GB2383976A

GB2383976A - A loosely jointed multi-element hanging ornament

Info

Publication number: GB2383976A
Application number: GB0130076A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ivan Black
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-12-15
Filing date: 2001-12-15
Publication date: 2003-07-16
Also published as: GB0130076D0

Abstract

The ornament comprises a first decorative portion 4,32 and at least one further decorative portion 6,34. The first decorative portion is adapted to be suspended from a hanging means 26 and to support a further decorative portion, and each further decorative portion is adapted to be suspended from a first or further decorative portion and to support a further decorative portion. Each decorative portion is comprised of a lateral element and at least one suspension means 10 and at least one support means 12, said suspension and support means being so configured that when a support means is engaged with a suspension means of a different decorative portion a loose joint is formed. The suspension and support means 10,12 may include hooks or loops.

Description

Hanqinq Ornaments This application relates to hanging ornaments.

According to the present invention there is provided a hanging ornament comprising a first decorative portion and at least one further decorative portion. The first decorative portion is adapted to be suspended from a hanging means and to support a further decorative portion, each further decorative portion is adapted to be suspended from a first or further decorative portion and to support a further decorative portion. Each decorative portion is comprised of a lateral element having at least one suspension means and at least one support means, said suspension and support means being so configured that when a support means is engaged with a suspension means of a different decorative portion a loose joint is formed.

A hanging ornament of the present invention is most preferably configured so that it is formed of a first decorative portion and a number of further decorative portions. The first decorative portion is adapted to be suspended from a hanging means, such as a rigid hook, a flexible hanging means such as a loop of flexible cable or wire or other thread-like material, or a single strand of cable, wire or other thread-like material below which a hanging means may depend. The suspension means of the first decorative portion that is adapted to permit the decorative portion to be suspended from the hanging means may either be adapted to suit a particular configuration of

hanging means, or may be of the same configuration as the suspension means of a further decorative portion.

Each further decorative portion of the present invention is provided with a support means and a suspension means. The support means is most preferably adapted to engage with a suspension means of either a first decorative portion or, the support means of a further decorative portion. Likewise, each further decorative portion is provided with a suspension means adapted to engage with a support means of a further decorative portion. In one embodiment, the lowermost decorative portion of a hanging ornament according to the present invention has a suspension means that engages with a ballast weight rather than a further further decorative portion. It is most preferred that the support means suitable for engaging with a ballast means and suitable for engaging with a further further decorative means are the same.

In an alternative embodiment, the lowermost decorative portion is a final decorative portion. The final decorative portion is provided with a suspension means, but not a support means. The use of a final decorative portion can enhance the aesthetic appearance of the ornament of the present invention. Reference to a general decorative portion hereafter generally does not include reference to a final decorative portion.

It is particularly preferred that the suspension and support means of each decorative portion are so adapted and

configured that when the ornament of the present invention is freely hanging from a hanging means, the point of engagement between the suspension and support means of adjacent decorative portions engage, or touch, at a predetermined position along or on the support and suspension means. Most preferably said predetermined position is achieved by causing the suspension and support means to be so configured as to include a notch, groove or other concave indentation so positioned that, when the ornament is freely hanging and at rest, the suspension and support means of two adjacent decorative portions naturally engage in the notch, groove or concave indentation of each means. The notch, groove or indentation are most preferably of sufficient dimension that engagement between the adjacent support and suspension means forms a loose joint which permits a support or suspension means to move and/or rotate relatively freely relative to the suspension or support means with which it is engaged.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ornament is so configured that when it is suspended from a hanging means and hanging freely, each decorative portion hangs substantially vertically below the decorative portion from which it is suspended. This is preferably achieved by way of configuring the decorative portion so that an axis joining the predetermined points of engagement on the suspension and support means for a decorative portion substantially coincides, at some point along that axis, with the centre of gravity of that decorative portion. This causes the ornament of the present invention to be

most aesthetically pleasing.

The ornament of the present invention is preferably configured and adapted so that each decorative portion may rotate relative to the adjacent decorative portions with which it is engaged. The rotation is prfereably about the axis between the points of engagement between the support means and suspension means of that decorative portion and the respective suspension means and support means of the adjacent decorative portions. Such rotation is achieved when one or more decorative portions are angularly rotated (in the horizontal plane) from their rest positions and then released.

The angular rotation of one or more decorative portions out of their rest positions introduces kinetic and/or potential energy into the ornament. The configuration of the suspension and support means is such that the ornament, when hanging freely from a hanging means, is rendered unstable in terms of energy. Energy stability is regained by one or more of the decorative portions moving back toward its rest osition which will dissipate the input energy, the majority of the energy being dissipated when overcoming friction at the loose joints between the suspension and support means. When all the kinetic and/or potential energy has been dissipated, the ornament will have returned to its rest position.

To maximise the length of time that is taken to dissipate the input kinetic and/or potential energy, and thus

maximise the length of time that the ornament moves following the input of kinetic and/or potential energy, it is preferable that the engagement between each suspension and support means is effectively a point engagement.

Alternative low friction engagement means are also preferred. This minimises the friction between engagement and support means. One particularly preferred method of achieving a substantially point engagement between engaged suspension and support means is to create the suspension and support means from wire of a substantially circular cross-section. Particularly preferred configurations of the suspension and support means are configuration either as a fully or partially closed loop, or a hook.

When the support and suspension means are hooks and/or loops then, when in the rest position, the engaged hooks/loops of engaged support and suspension means rest with the planes passing through the whole of the hooks and/or loops at approximately 900 to each other.

When the suspension and support means are one of a hook or a loop then in one preferred embodiment the hook or loop of the suspension and support means for a decorative portion are in substantially parallel planes or the same plane as each other. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the planes of the hook or loop of the support and the suspension means of a decorative portion are angled to each other, most preferably at an angle of 50 - 450. The orientation of the planes of the hook and/or loops of the support and suspension means of a decorative portion of an

ornament of the present invention directly affects the rest position of each decorative portion relative to adjacent decorative portions when the ornament is freely hanging from a hanging means.

It has been found that when there is an angle between the planes of the hooks and/or loops of the suspension and support means the lateral element of each decorative portion hangs with a different orientation to the orientation of the lateral element of the decorative portion from which it hangs. Careful selection of the angle of intersection of the planes of the hook or loop of the support and suspension means that the rest configuration of an ornament of the present invention when hanging may be selected for a most pleasing aesthetic effect. When there are a number of decorative portions in the ornament of the present invention it is possible to have the lateral elements of the decorative portions adopt a helical structure when at rest. To achieve this, the angle between the planes of the hooks and/or loops of the suspension means is most preferably between 5 and 450. The greater the angle, the smaller the pitch of the helix so formed.

It will be apparent that when the support and suspension means are not comprised of hooks or loops as hereinbefore described, the same principles apply to determining the rest position of the ornament of the present invention as previously discussed.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lateral element of at least one decorative portion is comprised of an arm. The arm most preferably has attached to it the suspension and support means and extends both sides of the axis joining the points of contact of the suspension and support means when the ornament is freely hanging from a hanging means.

In one preferred embodiment, the arm is substantially circular in cross section and of uniform density in cross section along its entire length. In this embodiment, the centre of gravity of the arm will fall midway along the length of the arm and the portions of the arm extending each side of a line joining the points of contact of the support and suspension means will be substantially equal.

In an alternative embodiment, one or more decorative elements may be fixed to the arm at any position along its length. The presence of the decorative elements may enhance the aesthetic appeal of the ornament of the present invention. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention each arm is comprised of a longitudinally extending beam of uniform cross section to which are attached one or more decorative elements. Those decorative elements might be at least one of brightly coloured, illuminated, reflective, luminous, or of a configuration suitable to amuse or to be found to be attractive by a view of said decorative element.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention the

lateral element of at least one decorative portion is a lamina to which are attached the suspension means and the support means of that decorative portion. The decorative portion may either be so configured that when the ornament is freely hanging from a hanging means the major plane of the or each lamina is substantially vertical or thelamina may be substantially horizontal. It is most preferred that the orientation of the lamina is either substantially vertical or substantially horizontal so as to avoid the danger of adjacent decorative portions clashing if one is rotating relative to another.

In an embodiment in which the decorative portion includes a lamina which is substantially vertical when the ornament is freely hanging from a hanging means, then in a particularly preferred embodiment each decorative portion is differently sized and the lamina of each decorative portion has an outer edge and defines an aperture. The aperture of each lamina is so dimensioned and configured that the lamina of a further decorative portion may nest within that aperture without touching the first mentioned lamina when both the lamina of the outer and inner decorative portions are substantially coplanar. In this particular embodiment a support means is fixed to the outer edge of the outer lamina, and a suspension means is fixed to the edge of the lamina defining the aperture. Such an arrangement can be repeated a number of times with each lamina nesting within an outer larger lamina. The shape described by the inner and outer edges of the lamina in this particular embodiment may be a known geometrical

shape, for example circular, square, rectangular or elliptical, or may be some other shape. In a similar fashion the shape of the aperture defined by the lamina may be circular, square, rectangular or elliptical, or some other shape. The shape of the aperture does not necessarily have to be the same as the shape of the outer edge of the lamina. The movements of the decorative portions one relative to the other in this particular embodiment are substantially as previously described in' connection with earlier embodiments.

In an alternative embodiment in which the lateral element of at least one decorative portion is a lamina, the lamina is substantially horizontal when the ornament is freely hanging and the suspension and support means are fixed to the major faces of the lamina. As with previous embodiments, decorative elements may be fixed to the lateral element if so desired. Again, such decorative elements may be brightly coloured, illuminated, reflective, luminous, or of a configuration suitable to amuse or to be found attractive by a viewer of said element.

It is to be understood that, depending upon the aesthetic effect desired by the creator of the ornament of the present invention, each decorative portion of which the ornament of the present invention is comprised may be substantially identical to each other decorative portion, or one or more decorative portions may be dissimilar from the other decorative portions.

The ornament of the present invention will be further described and explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a portion of a first embodiment of an ornament according to the present invention when in use when viewed from the side; Figure 2 shows, in plan view, one decorative port-ion of the ornament of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of an ornament according to the present invention when in use and when viewed from the side.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, an ornament (2) is comprised of a first decorative element (4) and a number of further decorative elements (6) of which only two are illustrated in Figure 1. The ornament (2) may include an appropriate number of further decorative portions (6) according to the visual effect the creator of the ornament wishes to achieve, and/or the vertical space available within which to hang the ornament (2).

Each of the first decorative portion (4) and the further decorative portions (6) are substantially identical. Each are comprised of a lateral beam (8) attached to which are support means (10) and suspension means (12). Support means (10) is comprised of a stem (14) which at its free end is bent into a hook (16). Support means (12) is

comprised of a stem (18) from which at its free end is bent into a hook (20). Hooks (16) and (20) are so dimensioned and configured that they may engage with each other to form a loose joint.

In the embodiment of the ornament (2) according to the present invention illustrated in Figure 1 it may be seen that the stems (14) and (18) of the suspension and support means (10,12) respectively are fixed to lateral beam (8) at substantially the same position along the length of lateral beam (8) as each other. It is not essential that such an arrangement occurs. It is, however, most preferred that an axis extending between the hook (16) and hook (20) passes through or very close to the centre of gravity of decorative portion (4) or (6).

To achieve the required position of the centre of gravity the lateral beam (8) may either be symmetrical about the axis extending between the contact points on hooks (16) and (20) or, as illustrated in Figure 1, may be asymmetrical about said axis, that asymmetry being compensated by the inclusion of one or more decorative elements on one or both sides of that axis. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the decorative elements are comprised of a pair of spherical masses (22,24). As illustrated in Figure 1, spherical mass (22) is of greater size than spherical mass (24). The relationship between the sizes (or weights) of the masses, is closely approximated by the following formula:

where m22 : = mass of sphere (22); m24 : = mass of sphere (24); m = the mass per unit length of lateral beam (8); x = the distance along beam (8) between the axis joining the points of contact on hooks (16) and (20) and the centre of sphere (22); and y = the distance along beam (8) between the line joining points of contact on hooks (16) and (20) and the centre of sphere (24).

Figure 2 shows graphically the distances x and y.

The above formula assumes that the centre of gravity of a combination of support means (10) and suspension means (12) is to fall on or very close to the axis joining the contact points on hooks (16) and (20), and that lateral beam (8) is of uniform mass per unit length along its entire length. The formulae necessary to calculate the relatonship between the size of the masses necessary to achieve the desired position of the centre of gravity for any particular decorative portion may be determined using known engineering methods of calculation.

When the ornament (2) of the present invention is at rest, then it is preferred that the ornament (2) adopts a visually attractive configuration. The principal determinant of the configuration the ornament (2) will adopt when at rest is the relative orientation of the hooks (16) and (20) on each decorative portion (4,6) when viewed from above or below when the ornament is suspended. As illustrated in Figure 2, the hooks (16) and (20) may be orientated at an angle to'each other or may be substantially co-planar or in parallel planes (not shown).

In one possible embodiment of the present invention the suspension means and support means (10), (12) are adapted to render the relative orientation of hooks (16) and (20) variable by a user. Such variability may be achieved either by forming the support and suspension means out of materials that are malleable, or by mechanical means.

In use, the first decorative portion (4) is suspended from a support means (26) which is formed of a closed loop through which hook (16) of support means (10) on first decorative portion (4) may pass. The support means (26) may, alternatively, be a loop of a flexible material such as string or cord either suspended from a single suspension point, or suspended from a pair of suspension points. Each form of support means (26) will effect how ornament (2) moves if one or more of decorative portions (4) or (6) are rotated in the horizontal plane, for example by a user, out of their rest positions. Such rotation may occur by way of human intervention, the movement of air past and through the ornament (2), or by a mechanical means such as an

electrical motor or servo.

Once one or more of decorative portions (4) or (6) have been rotated out of their rest positions, then by virtue of the configuration of the hooks (16) and (20) the rotated decorative portions move back toward their rest positions.

At least some of the movement imparted of the decorative portions is transmitted to the decorative portions adjacent to the moved decorative portion. Such a transmission of movement is repeated from each decorative portion to each adjacent decorative portion albeit that each movement is slightly less than the previous movement due to the loss of energy due to friction. In this way, ripples of movement may travel up and down the ornament (2) so creating an attractive visual effect. In one preferred embodiment ornament (2) has a constant source of energy input, for example an electrical motor or electrical servo, which compensates for the energy lost due to friction when each decorative portion moves relative to its adjacent decorative portion and transmits the movement thereto.

Such energy input will result in constant movement of the decorative portion.

Spherical masses (22) and (24) may, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, simply be spherical masses of different sizes so creating one visual effect. Alternatively, said masses may include or be comprised of light sources, or may be configured to cause amusement or be particularly attractive to a viewer of the ornament (2).

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention the suspension means (12) of the lowermost further decorative means (6) may be engaged with a mass, not shown. The presence of said mass will influence the rest position of each of the decorative portions (4) and (6) and may influence how movement is transmitted through the ornament (2) if one or more of the decorative means (4) and/or (6) are rotated from their rest position and released.

With reference to Figure 3, an ornament (30) is comprised of a first decorative portion (32), and three further decorative portions (34,36 and 38). First decorative portion (32) is formed from a lamina and is substantially annular in shape. The aperture defined by decorative portion (32) is of sufficient dimension and shape that further decorative portion (34) may nest within that aperture when decorative portions (32) and (34) are in substantially the same plane without decorative portion (34) interfering with or touching first decorative portion (32). In a similar fashion, decorative portion (34) defines an aperture within which decorative portion (36) may nest, and decorative portion (36) defines an aperture within which decorative portion (38) may nest. In all instances, the decorative portion nesting within the aperture formed by the next larger decorative portion is so configured not to touch the decorative portion within which it nests when the decorative portions are in substantially the same plane, and the ornament (30) is hanging freely from a hanging means (26).

The suspension and support means employed in connection with the ornament (30) as illustrated in Figure 3 are substantially as illustrated and discussed in connection with Figure 1. The nature of said support and suspension means will thus not be further discussed in connection with Figure 3 with the exception that it in a further embodiment of the present invention there are provided, in addition to the suspension and support means illustrated in Figure 3, further suspension and support means located at the lowermost portion of decorative portions (32,34 and 36) and only a support means on the lowermost portion of decorative portion (38). Such further support and suspension means engage with each other in the same manner as previously discussed. They have the effect of stabilising the lateral position of each of decorative portions (32,34, 36 and 38) relative to each other and thus prevent clashing of those decorative portions against each other. Such clashing would, it will be appreciated, severely disrupt any angular movement of the decorative portions of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that although Figure 3 shows only four decorative portions, an ornament according to the present invention and having an embodiment similar to that illustrated in Figure 3 may have a much larger number of decorative portions.

Use and movement of ornament (30) as illustrated in Figure 3 is substantially as that of ornament (2) discussed above.

Claims

Claims: 1. A hanging ornament comprising a first decorative portion and at least one further decorative portion in which the first decorative portion is adapted to be suspended from a hanging means and to support a further decorative portion, and in which each further decorative portion is adapted to be suspended from a first or further decorative portion and to support a further decorative portion, in which each decorative portion is comprised of a lateral element and at least one suspension means and at least one support means, said suspension and support means being so configured that when a support means is engaged with a suspension means of a different decorative portion a loose joint is formed.
2. An ornament according to claim 1, in which each suspension and support means are so configured that when each further decorative portion is suspended from a first or a further decorative portion the suspension and support means touch at a predetermined position.
3. An ornament according to claim 2, in which a point on an axis joining the predetermined touch positions of the suspension means and the support means on a decorative portion substantially coincides with the centre of gravity of that decorative portion.
4. An ornament according to any of claims 1 to 3, in

<Desc/Clms Page number 18>

which the suspension means and the support means of each decorative portion are so configured that when each further decorative portion is suspended from a first or a further decorative portion there is a substantially point engagement between the engaged support and suspension means.
5. An ornament according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which one or both of the suspension means and the support means includes a portion with a substantially hook shaped configuration which portion is adapted to engage with a support or suspension means of a first or further decorative portion.
6. An ornament according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which one or both of the suspension means and the support means includes a portion with a substantially loop shaped configuration which portion is adapted to engage with a support or suspension means of a first or further decorative portion.
7. An ornament according to claim 5 or 6, in which for a decorative portion the planes in which the hook or loop shaped portions of the suspension means and the support means lie are substantially parallel or co- planar with each other.
8. An ornament according to claim 5 or 6, in which for a decorative portion the planes in which the hook or loop shaped portions of the suspension means and the

<Desc/Clms Page number 19>

support means lie are not parallel or co-planar with each other.
9. An ornament according to claim 8 in which the planes intersect at an acute angle in the range of 5 to 45 .
10. An ornament according to any preceding claim in which the lateral element of at least one decorative portion is composed of an arm to which are attached the suspension means and the support means of that decorative portion.
11. An ornament according to claim 10, in which the or each arm is of substantially uniform density and cross section along its length.
12. An ornament according to claim 10, in which the cross section and/or density of the or each arm is not constant along the length of the arm.
13. An ornament according to claim 12, in which the or each arm is comprised of a longitudinally extending beam of uniform cross section to which are attached one or more decorative elements.
14. An ornament according to claim 13, in which one or more of the decorative elements is at least one of brightly coloured, illuminated, reflective, luminous, or of a configuration suitable to amuse or be found attractive by a viewer of said element.

<Desc/Clms Page number 20>
15. An ornament according to any of claims 1 to 9 in which the lateral element of at least one decorative portion is a lamina to which are attached the suspension means and the support means of that decorative portion.
16. An ornament according to claim 15, in which the plane of the or each lamina is substantially vertical when the decorative portion is suspended from the hanging means, a first decorative portion, or a further decorative portion.
17. An ornament according to claim 16, in which the lamina of each of the majority of the decorative portions of the ornament have an outer edge and define an aperture, and in which the lamina and its aperture is so dimensioned and configured that the lamina of each further decorative portion may nest within the lamina of a first decorative portion or a further decorative portion without touching the lamina of another decorative portion when the lamina of all the decorative portions of the ornament are substantially co-planer.
18. An ornament according to claim 17, in which the outer edges of the lamina of the majority of the decorative portions of the ornament are, in the plane of the lamina, one of circular, square, rectangular, or elliptical.

<Desc/Clms Page number 21>
19. An ornament according to claim 15, in which the plane of the or each lamina is substantially horizontal when the decorative portion is suspended from the hanging means, a first decorative portion, or a further decorative portion.
20. An ornament according to any of claims 15 to 19 in which at least one of the lamina bears upon it one or more decorative elements.
21. An ornament according to claim 20, in which one or more of the decorative elements is at least one of brightly coloured, illuminated, reflective, luminous, or of a configuration suitable to amuse or be found attractive by a viewer of said element.
22. An ornament according to any of claims 1 to 16 or 19 to 21 in which each decorative portion is substantially the same.