members 17, -18 are provided with a layer of reflectorized paint having a high reflective coefficient, which is painted on them so that the wind-bell 10 will show more colors and sparkle with the brightness of the flashing lights to make more attractive at night.

While this invention has been described with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures.

Claims

1. A wind-bell comprising: a supporting member; a plurality of pendant members suspended from said supporting member; and an electric circuit means for producing flashing lights including means for emitting light and a switch means for controlling said emitting light to flash on and off when said switch means is actuated by the movement of said supporting members.

2. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said electric circuit means includes means for producing light at different predetermined frequencys for a predetermined set time interval.

3. A wind-bell as claimed in Claimed 1, wherein said emitting light means are a plurality of LED (Light Emitting Diodes).

4. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said switch means is a mercury level switch.

5. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said switch means is a rolling switch.

6. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 1, in which said light emitting means are arranged in said pendant members and which includes a suspending wire, wherein said wire is suspended from said supporting member and one of its ends connected to said electric circuit and the other end connected to said light emitting devices.

7. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said pendant members further include a layer of reflectorized paint having a high reflective coefficient, painted on said pendant members.

8. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said supporting member further includes a chamber and said electric circuit means is provided in said chamber.

9. A wind-bell comprising: a supporting member; a plurality of pendant members suspended from said supporting member; an electric circuit means for producing audible sounds in accordance with an input sound signal, which circuit has a switch means and a sound unit, wherein said audible sound will come out through said sound unit when said electric circuit is actuated by said input sound signal actuating said switch means.

10. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said electric circuit means includes means for producing said audible sound for a predetermined set time interval when said switch means is actuated by said input sound signal.

11. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said sound unit a buzzer.

12. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said switch means is an audio control switch which may be switched on by said input sound signal which is a clap.

13. A wind-bell as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said switch means may be switched on by said input sound signal which is a whistle.

14. A wind-bell comprising: a supporting member; a plurality of pendant members suspended from said supporting member; and an electric circuit means for producing flashing lights and audible sounds in accordance with an input signal sound, which electric circuit means includes an audio control switch, a buzzar and a plurality of means for emitting light, wherein said emitting light means can be flashed on and said buzzer can produce said audible sound of music for a predetermined set time interval when said electric circuit is actuated as said audio control switch is switch on by said input signal sound.

15. A wind-bell as substantially described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings.