| JP11190151 | FLAGPOLE |
| WO/1997/042449 | FLAG-POLE LIGHT |
| JP2007128012 | FLAGSTAFF OSCILLATING IMPLEMENT |
Mohácsi, Imre (Báthory u. 32 Budapest, H-1191, HU)
| 1. | Apparatus for imparting a waving motion to a flag (1) for indoors applications, which comprises a flag support structure, preferably a flagpole (3) and a horizontally oriented flag (1) connected to said flag support structure, characterised by that at least one motordriven propeller (4,14, 24,34) is attached to the exterior of the flag support structure substantially at the level of the flag (1), with said propeller aiming its airstream directly at the flag (1). |
| 2. | The apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised by that the propellers (4,14, 24,34) and the flag (1) are attached to the opposite sides of the flag support structure. |
| 3. | The apparatus according to any of Claims 1 and 2, characterised by that three propellers (4,14, 24,34) are attached to the flag support structure. |
| 4. | The apparatus according to any one of Claims 13, characterised by that the angle between the axis (10) of the propeller (14) and the horizontal plane is at most 35 degrees. |
| 5. | The apparatus according to any one of Claims 14, characterised by that the motor (7) driving the propeller (4,14, 24,34) is disposed in the interior of the flag support structure. |
| 6. | The apparatus according to any one of Claims 15, characterised by that the hub (5,15, 25) of the propeller (4,14, 24) is located outside the flag support structure. |
| 7. | The apparatus according to Claim 6, characterised by that the hubs (5,15, 25) of the respective propellers (4,14, 24) are arranged one beneath the other along the flag support structure, in such a way that said hubs (5,15, 25) give the impression of halyard guides. |
| 8. | The apparatus according to any one of Claims 15, characterised by that the hub (35) of the propeller (34) is located in the interior of the flag support structure. |
Background Art Arrangements for imparting a waving motion to a flag displayed indoors, or in other words, devices for waving a flag in a manner similar to the motion caused by natural wind, have long been under consideration. Such a solution is disclosed by US patent No. 1,102, 270. The patent utilize high-pressure air, fed into a hollow flagpole, to cause a waving motion of the flag attached to the pole. Air leaves the hollow pole through holes in the upper portion of the pole, moving the flag and giving thereby an impression of waving.
US patent No. 1,725, 250 also discloses a flag-waving device. Akin to the previous one, this patent utilizes air fed into the flagpole to impart motion the flag.
The hollow flagpole is mounted in an enclosure fitted with openings, wherein a fan is operated by an electric motor. The fan directs air taken in through the openings of the enclosure into the internal cavity of the flagpole and further to the flag through longitudinally aligned openings in the upper portion of the flagpole adjacent to the flag, thereby producing a waving motion thereof.
An apparatus for imparting a waving motion to a flag displayed indoors is described by the patent DE 3939,085 A1, which applies a waving unit built into the hollow flagpole at the level of the flag. The flag-waving unit is a cross-flow fan that takes in and blows air at a radial direction. According to the patent, air is taken in through slots on the sides of the flagpole, while it is directed at the flag through other slots formed in the proximity of the flag. A common drawback of these patents is that by utilizing blow-holes only a very narrow stretch of air can be set in motion, which quickly loses speed through merging with the surrounding stationary air. Consequently, these devices can be used for waving only disproportionally narrow flags. Another drawback of the above mentioned solutions is the high local speed of air at the blow-holes and in the immediate vicinity, which causes the flag to flutter unnaturally instead of waving. Also, the exhausting air creates aerodynamic eddies which cause unpleasant noise. As a further drawback it should be mentioned that visual illusion of a naturally waving flag gets spoilet if there are easily discernible holes or openings in the flagpole, betraying the real cause of the waving motion to the observer.
An apparatus for waving a flag is disclosed in patent description FR 2,700, 574, according to which a human figure holds the flagpole in its hand, with the airstream being directed to the flag through the mouth of the figure. Drawbacks of this solution are that it can be used for waving only small-sized flags and that it lacks the capability to create an illusion of a naturally waving flag.
A system and method for producing a wave motion in flags are disclosed in US patent No. 5,427, 050. The patent produces a wave motion in a horizontal flag attached to a flagpole by means of vertically oriented airstream generated by a blower that is positioned at the base of the flagpole. Flags are always indicators of the direction of the airstream. A flag put inside a vertical airstream rather bobs or dances up and down instead of waving horizontally like one blown by the wind. A further drawback of this solution is that, especially if a higher pole is used, the blower is positioned relatively far from the flag, so in order to achieve a wave motion a high-speed and high-volume airstream is needed.
Disclosure of Invention The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for imparting a waving motion to a flag displayed indoors that gives the appearance of a real, wind-blown flag. The apparatus should be able to fully unfurl and set in waving motion large-sized flags, e. g. flags wider than 1 m or even as wide as 1,5 m, without producing disturbing noise during operation. The inventive apparatus should be visually appealing, and the flagpole should be free from blow-holes or openings.
The inventive apparatus is based on the insight that for the effective waving of a horizontally positioned flag an even, high-volume and sufficiently wide airstream is needed, which should be directed substantially horizontally. An airstream is regarded substantially horizontal if the angle between its direction and the horizontal plane is at most 35°. Such an airstream can be produced by a propeller or fan positioned on the exterior of the flag support structure, substantially at the level of the flag. If the propeller blades are narrow enough and are joined to the hub by means of shanks, then, in case the propeller rotates at a sufficiently high speed, it will be virtually invisible in operation. This camouflaging effect can be further increased if the propeller and the shanks are painted as the colour of their background.
The present invention is, therefore, an apparatus for imparting a waving motion to a flag displayed indoors, the apparatus being essentially characterised by that at least one motor-driven propeller is attached to the exterior of the flag support structure substantially at the level of the flag, with said propeller aiming its airstream directly at the flag. The propeller is regarded to be at the level of the flag if its airstream contributes directly to the waving of the flag. Consequently, the axis of the propeller should be situated in the range defined by the bottom and upper horizontal edges of the flag, or, if outside that range, it should be positioned in such a way that the produced airstream can come in contact with the flag and contribute to the waving thereof. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention contain a flagpole as flag support structure, the scope of the invention extends to other support structures, such as wall brackets and the like. The propeller is attached to the support structure usually directly, but the scope of the invention includes arrangements where, though the propellers are attached to the support structure indirectly, the airstream exerts force on the flag directly and in a substantially horizontal direction. The propeller and the flag are preferably attached to the opposite sides of the support structure.
In the context of the present invention, the term, flag" designates not only conventionally sized flags of horizontal or upright rectangular shape, but any flags or banners and the like of any shape and size. The invention can be applied for the waving of flags of almost any size. With larger-sized and therefore heavier flags, however, it may become necessary to attach more than one, e. g. three propellers to the flag support structure. The propellers can be disposed at equal distances to one another, but an advantageous embodiment can have propellers spaced unevenly with respect to one another. Another advantageous embodiment circumvents problems caused by larger and heavier flags by setting the axis of the propeller at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal. Thus, this embodiment applies a non-horizontal airstream. The angle between the axis of the propeller and the horizontal plane can be different for different propellers, which makes it possible to spread the flag to a greater degree. This somewhat tilted airstream slightly lifts the corner of the flag. The motor driving the propeller is advantageously disposed inside the flag support structure.
As it has already been stated, the main goal of the invention is providing a flag that gives the impression of a naturally waving, outdoor flag not only by its motion but by its outward appearance. This goal can only be achieved if the propeller remains invisible during the operation of the apparatus. As everyday experience shows us, objects rotating at high speeds are perceived as being blurred or dimmed. It is easily understood that propeller blades can become virtually invisible in motion if they are sufficiently narrow, they are connected to the hub via thin shanks, and they are rotating at a high speed. The effect can be enhanced by colouring the blades and shanks in such a way that they melt into their background. It is preferable if the propeller hub is a rotationally symmetrical body with a smooth and shiny surface, as that way it can give the impression of being a stationary object even when in motion. Camouflaging the waving device by the above mentioned means enables the apparatus to give the impression of a natural, wind-blown flag.
During the operation of the apparatus only the propeller hubs, aligned along a vertical line on the flag support structure, are visible, while the propellers themselves remain concealed due to their high-speed rotation. Because the hubs apparently have no function, it is preferable to implement them as if they were halyard guides. According to that arrangement, the propeller hub and the motor shaft rotate in a stationary casing, while the casing and the hub together give the impression of a halyard guide. The guide has an upper and a lower vertical blind hole for receiving one end of the halyard respectively. Thus, the halyard appears to be threaded through the guide, but in reality it is discontinuous as it cannot pass through the interior of the casing where space is taken up by the motor shaft and the propeller hub. Halyard guides are disposed along the whole length of the flag support structure, while the propellers, together with the apparent halyard guides are positioned at the upper portion of the flag support structure, at the level of the flag. This arrangement enhances visual illusion, as it gives the impression of a naturally waving flag attached to a halyard that is threaded into halyard guides from the base up to the top and through the finial of the flag support structure, descending on the other side where it supports the flag.
According to a preferred embodiment, the shanks of the propeller are of a bent shape, so that there is an increased distance between the plane of rotation of the propeller blades and the flag support structure. This way the aerodynamic noise caused by the propellers can be significantly diminished. According to another embodiment, the propeller hub is located inside the flag support structure so that it is completely and smoothly included therein.
Brief description of the drawings Details of the invention are exemplified by the attached drawings, where Fig. 1 shows the apparatus according to the invention out of operation, Fig. 2 represents the apparatus in the operating state, Fig. 3 is a schematic detail drawing showing the propeller and the motor, Fig. 4 shows the structure of Fig. 3 in operation, Fig. 5 represents another embodiment of the propeller applied in the inventive apparatus, Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment of the propeller of the inventive apparatus, Fig. 7 shows a still further embodiment of the propeller of the inventive apparatus, and Fig. 8 is a view of the apparatus according to the invention prior to start up.
Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a schematic representation of the inventive apparatus. The flag 1 is attached to the flagpole 3 that is functioning as a flag support structure by means of a halyard 2. Because motion is imparted to the flag by the airstream generated by propellers located at the same level as the flag itself, the height of the flagpole 3 is not limited in the arrangement according to the invention. Therefore, the height of the flagpole to which the flag is attached can be chosen arbitrarily. Three propellers 4 are situated at the upper part of the flagpole 3, at the level of the flag 1 but at the opposite side of the flagpole. The propellers 4 are spaced in such a way that the blades of the neighbouring propellers do not interfere with one another and the propellers generate an optimal airstream. The diameter of the propellers must be greater than the thickness of the flagpole. The greater the outward diameter of the propellers, the wider the airstream becomes, which results in a more even and more aesthetic waving motion even at lower airstream speeds. For an exemplary embodiment we have chosen a propeller diameter of 400 mm. The propellers 4 are rotated by motors 7 that are disposed inside the hollow flagpole 3. Blades of the propellers 4 are connected with the hubs 5 via shanks 6.
Fig. 2 shows the inventive apparatus in operation. The airstream generated by the rotating propellers 4 waves the flag 1. Owing to the high speed of their rotation, the blades and shanks 6 of the propellers 4 remain practically invisible for the observer. In the exemplary embodiment the blades have a width of 30 mm, with the thickness of the shank being 5 mm. The rotational speed of the propellers was chosen to fall in the range of 1500-3000 rpms. When viewing the apparatus of the above parameter set up from a distance, only the flagpole 3 with the fully unfurled and waving flag 1-raised and secured to the flagpole by means of the halyard 2-, the cleat 11, the halyard guides 9 and the 5 hubs were visible.
Because the hubs 5 of the propellers 4 had been formed to imitate the halyard guides 9, the apparatus gave the impression that the hubs 5 were guiding elements for the halyard 2 similarly to the halyard guides 9.
Fig. 3 shows a magnified, partly sectional view of the stopped propeller 4, whereas Fig. 4 shows the propeller 4 in motion. The motor 7 is located in the interior of the flagpole 3. The motor's shaft rotates in a casing 8. As their illusory function is guiding the halyard 2, the propeller hub 5 and the casing 8 are shaped in such a way that, as far as outward appearance is concerned, they form an exact copy of the halyard guide 9. To enhance the visual illusion, halyard ends are attached to bores formed in upper and bottom part of the outer surface of the casing 8. When in operation, the blades and shanks 6 of the propeller are not visible to the observer, and Fig. 4 illustrates what the observer can see, namely that the halyard 2 is threaded through what appears to be a halyard guide.
Figs. 5-7 show different embodiments of the propeller. In Fig. 5 the axis 10 of the propeller 14 is tilted with respect to the horizontal plane, with the a angle between said axis 10 and the horizontal being at most 35° and preferably 20°.
This arrangement results in the produced airstream having also a vertical component, which, acting against gravitation, lifts the flag 1 slightly and causes it to become more spread. In case the angle of the rotational axis of the propeller 14 with the horizont is a, the shanks 16 thereof should be arranged such that the angle between them is 180-2a to prevent the blades from knocking against the flagpole 3. The hub 15 of the propeller is located at the exterior of the flagpole 3.
Fig. 6 shows an arrangement for the propeller 24 where the shanks 26 are of a bent shape, so their plane of rotation is at a distance X from the flagpole 3.
The increased distance X helps to diminish the noise caused by moving air. Again, the hub 25 is located at the exterior of the flagpole 3.
Fig. 7 shows a further arrangement of the propeller 34. In this case the hub 35 of the propeller 34 is located in the interior of the flagpole 3. Shanks 36 of the propeller blades are of a bent shape here as well. The flag is raised by means of a conventional sheave.
Fig. 8 represents an embodiment of the inventive apparatus that allows the manual or mechanical raising and lowering of the flag. Four propellers 4 are attached along the upper portion of the flagpole 3 so that three of said propellers are disposed at the level of the flag while the fourth is located under the lower horizontal edge thereof. The exemplary embodiment applies a silk flag with the dimensions of 900 x 1500 mm, whereas the axis of the fourth propeller is located 150 mm below the lower edge of the flag.
At start up, special attention should be paid to prevent the flag from being wrapped by the starting propeller. Therefore, to avoid the fouling of the flag, propellers should be started with the flag lowered, and the flag raised beside the rotating propellers. That way the airstream will blow the flag away from the propellers.
Another feasible way of start up for the apparatus is starting the propellers one after the other, proceeding preferably from top to bottom. This results in each propeller blowing the flag out of the reach of the lower neighbour thereof.
Each of the propellers is driven separately, and with the independent control of their rotation velocity the waving or rippling of the flag can be adjusted to custom needs and special effects can also be realized. In addition, in case multiple flagpoles are arranged in a group, the waving of each flag can be individually adjusted for an enhanced aesthetic effect.
It is intended that the scope of our invention be limited not by this detailed description of the preferred embodiments, but rather by the claims appended hereto.