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US 9,012,749 B2Granted
Music box
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorAkihiro Ikeda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A music box includes a plurality of star wheels, a plurality of vibration valves, a plurality of anchoring members, a plurality of electromagnets, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control one or more of the plurality of the electromagnets to be a first state by supplying a first electricity and control each of the plurality of electromagnets to be a second state by supplying a second electricity. Each of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to engage with one of the plurality of protruding parts in the second state. The one or more of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to rotate about a second axis extending parallel to a first axis in the first state, and the one or more of the plurality of anchoring members is positioned remote from the electromagnet with a gap therebetween in the first state.
Claims20
A music box comprising:
- a plurality of star wheels configured to rotate about a first axis, each of the plurality of star wheels comprising a plurality of protruding parts protruding outward in a radial direction of each of the plurality of star wheels;
- a plurality of vibration valves corresponding to the plurality of star wheels, the plurality of vibration valves being arrayed along a first direction extending parallel to the first axis;
- a plurality of anchoring members corresponding to the plurality of star wheels, each of the anchoring members being configured to engage corresponding one of the plurality of protruding parts, rotate about a second axis extending parallel to the first axis and be positioned remote from an electromagnet with a gap therebetween while being separate from the plurality of protruding parts of the corresponding star wheel;
- a plurality of electromagnets corresponding to the plurality of anchoring members;
- and
- a control unit configured to a position of each of the plurality of anchoring members by changing a supply of electricity to a corresponding electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets,
- wherein after the control unit supplies electricity to the corresponding electromagnet having a value of a first level, the corresponding electromagnet is excited and a corresponding anchoring member of the plurality of anchoring members disengages with one of the plurality of protruding parts of a corresponding star wheel of the plurality of star wheels, and
- wherein after the control unit supplies electricity to the corresponding electromagnet having a value of a second level, the corresponding electromagnet is not excited and the corresponding anchoring member engages one of the plurality of protruding parts of the corresponding star wheel.
5 more elements
A music box comprising:
- a plurality of star wheels configured to rotate about a first axis, each of the plurality of star wheels comprising a plurality of protruding parts protruding outward in a radial direction of each of the plurality of star wheels;
- a plurality of vibration valves corresponding to the plurality of star wheels, the plurality of vibration valves being arrayed along a first direction extending parallel to the first axis;
- a plurality of anchoring members corresponding to the plurality of star wheels, each of the anchoring members being configured to engage corresponding one of the plurality of protruding parts;
- a plurality of electromagnets corresponding to the plurality of anchoring members;
- and
- a control unit configured to control one or more of the plurality of the electromagnets to be a first state by supplying an electricity and control each of the plurality of electromagnets to be a second state in which a supply of the electricity is stopped,
- wherein each of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to engage with one of the plurality of protruding parts in the second state,
- wherein the one or more of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to rotate about a second axis extending parallel to the first axis in the first state, and the one or more of the plurality of anchoring members is positioned remote from the electromagnet with a gap therebetween in the first state.
5 more elements
A music box comprising:
- a plurality of star wheels configured to rotate about a first axis, each of the plurality of star wheels comprising a plurality of protruding parts protruding outward in a radial direction of each of the plurality of star wheels;
- a plurality of vibration valves corresponding to the plurality of star wheels, the plurality of vibration valves being arrayed along a first direction extending parallel to the first axis;
- a plurality of anchoring members corresponding to the plurality of star wheels, each of the anchoring members being configured to engage corresponding one of the plurality of protruding parts, each of the plurality of anchoring members comprising a surface facing each of the plurality of the star wheels and a concave part along the surface;
- a plurality of electromagnets corresponding to the plurality of anchoring members;
- and
- a control unit configured to control one or more of the plurality of electromagnets to be a first state by supplying electricity and control each of the plurality of electromagnets to be a second state in which a supply of electricity to the plurality of electromagnets is stopped,
- wherein each of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to engage with one of the plurality of protruding parts in the second state, and
- wherein the one or more of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to rotate about a second axis extending parallel to the first axis in the first state.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.