CHARM DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CHARM DISPLAY
(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title CHARM DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CHARM DISPLAY(21) Application No: 2003256254 (22) Application Date: 2003.05.19(87) WIPONo: WO03/099404 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date 60/382,041 2002.05.21 (33) Country US (43) Publication Date : 2003.12.12(43) Publication Journal Date : 2004.02.05(71) Applicant(s) WOOD, Edwin, T.; COLLIDA, Karl A.(72) Inventor(s) COLLIDA, Karl A.; WOOD, Edwin, T. (H) Application NoAU2003256254 A1(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title CHARM DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CHARM DISPLAY(21) Application No: 2003256254 (22) Application Date: 2003.05.19(87) WIPONo: WO03/099404 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date 60/382,041 2002.05.21 (33) Country US (43) Publication Date : 2003.12.12(43) Publication Journal Date : 2004.02.05(71) Applicant(s) WOOD, Edwin, T.; COLLIDA, Karl A.(72) Inventor(s) COLLIDA, Karl A.; WOOD, Edwin, T. A charm display apparatus and method of charm display capable of continuously retrieving charms or hearts from a hopper and blowing or moving the charms into a transparent outer display tube whereby a levitating effect is shown. In the preferred embodiment, the art of the present invention allows a person to retrieve a charm between the display tube and the hopper as it flutters in the turbulent air of the tube under gravitational force. Also in a preferred embodiment, a unique venturi flow generator assembly is utilized to move the charms from the hopper into the outer display tube. 1 What is claimed is: 21. A charm display apparatus comprising: 3 an outer exhaust tube having a first end and a second end, a flow generator assembly 4 having an input end and an output end, and a charm hopper having a base and an opening whereby 5 one or more charms may be placed into said hopper, said charm hopper capable of holding said 6 one or more charms; 7 said flow generator assembly capable of moving said charms into said outer exhaust tube 8 from said charm hopper, and 9 said outer exhaust tube positioned to accept said moving charms into said exhaust tube, 1 Oand said outer exhaust tube positioned to allow said charms which exit from said exhaust tube to 1 The collected in said charm hopper ; and 12 a gap with said outer exhaust tube whereby a person may retrieve one or more of said 13charms.
14 152. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 whereby: 16 some or all of said outer exhaust tube is substantially transparent thereby forming a display 17 area, whereby said charms are visible through said outer exhaust tube.
18 193. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 whereby: 2 0 said outer exhaust tube is oriented substantially vertical and substantially parallel with a 2 lgravitational pull; and 2 2 said outer exhaust tube accepts said moving charms at said first end; and 2 3 said charms exit from said first end of said exhaust tube; and 2 4 said gap is between said first end of said exhaust tube and said charm hopper.
25 2 64. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further comprising: 27 a screened exhaust opening at said second outer exhaust tube end, said screened exhaust 2 8opening sized to allow air to pass through but not said charms.
29 305. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: 31 an inner exhaust tube having a first end and a second end, said first end of said inner <Desc/Clms Page number 14> 1 exhaust tube positioned with the output end of said flow generator assembly whereby charms may 2 be fed into said inner exhaust tube; and 3 said second end of said inner exhaust tube positioned near said outer exhaust tube 4 whereby said charms fed into said inner exhaust tube feed into said outer exhaust tube.
5 6 6. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 5 whereby: 7 said inner exhaust tube has an exterior cross sectional dimension less than an interior cross 8 sectional dimension of said outer exhaust tube; and 9 said inner exhaust tube positioned near said outer exhaust tube is positioned slightly within 1 Osaid first outer exhaust tube end.
11 127. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: 13 an agitator assembly within said charm hopper.
14 158. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said flow generator assembly 1 6further comprising : 17 a venturi having an input end and an output end substantially corresponding to the input 18 end and output end of said flow generator assembly respectively, whereby pneumatic activation 19 of said venturi causes charms to be suctioned from said hopper and blown into said outer exhaust 2 Otube.
21 2 29. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 8 further comprising: 23 a deflection plate having a first side and a second side; and 24 an inlet tube having a first end, a second end, and a reduced diameter portion, said reduced 2 5 diameter portion substantially contacting said venturi ; and 2 6 said first side of said deflection plate connected with at least a portion of said second end 2 7 of said inlet tube; and 2 8 said deflection plate configured to allow said charms to be blown into said outer exhaust 2 9tube from said venturi; and 3 0 said first end of said inlet tube configured to allow said charms to pass into said input end 3 lof said venturi. <Desc/Clms Page number 15> 110. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further comprising: 2 an agitator assembly having an agitator and motor, said agitator positioned in a gap 3 between said base of said charm hopper and said first end of said inlet tube whereby said agitator 4 facilitates feeding of said charms into said input end of said venturi.
5 611. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: 7 a timer controlling said flow generator assembly and capable of turning said flow 8 generator assembly on and off for an interval of time.
9 1012. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: 11 lighting shining onto said charms within said outer exhaust tube.
12 1313. A charm display apparatus comprising: 14 an outer exhaust tube having a first end and a second end, an inner exhaust tube having 15a first and a second end, a flow generator assembly having an input end and an output end, and 16a charm hopper having a base and a substantially open top whereby one or more charms may be 1 7placed into said hopper, said charm hopper capable of holding said one or more charms ; and 18 some or all of said outer exhaust tube is substantially transparent, thereby forming a 1 9display area ;STDC0787 and 20 said outer exhaust tube positioned substantially vertically with a lengthwise axis 21 substantially parallel with a gravitational force, whereby said first outer exhaust tube end is at a 2 2 lower level than said second outer exhaust tube end and at least partially over said open top of 2 3said charm hopper and thereby forming a gap between said first outer exhaust tube end and said 2 4 open top of said charm hopper; and 25 a screened exhaust opening positioned at said second outer exhaust tube end whereby air 2 6within said outer exhaust tube may vent to atmosphere but said charms within said outer exhaust 2 7tube may not exit said second end but instead must exit said first outer exhaust tube end due to 2 8the effect of said gravitational force;STDC0775 and 2 9 said first inner exhaust tube end substantially connected near said output end of said flow 3 Ogenerator assembly and said second inner exhaust tube end positioned near said first outer exhaust 3ltube end ; and <Desc/Clms Page number 16> 1 some or all of said flow generator assembly located within said charm hopper and capable 2 of moving said charms from said input end of said flow generator assembly, through said inner 3 exhaust tube and into said outer exhaust tube from said charm hopper, said charms thereby 4 exiting said first outer exhaust tube end due to the effect of said gravitational force and falling 5 through said gap and into said charm hopper, whereby one or more of said charms may be 6 collected at said gap;STDC0148 and 7 a display stand holding one or more of said outer exhaust tube, inner exhaust tube, flow 8 generator assembly, or charm hopper elements.
9 1014. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 13 said flow generator assembly 11 further comprising: 12 a venturi having an input end, an output end, and a pressurized air inlet and mounted with 13 said flow generator assembly; and 14 said venturi input end substantially located near said flow generator assembly input end 1 5and said venturi output end substantially located near said flow generator assembly output end, 1 6whereby pneumatic pressure fed into said pressurized air inlet creates a suction effect at said input 17 ends and a positive pressure flow at said output ends, thereby suctioning charms from said hopper 18 and pneumatically directing said charms into said inner exhaust tube to effectuate said moving of 19said charms.
20 2115. The charm display apparatus as set forth in claim 14 further comprising: 2 2 an agitator assembly between said flow generator assembly and said base of said charm 2 3hopper.
24 2516. A method for displaying and retrieving charms, the steps comprising: 2 6 forming an at least partially transparent outer exhaust tube to form a display area ; and 2 7 forming a charm hopper; and 2 8 placing one or more charms in said charm hopper; and 2 9 blowing one or more of said charms from said charm hopper into said outer exhaust tube; 3 Oand 31 positioning said outer exhaust tube such that charms exiting said outer exhaust tube enter <Desc/Clms Page number 17> 1 said charm hopper through a gap; and 2 viewing said charms within said display area as said charms enter and exit said outer 3 exhaust tube; and 4 retrieving one or more of said charms from said gap.
5 617. The method for displaying and retrieving charms as set forth in claim 16, the steps of 7 positioning said outer exhaust tube comprising : 8 placing a first outer exhaust tube end near said gap; and 9 placing a second outer exhaust tube end above said first outer exhaust tube end in such 1 a manner that gravitational force is substantially parallel with a lengthwise axis of said outer exhaust tube; and 12 blocking said second outer exhaust tube end whereby air entering said outer exhaust tube 1 3may vent from said second outer exhaust tube end but said charms may not exit from said second 14 outer exhaust tube end; and 15 gravitationally pulling said charms in said outer exhaust tube toward said charm hopper 16thereby facilitating said charms exiting said outer exhaust tube at said first outer exhaust tube end.
17 1818. The method for displaying and retrieving charms as set forth in claim 16, the steps of 19blowing one or more of said charms comprising: 2 0 forming a venturi having an input end, an output end, and a pressurized air inlet; and 21 placing said input end near or in said charm hopper ; and 2 2 pneumatically pressurizing said pressurized air inlet whereby a suction is created at said 2 3venturi input end and a positive air flow is created at said venturi output end; and 2 4 positioning said venturi such that said venturi input end is able to suction said charms 2 5from said charm hopper and blow said charms into said outer exhaust tube.
26 2719. The method for displaying and retrieving charms as set forth in claim 17, the steps of 2 8blowing one or more of said charms comprising: 2 9 forming a venturi having an input end, an output end, and a pressurized air inlet; and 3 0 placing said input end near or in said charm hopper; and 31 pneumatically pressurizing said pressurized air inlet whereby a suction is created at said <Desc/Clms Page number 18> venturi input end and a positive air flow is created at said venturi output end; and positioning said venturi such that said venturi input end is able to suction said charms from said charm hopper and blow said charms into said outer exhaust tube.