Kinetic mechanism

Abstract

An actuation mechanism for one or more decorative features 4 comprises: one or more springs 12 attachable the one or more features to be moved; a mount 28,30, for housing the one or more springs; a pu

Description

Introduction 5 The present invention relates to a kinetic mechanism, particularly though not exclusively for art and for use in vehicle headliners. Background to the Invention 10 It is known to decorate vehicle headliners, in particular headliners in cars, with patterns, colours, embossing, lights or combinations thereof. All of these decorations are static, although lights can be turned on and off and can create some impression of movement. While moving parts in headliners are desirable, due to the constrictions assocaited with headliners, suitable moving parts having not as yet been developed. 15 LO CM Equally, moving parts for deoorative effect, or indeed to reveal hidden features, could be provided in doors, central consoles, or even under the bonnet. i— The object of the invention is to provide a kinetic mechanism, have a reduced number of parts and enabling miniaturisation. Summary of the Invention According to the invention there is provided an actuation mechanism for one or more 25 features to be moved comprising:- one or more springs attached the one or more features to be moved; a mount, for housing the one or more springs; a pulley cord, comprising or attached to pulley filaments, each pully filament being attach to at least one of the one or more springs; 30 a pulley block, around which the pulley cord is passed; a motor, having a motor arm, to which the pulley cord is connected, the arrangement being such that when the motor moves the arm, this moves the pulley cord, the pulley filaments, springs and ultimately the one or more features to be moved, return movement of the motor and motor arm, allow the return of the one or more features to be moved to their original position through action of the springs. Usually, the mechanism will further include a substrate, with the mount attached to a 5 first side thereon, and the pulley attached to a second side thereof. Preferably the first and second sides are opposing. The substrate may be a structural element of the item on which the decorative feature is placed. The substrate may be a part of a vehicle, such as the roof of a car, a part 10 of a door, a part of the bonnet or boot, or any other structural part of a car. Alternatively, the substrate may be secured to a part of a vehicle, such as the roof of a car, a part of a door, a part of the bonnet or boot, or any other structural part of a car. 15 Conveniently, the substrate may have an aperture extending from beneath the mount LO to adjacent the pulley for the pulley cord and / or pulley filaments to pass though. CM While each springs will usually be directly attached to the feature to be moved, the attachment may be indirect. (^20 Preferably the one or more springs will be helical extension springs, although other convenient forms of spring could be used, for example torsion springs. The mount may conveniently be made of a hard plastics material, for example ABS. 25 Alternatively, the mount may be made from any hard plastics materials, such a thermoplastics or the like. The mount may be 3D printed, or it could be machined or injection moulded. Preferably, the mount comprises two sections, an upper section and a lower section. The upper section is provided with a hollow a back side, in which the springs are housed, and with apertures to allow from connection of the springs to 30 the features to be moved. The lower section closes the hollow, securing the springs, and is also provided with apertures for connection of the springs to the pulley filaments and pulley cord. Preferably the motor will be a servomotor, namely a rotary or linear actuator, providing precise movement of the pulley cord and ultimately the feature to be moved. The feature to be moved may be a decoration, for example part of the decoration such 5 as petals on a flower, leaves on a plant, wings on a bird or insect, limbs on a figure, pages on a book, folds in fabric, or revealing elements of the decoration, such as scenes or folds. Alternatively, the feature to be moved could reveal a functional element, such as a button to access another element. The moving feature could still be decorative. 10 Details To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in 15 which: LO Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cross section of an opening flower according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the separated elements of Figure 1; CO Referring to the Figures, thereshown is a flower 2 for use in decoration incorporating the mechanism of the invention. Each flower incorporates a series of petals 4, designed to open and close. The device is mounted onto a substrate 6, which may be a part of another object, for 25 example a roof in a vehicle, or another part of a vehicle, or secured to another object, again, for example a roof in a vehicle or another part of a vehicle. As shown a mount 10 is attached to the substrate 6. Such a mount can be made by 3D printing of a thermoplastic, or could be machines or injection moulded. The mount 30 will generally be made of a hard plastic, such as ABS, although it could be made from other materials, such as wood. The mount 10 houses a plurality of springs 12. Such springs are commonly available and will typically be helical extension springs or torsion springs. One end 13 of each spring 12 is attached to the feature to be moved, as shown the petals 4 of the flower 2. While the springs 12 are shown as directly attached to the petals 6, the springs 12 may be indirectly attached to the petals, or other element to be moved. 5 The springs 12 are held within the mount 10, which is provided with a series of apertures 14 on a first side 16 of the mount from which an end 19 of the springs 12 emerges for attachment to the feature to be moved, namely the petals 4. The apertures 14 are in the form of a slot to allow for movement of the spring 12 to move the petal 4. io The second side 18 of the mount is also provided with apertures 20 to which the other ends 19 of the springs emerge, for connection to pulley filaments 26. For convenience, the mount 10 is provided in two sections, an upper section 28 15 comprising the first side 16, and a lower section 30, sized to fit into a hollow 32 in the LO first side 28. The springs 12 can sit inside the hollow 32, with their ends 13 passing through the apertures 14. The second section 30 fits over the springs 12, closing the hollow 32 and forming the second side 18 of the mount 10, with apertures 20, through which the other ends 19 of the springs fit. (^20 The pulley filaments 26 are attached to the other ends 19 of the springs 12, these filaments being connected to or forming part of a pulley cord 34. Movement of the pulley cord 34, pulls on the pulley filaments, 26, which in turn pulls on the springs 12 and the petals 4, moving the later from one position to another. Release of the pully 25 cord 34 releases the pulley filaments 26, and springs 12, and under the action of the springs 12, the petals 4 return to their first position. As shown, a depression 40 and aperture 42 are provided in the substrate 6, with the mount 10 seated above these elements. The pulley filaments 26 sit within the 30 depression, where they are connected to or combine to form the pulley cord 34, which then passes through the aperture 42. On emerging from the aperture 42, the pulley cord 36 passes around a pulley block 44, which is also connected to the substrate, and is subsequently attached to a servo arm 50 of a servomotor 52. As shown, the servo motor 52 is also mounted on the substrate 6. In order embodiments, the motor 52 may be attached to a different substrate, namely element adjacent to or associated with the feature to be moved. The motor 52 is attached to a power source 54 (not shown), which is likely to be 5 assocaited with the item on which the feature to be moved is placed. For example, if the feature is a decorative petal on a car headliner, the power source will be derived from the power source of the vehicle. The motor 52 will also be connected to a signal generator 56 (not shown) to activate and deactivate the motor when movement of the feature is required. The signal can be set to move the feature, and separately to move io the feature back, or to continuously move and return the feature according to a preset schedule. Actuation of the motor 52 moves the servo handle 50, which acts on the pulley cord 34 and the pulley filaments 26 and the springs 12 to move the petals 6 or other 15 elements to be moved. Reverse movement of the motor 52 and servo handle 50, LO releases the pulley cord 34 and pulley filaments 26, allowing the petals 6 to return their original position under the action of the springs 12. i— The invention is not intended to the limited to the details of the above embodiments. For example, the feature to be moved may be a decorative feature on a headliner, door, central console, under the bonnet or boot of a vehicle, and may be petals, flowers, leaves, vines, birds butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, parts of figures, folds in fabric, or covers revealing hidden scenes or elements. Equally, the feature to be moved may be decorative, but the movement thereof may reveal a hidden feature.

Claims

1. An actuation mechanism for one or more decorative features comprising:-one or more springs attachable the one or more features to be moved;5 a mount, for housing the one or more springs;a pulley cord, comprising or attached to pulley filaments, each pully filament being attach to at least one of the one or more springs;a pulley block, around which the pulley cord is passed;a motor, having a motor arm, to which the pulley cord is connected,io the arrangement being such that when the motor moves the arm, thismoves the pulley cord, the pulley filaments, springs and ultimately the one or more features to be moved, return movement of the motor and1*0 motor arm, allow the return of the one or more features to be moved toC\| their original position through action of the springs.CM152. An actuation mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate.CO3. An actuation mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the mount is attached to a first side of the substrate and the pulley is attached to a second side of the20 substrate.

4. An actuation mechanism according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the substrate has an aperture extending from beneath the mount to adjacent the pulley for the pulley cord and / or pulley filaments to pass though.

255. An actuation mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more springs are directly attached to the feature to be moved.

6. An actuation mechanism according to any one of claims 1 - 4, wherein the one30 or more springs are indirectly attached to the feature to the moved.

7. An actuation mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more springs will be helical extension springs.

8. An actuation mechanism according to any one of claims 1 - 6, wherein the one 5 or more springs are torsion springs.

9. An actuation mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the motor is a servomotor.io 10. An actuation mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the mount comprises two sections, a first section having a hollow for housing the one or more springs, and a second section for closing the hollow.

11. An actuation mechanism according to claim 10, wherein slot apertures are15 provided in the first section to enable attachment of the springs to the featuresLOto be moved, and movement thereof.CM12. An actuation mechanism according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the second side is provided with slot apertures to enable the springs to be attached to the pulley filaments and movement thereof.

13. An actuation mechanism according to claim 2 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the substrate is provided with a depression and aperture for the pulley filaments and pulley cord to pass through.2514. An actuation mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the feature to be moved is a decoration, for example petals on a flower, leaves on a plant, wings on a bird or insect, limbs on a figure, pages on a book, folds in fabric, or revealing elements of the decoration, such as scenes or folds.3015. An actuation mechanism according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein the feature to be moved is a decorative cover, such that movement thereof reveals a hidden element.

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