The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 29, 1993
Filed:
Apr. 29, 1991
Roy J Ricci, Annapolis, MD (US);
Gordon C Oehler, Reston, VA (US);
Donald M Caldwell, Bethesda, MD (US);
Intex Inc., Annapolis, MD (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for rotating a spherical object, which includes suspension means for supporting a spherical object in a fixed position relative to its center. The suspension means holds the sphere by simultaneously contacting its surface with contacting elements at at least four points spatially independent of each other on the surface. Each of the contact elements is of regular shapes, such as, spheres, cylinders, cones or other shapes having symmetry about an axis of rotation. At least one of the contact elements is rotationally driven by a rotating drive means. The rotating drive means is rotated at a fixed or time-varying speed to impart controlled movement to the sphere about an axis through its center. The speeds or time-varying functions thereof cause the resultant controlled rotational motion of the sphere by manipulating an axis of rotation through its center.