Curling structure for a simulated aquatic creature and the like
AssigneeMGA Entertainment, Inc.
InventorDawn Whitaker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A curling structure for use in mechanical swimming creatures and the like includes a series of jointed segments pivotally connected together, with cross members pivotally connected between non-adjacent segments. Each cross member has its first end pivotally connected to a given segment above the pivot point connecting that segment to an adjacent segment, and its second end connected to a non-adjacent segment below the pivot point which connects that non-adjacent segment to the next segment. The result is that as one segment pivots about the joint connecting it to an adjacent segment, the cross members cause all of the segments to curl in a single direction.
Claims19
A curling mechanism comprising
- a first member;
- a first segment rotatably connected to the first member at a first pivot axis;
- a second segment rotatably connected to the first segment at a second pivot axis, the second pivot axis being disposed distally relative to the first pivot axis;
- and
- a first cross member rotatably attached to the first member at a first cross member first attachment point, and also rotatably attached to the second segment at a first cross member second attachment point, the first cross member having a first cross member longitudinal axis defined by said two attachment points;
- wherein said first cross member longitudinal axis is skew to a line between the first and second pivot axes;
- and
- wherein rotational movement of the first segment relative to the first member causes the first cross member to exert a rotational force on the second segment relative to the first segment, thereby causing the second segment to rotate relative to the first segment.
A positioning structure comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected segments, the plurality of segments having a longitudinal axis therethrough;
- wherein each said segment is pivotally coupled to an adjacent segment at a respective pivot point, and is further connected to a non-adjacent segment by a respective control link;
- and
- wherein a relative angle between any two adjacent interconnected segments induces a similar relative angle between other ones of said interconnected segments by means of said control links, thus inducing a generally uniform curl throughout said interconnected segments.
An apparatus for positioning a flexible appendage, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected segments, the segments having a longitudinal axis collectively therethrough;
- wherein a relative angle between any two adjacent said interconnected segments induces a similar such relative angle on at least one other said interconnected segment, by means of at least one respective control link;
- and
- wherein the relative angle between any two adjacent interconnected segments induces a similar relative angle between other ones of said interconnected segments by means of a plurality of control links, thus inducing a generally uniform curl throughout said interconnected segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.