Spinner ornament assembly

Abstract

The present invention provides an ornament with a rotating display that has an outer frame assembly that includes two integrally formed pivot supports and a display assembly disposed within the frame assembly having two opposing pivot members integrally formed on the display assembly that pivotably engage the pivot supports. The integrally formed pivot supports include a central ring and two connecting arms, each connected to the central ring at two points on the diameter of the ring on one end and the frame member on the other. The central ring and connecting arms are formed integrally with the frame member by stamping or photochemically blanking the shape and rotating the ring into its final position by twisting the connecting arms. By forming the pivot supports in this manner, the opening in the central ring is maintained substantially in alignment with the plane of the frame member. This allows the rotational axis of the display assembly to remain in alignment with the plane of the frame member when the display assembly is mounted in the pivot supports.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . An ornament with a rotatable display, comprising: 
 a substantially planar frame assembly;    two opposing pivot members connected to said frame assembly, said pivot members each including a planar pivot support, said pivot supports having a hole in the center thereof, the plane of said pivot supports oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of said frame assembly and parallel to one another; and    a display assembly disposed within the frame assembly, said display assembly including two opposed pivot pins adapted to be slideably received in said holes in said pivot supports wherein the display assembly is adapted to pivot within the frame assembly.    
     
     
         2 . The ornament of  claim 1 , wherein said holes in said pivot supports are aligned with one another and disposed on an axis that lies within the plane of the frame assembly.  
     
     
         3 . The ornament of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an axis of rotation of said display assembly, defined by a line between said two opposed pivot pins, wherein said axis of rotation lies within the plane of said frame assembly.    
     
     
         4 . The ornament of  claim 1 , said pivot members further comprising: 
 at least two connecting arms, each of said connecting arms residing between said pivot supports and said frame assembly connecting said pivot supports to said frame assembly.    
     
     
         5 . The ornament of  claim 4 , said at least two connecting arms further comprising: 
 a first pair of two connecting arms connecting one pivot support to said frame assembly; and    a second pair of two connecting arms connecting the other pivot support to said frame assembly.    
     
     
         6 . The ornament of  claim 5 , wherein said frame assembly, said pivot supports and said connecting arms are all integrally formed from a flat sheet of material as single piece.  
     
     
         7 . An ornament with a rotatable display, comprising: 
 a substantially planar frame assembly;    two opposing pivot members connected to said frame assembly, said pivot members each including a planar pivot support, said pivot supports having a hole in the center thereof, the plane of said pivot supports oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of said frame assembly and parallel to one another, said holes in said pivot supports defining an axis therebetween that lies within the plane of the frame assembly; and    a display assembly disposed within the frame assembly, said display assembly including two opposed pivot pins adapted to be slideably received in the holes in said pivot supports wherein the display assembly is adapted to pivot within the frame assembly.    
     
     
         8 . The ornament of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 an axis of rotation of said display assembly, defined by a line between said two opposed pivot pins, wherein said axis of rotation substantially corresponds to said axis between said holes in said pivot supports and lies within the plane of said frame assembly.    
     
     
         9 . The ornament of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a first pair of two connecting arms connecting one pivot support to said frame assembly; and    a second pair of two connecting arms connecting the other pivot support to said frame assembly.    
     
     
         10 . The ornament of  claim 9 , wherein said frame assembly, said pivot supports and said connecting arms are all integrally formed from a flat sheet of material as single piece.  
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing an ornament with a rotatable display, comprising: 
 providing a flat sheet of material;    forming said flat sheet to integrally form a substantially planar frame assembly, said frame assembly including an outer perimeter and two opposing pivot members, said pivot members including two opposing planar pivot supports, said pivot supports having a hole in the center thereof;    rotating said pivot members substantially 90° around an axis defined within the plane of said frame assembly so that the plane of said pivot supports is oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of said frame assembly and parallel to one another; and    installing a display assembly having two opposed pivot pins, into said frame assembly, said two opposed pivot pins being slideably received in said holes in said pivot supports.    
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing an ornament of  claim 11 , wherein said holes in said pivot supports are aligned with one another and disposed on an axis that lies within the plane of the frame assembly.  
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing an ornament of  claim 12 , wherein said display assembly further includes an axis of rotation of said display assembly, defined by a line between said two opposed pivot pins, wherein said axis of rotation substantially corresponds to said axis between said holes in said pivot supports and lies within the plane of said frame assembly.  
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacturing an ornament of  claim 11 , wherein said step of stamping further comprises: 
 forming a first pair of two connecting arms connecting one pivot support to said frame assembly; and    forming a second pair of two connecting arms connecting the other pivot support to said frame assembly.    
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacturing an ornament of  claim 14 , wherein said frame assembly, said pivot supports and said connecting arms are all integrally formed from a flat sheet of material as single piece.