Kinetic sculpture

Abstract

A three dimensional structure having multiple turns about a longitudinal direction retains an object so that when spun, the object and the structure appear by illusion to be moving relative to the longitudinal direction. The structure is shaped either with varying longitudinal distances between consecutive turns, varying internal latitudinal width dimensions of the individual turns, or both. An object can be retained within the structure by having a dimension of the object greater than an internal latitudinal width of one of the multiple turns of the structure. By having an internal dimension of another one of the multiple turns and/or the longitudinal distance between two consecutive turns being greater than a dimension of the object, the object can be positioned inside of the structure to be retained by the structure even though both the structure and the object are made from non-resilient materials such as metal, glass, stiff plastic, etc.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . An illusion device for rotation, the illusion device comprising: 
 a member having a plurality of non-cylindrical, helical turns around a longitudinal axis, each turn having at least one internal latitudinal width; and    an object dimensioned according to the internal latitudinal width of one of the turns so that it is supported by the member at the turn.    
     
     
         2 . The illusion device of  claim 1  wherein the illusion device comprising a base with a rotatable portion, the member affixed to the rotatable portion.  
     
     
         3 . The illusion device of  claim 1  wherein the object is dimensioned to pass through a least one of the non-cylindrical turns.  
     
     
         4 . The illusion device of  claim 1  wherein the object is a sphere.  
     
     
         5 . The illusion device of  claim 1  wherein the illusion device comprising a flexible member configured to be coupled to the member and a support to allow the member to rotate about the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         6 . The illusion device of  claim 5  wherein the flexible member is a string.  
     
     
         7 . The illusion device of  claim 1  wherein the member is rigid and the object is rigid.  
     
     
         8 . The illusion device of  claim 7  wherein the member is constructed of metal and the object is constructed of glass.  
     
     
         9 . An illusion device for rotation, the illusion device comprising: 
 a member having a plurality of cylindrical, non-helical turns around a longitudinal axis, each turn having at least one internal latitudinal width; and    a object dimensioned according to the internal latitudinal widths of one of the turns so that it is supported by the member at the turn.    
     
     
         10 . The illusion device of  claim 9  wherein the object is dimensioned to pass through a longitudinal spacing between two consecutive of the non-helical turns.  
     
     
         11 . The illusion device of  claim 9  wherein the member is rigid and the object is rigid.  
     
     
         12 . An illusion device for rotation, the illusion device comprising: 
 a member having a plurality of non-helical, non-cylindrical turns around a longitudinal axis, each turn having at least one internal latitudinal width; and    a object dimensioned according to the internal latitudinal widths of one of the turns so that it is supported by the member at the turn.    
     
     
         13 . An illusion device for rotation, the illusion device comprising: 
 a member having a plurality of non-cylindrical, helical turns around a longitudinal axis; and    an object coupled to the member.    
     
     
         14 . The illusion device of  claim 13  wherein the object is coupled to the member with rods.  
     
     
         15 . The illusion device of  claim 13  wherein the object is coupled to the member with a flexible member.  
     
     
         16 . The illusion device of  claim 15  wherein the flexible member is a string.  
     
     
         17 . An illusion device for rotation, the illusion device comprising: 
 a member having a plurality of non-helical, cylindrical turns around a longitudinal axis; and    an object coupled to the member.    
     
     
         18 . An illusion device for rotation, the illusion device comprising: 
 a member having a plurality of non-helical, non-cylindrical turns around a longitudinal axis; and    an object coupled to the member.