# US 2014/0152672 A1 · Rotatable Animation Devices with Staggered Illumination Sources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152672 A1 - Document ID: US20140152672A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/927,106 - Filed: 2013-06-25 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-25 - Inventors: Rufus Butler Seder; Gregg E. Favalora; Dexter Eames - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152672A1 ## CPC - G09G 3/005: {forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation} - G09G 3/32: semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract An illuminated animation device with staggered sources of illumination with a rotatable member rotatable about an axis of rotation, first and second pluralities of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member that are actuatable between illuminated and non-illuminated conditions. The first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are staggered so that the sources of illumination will produce individual paths of illumination to permit image display with enhanced. The rotatable member can be a rotatable panel with first and second arrays retained relative to first and second halves thereof, and the sources of illumination can be longitudinally and laterally staggered, such as by one-half a distance between adjacent sources of illumination. The sources of animation can alternatively be disposed in opposed, radially spaced straight line arrays. The device can be handheld and can include a motor and a power source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illuminated animation device with staggered sources of illumination, the animation device comprising: a rotatable member rotatable about an axis of rotation; a first plurality of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member; a second plurality of sources of illumination retained to rotate with the rotatable member; wherein the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are actuatable between illuminated and non-illuminated conditions; wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are staggered in relation to the second sources of illumination; whereby, when the rotatable member is rotated and the sources of illumination are actuated, the sources of illumination will produce paths of illumination and whereby the paths of illumination produced by the first plurality of sources of illumination are staggered in relation to the paths of illumination produced by the second plurality of sources of illumination and whereby illuminated images can be displayed by the illuminated animation device with a resolution deriving from the paths of illumination of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member comprises a rotatable panel with a longitudinal axis of rotation, a first panel half to one side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, and a second panel half to a second side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and laterally spaced array by the first panel half, and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and laterally spaced array by the second panel half whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable panel in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The illuminated animation device of claim 2 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are longitudinally staggered in relation to the second plurality of sources of illumination. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The illuminated animation device of claim 2 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is laterally staggered in relation to the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The illuminated animation device of claim 4 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is laterally and longitudinally staggered in relation to the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and laterally spaced array and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a longitudinally and laterally spaced array spaced from the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination and wherein the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are rotatable about a longitudinal axis of rotation whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable member in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The illuminated animation device of claim 6 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed substantially in diametric opposition to the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The illuminated animation device of claim 6 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination is approximately equal in number to the second plurality of sources of illumination. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The illuminated animation device of claim 6 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed in a pattern that substantially matches a pattern in which the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination is disposed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The illuminated animation device of claim 9 wherein the arrays of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are substantially evenly spaced, and wherein the arrays of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are staggered in lateral and longitudinal positions by approximately one-half a distance between adjacent sources of illumination. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array spaced from the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination whereby the illuminated animation device can produce two-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable member in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The illuminated animation device of claim 11 wherein the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination is disposed substantially in diametric opposition to the array of the second plurality of sources of illumination. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The illuminated animation device of claim 11 wherein the pluralities of sources of illumination in each array are substantially evenly spaced and wherein the arrays are staggered in radial position by approximately one-half a distance between adjacent sources of illumination whereby the paths of illumination established by the first plurality of sources of illumination are interposed between the paths of illumination established by the second plurality of sources of illumination. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The illuminated animation device of claim 13 wherein the pluralities of sources of illumination are disposed in arrays of substantially straight lines. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The illuminated animation device of claim 11 wherein the rotatable member comprises a manually rotatable top with a rotatable body portion and a tip wherein the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination are retained by the body portion of the top. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The illuminated animation device of claim 15 wherein animation displayed by the device is calibrated to have a rate of playback as a function of the actual or estimated angular velocity of the top. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The illuminated animation device of claim 1 further comprising a circuit board retained to rotate with the rotatable member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The illuminated animation device of claim 1 further comprising a motor for rotating the rotatable member and a power source for powering the motor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member is rotatable about first and second axes of rotation and wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array and wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in a radially spaced array spaced from the array of the first plurality of sources of illumination whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional volumetric images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable member about the first and second axes of rotation in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The illuminated animation device of claim 1 wherein the illuminated animation device is handheld with a handle portion that rotatably retains the rotatable member and further comprising a motor for rotating the rotatable member and a power source for powering the motor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The illuminated animation device of claim 20 wherein the rotatable member comprises a rotatable panel with a longitudinal axis of rotation, a first panel half to one side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, and a second panel half to a second side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, wherein the first plurality of sources of illumination are retained in an array by the first panel half, wherein the second plurality of sources of illumination are retained in an array by the second panel half whereby the illuminated animation device can produce three-dimensional images and animation by a rotation of the rotatable panel in combination with an actuation of the first and second pluralities of sources of illumination, wherein the rotatable panel has arrays of apertures entirely therethrough, and wherein the sources of illumination are retained in the apertures in the rotatable panel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The illuminated animation device of claim 21 further comprising a user control interface for permitting selective control of the rotation of the rotatable member, the illumination of the sources of illumination, and the animation speed of three-dimensional animation displayed by the animation device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The illuminated animation device of claim 22 further comprising a power circuit board retained by the handle portion, a display circuit board retained to rotate with the rotatable member, rotary electrical interfaces for transmitting power and control signals between the power circuit board and the display circuit board, a memory chip retained to rotate with the rotatable member, a data connector in electrical communication with the memory chip for loading data files onto the memory chip, and a programming connector retained to rotate with the rotatable member to permit a programming of the display circuit board. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The illuminated animation device of claim 22 further comprising means for adjusting the brightness of the sources of illumination dependent on a distance of the source of illumination from the axis of rotation.