Oscillating figure

Abstract

An oscillating body, and a method of manufacturing an oscillating body using a mold having a mold cavity with a curved surface. The method involves inserting a predetermined amount of a hardenable mixture in the mold cavity and allowing the hardenable mixture to harden to produce a body that is a negative of at least a portion of the mold cavity, including a curved surface that is a negative of the curved surface of the mold. A ballast is connected to the body portion such that the ballast remains stationary relative to the body portion. An oscillating body is made in part or in whole from the body portion with the ballast, wherein the oscillating body is adapted to roll on the curved surface in an oscillating manner after being subjected to a displacement.

1 . A method of manufacturing an oscillating body utilizing a mold having a mold cavity, the mold cavity having a curved surface, the method comprising: 
 inserting a predetermined amount of a hardenable mixture in the flexible mold cavity and allowing the hardenable mixture to harden to produce a body that conforms to at least a portion of the mold cavity, wherein the body has a curved surface that is a negative of the curved surface of the mold;    connecting a ballast to the interior of the body such that the ballast remains stationary relative to the body; and    forming an oscillating body made in part or in whole from the body with the ballast, wherein the oscillating body is adapted to roll on the curved surface in an oscillating manner after being subjected to a displacement.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising fabricating a template piece having a curved surface and forming the mold cavity based at least on the curved surface, wherein at least a portion of the mold cavity is a substantial negative of at least a portion of the template piece.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the template piece has the likeness of a human face.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mold is a flexible mold.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the hardenable mixture comprises a resin.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the hardenable mixture is a mixture of polystyrene and CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining a coefficient of oscillation of the oscillating body, making the mold in accordance with the coefficient of oscillation, and making the oscillating body so that it has the coefficient of oscillation.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is greater than about 0.05 and less than about 1.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is greater than about 0.2 and less than about 0.8.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is about 0.15.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is about 0.10.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the frequency of oscillation of the body is about 0.5 hertz to about 3 hertz.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the frequency of oscillation of the body is about 0.5 hertz to about 3 hertz.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation of the body is about 0.10 to about 0.25, and the frequency of oscillation of the body is about 0.5 hertz to about 3 hertz.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the frequency of oscillation of the body is about 0.7 hertz.  
   
   
       16 . An oscillating body, comprising: 
 a body including a curved surface adapted to enable the oscillating body to be in rolling contact with a support surface; wherein    the oscillating body has a center of mass located substantially directly below the center of curvature of the curved surface when the oscillating body is in an at rest position on the support surface and free to roll; wherein    the curved surface has a curve of contact extending at least about 10 degrees in at least one direction away from a point at which the curved surface contacts the support surface in the at rest position; wherein    the curvature of the curved surface, when evaluated along the curve of contact within about 10 degrees from the point at which the curved surface contacts the support surface at the at rest position, results in stable center of mass travel; and wherein    the coefficient of oscillation of the body is greater than about 0.05 and less than about 1.    
   
   
       17 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the curved surface has a portion that extends over at least a hemisphere.  
   
   
       18 . An oscillating body according to  claim 17 , wherein the portion that extends over at least a hemisphere is selected from the group consisting of an elliptical surface and a spherical surface.  
   
   
       19 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the curved surface is substantially spherical.  
   
   
       20 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is greater than about 0.2 and less than about 0.8.  
   
   
       21 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is about 0.15.  
   
   
       22 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is about 0.10.  
   
   
       23 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the frequency of oscillation of the body is about 0.5 hertz to about 3 hertz.  
   
   
       24 . An oscillating body according to  claim 20 , wherein the frequency of oscillation is about 0.5 hertz to about 3 hertz.  
   
   
       25 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is about 0.10 to about 0.25 and the frequency of oscillation is about 0.5 hertz to about 3 hertz.  
   
   
       26 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the frequency of oscillation is about 0.7 hertz.  
   
   
       27 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the curve of contact of the curved surface extends at least about 45 degrees in at least two directions away from each other and away from the point at which the curved surface contacts the support surface at the at rest position.  
   
   
       28 . An oscillating body according to  claim 27 , wherein the curve of contact of the curved surface extends uninterrupted at least about 45 degrees in at least two directions away from each other and away from the point at which the curved surface contacts the support surface at the at rest position.  
   
   
       29 . An oscillating body according to  claim 27 , wherein the curvature of the curved surface, when evaluated along the curve of contact in the two directions within about 40 degrees from the point at which the curved surface contacts the support surface at the at rest position, results in stable center of mass travel.  
   
   
       30 . An oscillating body according to  claim 27 , wherein a second curve of contact of the curved surface extends uninterrupted at least about 45 degrees in at least two additional directions away from each other and away from the point at which the curved surface contacts the support surface at the at rest position, and wherein the two additional directions are substantially orthogonal to the two directions.  
   
   
       31 . An oscillating body according to  claim 30 , wherein the curvature of the curved surface, when evaluated along the curve of contact in the two additional directions within about 40 degrees from the point at which the curved surface contacts the support surface at the at rest position, results in stable center of mass travel.  
   
   
       32 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the curved surface is a substantially cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       33 . An oscillating body according to  claim 32 , wherein the cylindrical surface is selected from the group consisting of an elliptical surface and a spherical surface.  
   
   
       34 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , further comprising protrusions extending past the curved surface.  
   
   
       35 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the oscillating body comprises at least two portions having substantially different densities.  
   
   
       36 . An oscillating body according to  claim 35 , wherein the portion having a higher density is located substantially at the bottom of the oscillating body.  
   
   
       37 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the oscillating body comprises a solid mixture of polystyrene and CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       38 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein a shell of the oscillating body comprises a solid mixture of polystyrene and CaCO 3 , and an interior portion of the oscillating body comprises at least one of CaCO 3  and a mixture of polystyrene and CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       39 . An oscillating body according to  claim 16 , wherein the oscillating body comprises a shell and a ballast, and wherein the ballast located at the bottom of the shell and fixed to the shell.  
   
   
       40 . An oscillating body according to  claim 39 , wherein the ballast comprises CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       41 . An oscillating body, comprising: 
 a body including a curved surface adapted to enable the oscillating body to be in rolling contact with a support surface, the body being adapted to have a frequency of oscillation for an initial angular displacement having a value selected between the range of about 1 degree to about 20 degrees given by the equation:            freq   =     0.5   ⁢       meters     1   2       seconds     ⁢           c   o     ⁡     (   r   )           (     I   M     )     +     r   2     +       c   o   2     ⁢     r   2       -     2   ⁢     r   2     ⁢     c   o                       where    I=a moment of inertia of the body,    M=a mass of the body,    r=a radius of curvature of the curved    surface that contacts the flat support    surface during the angular displacement, and    c o =a coefficient of oscillation of the body;    wherein the coefficient of oscillation is greater than about 0.05 and less than about 1.    
   
   
       42 . An oscillating body according to  claim 41 , wherein the coefficient of oscillation is greater than about 0.2 and less than about 0.8.  
   
   
       43 . An oscillating body according to  claim 41 , wherein the frequency of oscillation is about 0.5 hertz to about 3 hertz.